I'm planning ahead for the eventual PC release of the next Grand Theft Auto game, but I also want better performance right now. My current setup uses a Ryzen 5 3600, 32GB of DDR4-3600 memory, an RTX 3060 Ti, and a 600–650W EVGA power supply. I mostly play at 1440p on an IPS monitor, though I'd like to connect the PC to a 4K OLED TV for single-player games. Would it make sense to stay on AM4 and upgrade to something like a Ryzen 7 5800X3D, then pair it with a newer GPU such as an RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT? Ray tracing is important to me, so I'm leaning toward Nvidia. I'm also concerned about whether it's better to upgrade now for current games or wait until the PC requirements and release timing for the next GTA are known. There's also some uncertainty about future Nvidia GPU pricing and availability if the company continues prioritizing AI hardware.
3 Answers
For an AM4 drop-in CPU upgrade, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D would be the strongest option, with a 5500X3D or 5600X3D making sense if you can find one at a good price. For the GPU, the RX 9070 XT offers strong 4K performance and has improved ray tracing, while the RTX 5070 Ti is the better choice if you care about heavier ray tracing or path tracing and want DLSS. The Nvidia card may not be worth a large premium unless those features are a major priority.
There are two separate upgrade goals here: improving current high-refresh-rate gaming and preparing for an unknown future game. A 4K upgrade can be planned today, but the next GTA’s PC requirements, release date, optimization, and available hardware will all affect what makes sense. Even a high-end card bought now could be overtaken by newer generations by the time the game arrives. I’d upgrade only if your current 1440p or 4K experience is unsatisfactory, and otherwise save the budget for hardware available closer to the game’s actual PC launch.
That makes sense. My other concern is that Nvidia could put less focus on consumer graphics cards because its AI business is so much larger, potentially leading to worse availability or higher prices. Waiting could help with performance, but it might also mean paying a bigger premium later.
If your current games are running well, waiting is probably the smartest move. The PC version of the next GTA hasn’t been announced with hardware requirements, so any upgrade chosen specifically for it would be based on guesswork. It makes more sense to upgrade when you have a current 4K target or an actual game requirement to plan around.
I’d want to compare real-world ray-tracing results before deciding. If AMD continues closing the gap with Nvidia on upscaling quality, the 9070 XT could become the better value.