Upgrade guide for RTX 3080 to 6950XT graphics card.
Upgrade guide for RTX 3080 to 6950XT graphics card.
Hello everyone, I'm considering upgrading my RTX3080 to a 6950XT. Would that upgrade make sense? The cost would be about 100 euros, and I think it's worth it since I could sell my current card for a good price. I've reviewed many comparisons of these cards, and in some cases the 6950XT performs better or is comparable to the 3080Ti. Running on a 3840 x 1600 monitor, even a small improvement like 10 frames per second would make a noticeable difference for me. Also, most of those reviews use older AMD drivers, but AMD has a track record of boosting performance with updates. What are your thoughts? EDIT: I should note that my 3080 is a 10GB model, not a 12GB one.
I changed that switch about six months ago—either to match the performance of a 6950 XT or because it was cheaper. It hasn’t made a big difference, so it’s fine with me. The $50 price gap wasn’t huge, and boredom played a role. From a pure performance view, I wouldn’t suggest it, but if you enjoy tinkering, the 6950 XT is more exciting to work with. Unless you specifically need a game that heavily uses AMD GPUs, I wouldn’t recommend the extra 100 Euros unless you’re certain about that.
It would be helpful to understand how you use your PC. Although the 6950XT offers better speed in typical games, ray tracing might not be a priority for you? The 3080 should provide superior ray tracing performance compared to the Radeon card. Keep in mind that you'll be sacrificing features like DLSS. Are you performing any workstation tasks with this system (video editing, 3D modeling, etc.)? Nvidia generally lags behind AMD in workstation applications, and many professional programs rely on AMD's CUDA, which may not run well or at all on AMD hardware. Still, if performance improvements outweigh the cost of €100, it could be worth considering.
I rely on it only for gaming at 3840 x 1600p. RTX and DLSS aren’t crucial to me. RTX actually harms performance, and DLSS tends to blur the resolution in my experience, so I avoid it. That’s why I’m seeking raw speed without those features. But does AMD offer a comparable alternative?
AMD offers FSR which is comparable but typically not as effective as DLSS. It also functions with NVidia graphics. If ray tracing isn't important and you're focused on gameplay, the performance difference might be negligible compared to the cost. That said, if you prefer, you can go for it.
From my perspective, DLSS offers no tangible advantages in real life. In my tests, it provides no improvement when quality is selected, and even in balanced or performance settings, it significantly reduces resolution. This makes it counterproductive for using a high-resolution monitor. That’s why I haven’t used it much, which is why I’m seeking an upgrade. I also found some attractive 3090 deals around 800 euros for used units.
I secured a used RTX3090 for under the expected cost of 6950XT. Now the upgrade costs only about 30 euros. Sure, it's a used unit, but the seller is reputable and has sold many PC parts locally. He assures there are no problems—his gaming rig ran games without issues, so I should be fine. My EVGA 750" GQ power supply will be pushed to its limits, but based on Reddit advice and my calculations, it should handle the 9900k and 3090 requirements.
Interesting discovery! In theory, 750 watts should work, but the 30 series model tends to have power spikes. There are moments when your GPU draws much more current than expected, briefly. This mainly impacts PSUs that are right at the limit of your overall system power (like yours) or those that are powerful enough and reliable but were built before these sudden spikes became common. Gamers Nexus made a helpful video on this topic. I’d strongly suggest investing in a solid, higher-wattage PSU for your 3090.
Right now my overall power usage is about 600 watts or slightly lower. The 200W 9900k model, around 320W 3080, and the rest of the gear all add up. Reference 3090 suggests it shouldn’t consume much more than my Asus 3080. I’m confident my 750W GQ will work, but a 1000W power supply and the move to the AM5 platform are also on my list.