Get 6650XT for now or invest in 3070?

[NewbieOne]

My 1070ti is dead. I'm on a 7850 2GB right now. I play at 1440p and my monitor supports 75 Hz, but I have a huge backlog of dated games: Divinity: Original Sin 1 and 2 (300 hrs total?), Pathfinder: Kingmaker (200 hours?), Ember, a number of NWN: EE modules, Greedfall, Dirt 4, Grid 1+2, one or two slightly older WRC games, and CK3 and Imperator. Plus oldies like Two Worlds 1+2 and even a remaster of Betrayal at Krondor.

I'm sure I would enjoy Jedi: Fallen Order and RDR 1+2, maybe Cyberpunk and something else, but there's no pressure to play these any time soon. There will be more pressure when the next Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Witcher or KCD comes out, but even then I'll probably bide my time waiting for the games to get patched properly, for walkthroughs and help threads to pop up and for DLCs. Looks like 2024/2025 to me.

So the question is do I (meaning WWYD):

a/ Grab a cheap but sturdy 6650XT Merc with 3 fans (probably a good overclocker and a card that you don't need to walk on eggshells around) from Amazon while it lasts

vs:

b/ Splurge out on one of the cheaper 3070s?

Of course, I could buy a 6750XT for slightly less than a 3070 and enjoy the slightly better rasterization performance and extra VRAM for HD textures, but for that kind of money I'd rather have RT, DLDSR, DLSS, etc.

3070 or 6750XT is territory I'm reluctant to go to, but I'm simply aware that 6650XT might not be sufficient and it's easier to buy a more expensive card right away than upgrade later. Although later the same money could perhaps buy you a much better card when I get around to needing more power than a 6650XT can give.

Realistically speaking, if I spend:

- 300 hours or more through Divinity: Original Sin 1+2
- 200 hours in through Pathfinder: Kingmaker (and another 200 if I go for the sequel)
- some 200 hours through Outer Worlds
- anywhere between 200 and 500 hours in NWN:EE modules
- some 200 hours in CK3
- whatever it takes to finish Betrayal at Krondor, Return to Krondor and Antara
- some 200 hours on old racers/rallies
- whatever it takes to finish Greedfall maybe, or Wasteland 1+2, as I already have these
- maybe Horizon, which I already own, or Jedi: Fallen Order, which I already intend to buy, but these two I'd keep for last and preferably play on stronger hardware for the views

— then we're talking about 2000 hours or so from someone who works full time. Or perhaps 1000–1500 hours in games that might not need the added power of 3070 on top of 6650XT. When I get around to more demanding games, then I could buy a 4070 instead and perhaps for less money.

The advantage of 3070 would be the ability to just max everything out without compromises except maybe 4K downscaled to 1440 p @ all ultra @ 75 fps would perhaps not be achievable in some of these games, where only upon falling below 50 fps would I begin to worry.

So… is 3070 worth the added 200–250 euros on top of a 6650XT in my situation? (Or 270–280 for a 3070 with three fans?)

[Back Yard Gamer]

Ya I think it's worth it, I've a 3070ti FTW3 since last October and it's an excellent gpu that performs well above its class. 1440p with everything maxed is no problem, warzone for example.

DSR will allow you to play games in 4k and most games even with G-sync enabled will average around 60-80 fps.
Naturally enough it won't be the same as a native 4k Monitor but it pretty dang close.

The 4000 series is around the corner and might be worth waiting for if you can.

Best of luck.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Or just grab a 6600 XT as the 6650 isn't really any better

[76561198343548661]

i like and play the same games . But Dirt 4 is a disaster itself ! Dirt 5 and 3 are good
RX 6650 XT would be fine . it s roughly 40% faster than GTX 1070TI

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

GPU prices have dropped quite a lot recently, can probably get a 3070 Ti with decent price if you hunt around a little.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

3060 12GB are under 499 USD

[Illusion of Progress]

Somewhat similar situation I was in around 2014. I had a GTX 560 Ti that failed. My initial attempt was to try the GTX 970, but I had coil whine issues.

In frustration, I grabbed like a $68 GTX 650 from Best Buy as a temporary measure, and that temporary thing ended up being what I went with for two or three years.

On one hand, if you're not going to be shoeboxed into staying away from things you might want to play, you seem to have a year or two you're willing to wait. Could hope you have better options a year and a half into the RTX 4000/Radeon 7000 (8000?) time frame.

On the other hand, I don't want to suggest it if you know you'll be having to avoid games you want to play and therefore replacing it soon (sounds like you can wait, but you have to make this choice), as you're then better off skipping the spent money on it and going higher right now.

There's perks to both and it's up to you really.

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

3060 12GB are under 499 USD

That's disappointing. I found it to be poorly priced at the $329 it "should have" launched at. At the "should have launched at" price of the RTX 3070, it's even worse.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

We're not in the old days. Gpus aren't going to get much cheaper. This is the new "normal". Plus as long as you're getting gtx 1080 performance or better for around what that kind of gou launched for. I really don't see how people can complain.

[NewbieOne]

Цитата допису Back Yard Gamer:

Ya I think it's worth it, I've a 3070ti FTW3 since last October and it's an excellent gpu that performs well above its class. 1440p with everything maxed is no problem, warzone for example.

DSR will allow you to play games in 4k and most games even with G-sync enabled will average around 60-80 fps.

