Is an RTX 3080 for about $320 a worthwhile replacement for a failing RTX 3070?
Asked by
MellowCactus47
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 around $250 because of its issues, but I found an RTX 3080 for roughly $320 and am considering it as a replacement. I've also been looking at RX 6900 XT cards, although they're uncommon in my local marketplace. Would the 3080 be a good buy at that price, or would switching to AMD be better despite giving up Nvidia features such as DLSS and stronger ray-tracing support?
Answers
If possible, look for the 12GB version or an RTX 3080 Ti. The raw performance increase over a standard 3080 isn’t enormous, but the extra VRAM can make a big difference in newer games, ultrawide resolutions, and demanding texture settings. The 10GB model can run into limitations sooner.
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The 6900 XT is worth considering if you find one at a reasonable price, especially for high-resolution gaming without ray tracing. Its 16GB of VRAM gives it more breathing room than the 3080, while Nvidia is generally the safer choice for ray tracing, upscaling, and certain creative applications.
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A 3080 makes sense if you care about ray tracing, DLSS, or Nvidia-specific features. A 6900 XT offers excellent traditional rasterization performance and 16GB of VRAM, which can age better, but availability and pricing matter. I’d choose whichever is in better condition and offers the stronger local deal.
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At around $320, an RTX 3080 is still a solid deal and a noticeable upgrade from the 3070. Just check the card carefully, confirm it works properly, and make sure your power supply can handle its higher power draw.
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