I have a Ryzen 7 5700X and want to upgrade my graphics card for QHD gaming. My monitor supports 1440p at up to 180 Hz, and my budget is roughly €400. I live in France, so local pricing and availability matter. Should I focus on a new card, or is buying used the better option?
5 Answers
A 1440p monitor running at 180 Hz does not mean every game needs to reach 180 FPS. For demanding titles, prioritize a card that can provide a stable 60–120 FPS with sensible settings. Current price increases make a used RX 6800 XT, RX 7700 XT, or RTX 3080 the most realistic choices near €400.
For a new card, the Intel Arc B580 is worth considering around this price, although driver support and game compatibility should be checked first. If you use Linux, AMD is generally the safer choice for gaming.
At this budget, the used market is probably your best bet. Look for an RX 7700 XT, RX 6800 XT, RTX 3080, or possibly an RTX 4070 if you find an unusually good deal. Prices vary a lot, but the RX 7700 XT is a sensible target for 1440p.
An RX 7800 XT or RX 7900 GRE would be excellent for QHD, and the RX 9060 XT 16GB is another option if you can find one near €400. In France, though, these may cost more than your target, so waiting for a sale or checking used listings could be necessary.
The RTX 5060 Ti 8GB can deliver high frame rates and may fit the budget when priced around €400, but 8GB of VRAM is less comfortable for newer 1440p games. I would compare it against a similarly priced AMD card before buying.
That makes sense. I was mainly hoping for smooth high-refresh gaming, but I understand that 180 FPS will not be realistic in every modern game at this budget.