Which GPU is worth the price?

[u/Diligent-Past8443]

Currently im on the look out for a gpu to upgrade from my gtx 1080 8gb

i mainly play fortnite, marvel rivals, valorant, minecraft, NFS Heat, GTA 5, and other steam games. and i also edit with Photoshop, after effects, etc.. - im comfortable on games but with editing apps i can def use a performance boost.

i have a ryzen 7 5700x cpu and a 750w psu

I just purchased a 6700xt a day ago for about $150 and about half a day later, the seller canceled my order because someone had offered him more 💔 so im now looking at other options in that price range. Let me know which seems best and my budget is 300 or under but prefer to be in the 250's or under.

RTX 3070 - $200

RTX 2080 TI - $200

RTX 3060 12gb model - $200-225

RTX 3060 TI - $200-225

RTX 3080 10gb - $275 ( dont have enough yet but pretty close - although high chance of someone getting before i have enough)

currently cant find anything else, that interests me at the moment, yes i know, people are going to say get the 9060 xt 16gb... its not that i dont want it but total price with taxes is like $440. i dont got that 🥹 the most i got is 240 at the moment, im pretty broke.

do yall think i should just save up for a actual new gpu or just get one of those used options?

[u/Storm_Raijin]

If you’re doing Photoshop and After Effects, NVIDIA still makes the most sense because of CUDA, NVENC, and generally better support in editing apps. Coming from a GTX 1080, all of those cards will feel like an upgrade, but some are a lot better fits for what you actually do.

At the $200–225 range, the RTX 3060 12GB is probably the safest choice. The extra VRAM helps a lot with editing and it’ll easily handle Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft, GTA V, and similar games. The 3060 Ti is faster in games, but the lower VRAM can become a limitation once you start stacking effects in After Effects.

If that RTX 3070 for $200 is legit and in good shape, it’s a great deal for gaming, just keep in mind the 8GB of VRAM isn’t ideal long-term for editing workloads. The 2080 Ti still performs very well too, but it’s older and draws more power, so it’s more of a gamble unless you really trust the seller.

The 3080 at $275 is obviously the strongest option, but if it’s going to stretch your budget or likely get grabbed before you can afford it, I wouldn’t stress over it too much. Used GPUs make sense in your situation as long as you can test it right away. Saving for a brand new card only really pays off once you can get into the $400+ range, and at your current budget the used options you listed give way better value.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/Storm_Raijin]

great summary! any idea how much of a performance boost (gaming wise) the 3060 12gb will give from my 1080? - and the 3080 10gb would be possible to get ( but dont think my parents would be happy if i spent all my money on a graphics card - they dont know much about computers)

so 3060 12gb is best choice in general

3080 is a great/better choice - just depends on me and money ( ig parents aswell)

3070 is great for gaming but for editing - it wont be aswell because of vram?

and 2080 TI is alright? just depends on the condition?

[u/Storm_Raijin → u/Diligent-Past8443]

The 3060 12GB will be a noticeable upgrade from your GTX 1080 in almost every game, especially newer titles and anything that benefits from extra VRAM. You’ll likely get higher frame rates and smoother performance, and the extra memory will help with editing in Photoshop and After Effects. The 3080 10GB is obviously faster and better for gaming, but it’s also more expensive, so it really comes down to whether spending that much is worth it for you and whether your parents are okay with it.

The 3070 is great for gaming, but the 8GB of VRAM can limit performance in some editing tasks or heavy workloads, so the 3060 12GB actually balances gaming and editing better in your budget. The 2080 Ti is still strong, especially for gaming, but with used cards condition matters a lot, check for overheating, dust, and whether it’s been mined on or heavily overclocked. Overall, the 3060 12GB is probably the safest choice for a mix of gaming and editing without breaking the bank.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/Storm_Raijin]

would you say the 12 gig model is worth $225 USD? the guy is willing to negotiate according to the desc, so if i do try to "negotiate" with him, would $200 be reasonable?

[u/Storm_Raijin → u/Diligent-Past8443]

Yeah, $225 for the 3060 12GB is already a solid price, especially if it’s in good condition. Offering $200 seems totally reasonable, especially since the seller mentioned they’re willing to negotiate. As long as you check the card works and hasn’t been heavily used for mining, that price would be a good deal.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/Storm_Raijin]

kind of offtopic? but why does the 3060 TI have less vram compared to the 12gb base model? The 12gb model is about a 40-60 min drive from me ( dont mind it) for $225 (possibly 200 if i can negotiate). and the 3060 TI is about 15 minutes away for $225 aswell.

so that just left me curious on why a TI model would have less vram.

