I just received my new 5070 GPU and returned my Intel Arc b580. I've only built a couple of PCs and haven't really upgraded any parts before. Since this is my first upgrade, I'm looking for some guidance on what I should do next. I don't have important files on my PC, so I'm okay with doing a hard reset if necessary. Also, my PSU is 750W, but I'm wondering if I should upgrade that to 850W considering I also use a mic and a Steam Deck. Any advice is appreciated!
3 Answers
When upgrading your GPU, I recommend removing the old drivers first if possible. You might find that Intel has a cleanup utility to help with this. Once that's done, turn off your PC completely, unplug it, and take some anti-static precautions while you swap out the old GPU for the new one. The 5070 will need the 16-pin connector, so check for a splitter adapter in the box to connect two 8-pin PCIe plugs. After installing the GPU, just install the latest Nvidia Game Ready drivers and you should be all good! No need for a factory reset or anything like that.
First off, you'll want to completely remove your old Intel drivers. The best way to do this is by using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU). After that, install your new GPU, connect it properly, and then grab the latest Nvidia drivers to get everything up and running. As for your power supply, 750W should be fine for the 5070 unless you're running a super high-end CPU alongside it, like a 14900K or something.
Using DDU is a good idea; some think a full Windows reinstall is necessary, but that's not true! I've switched GPUs multiple times on Windows 10 without needing to reset everything. A full reset is overkill unless you experience issues after the upgrade.
Thanks for that! Should I do the DDU before or after I install the new GPU?
Just to clarify, do I need to run DDU before or after I plug in the new GPU?