I'm putting together a Ryzen 5 5600X system mainly for 1080p gaming and am torn between a $250 RTX 3070, an RTX 2080 Super, or spending about $100 more on an 8GB 9060 XT. Which option offers the best combination of performance, value, power efficiency, and longevity?
4 Answers
The RTX 3070 is the strongest value at these prices. It generally performs around the same as, or better than, the RTX 2080 Super, while costing less than the 9060 XT. For 1080p gaming, it should perform very well, though its 8GB of VRAM may become a limitation in some newer games over time.
It may be worth looking at a used RTX 3080 12GB or 3080 Ti if you can find one around $350–$400 from a trustworthy seller. Those cards offer considerably more performance and VRAM, giving you more room for demanding games, but the extra cost and risks of buying used hardware should be considered.
For newer, graphically demanding games, 8GB cards are already starting to require reduced settings. If you can wait and save for a newer card with more than 8GB of VRAM, it may last longer. Still, among the options listed, the RTX 3070 is the best immediate bargain, while the 9060 XT is the better choice for newer features and longer-term support.
The 9060 XT is roughly in the RTX 3070 performance range, but it has newer hardware, better long-term driver support, and lower power consumption. If you plan to keep the card for several years, paying the extra $100 could be worthwhile. Its 8GB of VRAM should be adequate for most 1080p games, although there will always be a few exceptions.
The RTX 2080 Ti is closer to the RTX 3070 in performance. The regular 2080 Super is more comparable to a 3060 Ti, so I’d choose the 3070 between those older cards.