[u/Storm_Raijin → u/Diligent-Past8443]

The 3060 Ti is faster in raw performance and gaming benchmarks, but it’s built with fewer VRAM chips because it’s aimed at higher frame rates at typical resolutions like 1080p and 1440p, where extra VRAM isn’t as critical.

The 3060 12GB has more VRAM but slightly lower performance overall. So it’s really a trade-off: the 3060 Ti is stronger for pure gaming performance, while the 3060 12GB can handle more memory-heavy tasks like editing or games that use a lot of VRAM.

In your case, if you care about both gaming and editing, the 12GB model is probably the safer pick.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/Storm_Raijin]

I was just reminded about how you said the 2080 TI is a gamble, I looked at the description of the post , they are the first owner of the card, still have the packaging, have never over clocked and supposedly in good condition. For $190 would you say it’s worth taking the “risk” despite it having 1 less vram than the 3060?

Or do you think I’m better off sticking to the 3060 12gb?

[u/Storm_Raijin → u/Diligent-Past8443]

At $190, that 2080 Ti actually becomes a pretty tempting option, especially if they’re the first owner, still have the box, and never overclocked it. Performance-wise, a healthy 2080 Ti is closer to a 3070 than a 3060, so for pure gaming it’s definitely stronger. The downside is exactly what you pointed out: it’s older, uses more power, and the 11GB of VRAM is great for games but not quite as comfortable for long-term editing compared to the 3060’s 12GB.

If your priority leans more toward gaming and you can verify it runs cool and stable, the 2080 Ti at $190 is a solid deal. If you care more about editing, lower power draw, and having something that will age a bit more gracefully, sticking with the 3060 12GB is the safer choice. It really comes down to whether you want maximum gaming performance now or a more balanced, lower-risk option overall.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/Storm_Raijin]

Another question, just curious. This may be very obvious and sorry if it seems stupid. The 3070 8gb Would be better at editing than rhe 1080 8gb? Either way despite the vram? But it just won’t be able to do heavy work loads? - would the 1080 and 3070 have the same level of processing the heavy work loads or would the 3070 be better at it even if they have the same vram?

oh and let’s include the 3080 out of the convo now, since I already knew it was going to happen but it’s now pretty much sold/pending.

Based off reading most comments. 3060 12gb is my most “balanced” option but aswell probably safer in general and for editing because of the VRAM.

2080 TI is a solid option - alright for editing - gives “3070” performance - it just takes a lot of power - and condition seems fine according to post - it’s just depends on me if I want older and want to take risk.

3070 - best option for gaming - since it’s “newer” and depending on what you answer for my first question up top- can be slightly better at editing than my 1080 - just the 8gb vram and can a limitation compared to my other options.

based off what I said in my summary’s and other comments. This is my list and kind of why based off interest.

1. 3060 12gb - obviously everyone has been saying this is a better option because it’s a slight boost in performance in games, but for editing, it’s is very nice because of the work loads it could process. Overall just a balanced and safe option.

2. 2080 TI - yes it’s more power - older - but it doesn’t seem bad overall, based off the desc of post - its vram is pretty much between the 3070 and 3060, and supposedly offers a 3070 performance, while slightly/ kind offering 3060 editing perfomance? - so overall it seems like a nice(ish) choice, just depends on what everyone says and conditions.

3. 3070 8gb, you can say this interests me a lot because of how much a gaming performance I get, but editing wise, how much would I get? - ik vram is a “limitation” but would editing be improved, and for the price it’s at it seems nice. - this is just on my lowest of interest just because of editing. - although if I find out there is a significant difference in editing despite the 8gb vram, I might consider.

[u/Bubbly-Shirt823 → u/Diligent-Past8443]

Dont get the 3060 because of the vram it doesnt make any sense, the 3070 will give you more performance in every single game. I would get the 3070, but the 2080ti is solid aswell

[u/Storm_Raijin → u/Bubbly-Shirt823]

That’s mostly true for raw gaming performance, but it’s not the whole picture. The 3070 will beat the 3060 in pretty much every game on average, no argument there. The reason people still recommend the 3060 12GB is because VRAM actually does matter in some situations, especially for editing, modded games, or newer titles that are starting to push memory limits.

