I recently bought a second-hand gaming PC for around $150, which has an Intel i3-12100F processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a Gigabyte H610 motherboard, and a GTX 1650 GPU. While I've enjoyed the deal, I'm finding the GTX 1650 isn't cutting it for my gaming needs. I'm using a 27-inch, 1440p monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, and I'm having to reduce both the resolution and graphics settings to achieve smooth gameplay, especially with AAA titles like Cyberpunk and Alan Wake 2. I'm hoping to upgrade my GPU within a budget of around $200. Any suggestions?
4 Answers
Honestly, with $200, you're not going to find anything that'll get you smooth gameplay at 1440p with high settings for titles like Cyberpunk or Alan Wake. You might want to adjust your expectations; consider a more budget-friendly GPU that can handle 1080p if that works better for you.
If you're scouring the used market, a 3060 Ti is probably the best option you can find around your budget. If you're planning to sell your GTX 1650, you might be able to stretch your budget for a used 3070, which would be even better!
I've seen some decent deals on 3060 Ti's, so I'll definitely consider that. Thanks for the suggestion!
What kind of FPS are you aiming for at 1440p?
I'm hoping for about 50-60 FPS, but I'm open to playing some heavier games at 1080p if necessary. The current GPU struggles too much, so I really need something that improves overall performance.
With your budget, I'd suggest looking into a used RTX 2070 Super. It's a massive leap in performance and lets you use DLSS, though hitting native 1440p may be tricky without breaking the bank. Also, keep in mind that your CPU, the i3-12100F, might bottleneck performance since it has just 4 cores. If you plan to upgrade your CPU eventually, the i5-12600KF is a solid choice around $130—but you'd need a good cooler for that!
Thanks! Native 1440p isn't super important to me, so I'll keep an eye out for that GPU. The CPU upgrade is on my list too, just focusing on the GPU first.
Yeah, I think I'll need to let go of the idea of hitting 1440p with this budget. I'm okay with lowering the resolution for certain games if it means better performance.