I'm using a Ryzen 5 5600 and want to upgrade or choose a GPU for 1080p esports titles and gaming at around 1440p. I'm looking for the least expensive card that would handle this well. I previously had an RX 6700 XT and was very happy with it, but I'm wondering whether it would be worth stepping up to something like an RX 7700 XT, RX 6800 XT, RX 7800 XT, or a newer equivalent. What would you choose for this CPU and use case?
5 Answers
You can go as high as roughly RTX 3080 or RTX 4070-level performance, but beyond that you may not get much benefit at 1080p with a Ryzen 5 5600. For the best value, I’d first compare current prices for a 6700 XT, 6800 XT, or newer midrange card rather than automatically buying the fastest option.
A newer midrange card such as an RX 9060 XT should handle both esports and 1440p smoothly, assuming the price is reasonable. If it costs more than you want to spend, keeping the 6700 XT is perfectly sensible because it already meets the target well.
The RX 6700 XT is still a very capable match for a Ryzen 5 5600. It handles 1440p well and should be excellent for esports at 1080p, so upgrading only makes sense if you need higher settings, refresh rates, or more demanding games.
An RX 6800 XT is a strong option if you can find one at a good price. It’s overkill for 1080p, but it’s still a great fit for 1440p and offers plenty of performance for the Ryzen 5 5600.
That does seem like a really balanced AM4 combination, especially for 1440p.
For 1440p, the 5600 and 6700 XT combination already performs very well in most games. I’d only move to a 7700 XT, 7800 XT, or similar card if you want higher frame rates or plan to keep the GPU for several years. At 1080p, the CPU may become the limiting factor before a high-end GPU does.
That’s what I was wondering about. I was considering an RX 7700 XT, 6800 XT, or 7800 XT, but I’m not sure the extra cost would be worthwhile.