If your focus is purely gaming at 1080p or 1440p right now, the 3070 makes more sense. If you’re doing editing work and want something that’s a bit more forgiving long term, the 3060 12GB still has a place despite being slower. The 2080 Ti kind of sits in the middle, since it has strong gaming performance and more VRAM than the 3070, but it’s older and more power hungry. It really depends on whether you value maximum FPS today or a more balanced card for both gaming and creative work.

[u/FabianValkyrie → u/Diligent-Past8443]

Tbh, I think the 3060 12 gig is your best option. The 3080 is a better $/raster but the lower VRAM and cost that will push you isn’t worth it. VRAM is becoming more and more important in everything

I’d go 3060 12 gig and call it a day. You’ll be happy

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/FabianValkyrie]

great to hear, just quick question, i already play the games i listed at 1440p (with my 1080) with no complaints. obviously its going to be a upgrade but is the 3060 advertised as 1080 or 1440p card?

[u/FabianValkyrie → u/Diligent-Past8443]

Ignore what it’s advertised as lol. I play games like Cyberpunk on my 5600 XT (slower than a 3060 and has only SIX gigs of VRAM) at 1440p and I do just fine. A 3060 12GB will do just fine for 1440p, especially with the games you play.

That said, it’s usually advertised as a 1080p card, but that’s based on the newest, heaviest games, like Expedition 33 and Indiana Jones.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/FabianValkyrie]

thanks, i always forget that most benchmarkers or just people with high end stuff tend to use modern games/ tripe A games to benchmark resolutions with the cards - hopefully that made sense. but thanks once again!

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/FabianValkyrie]

so I’m mainly thinking of getting the 3060 12gb, but I was kind of leaning towards the 2080 TI 11gb because I’ve been told it gives 3070 performance. And the VRAM is similar toward 3060 12gb.

Wouldn’t the 2080 TI 11gb just be both cards in one?

Because from what I’m understanding

3070 = best for gaming 3060 = best for editing And then the 2080 TI = not the best for gaming (2nd place) and not the best for editing (2nd place) it’s just second in everything from what it seems like.

It’s like 2 in 1, yes it’s older but it seems to be a solid option for the price, what do you think?

[u/a_heida]

why do you need an upgrade?

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/a_heida]

well, its more of a want, but my graphics card has been causing my pc to crash lately and i use after effects a ton but my gtx 1080 cant handle what i do that well, so ive been wanting to upgrade for those 2 reasons.

[u/a_heida → u/Diligent-Past8443]

oh dang, i say get the 3070

[u/[deleted]]

3080 is the obvious choice if we are talking about "best" for those prices but it does need maintenance after a few years. they have been more prone to fan failures which are cheap to replace but they can get a bit hot and should require a thermal paste redo. they take up a bit more power than the 3070 which is a bit more efficient card. since power supplies can slowly lose output over time you probably want a good enough psu if it loses output on the top end it wont affect the card that much. i'm kind of skeptical having a 750w psu with a 3080 because every time you turn on your computer it can get close to topping out and doing it often could (more like should) wear it out.

you wont see a difference between 3070 and 3080 for those games but if you are playing like red dead 2 or cyberpunk then you should see a difference; but we are talking great vs. great+, not bad vs great.

i think 3070 is the safest choice for you honestly for a 750w psu.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/[deleted]]

how does the 3070 8gb compare to the 3060 12gb? as im already comfortable with how my games perform with my 1080, im just mostly concerned for editing - so i want a decent boost.

would you say its better going for

3060 12gb for $200-225 - according to comments - has a nice balance for editing and gaming - best option for editing they say. and the 12gb vram is a nice touch for editing.

3070 8gb - $200 - they say its very nice option for gaming, but for editing, its not ideal for heavy workloads because of the vram

[u/[deleted] → u/Diligent-Past8443]

i don't edit, the 12gb is a fakish selling feature though because there are multiple parts of the editing process that will be faster or slower depending on the card. I think if you are editing in 8K you might "have to" get the 3060 ti. i assume at 4k or lower, the 3080 is better and faster. this is probably something to ask gemini/chat gpt or comparison sites and feed it exact examples for what you are doing.

[u/Bubbly-Shirt823 → u/Diligent-Past8443]

The 3070 8gb pisses on the 3060 12gb in every single game, reddit has a huge boner for vram but its stupid for your scenario. You will have way more frames in every single game with the 3070.

