Graphics Card Upgrade Opinion Wanted

[Jetguy06]

Hey guys. I just got my paychecks cashed from my local haunted house this year, and I've got quite a lot to spend, especially combined with last year's check, still mostly untouched.

Anyway, I want to take advantage of Cyber Monday this year and upgrade my graphics card and RAM. I just need some advice on which graphics card to upgrade to. Here are my specs:

ASUSTeK TUF-Z390-PLUS

Intel I7-9700K (OC'd at 4.9Ghz)

Nvidia GTX 1660ti

32 Gb RAM (looking to upgrade to 64 Gb)

 

I really want to upgrade to a 30 series RTX card, but would like some opinions on what card would work best with my system. Thanks!!

 

Edit: I almost forgot, if it makes any difference, I fly exclusively in VR in an Oculus CV1 currently, but I'll set up my Pimax once I get the sensors for it.

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Jetguy06

[rrutko]

Go with the highest card you can afford. There is quite a significant performance jump between the 30 series and 40 series cards (4090 is 60-80% increase over 3080.) That being said if you can only afford a 30 series then stick to 3080ti or 3090. Especially if you are an exclusive VR player. Also consider 64gb ram as the bare minimum. Most people forget to factor in all the other programs and devices installed and running while playing the game. I have 128 and routinly hit 48-52 percent ram usage.

 

[Jetguy06]

30 minutes ago, rrutko said:

Go with the highest card you can afford. There is quite a significant performance jump between the 30 series and 40 series cards (4090 is 60-80% increase over 3080.) That being said if you can only afford a 30 series then stick to 3080ti or 3090. Especially if you are an exclusive VR player. Also consider 64gb ram as the bare minimum. Most people forget to factor in all the other programs and devices installed and running while playing the game. I have 128 and routinly hit 48-52 percent ram usage.

 

Thanks. The RAM wasn't even a factor I was considering until I read a thread on these forums about two or three days ago explaining why 64 Gb really should be the minimum. That sold me in updating my RAM right there.

 

I'm thinking a 40 series will probably be out if my price range, but with the 40 series out, combined with Cyber Monday, I'm hoping to get a good deal on a 3080 or 3090.

[kksnowbear]

Congrats on your good fortune

Thing is, "quite a lot" of money means different things to different people and in different circumstances.  Not to mention the fact that "a lot of money" can vaporize in an alarming hurry when buying graphics cards

So, not at all to mind your affairs, but maybe you could give some indication as to what kind of money you're talking.

Also, if I can ask, is there some particular reason you specified a 30 series card? Just curious.

[Jetguy06]

7 minutes ago, kksnowbear said:

Congrats on your good fortune

Thing is, "quite a lot" of money means different things to different people and in different circumstances.  Not to mention the fact that "a lot of money" can vaporize in an alarming hurry when buying graphics cards

So, not at all to mind your affairs, but maybe you could give some indication as to what kind of money you're talking.

Also, if I can ask, is there some particular reason you specified a 30 series card? Just curious.

Sure. I've got around $4k between last year's paycheck and this year's. I don't want to use all of it on the card. I'm also wanting to upgrade RAM, and maybe get a new grip, either a TM Hornet or Virpil F-14 (I have a TM Warthog stick and throttle). Plus, my desk-mounted sensors for my Pimax headset (I can't remember off the top of my head which sensors they are... maybe Vive sensors?).

The main reason for wanting the 30 series is so I'll have some significant amount of those paychecks left over for other things. If I get a 40 series, I might not have enough left to buy a stick of gum.

Edit: I just remembered... the Pimax uses Valve Index desk-mounted sensors. Those are the ones I need.

Edited November 15, 2023 by Jetguy06

[diego999]

I'd get a 3080 or 3090 if I were you. Plus 32GB more RAM.

4xxx series are only worth it if you go for a 4070 or higher. Lower cards are horrendous. 

Check your PSU wattage if you're going for a high end card. You might need to upgrade it.

 

[Jetguy06]

Just now, diego999 said:

I'd get a 3080 or 3090 if I were you. Plus 32GB more RAM.

4xxx series are only worth it if you go for a 4070 or higher. Lower cards are horrendous. 

Check your PSU wattage if you're going for a high end card. You might need to upgrade it.

 

Sounds good. I forgot my PSU in my OP. I have a 1000w. Had to upgrade to that to OC my CPU.

[diego999]

More than enough for a 3090 then.

Enjoy that sweet upgrade!

[Jetguy06]

5 minutes ago, diego999 said:

More than enough for a 3090 then.

Enjoy that sweet upgrade!

