Consider your needs and the compatibility of new components before deciding.
Consider your needs and the compatibility of new components before deciding.
Hey there! You're thinking about a GPU upgrade from your current setup to something more modern like an RTX5080 or RTX5070. Since you're still using an older AM4 motherboard with PCI-E 3.0, it's worth considering whether a newer board would help. Your current Ryzen 5 3600 and 5700X3D are solid, but the PCI-E 3.0 slot might limit performance gains. If you decide to upgrade your motherboard, looking for models that support PCI-E 4.0 would be ideal. For mid-range options, the MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX is a good choice given your usage. Just keep in mind that newer GPUs can make better use of the available bandwidth, but you're right to be cautious about jumping too far ahead. Let me know if you need more details!
It's really a chance the PCIe standard could limit speed, but it's more probable the CPU is the issue. Save this thought until you can test other systems for comparison.
During TechPowerUp's evaluation of the RTX 5090 across various PCIe generations, performance can drop up to 5% on PCIe 3 versus PCIe 5. It seems switching to AM5 might be better if you're looking to improve overall speed. The CPU is more likely to limit performance than the PCIe version.