I built my gaming PC in 2021 and would like to keep playing newer releases through around 2028, ideally at 1440p with settings as close to maximum as possible. My current system has an MSI RTX 3060 Ti 8GB, an Intel Core i5-12600K, 16GB of Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 memory, a 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe SSD, an ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 cooler, a Corsair RM850x 850W Gold power supply, and an ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-PLUS D4 motherboard. My budget is limited, so I am considering upgrading to 32GB of RAM and replacing the graphics card, but I am unsure which upgrade should come first or which GPU offers the best value. I am also wondering whether switching from NVIDIA to AMD would prevent me from using ray tracing.
4 Answers
For the RAM, adding another matching 2x8GB kit may work, but four DIMMs can sometimes be less stable and identical kits may be difficult to find. If the current kit is unavailable, selling it and replacing it with a 2x16GB kit is the cleaner approach. Also make sure the replacement memory is compatible with the motherboard and runs at its rated speed.
For a graphics card, the Radeon RX 9070 XT is a strong option if you do not heavily prioritize ray tracing. If you prefer NVIDIA features and are willing to spend more, an RTX 5070 Ti is another option. Your 850W power supply should provide plenty of headroom for cards in this class, but performance and pricing should be checked at the time of purchase.
The Core i5-12600K should still be capable for 1440p gaming, so I would not prioritize replacing the CPU. The 3060 Ti is the part most likely to hold you back in newer, demanding games, while 16GB of RAM is becoming a limitation in quite a few modern titles. Upgrade the memory to 32GB when possible, then put the main budget toward a stronger GPU.
Moving from NVIDIA to AMD does not disable ray tracing. AMD cards support it, although ray-traced games can reduce performance more heavily depending on the title. The RX 9070 XT can still deliver solid ray-tracing results, while NVIDIA generally retains an advantage in some ray-tracing and upscaling workloads.
Ray tracing is definitely available on AMD cards; it is not an NVIDIA-exclusive feature. The practical difference is that the performance penalty varies by game, so compare benchmarks for the titles you actually play.