Question What's a good GPU for my System?

[adityaanand430]

I am a college student and I use my PC for coding, video editing and gaming. Based on the below hardware configuration, what will be a good GPU to upgrade for?

PC Specs:-
CPU- Intel Core i5 12400
Mobo- MSI B660M-P DDR4
RAM- Corsair Vengeance 16GB 3200mhz DDR4 Single Stick
PSU- Deepcool 550-watt 80+ Bronze
GPU:- Colorful 1660Super 6GB DDR6

Monitor 1: DELL 19inch (720p, 60Hz)
Monitor 2: Acer 24inch VG240Y S (165hz, 1080p, IPS)

I won't be changing my GPU or the system for the next 3 years unless it fails. I will be buying the GPU in the used market.

 

[CountMike]

I am a college student and I use my PC for coding, video editing and gaming. Based on the below hardware configuration, what will be a good GPU to upgrade for?

PC Specs:-
CPU- Intel Core i5 12400
Mobo- MSI B660M-P DDR4
RAM- Corsair Vengeance 16GB 3200mhz DDR4 Single Stick
PSU- Deepcool 550-watt 80+ Bronze
GPU:- Colorful 1660Super 6GB DDR6

Monitor 1: DELL 19inch (720p, 60Hz)
Monitor 2: Acer 24inch VG240Y S (165hz, 1080p, IPS)

I won't be changing my GPU or the system for the next 3 years unless it fails. I will be buying the GPU in the used market.

It should be based on usage, mostly on type and games because practically any GPU would be sufficient for those other jobs. For gaming on your Acer monitor, better CPU would help more.

 

[IDProG]

6700 XT or the upcoming 7700 (XT).

That's so sad that people have to go to the used market to find a valuable GPU.

 

[adityaanand430]

6700 XT or the upcoming 7700 (XT).

That's so sad that people have to go to the used market to find a valuable GPU.

I know bro🥲 But can a 550 Watt PSU handle these cards?

 

[IDProG]

I know bro🥲 But can a 550 Watt PSU handle these cards?

The system should consume around 400W max, so it should be enough.

Though, it's a good practice to undervolt the GPU.

 

[adityaanand430]

The system should consume around 400W max, so it should be enough.

Though, it's a good practice to undervolt the GPU.

What are your thoughts on the 2060 super, I am getting a deal for 170 USD with 2 years warranty. And also getting a 3060 12gb for 200usd with 2 years warranty ?

 

[rbogomolec]

I think that you can literally put anything into it. I have a i5 9400f CPU and I just popped a RX 6800 XT GPU next to it. People said it'll get terribly bottlenecked by the CPU, but it doesn't. It did, until I undervolted my CPU, now I don't notice any drops in performance anymore. People also told me to get at least 750W PSU, cuz this GPU "eats 400W". So I got 850W to be safe. Rn I'm playing Resident Evil 4 Remake in 4k and on high settings, haven't seen the GPU using more than 200W so far and I'm in the last chapters by now. Probably cuz I undervolted it as well.

So yeah, your system can handle pretty much anything. Just go for the strongest thing that you can get for a good price. I'd tell you to get a stronger PSU if you're upgrading your GPU, but it turns out that 550W would be enough even for my system in the end. And I doubt that you will go for something as power hungry as my GPU.

Looking at your specs, I'm wondering why you want to upgrade at all. I used to have a 1660 (not even a Super, so it was weaker than yours) and it handled all games with ease on high/ultra settings, 1080p, 60fps. I did have to undervolt it first though, that unlocked it's true potential. Only reason I had to go for a new GPU was cuz I bought a 4k TV. Even if you need more fps, I think this card can handle it. It gave me a solid 60fps on high settings and 2k, so at 1080p it should be at least 120fps I think.

