New or used (older) GPU?

PowerPie5000 · 9 Nov 2019 at 17:24

I'd like to upgrade the GPU in my Ryzen 3600 rig, but GPU prices have gone a bit mad over the last few years so I'm even considering a used GPU. It doesn't bother me if the price is right as long as it's in good condition and works.

Im currently using an MSI RX 580 Gaming X (8GB). I'm also using it with a 144Hz 1080p screen that supports Freesync.

Ideally I didn't really want to spend more than £300 for a mid range GPU, but I'll stretch a bit more if it's brand new (RX 5700 or RTX 2060 Super). If I go used and save some cash then the minimum I'd get is the Gtx 1070 Ti.

What do you guys think? The GTX 1080 is also still a good performer if the price is right.

greatash · 9 Nov 2019 at 17:30

I dont think old Pascal cards are a good buy due to how badly they are aging in DX12/Vulkan games like RDR2. 1070Ti seems to be going for £250, which is too much when you can get new Vega 56 for lower or 5700 for not much more.

Sub £300 5700 is what id be looking for, wait for black friday and try grab a good AIB one.

keenan · 9 Nov 2019 at 17:37

I would say look for a used 1080 for around £200..

PowerPie5000 · 9 Nov 2019 at 18:13

I was thinking about the Vega cards, but their power consumption seems a bit much. I wasn't aware of poor DX12 & Vulkan performance with the Pascal cards so I'll have to look in to it... I'm sure it'll still be better than my RX 580?

I'd love to find a GTX 1080 for £200, but they're usually closer to £300 (on eBay at least). I don't have access to the members market yet on here either.

Fluke? · 9 Nov 2019 at 20:05

PowerPie5000 said:
I don't have access to the members market yet on here either.

Only 97 more posts and you're there!

PowerPie5000 · 9 Nov 2019 at 20:09

Fluke? said:
Only 97 more posts and you're there!

It's only taken me over 7 years to reach the number of posts I have now

Yrkoon · 9 Nov 2019 at 20:58

how about the reference model 5700? 320 quid here and i hear they can be undervolted pretty good

im guessing some one with more knowledge will be along with better advice

PowerPie5000 · 9 Nov 2019 at 22:03

Yrkoon said:
how about the reference model 5700? 320 quid here and i hear they can be undervolted pretty good

im guessing some one with more knowledge will be along with better advice

Depends if the blower cooler is anything like AMD's previous attempts, which were usually quite loud and barely able to keep the temps under control. I try and keep my system as quiet as I can and I can say my MSI RX 580 Gaming X is probably one of the quietest cards I've used.

I used an MSI RX 480 Armor OC card for a while and the fans were far too loud for my liking. The MSI RX 5700 Mech can be found at a decent price, but I'm not sure about the cooler it uses (looks the same as the MSI RTX Ventus cooler which appears to have a bad reputation).

I'm leaning towards an RX 5700 at the moment. I've seen some OK prices on the RTX 2060, but I'd prefer 8GB of VRAM. The RTX 2060 Super seems a bit pricey too.

champion1642 · 10 Nov 2019 at 01:17

I would definitely wait for Black Friday to see if you can pick up a good deal.

The 5700 is a pretty good card for the price even now.

Liamz51 · 10 Nov 2019 at 07:22

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...ddr6-pci-express-graphics-card-gx-35r-ms.html

£300 new? Decent upgrade over what you have at the moment and I think slightly faster than a 1070 Ti

PowerPie5000 · 10 Nov 2019 at 13:49

Liamz51 said:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...ddr6-pci-express-graphics-card-gx-35r-ms.html

£300 new? Decent upgrade over what you have at the moment and I think slightly faster than a 1070 Ti

I was looking at that one, but I'm unsure about the cooler. It looks like the same cooler they used on the RTX Ventus cards... And it's not that good apparently.

I also saw an RTX 2060 super recently at a good price, but again it had complaints about temps, noise and the fact it uses a plastic backplate. It was one of the Gigabyte Windforce cards (2 fan version).

I might just hold out until Black Friday

varkanoid · 10 Nov 2019 at 14:23

greatash said:
I dont think old Pascal cards are a good buy due to how badly they are aging in DX12/Vulkan games like RDR2. .

you cant say it ages badly when you quote a single game that came out in the last week ! What utter nonsense. DX12 games are still in a minority too and often have a DX11 or less flavour included!
A GTX 1080 if cheap enough would be fine.

