Why did my FPS drop after switching to a 3060 Ti?

First, make sure the game is actually using the 3060 Ti and that its display resolution and render scale are set correctly. Blurry graphics can come from a resolution or upscaling setting, while a big performance drop could also mean the card is not boosting normally.

Check temperatures, GPU utilization, clock speed, and power draw under load with a monitoring tool. Those readings can help distinguish a driver problem from overheating, power limits, or a game setting.

When you say you removed the old drivers, the method matters. A clean reinstall with Display Driver Uninstaller in Safe Mode is worth trying, then install the current NVIDIA driver and reboot. Regular uninstalling may leave behind a broken or mismatched driver setup.

If that does not help, check whether the card is fully seated and its PCIe power connector is firmly attached. Also confirm the monitor is plugged into the graphics card, not the motherboard.

The i5-9400F could limit frame rates in some games, especially at lower resolutions, but that alone would not usually explain a sudden slideshow and blurry image. I would check the basics before blaming the processor.

Also verify the game’s resolution, render scale, and graphics preset. If the settings changed during the hardware swap, the game may be rendering below your display resolution or using an aggressive upscaling mode.

A 500 W supply is something to investigate, though the label alone does not tell us whether it is causing the issue. Check the exact power supply model and the card’s power connection, and watch for crashes, black screens, or unusually low GPU clocks while gaming.

Compare temperatures and performance in more than one game or a graphics benchmark. If every load shows low clocks or power, that points toward a system-level issue rather than one game’s settings.