Graphics Cards

[Derealized]

I've been meaning to build myself a new PC for years, something decent, and finally around the end of last year i got it started. I used a bunch of old parts, got a Motherboard CPU and RAM... Anyway, best i could do for the GPU for now, is use this RX 580 i had. After the crypto stuff 2020 and now more problems, the prices, i can't believe how ridiculous they STILL are. Nothing costs what it should cost, it never ends, and I have other priorities.
So i could use some recommendations, because, even still, there are a lot of great choices, i just want to feel at least like i am getting the best i can for my money. I've considered getting a used card, maybe a used 1080 TI, or maybe try out the Intel Arc B580, if it actually was the $250 it's supposed to have been.

It's hard to decide on anything. If i think it's worth it, then I'll try waiting until around the end of the year to get it, save up a bit more money. My absolute limit is $500. I mostly play a lot of older games, indie games, and some emulation. I still do like to check out the newer games sometimes and i do like to put my settings up very high. But, I'm not obsessive about resolution. 1080p is fine by me, 1440 is even better, but really I don't care about 4k 600 fps max settings... I just want a good capable GPU that will hold up, for me, for the next few years. It doesn't have to impress anyone.

So should i get a sort of placeholder? like a used card, save my money for later on, if prices ever DO stabilize? Or what? I just can't make up my mind.

 

[solidbatman]

Aim for something with 12- 16gb of vram from at least the past two generations (3000 series card for example).

I am on a 4070 super which is a bit overkill I suppose for what you're doing, but really if you can just get 12- 16gb of VRAM you should be alright.

edit: current prices for 4070 super are really stupid unfortunately.

 

[RageBurner]

Id say the 4060 is a good modern entry level card. If you are feeling adventurous you could try AMD but I have a friend that has a top end AMD card, the XFX 7900 I think, and it has severe problems with something called ASUS Armory Crate, so beware.

 

[bjork]

Regarding a 1080: I'm on a 1070 and I don't meet minimum spec for some newer releases. Not that there isn't plenty of stuff to play, but if newer stuff is a thing, that's a consideration to make.

 

[rugal]

the gtx 1080 ti
work fine on most newer games but some games you need to change settings
but i have no problem with mine 1080 ti

if you want a card that is just a little better than 1080 ti
than i recomend rtx 2080 super or better rtx 2080 ti

but if you really want to play modern games then these are the ones i really recomend
rtx 4060 ti 16GB
rtx 4060 ti 8GB
rtx 4060
rtx 3070 ti
rtx 3070
rtx 3060 ti 8GB
rtx 3060 12GB

 

[Derealized]

Id say the 4060 is a good modern entry level card. If you are feeling adventurous you could try AMD but I have a friend that has a top end AMD card, the XFX 7900 I think, and it has severe problems with something called ASUS Armory Crate, so beware.

Armory Crate is more for like Motherboards, so i don't know, could be something in bios, or it could be problems with Adrenaline software. I've solved a few minor issues with the 580 and it works ok, just kinda old now is all.

 

[RageBurner]

Armory Crate is more for like Motherboards, so i don't know, could be something in bios, or it could be problems with Adrenaline software. I've solved a few minor issues with the 580 and it works ok, just kinda old now is all.

Yeah I'm not sure what happened, but it wrecked my friend's system to the point he had to reset windows twice.

 

[Derealized]

Regarding a 1080: I'm on a 1070 and I don't meet minimum spec for some newer releases. Not that there isn't plenty of stuff to play, but if newer stuff is a thing, that's a consideration to make.

That's actually good to consider. I know that the 1080/1070 whatever, there's no ray tracing, certain things aren't supported because of when they were released. So as a placeholder, for the price, it might be an OK temporary upgrade but not very "future proofed".

 

[RageBurner]

I spoke of the 4060 but I failed to consider OP's price range, sorry. It's also important to consider power draw (that is, depending on things there will be the compounded cost of a PSU).

 

[Derealized]

Yeah I'm not sure what happened, but it wrecked my friend's system to the point he had to reset windows twice.

If he's installing AMD software, it might be best to install drivers only. And i don't know the specific details, i had the computer freezing up when I'd play games. Turned out be that the reason was with windows DEP, Run command prompt as administrator, turn it off, restart, problem was solved.

AMD is definitely cheaper, but requires a little patience.

Post automatically merged: Today at 12:37 AM

I spoke of the 4060 but I failed to consider OP's price range, sorry. It's also important to consider power draw (that is, depending on things there will be the compounded cost of a PSU).

