I'm upgrading from a GTX 660 with a GPU budget of $350–$380. My main uses are Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, 1080p/1440p gaming, and general everyday performance. I'm considering a used RTX 3080 10GB, an RTX 5060 8GB, or an Intel Arc B580 12GB. The RTX 3080 offers much stronger raw performance and CUDA support, while the RTX 5060 has newer features, lower power consumption, and better efficiency. The B580 is attractive because of its 12GB of VRAM and competitive features, but I'm concerned about driver maturity and compatibility.
My current system is an i5-8600K, 24GB of DDR4, a Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming K3 motherboard, and PCIe 3.0 x16. ReBAR is supported after updating the BIOS. My current power supply is from 2012, so I would replace it with a quality 750W unit if I chose the RTX 3080. I realize the processor may limit these cards for now, but I plan to upgrade the rest of the platform later. Which option makes the most sense for this budget and workload?
5 Answers
Of these three, the used RTX 3080 gives you the most performance by a wide margin, especially for 1440p gaming and GPU-accelerated editing. Your motherboard and ReBAR support should make the B580 workable, but Intel cards can still be less predictable with some older games and platforms. The 3080 is the strongest choice as long as you replace that aging power supply with a genuinely good unit.
The main thing is that the i5-8600K will hold back any of these cards in some games, especially at 1080p. That doesn't make the upgrade pointless, since the GPU can move into a newer build later, but you may not see the full benefit immediately. An RTX 3080 is worth considering if you can verify its condition and power the system properly; otherwise, a new RTX 5060 is the more dependable purchase.
I would put the Arc B580 behind the two NVIDIA options for this particular system and workload. The 12GB of VRAM is appealing, and Intel's drivers have improved, but ReBAR needs to be enabled for good performance and compatibility is still less consistent than NVIDIA's. Since Premiere and Resolve are important to you, NVIDIA's CUDA and software support make the RTX cards the less risky choice.
At this price, I would first look for a well-maintained RTX 3080 and compare it with local pricing. A used RTX 3080 around $350–$380 can be excellent value, but avoid assuming every listing is equal—ask for temperatures or testing results if possible. An RTX 4070 would be a nice alternative because of its 12GB VRAM and efficiency, but it is usually outside this budget.
The RTX 5060 is the safer choice if power consumption, warranty coverage, and efficiency matter more than maximum performance. It uses roughly half the power of a 3080 and offers newer features such as updated upscaling and frame generation. The downside is that the 8GB VRAM and lower raw performance may become limiting sooner, particularly at 1440p or in heavier editing projects.
For a short-term upgrade before replacing the rest of the computer, the 5060 makes sense. For keeping the GPU through a future platform upgrade, though, the 3080's extra performance is more compelling.
A quality 750W supply should be the minimum I would target, and I would check the card carefully because used 3080s can have significant wear. Look for damaged fans, excessive dust, and signs of mining use, and leave room in the budget for cleaning or new thermal paste.