I'm currently using a GeForce RTX 4070 and had planned to upgrade to an RTX 5080 next month. However, prices have risen by several hundred dollars, with some cards now costing around $1,700. I enjoy playing at maximum settings and would like more performance, even though an upgrade isn't strictly necessary. Would it make more sense to buy an RTX 5070 Ti, pay the inflated price for an RTX 5080, consider an alternative such as the Radeon RX 9070 XT, or simply keep my 4070 and wait?
4 Answers
Before upgrading, check whether the 4070 is actually failing to meet your target frame rate. High settings often look nearly identical to Ultra, and lowering a few demanding options can make a big difference. If maximum settings are important to you, save the money for a more substantial upgrade instead of paying inflated prices now.
The RX 9070 XT is worth considering if you’re comfortable switching from Nvidia. It’s usually much cheaper than an RTX 5080 while offering roughly 80–85% of the gaming performance, so it may provide better value than paying the current premium.
I’d wait for a good seasonal sale or the next generation. The current pricing makes the 5080 difficult to justify for about a 40% performance improvement, especially when your existing card is still capable. Put the money aside and upgrade when the price-to-performance jump is much better.
That makes sense. I may wait for a major sale, and if prices are still unreasonable, hold onto the 4070 until the next generation.
I’d keep the 4070 for now. If your games are running well, spending over $1,000 for a relatively modest performance increase doesn’t seem worthwhile. Wait for prices to settle, a major sale, or the next generation of cards.
You could also sell the 4070 first to reduce the cost, but I’d only switch if the games and features you use work well on the AMD card.