Thanks!! I'm browsing on Newegg (just looking atm), and my one concern might be fitting these cards in my case. I'm also pretty ignorant to all the different "flavors" these graphics cards come in. For example, the GIGABYTE Gaming OC 3080 is a different design than the MSI Ventus 3080, which is again a different design from the EVGA GeForce 3080. I have no idea which one fits or would be the best

[diego999]

Every manufacturer likes to add some little flavor of their own, mostly a little OC here and there, some RGB lights, extra fans or features, etc. 

Check power connectors and size mostly. You can live without the other stuff.

Look for real people's opinions on the different models (in reddit for example) to see what each one offers and lacks.

Good luck on your purchase.

[Jetguy06]

Just now, diego999 said:

Every manufacturer likes to add some little flavor of their own, mostly a little OC here and there, some RGB lights, extra fans or features, etc. 

Check power connectors and size mostly. You can live without the other stuff.

Look for real people's opinions on the different models (in reddit for example) to see what each one offers and lacks.

Good luck on your purchase.

Will do. Thanks for the help!!

[MadKreator]

Don't discount a 4080 too. I went from a 3080 to 4080 and its a big step up. I think the 4080 beats out the 3090 even  performance wise except for vram (16 vs24), so claims userbenchmarks.com ..I’ve never used close to my full vram….. I also don’t have pimax crystal or aero or the likes so take that with a grain of salt.. But for 2d and something about like a Q3 it doesn’t really try that hard.  And a 4080 FE is cheaper than a 3090 $1200 vs $1500 ish( of course keep watch for those  sales) I think you would be happy with both.. Just a heads up the 40xx cards are BIG. 3 slots thick and about a foot long. 30xx’s are pretty good size too but only 2 slots thick.  … My opinion on the whole thing

Edited November 15, 2023 by MadKreator

[LucShep]

8 hours ago, MadKreator said:

Don't discount a 4080 too. I went from a 3080 to 4080 and its a big step up. I think the 4080 beats out the 3090 even  performance wise except for vram (16 vs24), so claims userbenchmarks.com ..I’ve never used close to my full vram….. I also don’t have pimax crystal or aero or the likes so take that with a grain of salt.. But for 2d and something about like a Q3 it doesn’t really try that hard.  And a 4080 FE is cheaper than a 3090 $1200 vs $1500 ish( of course keep watch for those  sales) I think you would be happy with both.. Just a heads up the 40xx cards are BIG. 3 slots thick and about a foot long. 30xx’s are pretty good size too but only 2 slots thick.  … My opinion on the whole thing

 

I concour.
I still adore my RTX3090 24GB, but wouldn't mind swapping it for a good RTX4080 16GB if the opportunity was given.
It has less VRAM (16GB vs 24GB) but that's plenty, and it's overall faster (+25%) while being more efficient (~50W less at peak consumption, ~320W vs ~370W).
Very expensive but may be worth it for someone coming from an older GPU, considering the current sad state of the HW market.

Regardless of choice, and if you're spending for DCS VR, avoid any GPU with less than 12GB of VRAM, and better if it's 16GB or more.
If you're OK with used hardware, there may be some deals worth looking at (Ebay, etc) for RTX3080Ti 12GB and RTX3090 24GB.
Otherwise, if it really has to be brand new, RTX4070Ti 12GB or RTX4080 16GB would be my pick.

PS: rumour has it that NVDIA will be releasing the RTX 4000 Super series refresh, from start of next year (2024).
You may want to wait (or not) and see if the RTX 4070Ti Super 16GB is a reality, like the info leaks suggest.

Edited November 15, 2023 by LucShep

[ironcross]

This is getting really confusing. Normally i would guess the 40 series would be superior. If that is true then why is a 3080 so much higher then some of the 40 series cards? and the 3060 jumps down a bunch. 

[kksnowbear]

Not sure if it's the source of your confusion, but I run into this a lot:  People seem to think the higher series of GPU (i.e. 40xx vs 30xx) automatically means all the cards in the higher series are better than all the cards in the lower series.  That isn't accurate, however.

You have to look at the second section of the model number; that is, the xx90 or xx70 etc. to gauge how strong a given card is.

As an example, a 3090 is superior to a 4070.

In the case you cited, a 3080 would be better than a 4070 (even if only marginally/in some instances) and thus also better than a 4060, 4060Ti etc.

Of course, performance will vary with the specific game, resolution, settings, etc. - but that's the long and short of it.

Note that this has been true in large measure throughout the long history of nVidia GPUs...a 1030 is nowhere near as good as a 960, a 1080 is better than a 2060, and so on.  There are some 'irregularities' and exceptions in the pattern at times, but it holds true broadly and generally in most cases.

Edited February 4, 2024 by kksnowbear