I'm considering upgrading my RTX 3070 to improve my 1440p gaming experience. I originally planned to buy an RX 7800 XT, but its higher power draw would likely require replacing my current 650W power supply, and electricity is quite expensive where I live. The RX 9060 XT appeals to me because it uses less power, includes 16GB of VRAM, and would cost less overall when factoring in the PSU and electricity. However, I've heard that its performance is only slightly ahead of the RTX 3070, making it more of a sidegrade than a real upgrade. Would it be worthwhile given my focus on power consumption? Is the RTX 4070 Super a better option, or are there other similarly priced cards I should consider?
5 Answers
Consider the RX 9070 instead of the 9060 XT. It offers a much larger performance improvement while using roughly as much power as the RTX 3070, so it may fit your electricity and PSU concerns better. The RX 9070 XT is another strong option if your budget and power supply can handle it, but it makes more sense as a long-term upgrade than the 9060 XT.
The RX 9060 XT is only modestly faster than the RTX 3070, so it would not feel like a substantial upgrade. Its lower power draw is nice, but the savings probably won’t recover the purchase price anytime soon. Even with extremely expensive electricity, saving roughly 60W while gaming works out to only a few cents per hour. You’d need thousands of gaming hours before the electricity savings made up the difference in cost.
That comparison makes sense. The electricity savings alone probably aren’t enough to justify replacing the card.
The RTX 4070 Super would be a worthwhile upgrade from the RTX 3070, especially if you value Nvidia’s features and efficiency. Whether it is a good buy depends heavily on the local price, though. If it costs much more than competing cards, an RX 9070 or another higher-tier option may offer better value.
I’d keep the RTX 3070 for now rather than moving to the RX 9060 XT. Unless you can sell the 3070 for a very good price, the performance increase is too small to justify the upgrade. Saving for a more significant jump would be the better choice.
The RX 9060 XT is closer to an RTX 3070 Ti than a major generational upgrade. Its 16GB of VRAM is useful for newer games, but the raw performance increase is too small for a typical upgrade. I’d continue using the 3070 and wait until you can afford a card in the RX 9070 or RTX 4070 Super performance range.
I wasn’t aware there was a non-XT RX 9070, so I’ll compare its price and power requirements.