What are your thoughts on these GPUs?
What are your thoughts on these GPUs?
Hello all,
I’m planning to upgrade my GPU soon and would appreciate your insights on certain models and brands. Before deciding, I want to hear your personal experiences rather than just objective data. I’m not interested in benchmarks—I’ve seen them all—and what I truly need is your perspective.
I’ll share now which ones interest me and what I see as their advantages and disadvantages, along with the reasons behind my hesitations.
Nvidia RTX 5060 ti 16gb
Asus Prime/Asus TUF:
- Advantages: reasonable pricing, solid construction for the Prime model, decent quality for the TUF. The features are fresh and well-designed.
- Disadvantages: build quality seems inconsistent; I noticed some coil whine on the TUF. The price is quite high. Asus has a reputation for being somewhat untrustworthy (!!!) which worries me if repairs become necessary.
MSI Gaming OC / Gaming OC Trio:
- Advantages: manageable temperatures, good build quality.
- Disadvantages: very expensive, especially the Trio which rivals the RX 9070 XT in price where I live. They use a connector that many warn can damage your GPU if not used correctly. Their aesthetics don’t stand out to me.
AMD RX 9070 XT:
- Advantages: solid build, good performance.
- Disadvantages: tends to be costly, power-hungry (though it can be optimized), and there are software-related headaches.
My thoughts on these brands:
Nvidia – decent drivers, new features for upscaling and AI, but sometimes struggles with rasterization. Pricey and a bit unreliable.
AMD – more affordable options with decent cards, though software support can be inconsistent.
XFX Swift / Sapphire Pulse – strong build quality, but a bit on the pricier side and power consumption is a concern.
In summary, I’m weighing my options carefully. If Asus remains unchanged, I’d consider MSI, but if I want to invest more in the 5060 ti, the XFX 9070 XT seems like a better value. However, I worry about potential software issues that could become a hassle later.
It’s frustrating being a gamer these days…
Thanks for your time and understanding.
Both cards are outstanding and should offer minimal issues. The only way to prevent regret is to purchase what you believe provides the best value. Paying a price you consider reasonable will help you avoid high expectations, preventing disappointment as you run benchmarks and stress tests while staying up late trying to understand why you're not achieving the expected FPS.
It varies based on personal preference. Games from earlier versions with dx9 and 32-bit PhysX are no longer compatible with the 5000 series. DX 11 titles might show a blend of 32/64-bit PhysX during the transition to DX12. The 4000 series is expected to be the final generation offering full support, maintaining backwards compatibility to 32-bit PhysX and forward compatibility to DX12.
Some enthusiasts enjoy testing their vintage games on modern systems. It's easier to run a MS-DOS game in a dosbox than launching a 32-bit PhysX title on a 5000 series. Regardless, AMD cards never included PhysX support—playing them without it is similar to running late-90s titles without 3Dfx. You can adjust the extra effects depending on your GPU's capabilities.
If you lack experience from that time, you might not miss it entirely. Alternatively, some older games could be remastered or enhanced with patches, such as PhysX emulation in virtual machines—possibly by the community.
You must address driver compatibility and ensure your power supply can handle cards known for causing high transient spikes. It's reasonable to assume most drivers function well, though some may require minor tweaks.
The shift toward greater complexity and power usage on the high-end is unlikely to change soon. Support for older PhysX versions has also been phasing out.
It makes sense to enjoy classic games if you're upgrading to the latest high-performance hardware for new releases, especially since AMD never supported PhysX. For some, the trade-off is worth it.
The enduring appeal of the x86/64 platform lies in its software compatibility from the early days. You get a system packed with modern features while still offering backward support.
If you approach this with an open mind and don’t revisit it later, it won’t be an issue. Others might be taken aback when their FPS drops on a 32-bit PhysX game, thinking they have the necessary hardware for the latest titles.
No one can predict your future, but based on my experience, both companies are strong performers these days. The 9070XT offers the best value, though you might accept lower Ray Tracing performance. The 5060TI performs well with DLSS4, but I found the fake frame issue bothersome. Coil whine can occur on either GPU, but using headphones during games makes it less of a problem for me. Regarding reliability and support, here’s a summary to review:
I’ve been gaming for more than 35 years. My PC still supports GPUs you could drop in and play games with. When choosing, consider cost, performance, and warranty. Often, buying the cheapest GPU is a mistake—just get afterburner and fix it yourself if needed. It’s important to feel confident with your choice and hope it meets your needs. Happy gaming!
Although I’m not familiar with the exact card models mentioned, all the brands you listed are reputable and established, which means they should perform reliably.
From a different perspective, I previously owned a 5060ti with 16GB of RAM and it worked well enough. Eventually, I returned it and received an AsRock Steel Legend 9070xt.
My genuine take is that the 9070xt offers better speed. But at 1440p with DLS and frame generation, the 5060ti with 16GB is still quite capable. Looking back, I might be happy with that performance if I use upscaling and frame generation.
You might want to check out the rx 9060xt 16GB cards—they should match the 5060ti but at a lower price. That would likely be the GPU I’d choose for building now.
These appear to be the options that make the least sense overall. The 5060Ti 16GB is only $70 away from the 5070, which is a much superior card. The 9060XT is notably cheaper and closer in price to the 5060Ti. The 9070XT is roughly the same as the 5070Ti, just a better choice overall.
AMD offers significantly better software and drivers compared to NVidia for roughly a year, which doesn't really favor Nvidia or disadvantage AMD.
I own several Sapphire cards that perform well, so I can suggest the brand at least (excluding the 9070xt), though my MSI 980ti has worked perfectly for more than six years.
yah the old "amd software is broken" trope needs to die a quick and fiery death. it's just not true anymore.
i went with a 9060XT (from a 1650 super)and have not had any issues with it at all. drivers work, card works, it's cool and quiet, games play well. nothing to complain about.
if fake frames are your thing, seems nvidia has your number. if price/performance is your thing, amd is the way to go. otherwise the experience should be similar for the same tier cards other than price.
I appreciate the chart. It illustrates how those personal horror stories about Asus customer service have become exaggerated, leading many to view the company negatively.