It really depends on how much fps you want. If you're aiming for 120+ then your CPU might end up bottlenecking you if you get a stronger GPU. And if you get a stronger CPU as well, you might need a new motherboard as well. And then, you'll probably need a stronger PSU after all. This whole "upgrading" story can get pretty nasty pretty quick. And sometimes it just isn't worth it. I regret not being able to buy a new 65" TV in 1080p anymore. If I had a new TV like that, I would've kept my old 1660 forever.

 

[adityaanand430]

I think that you can literally put anything into it. I have a i5 9400f CPU and I just popped a RX 6800 XT GPU next to it. People said it'll get terribly bottlenecked by the CPU, but it doesn't. It did, until I undervolted my CPU, now I don't notice any drops in performance anymore. People also told me to get at least 750W PSU, cuz this GPU "eats 400W". So I got 850W to be safe. Rn I'm playing Resident Evil 4 Remake in 4k and on high settings, haven't seen the GPU using more than 200W so far and I'm in the last chapters by now. Probably cuz I undervolted it as well.

So yeah, your system can handle pretty much anything. Just go for the strongest thing that you can get for a good price. I'd tell you to get a stronger PSU if you're upgrading your GPU, but it turns out that 550W would be enough even for my system in the end. And I doubt that you will go for something as power hungry as my GPU.

Looking at your specs, I'm wondering why you want to upgrade at all. I used to have a 1660 (not even a Super, so it was weaker than yours) and it handled all games with ease on high/ultra settings, 1080p, 60fps. I did have to undervolt it first though, that unlocked it's true potential. Only reason I had to go for a new GPU was cuz I bought a 4k TV. Even if you need more fps, I think this card can handle it. It gave me a solid 60fps on high settings and 2k, so at 1080p it should be at least 120fps I think.

It really depends on how much fps you want. If you're aiming for 120+ then your CPU might end up bottlenecking you if you get a stronger GPU. And if you get a stronger CPU as well, you might need a new motherboard as well. And then, you'll probably need a stronger PSU after all. This whole "upgrading" story can get pretty nasty pretty quick. And sometimes it just isn't worth it. I regret not being able to buy a new 65" TV in 1080p anymore. If I had a new TV like that, I would've kept my old 1660 forever.

What are your thoughts on the 2060 super, I am getting a deal for 170 USD with 2 years warranty. And also getting a 3060 12gb for 200usd with 2 years warranty ?

 

[rbogomolec]

What are your thoughts on the 2060 super, I am getting a deal for 170 USD with 2 years warranty. And also getting a 3060 12gb for 200usd with 2 years warranty ?

I'll have a look at them later when I'm at work and have some time to slack off 😉 I know that the 3060 is entry level for 4k gaming, so that may be overkill for your 1080p monitor.

How much fps do you want from your games? Are you a 60fps gamer or you want them to run at as much fps as possible?

What are you going to do with your new GPU - overclock, undervolt, none of it, both of it?

Depending on these things I can get a better idea of what you need. Cuz, for example, if you get a 3060 and plan on overclocking both your CPU and GPU in order to get stable 120+ fps on ultra settings, then your 550W might not be enough to handle it. On the other hand, if you're a 60fps gamer on high settings, there shouldn't be no need for overclocking and your PSU should be enough if you just undervolt the GPU.

 

[rbogomolec]

Ok, power consumption seems to peak around 200W for both GPUs. And your CPU also isn't as power hungry as I though it would be. Your PSU should be fine no matter what you do.

I've checked some forums and YouTube vids, 2060 Super and 3070 seem to be pretty much the same. If the 2060 is 8gb, I'd go for the 3070 just cuz it's 12gb.

If you want as much fps as possible, then there is another more important question. You need to search the internet for info on which of these 2 cards will get less bottlenecked by your CPU.

For the 3070 I found this:
Based on the benchmark of 6 games, the Intel Core i5-12400 Bottlenecks the RTX 3070 Ti at 1080p - ultra settings by 16% on average.

