Should I buy an RX 9060 XT 16GB or stretch for an RX 9070?
Asked by
MellowPine42
I'm not gaming as much as I used to, but I regularly play Dota 2, Crimson Desert, Red Dead Redemption 2, and similar games. My current system has a Ryzen 7 3700X, RTX 2060 Super 8GB, 16GB of RAM, and a 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 running at 165Hz. I'm planning to upgrade the GPU first, then move to a Ryzen 7 5800X3D and 32GB of RAM later. I'm currently considering an RTX 5060 Ti 16GB for about €700, an RX 9060 XT 16GB for around €520, or an RX 9070 16GB for roughly €630 in Germany. Is the RX 9060 XT enough for my system and games, or is the RX 9070 worth the extra €100–120? I'd also consider an RX 9070 XT if the additional cost makes sense. I'd appreciate advice on performance, value, and how well these cards would pair with my planned CPU upgrade.
Answers
Before buying the RX 9070 or 9070 XT, check your power supply, available connectors, and case clearance. The RX 9060 XT uses less power and may be easier to run, but the RX 9070 is the better value in your price comparison. A used RTX 3080 could also be considered if you find a good deal, but check whether it has 10GB or 12GB of VRAM and factor in its higher power consumption.
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The Ryzen 7 3700X can run either the RX 9060 XT or RX 9070, although CPU limits may show up in high-refresh-rate games at lower resolutions. Upgrading to a 5800X3D later will help a lot, particularly at 1080p. At 1440p, the GPU matters more, so the RX 9070 makes more sense for your monitor and gives you room to increase settings.
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If you can add roughly €50–100 more, the RX 9070 XT is worth checking first. It gives you more headroom for demanding games and should remain useful longer, especially if you increase settings or play at 1440p. Otherwise, the RX 9070 is a sensible stopping point and offers a much better performance jump than the 9060 XT.
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The RX 9060 XT 16GB is reasonable if keeping costs low is the priority, but the extra memory alone doesn’t make it a high-end card. Since the RX 9070 is only around €110 more in your market, I’d choose the RX 9070. It should provide a clearly larger upgrade from the RTX 2060 Super and remain capable at 1440p for years.
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I’d skip the RTX 5060 Ti and RX 9060 XT at those prices. They would be upgrades, but the jump from your RTX 2060 Super probably won’t feel as substantial as moving to an RX 9070. For about €630, the RX 9070 is the better long-term choice and should be very strong for 1440p gaming. Your planned 5800X3D and 32GB of RAM would pair well with it.
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SunnyVale3: That’s also the route I’d take. Buy the strongest card that fits the budget rather than paying nearly €700 for a 5060 Ti 16GB.