Hey everyone! I built my system back in 2015, and I'm really hoping to hold off on a full upgrade for another 9-12 months due to tight finances. However, my graphics card seems to be on its last leg. I've replaced the fans four times (maybe three, but who's counting?), and it's now running hotter than ever, even with minimum graphics settings barely keeping it under 90°C.
I know a modern card will probably be bottlenecked by my older setup, but I'm looking for suggestions on what to replace my GTX 980 Ti with. Ideally, I want something that maintains or slightly improves my current performance for the next year.
Would it be smarter to try and save up a bit more for a newer, low-end system instead? Here's my current system: Intel i7-4790K @ 4.00GHz, GTX 980 Ti, and I mainly play games like 7 Days to Die, Satisfactory, The Long Dark, and Subnautica. Any advice would be super appreciated!
2 Answers
Hey! Have you thought about changing the thermal paste in your GPU? Changing the fans is great, but if the thermal paste is old and dry, it won't help cool it down. Also, check out your card's performance specs on a site like TechPowerUp. If you're okay with buying used, consider looking for something like a GTX 1070. Just be cautious not to overpay—especially for cards like the RTX 3050, as they won't outperform your current setup.
Buying a used GPU might not solve the overheating issue since previous owners usually neglect thermal paste too. I’d suggest looking into budget GPUs like the Arc B580 or RTX 5060. If that's out of your budget, try to get the newest used graphics card you can. That way, it might last you through till you're ready for a more powerful system.
That's a great point! Do you think "renewed" or "refurbished" cards are better than used ones regarding thermal maintenance, or are they still risky?