I currently use a Ryzen 7 9800X3D with an RTX 4070 Ti for competitive Counter-Strike at 1080p/240Hz, while streaming to two platforms at the same time. I'm considering upgrading to a 1080p/450Hz monitor later this year. During intense moments, my frame rate can drop below 400 FPS, so I'm wondering whether an RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT would provide more stable performance and better stream quality through its hardware encoder. I'm not in a hurry to buy since my current system works well, and I'm especially interested in encoder quality rather than just average in-game FPS.
3 Answers
For raw value, the RX 9070 XT is the stronger choice and should be more than capable at 1080p, even with a very high refresh rate. The non-XT model could also be enough while using less power and producing less heat. However, that only makes sense if gaming performance is your main concern.
If streaming quality is the deciding factor, I’d lean toward the RTX 5070 Ti. Nvidia’s hardware encoder and streaming ecosystem are generally more consistent, especially when sending streams to multiple platforms. The 9070 XT is excellent value for gaming, but it may not provide the same encoder quality at identical settings. That said, your 4070 Ti already has a capable encoder, so I wouldn’t upgrade until testing the new display with your current setup.
The 5070 Ti is the safer encoder choice, but the performance gain over a 4070 Ti probably won’t justify the cost just for Counter-Strike.
I’d probably wait until you actually have the 450Hz monitor. The upgrade from a 4070 Ti to either of these cards is fairly small for Counter-Strike, and the price may not be worth it unless you can sell your current GPU for a good amount. Test the new monitor first and then decide whether the frame drops are really affecting you.
That makes sense. If the monitor is delayed or the current card performs well enough, waiting another generation may be the better option.
I’m less concerned about the in-game difference and more worried about stream quality when encoding on the GPU.