My RTX 3070 is starting to fail, so I'm temporarily using an R7 265 until I get paid. I probably can't sell the 3070 for the roughly $250 it might otherwise be worth because of its problems. I've found RTX 3080 cards for about $320 and I'm wondering whether that would be a sensible replacement. I'm also considering an RX 6900 XT, although they rarely appear at reasonable prices where I live. Would switching to AMD be worthwhile if it meant giving up Nvidia features such as DLSS and better ray-tracing support?
4 Answers
If you can find an RTX 3080 12GB or 3080 Ti for only a little more, that would be the better long-term choice. The performance increase over the regular 3080 is not enormous, but the extra VRAM can make a noticeable difference in newer games, especially at ultrawide or high resolutions. The 10GB model is still usable, but demanding titles may require reduced texture settings.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with buying the 3080 here; it mainly comes down to price, condition, and what your system can support. For $320, it is a solid replacement, but check the seller’s testing results, temperatures, and power connectors before committing. If a 16GB RX 6800 XT, 6900 XT, or 6950 XT is available for about the same money, compare those based on whether you prioritize VRAM and standard rendering or ray tracing and upscaling features.
At around $320, a properly working RTX 3080 is a reasonable upgrade and a major step up from an R7 265. It offers more raw performance, DLSS, and generally stronger ray tracing than similarly priced AMD options. Just test the card carefully before buying and make sure your power supply can handle its high power draw.
An RX 6900 XT can be an excellent alternative if you find one at a similar price. Its rasterized performance and 16GB of VRAM give it better longevity in some games, but it is a less attractive choice if you care heavily about ray tracing, DLSS, or Nvidia-specific software features. Since 6900 XT cards often retain their value, availability and condition may matter more than the brand.
The VRAM difference matters most when a game actually exceeds 10GB. In those cases, performance can drop sharply, so paying a bit more for 12GB may be worthwhile.