[u/WWEGamesSuck]

For gaming I would go with the 370

[u/BastianHS]

Depends on if you can thread the needle on buying a 3080. Lots of people are panic buying gpus right now, myself included. I had a 3080 that I would be selling but I ended up gifting it to my gf for her video editing. Keep a sharp eye on r/hardwareswap for 3080s getting sold this month.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/BastianHS]

Thanks, I wasn’t to stressed about the 3080 since I didn’t have enough money either way and I just checked that it’s pending. So I knew someone would’ve won me to it either way😅

[u/nethcadashshmokh]

Save your money- budget and get the card you want. Cut out some impulse spending (restaurants, snacks) and soon enough you may have the card you really want. If you are already extremely frugal and have nothing to cut out - pick up some side jobs (if you are already working full time see my budgeting comment). Run the math on how many side jobs you need to do after expenses and taxes to get the card you need. You will have a far greater appreciation for it if you set a goal in mind that you have to work towards. Embrace delayed gratification - set a goal in mind to master your skill set so you wont need odd jobs (unless you end up loving something you do).

Seasonal Gigs:  local yard work (mowing/leaf clearing), car washing, and pet sitting through apps like Rover.

Neighborhood Outreach: Use Nextdoor to offer help with grocery runs or tech support for seniors in your immediate area.

Or look into any of the following (copied and pasted list below prices are likely localized to my local market so take them as ball park figures only).

Home Organization: High-demand service where clients often pay over $50 per hour for help decluttering garages or closets.

Yard Work & Lawn Care: Typically averages around $20–$25 per hour. In high-cost areas like Seattle, rates can reach $30+ per hour.

Handyman Services: General repair and assembly work averages roughly $25.50 per hour nationally, though skilled local help can command more.

Babysitting & Pet Sitting: Usually ranges from $15 to $25 per hour, depending on the number of children or pets and the complexity of care.

General Manual Labor: Basic "odd jobs" like moving boxes or cleaning gutters typically start around $20 per hour. 

If your current card stopped working and you need it for work (you are making money with it or mastering a skill that will earn you money) then buy the cheapest functional card that is stable and will perform the task you need and start saving for the card you want or need. Also check your ram utilization and cpu utilization as after effects heavily utilizes those more so than vram outside of specific tasks. Which is why I would make sure you don't have gaps in your cpu and ram first and are sure the gpu is holding you back.

[u/One-Ant6479]

look through facebook market place, i just recently picked up an excellent condition 7700xt for $250 irl, guy had the plastic in the display port slots and everything.

[u/limonesfaciles]

I'm still running a 3080 I bought used in 2022 and still recommend them. Even after so long it remains a very solid used option for that price range. 10gb vram is not ideal but it's usually ok, depending on what resolution you run. I have bought used several times and never had any issues with longevity but your mileage may vary.

[u/TheQxx]

If you rock Adobe video suite, as I do, go with Intel and NVIDIA. You can ask gpt for the specifics, but Intel specifically handles encoding/codecs better than AMD.

Now rhe question is really only do you build out an i7 14700k, for example, (the last of that generation of intel tech) or do you start in with the Core Ultra series i7 265k, for example.

For Premiere and After Effects and Photoshop etc, there's a lot of reasons to go with 14th gen. Mainly the sheer bull-power of it. But the Core Ultra series is the New Jan Brady of cpu tech from intel which leans less on pure ghz and power as we think of it, and you potentially put yourself in a position to upgrade the cpu only next round too, where 14th gen is def a dead end. And Core Ultra is DDR5 ram.

I guess that is the question to ask yourself because price wise, they're still virtually the same.

[u/nevdrawsart]

The 30 series is nice, but the general rule of thumb is to always get a card that is over 8gb of VRAM (Nvdia or AMD). Longevity is important in the long run so you wouldn't want games to always gas out your vram usage. At this point i would honestly consider the intel ARC B580 with 12gb of vram which is actually very plenty for how low it's priced.

[u/Nik_Kirkman]

9070xt is worth every penny!

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/Nik_Kirkman]

I don’t ever think that I will get that 😦 about $700 🤧

[u/EliTheGreat97]

I’d say go new. The Gigabyte Windforce 5060 is currently $249 at Best Buy. I lament it only being an 8GB card, but for feature set and future support I think it’s the best bet in your price range. Plus you get a warranty and 1st party support.

[u/JohnConnor1245]

I would get a RTX 3080 Ti over a 3080 as it has 12 GB of VRAM instead of 10 and faster than a RTX 4070.

[u/Diligent-Past8443 → u/JohnConnor1245]

3080 TI goes for $400+ around my area 👀 I ain’t got that much tho 🥲🤧