That's the thing, i go way back too, and i thought computers were expensive in the 80s and 90s. Now though. It's just ridiculous, and knowing that most of that cost is because of supply issues. $500 is my limit, I'll make it work. Nothing is optimized anymore either, the games coming out shouldn't require such powerful cards.

I forgot to mention that right now I'm re-using an older PSU, it's 850 watts. I had it in mind to replace and upgrade parts accordingly, so i will get a new PSU eventually. It's like i said, priorities.

 

[RageBurner]

Very true. It's a vicious cycle, really.

 

[RageBurner]

One minor advantage of using a newer card (to a point, anyway) is that the power draw tends to be smaller until you reach the very high end.

 

[Rusk]

It's a brutal time to get GPUs right now.
The 5-series is overpriced out of this world!
But they stopped making the older gens, so the 4-series is low in supply and expensive too!

If your playing games that are not too heavy to run, I will agree on the 4060 suggestion.
Then you can always upgrade it when stock and prices get better.
There is also the RX cards to consider.

If you're playing modern games...
VPA is your best option for a MSRP 5080FE (if you need to budget).
I had to VPA for a 5090FE.

 

[Derealized]

the gtx 1080 ti
work fine on most newer games but some games you need to change settings
but i have no problem with mine 1080 ti

if you want a card that is just a little better than 1080 ti
than i recomend rtx 2080 super or better rtx 2080 ti

but if you really want to play modern games then these are the ones i really recomend
rtx 4060 ti 16GB
rtx 4060 ti 8GB
rtx 4060
rtx 3070 ti
rtx 3070
rtx 3060 ti 8GB
rtx 3060 12GB

I might really have to consider one of those, at least for 'long term'. I'll keep an eye on prices. If things don't look hopeful for this year, i might get a used 1080 TI, a used one can be found for around $200. Even if it is only an 8gb card, i am currently using an 8gb RX 580. So... almost anything is an upgrade from here. I look at as like a placeholder, it'll keep me going, without costing too much. Won't set me back too much, so i have more for the "final upgrade".

Post automatically merged: Today at 1:35 AM

It's a brutal time to get GPUs right now.
The 5-series is overpriced out of this world!
But they stopped making the older gens, so the 4-series is low in supply and expensive too!

If your playing games that are not too heavy to run, I will agree on the 4060 suggestion.
Then you can always upgrade it when stock and prices get better.
There is also the RX cards to consider.

If you're playing modern games...
VPA is your best option for a MSRP 5080FE (if you need to budget).
I had to VPA for a 5090FE.

There's a bunch of reasons why the costs are so high right now, and what really sucks about that too, is that manufacturers have gotten used to this, they charge what they think people will pay. Combine that with all the scalping. It's just beyond brutal.
I know what things *should* cost. That's what gets me, i just cannot force myself to pay what i know is excessive compared to what it's supposed to be. That's why AMD does so well, and why i appreciate Intel getting in on this market, because Nvidia is pure greed when it comes down to it. Even if their cards are good. They need to drop this overpriced BS.

I tried not to rant about it, but i did. Anyway. I'm not rushing it really, anything is an upgrade from where i am right now. I'm thinking if i take my time I'll get the best card for my dollar. I don't need a stack of old upgrades collecting dust because i keep getting different cards. I want to find the most powerful one for around $500, and hope the future offers more, when i have even more to spend.

For people like me, the main issue right now is really supply issues, and re-sellers. I really hope things are better in the future, because before 2020, you actually got what you paid for.

 

[rugal]

I might really have to consider one of those, at least for 'long term'. I'll keep an eye on prices. If things don't look hopeful for this year, i might get a used 1080 TI, a used one can be found for around $200. Even if it is only an 8gb card, i am currently using an 8gb RX 580. So... almost anything is an upgrade from here. I look at as like a placeholder, it'll keep me going, without costing too much. Won't set me back too much, so i have more for the "final upgrade".

for cheapest gtx 1080 i recomend a used Asus GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Turbo
with 1 fan cooler they are cheaper than other 1080 ti

note
need to replace the 1 fan cooler to a cooler with 2 or 3 big fan because the original cooler sound like a jet engin

 

[ThePeon]

I use a RX 6600 and it works great but if you want bit better RX 7600 or better,

The 4060 is nice but I say I as I always the Nvidia card over priced for the preformance you are just pay 100 bucks more for brand name at this point.

So if your looking for best use of money per FPS AMD or Intel Arc B580.

But if your loaded any new nvidia card would work 4060 or 4080 or 4090.