I'm looking for some advice on upgrading my brother's GPU. He's got a decent setup with a Ryzen 5 5600X, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 750W PSU, but he's currently running a GTX 1070. He's mostly playing games at 1080p with a 180Hz refresh rate, like Arc Raiders and Minecraft, as well as a few other indie titles. He wants to future-proof his gaming experience, so I'm on the hunt for a solid GPU upgrade that fits within a $300 budget. Here are some options I've been considering: a used RX 9060XT 8GB for $280, an RX 9060XT 16GB for $350, a used RTX 3080 for $390, or a used RTX 3070/3070 Ti in the range of $250-$280. Just to note, we're steering clear of any options like the RX 6000 series that might not have driver support. He's not interested in frame generation or upscaling, but I'm a bit concerned about VRAM—would a card with more VRAM help his performance?
5 Answers
At 1080p 180Hz, the 3070 Ti is a great sweet spot. The 9060 16GB is better for future-proofing, but it's over budget. The 8GB version is okay for 1080p unless he's going for heavy mods. Skip the 3080 at $390—it’s just not worth it when the 3070 Ti performs similarly for less.
I ended up picking up an RTX 3080 for $350! Looking forward to testing it out with my setup. Can't wait to see how it handles everything.
If you're in the US, you can probably find a 3080 around $300-$330, which is a perfect fit. It's still a powerhouse for 1080p and even does well in 1440p. Worth checking local listings like OfferUp to see what's available.
Honestly, for those games, any of the choices seem decent. But if he’s looking long term, the RX 9060 XT 16GB or even a used RTX 3080 (if you can find one for about $350) would be smart picks. The 3070 and 3070 Ti are solid under $300, but they might not be as future-proof as the others, especially if he plans on playing more demanding games.
Thanks! Yeah, I was worried about future games, but the 3080 sounds enticing. Have you heard anything about power consumption with that card?
I'd go for the RX 9060 XT 16GB. It's still getting driver updates and will keep your brother set for a while. Plus, with 16GB, he's less likely to experience VRAM limitations in future titles.
Good point! If I could snag a 3080 for $350, do you think that would be a better deal? And would it work with my 750W PSU?