However what you need to ask yourself is you have a freesync monitor is this compatible with Gsync/Nvidia cards ? If its not you ideally need to go AMD or freesync will be next to useless. If thats the case I echo going for a 5700 or 5700xt in BF deals if looking for new. If not the Vega 56/64 are still pretty good cards.

Couple of B grade Vega 64 cards sub £300 to consider

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/b-gr...hbm2-pci-express-graphics-card-bg-151-sp.html

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/b-gr...hbm2-pci-express-graphics-card-bg-57f-gi.html

(make sure if interested you post in CS pre sales forum asking for their best price on these as 99% of time they will knock a bit more off for you)

Zenduri · 10 Nov 2019 at 14:59

Nkthjng wrong with used cards if you can buy them from a reliable source. Over the years ive grabbed 3 used cards from the MM and not had a problem with any.

Only reason i didnt get a 4th was due to my current card being free

PowerPie5000 · 10 Nov 2019 at 17:59

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think I'm going to wait until black Friday and see if I can nab a decent RX 5700, or possibly RTX 2060 at a reasonable price.

Im pretty sure my monitor was on the nvidia supported list when it comes to using Freesync/adaptive sync on an Nvidia GPU. It's a 24.5" 144Hz 1080p AOC monitor... Can't recall the exact model number at the moment (I'm using my phone right now). Will Nvidia carry on with Freesync support?

BigBANGtheory · 10 Nov 2019 at 21:58

yeah I mean this is interesting how higher prices seem to permeate throught to 2nd hand market. Buyer beware is my advice...

A used 1070Ti @ £300? Mugs game not even worth discussing, end of move on.

A used 1080Ti @ £300? Yes, a fair price so long as the owner can prove or demonstrate there are no issues imho. More than that no sorry mugs game again because performance or not the warranty and come back is all but gone just not worth the risk.

Drumroll · 10 Nov 2019 at 22:35

greatash said:
I dont think old Pascal cards are a good buy due to how badly they are aging in DX12/Vulkan games like RDR2. 1070Ti seems to be going for £250, which is too much when you can get new Vega 56 for lower or 5700 for not much more.

Sub £300 5700 is what id be looking for, wait for black friday and try grab a good AIB one.

This. Going for the Vega, unless you sort out and undervolt it, there's the issue of heating too.

Yrkoon · 11 Nov 2019 at 23:12

PowerPie5000 said:
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think I'm going to wait until black Friday and see if I can nab a decent RX 5700, or possibly RTX 2060 at a reasonable price.

Im pretty sure my monitor was on the nvidia supported list when it comes to using Freesync/adaptive sync on an Nvidia GPU. It's a 24.5" 144Hz 1080p AOC monitor... Can't recall the exact model number at the moment (I'm using my phone right now). Will Nvidia carry on with Freesync support?

sounds good and avoid the msi cards if you get a 5700, the heat pads for memory only cover half the chips.... https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3504-fixing-msi-rx-5700-xt-evoke-thermal-pads ill just leave this here

go sapphire pulse or power color red dragon is what i learned when researching, i love my pulse in my r4 fractal design case, at full load there is no noise while before i could hear my undervolted rx480 reference a bit

LePhuronn · 12 Nov 2019 at 10:48

PowerPie5000 said:
Depends if the blower cooler is anything like AMD's previous attempts

The reference non-XT 5700 doesn't get hot enough to do super mental fan speeds, and it's nothing a bit of voltage tweaking and custom fan curves couldn't sort out anyway.

snips86x · 12 Nov 2019 at 10:51

I got my bro a 5700xt from the MM for £260...worth keeping an eye out.
He did have to undervolt it though as the temps/noise were rather awry. -1000mv has been perfect.

PowerPie5000 · 13 Nov 2019 at 15:09

I got a fairly good deal on a GTX 1070 Ti (Zotac Mini)... I'll see how it goes and if I don't like it then I'll just pass it on and get an RX 5700. There doesn't seem be any real difference between the two that I can see, except the RX 5700 being newer and a tad more expensive.

Anyway, a GTX 1070 Ti should still be a decent enough boost coming from an RX 580.