I'm upgrading from a Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti 4GB and found a Sapphire Pulse RX 5700 XT 8GB for $100. My system has a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB of DDR4 memory, and a 550W power supply. Would this be a worthwhile upgrade, and is my current PSU sufficient?
4 Answers
The 550W supply might be enough if it’s a reputable, good-quality model with the correct PCIe power connectors, but the 5700 XT uses considerably more power than the 1050 Ti. Ideally, use a quality 650W unit rather than relying on SATA or Molex adapters. If the current PSU is questionable, upgrading it should come before installing the card.
For $100, it’s a significant upgrade over the GTX 1050 Ti and probably one of the best performance-per-dollar options if that’s your maximum budget. It should be good for 1080p gaming, though newer demanding games may require medium or low settings. At 1440p, you’ll need to be more realistic about image quality and frame rates.
If you can save more, an RX 6600 XT or RX 6650 XT would be a better long-term choice. They use less power, pair well with the Ryzen 5 3600, and have newer features and driver support. Still, if $100 is your hard limit and the card passes testing, the 5700 XT is a reasonable upgrade.
Check the card carefully before buying. The RX 5700 XT launched in 2019, and many used examples spent years mining, so ask for proof that it runs properly and test temperatures, stability, and performance if possible. A mining card isn’t automatically bad, but its condition matters a lot at this price.
Make sure the PSU has a native 8-pin and 6-pin PCIe connection. I wouldn’t use adapters, especially on an older or poorly built power supply.