I've been working hard on a professional qualification for the last three years, and I promised myself a new PC as a reward once I completed it. But it seems like I finished right when the GPU market is at its worst. I'm currently considering building an entirely new setup, but I'm thinking about just using my old 1060 for now until prices stabilize. I'm in the UK and aiming to keep my total budget around £1,000, but I've really fallen for the 9070 XT, which seems unrealistic at that price. Do you think it's possible that prices will drop in the future? Also, as a first-time builder, will I face any issues if I buy components over time? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
4 Answers
Honestly, £1,000 is a tight budget if you're aiming for the 9070 XT, especially since that's a high-end card. You could consider getting a solid AMD AM4 setup with a strong CPU and holding out for a GPU upgrade in the future. Going with a good 1080p build should work fine for now, and you might want to look for a second-hand GPU to save some cash for your new build. It can keep your options open later without breaking the bank right away.
If your current build is running fine and can still handle games decently, it might be worth waiting a bit. Prices might not drop drastically, but they also might not rise further with the current state of supply and demand. Plus, building in stages could actually help you learn and make sure everything works well together when you finally upgrade that GPU!
That sounds encouraging! It's always good to plan ahead rather than rush straight into buying things at inflated prices.
Since you're looking to improve your setup piece by piece, maybe consider a system without a GPU for now and save that upgrade for a later date, especially around Black Friday or Cyber Monday. The prices fluctuate a lot, so you might find a good deal when the sales hit!
That's a smart idea! Check out historical price trends before making your decision; it could save you some money.
I was using the 1060 until recently, and it still played most games well for me. If you're worried about performance, it really depends on the resolution you're targeting. Make sure to pair your GPU with a good CPU to avoid stuttering. If you're aiming for a 1440p ultra-wide, you might want to check that your processor is up to the task since it can bottleneck your performance if maxed out!
Exactly! I just upgraded to a 1440p monitor and had to make sure my CPU wasn't holding me back. It really enhances the gaming experience.
Yeah, I agree. Building a solid foundation first before upgrading the GPU makes a lot of sense. Just make sure your motherboard can handle whatever GPU you end up with later!