Should I consider upgrading my RX 6800?
Should I consider upgrading my RX 6800?
Hello!! I’m considering replacing my existing Gigabyte RX 6800 Gaming OC, which I bought a year ago, with an ASUS PRIME Radeon RX 9070 XT. The main reasons are the performance improvement and the new features like FSR Redstone and an upgraded AV1 Codec for VR. Additionally, I’m worried about potential price hikes and the possibility of AMD discontinuing driver support soon.
I mainly use this setup for VR and intense gaming, as well as for photo and video editing. I also know the power supply only has 2x6+2 PCIe slots, which isn’t enough for the card, but I plan to upgrade it to a Corsair Cybenetics Gold RM850e 850W in about a month or two.
Here are the details:
CPU: Ryzen 5 8400f (6c/12t)
Cooler: ID-Cooling FROZN A401 DK
Memory: Asus Tuf Gaming A620-PLUS Wi-fi
RAM: T-Force Vulcan 6000MHz CL38 (1x16)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Smart 750w 80 Plus White
Case: Corsair 480t
Storage:
M.2: WD Black SN7100 2Tb
SSD: T-Force Vulcan Z 512Gb
HDD: Toshiba 500Gb
Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
Monitor: LG UltraGear 24GS60F 180hz (1080p)
The upgrade would definitely be a good one, given how much you can optimize every in-game setting. The PSU change makes sense since your existing PSU (even if brand new) is quite poor quality. Still, I’d advise against pairing the new GPU with your current PSU... As a safety step, ensure you’re using the most recent BIOS for your motherboard.
I once owned a 6800xt, and in my view it’s a solid improvement. Think of it as the 9060xt with 16GB being comparable. Especially in terms of raster performance, a video I watched a few months back showed some gains. Plus, the upscaling is better, ray tracing is enhanced, and the 9070xt seems to be on par with a 7900gre/7900xt in performance. That means you’re getting an extra boost too.
That said, the 6800xt isn’t a bad card. The cheapest 9070xt I found on Newegg costs around $659 and $699. If you’re lucky enough to find one nearby—like the AsRock challenger 9070xt at Microcenter for $599—it makes sense to upgrade. You could probably sell the 6800xt for about $300, making it a smart move.
Also, since you’re on Am4, you can easily add more RAM or a faster CPU if you want to go even faster. Here’s the link to the card at Microcenter: https://www.microcenter.com/product...r-...phics-card
I want to note that I reside in Argentina, and the most affordable 9070 XT is around 1,400,000 ARS, which currently equals about 957 USD. Not long ago I saw them being priced between 800 dollars, making me worry about prices rising sharply. For me, this situation feels like a "decide whether it's worth buying now or not" scenario.
for improved performance, consider upgrading the RAM from a single stick first. This will already enhance your speed.
choose a duel kit with 16x2 DDR5 5600 or 6000.
also invest in a better power supply to prevent components from overheating.
recommended: 850w gold case
corsair rmx/seasonic focus/thermaltake gf1
msi mag a850gl
just a few examples
For 1080p the 9070 XT isn't necessary; the 9070 would suffice well. The performance boost from the XT compared to the 6800 isn't significant, which makes sense. As discussed, a dual-channel RAM setup is recommended and will have a clear impact. A replacement PSU is a reliable option, and quality units from brands like Seasonic or others are trustworthy.