Is an RX 9070 and 600W PSU a good upgrade for 1440p gaming?
Asked by
MellowCactus47
I'm in the UK and want to upgrade my PC for modern games at 1440p. My current system has a Radeon RX 6600, Ryzen 5 5600X, 16GB of DDR4 RAM (2x8GB), an MSI B550-A Pro motherboard, a Corsair CX600W power supply, and a 23-inch 1080p ViewSonic monitor. I'm considering the AOC Q27G4XF 27-inch 1440p monitor, currently around £150. I was initially advised to look at an RTX 4070 Super or RX 7800 XT, but they're difficult to find in stock. The RX 9070 is available for about £650, although it's often recommended with a more powerful PSU. Some people say a 600W unit may still work, especially at 1440p. Would the RX 9070 be a sensible upgrade, and should I replace the PSU or upgrade anything else first?
Answers
The RX 9070 should be a strong choice for 1440p, but I wouldn’t deliberately run it with a borderline power supply. A quality 650W or 750W unit would give you more headroom and reduce the risk of instability. Undervolting the card can also lower power usage, but it’s better not to rely on that as the main solution.
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I’d include a PSU upgrade in the budget and move to 32GB of RAM with a 2x16GB kit. Your 5600X and B550 board are still suitable for 1440p, but 32GB is becoming a more comfortable amount for newer games and multitasking.
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Before buying a new graphics card, try your RX 6600 at 1440p if you already have access to a monitor. The performance drop from 1080p isn’t always as dramatic as expected, depending on the game and your settings. You may find that some games are still perfectly playable while you decide whether the upgrade is really necessary.
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A used RX 7800 XT could also be worth considering if you find one from a trustworthy seller. It remains an excellent 1440p card and might cost less than the RX 9070, but check the card carefully and confirm that temperatures and stability are good before committing.
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