2060 Super:
Based on the benchmark of 6 games, the Intel Core i5-12400 Bottlenecks the RTX 2060 SUPER at 1080p - ultra settings by 15.2% on average.

But this is just some random info. I'd look at some benchmark videos on YouTube if I were you.

If they are pretty much the same even in terms of bottlenecking, I'd go with the 3070 12gb. If the 2060 Super is also 12gb, then it's really up to you. I'd still go with the 3070, but for no specific reason. Might even save those 30 bucks and go for the 2060 Super.

 

[adityaanand430]

Ok, power consumption seems to peak around 200W for both GPUs. And your CPU also isn't as power hungry as I though it would be. Your PSU should be fine no matter what you do.

I've checked some forums and YouTube vids, 2060 Super and 3070 seem to be pretty much the same. If the 2060 is 8gb, I'd go for the 3070 just cuz it's 12gb.

If you want as much fps as possible, then there is another more important question. You need to search the internet for info on which of these 2 cards will get less bottlenecked by your CPU.

For the 3070 I found this:
Based on the benchmark of 6 games, the Intel Core i5-12400 Bottlenecks the RTX 3070 Ti at 1080p - ultra settings by 16% on average.

2060 Super:
Based on the benchmark of 6 games, the Intel Core i5-12400 Bottlenecks the RTX 2060 SUPER at 1080p - ultra settings by 15.2% on average.

But this is just some random info. I'd look at some benchmark videos on YouTube if I were you.

If they are pretty much the same even in terms of bottlenecking, I'd go with the 3070 12gb. If the 2060 Super is also 12 GB, then it's really up to you. I'd still go with the 3070 but for no specific reason. Might even save those 30 bucks and go for the 2060 Super.

I cannot upgrade the PSU and I have a 1080p monitor, it doesn't make sense to get a 3070 I guess. On the other hand, both 2060 Super and 3060 could easily run on 550Watt PSU which is better for 1080p gaming in my view. What do you say, as I am a student I can't dump much of my money into multiple upgrades.

 

[rbogomolec]

Oh sorry, my bad... The 3060 turned into 3070 in my head. 😅 I've checked some YouTube videos now, side by side comparison. The 3060 12gb gave in all games about 5fps more than the 2060 Super. I'd go with 3060 12gb then. People also claim that there is no/very little bottleneck between i5 12400 and the 3060. Based on that, I'd go for 3060 for sure. If the difference would be like 50-100 bucks, I'd take the 2060S,but for 30$ more I'd pick 3060 12gb.

 

[adityaanand430]

Oh sorry, my bad... The 3060 turned into 3070 in my head. 😅 I've checked some YouTube videos now, side by side comparison. The 3060 12gb gave in all games about 5fps more than the 2060 Super. I'd go with 3060 12gb then. People also claim that there is no/very little bottleneck between i5 12400 and the 3060. Based on that, I'd go for 3060 for sure. If the difference would be like 50-100 bucks, I'd take the 2060S,but for 30$ more I'd pick 3060 12gb.

Ok bro I am getting a 3060 12 Gb for 230USD Used with warranty.

 

[rbogomolec]

Ok bro I am getting a 3060 12 Gb for 230USD Used with warranty.

I though you said the 2060S was 170$ and the 3060 was 200$. But even 230$ is cool if you can afford it. The 3060 is also 2 years "younger" then the 2060S, and since you're buying a used one, that's also a plus for the 3060 imo. Might wanna clean the fans (if needed) and change the thermal paste before you put it into your PC. Looking at my 2 years old 1660, I'd definitely do that before starting to use it again.

 

[adityaanand430]

I though you said the 2060S was 170$ and the 3060 was 200$. But even 230$ is cool if you can afford it. The 3060 is also 2 years "younger" then the 2060S, and since you're buying a used one, that's also a plus for the 3060 imo. Might wanna clean the fans (if needed) and change the thermal paste before you put it into your PC. Looking at my 2 years old 1660, I'd definitely do that before starting to use it again.

I will do that.