I'm not sure I need all this power, but yes, it seems 3070 or up is the only way to get >60 fps with G-sync enabled in all those games. At least the real 3D, as opposed to the isometric RPGs like Pathfinder or DOS 1–2 or ancient NWN.

Naturally enough it won't be the same as a native 4k Monitor but it pretty dang close.

Indeed. Seeing TW3 and KCD in fake 4K was an otherwordly experience.

The 4000 series is around the corner and might be worth waiting for if you can.

Yeah… that's exactly the reason why I'm thinking about buying the 6650XT right now to sell it later at some loss when 4000 or even 5000 comes out and I'm done with my backlog of old games. I've even considered just grabbing a 1080 but decided against it because of age and fatigue given its likely past of several years of heavy mining or heavy gaming.

Best of luck.

Thank you!

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

Or just grab a 6600 XT as the 6650 isn't really any better

Well, it does make a noticeable difference in a lot of games, but the price difference also is significant. It's like a dozen percent more expensive than the best outlet deal I could find on a 6600XT and about a dozen percent faster in some games — a pretty good exchange I'll be willing to make because it doesn't yet get to the point where you pay like 30% more money to get 10% more fps. In some scenarios I'd be willing to pay 20% extra to get 10% extra performance, but I can't go all the way up the chain… gotta draw a limit at some point, even an arbitrary point.

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

3060 12GB are under 499 USD

Yeah, but 6600XT is usually faster and 6650XT is usually at least halfway between 3060 and 3060ti, just no RT. At 520 USD for 6650XT vs 499 for 3060, I think I prefer the 6650XT.

Цитата допису littlecat20160:

i like and play the same games . But Dirt 4 is a disaster itself ! Dirt 5 and 3 are good
RX 6650 XT would be fine . it s roughly 40% faster than GTX 1070TI

That's already lovely, though I wonder if I wouldn't like more. Let's take KCD for example. With some OC, even in 1440p @ all ultra I was able to get 55–60-ish fps outdoors and anything between 28 and 40 in Rattay depending on the weather, 25-ish in the storm in Talberg (lightning, rain, torchlights, wet stone, polished mail/plate, etc. all in one scene). Getting a 40% upgrade would put me more than a dozen fps up in most of these situations, which would be a massive quality-of-life change. Still, it wouldn't go all the way to the 75 fps my monitor can provide. On the other hand, the 4K experience probably would be somewhere close to where my old 1440p experience was at with the 1070ti — playable and enjoyable but not ideal and sometimes, rarely but sometimes, a bit annoying. So maybe I should spend the extra three hundred?

Still, if I buy a 3070 and end up playing NWN modules and classics like Divinity: Original Sin all the time until 4000 comes out and my 3070 loses a half of its value, then that's gonna be a waste. I could perhaps same the money for when JFO2, KCD2, ME5 and DA4 come out.

Цитата допису Rumpelcrutchskin:

GPU prices have dropped quite a lot recently, can probably get a 3070 Ti with decent price if you hunt around a little.

$833 is the best I can find in EU+UK. Plain 3070 can go down to 730 for a cheap version. On a rational level, by normal criteria of judging price vs performance, I think the difference is worth it, but the price is having a devastating mental effect on me, the closer it gets to a thousand. My 1070ti cost 250 bucks almost NIB, weeks after release, for a custom version with three fans, turbo button and 8+8 plugs. And that was already a guilty pleasure.

Цитата допису Illusion of Progress:

There's perks to both and it's up to you really.

Yeah, and that's exactly where the problem lies. ;)

Emotionally, I would regard the 6650XT as a guilt-free purchase, with no guilt over not having gone for a lower card. Good bang for the buck, not overpaid in the current situation, not a blatant luxury expense. I would feel the same way about a 3060ti if I managed to find it for like $450. But higher than that is making me feel bad about spending so much on entertainment.

Rationally, the price-to-performance ratios going from 3060ti to 3070 and 3070 to 3070ti (even 3070ti to 3080) are quite justified, and the extra 200 or 300 bucks probably shouldn't be weighing so much on me.

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

We're not in the old days. Gpus aren't going to get much cheaper. This is the new "normal".

It would seem like that. And this was also the old normal before the golden age of budget gaming several years ago.

Plus as long as you're getting gtx 1080 performance or better for around what that kind of gou launched for. I really don't see how people can complain.

Used 1080s at <$300 are already tempting, at least for what I'd be playing for a year or two. I might even buy one if I could know it was in good shape with no performance degradation from heavy use and no sensitive parts being on the verge of crapping out.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

6600/6650 are 1080p gpus though.
3060 can easily maintain a decent fps even at 1440p. Heck it has no problems running KCD in 4K

[NewbieOne]

I'm also wondering about GeForce Now. The problem: I have Patfinder, Divinity: Original Sin, GreedFall and Horizon on GOG. :/ Turning 40 next year, I think I can live with 8-hour sessions.

[xSOSxHawkens]

Honestly the *only* argument for the NV card is better RT. Thats it. And it is equaled by the argument of better traditional rendering on AMD, they counter each other tbh.

DLSS and its associated tech is now a moot point in the face of FSR2,0 and similar non-AMD tech baked into game engines. Sure FSR1.0 was behind, so was DLSS 1.0, but at this point AMD is more or less equal in the up-scaling game.

If you can afford the AMD card and want a nice boost grab it. If you save for the NV card consider the comparably priced AMD alternative at time of purchase.

[Illusion of Progress]

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

We're not in the old days. Gpus aren't going to get much cheaper. This is the new "normal". Plus as long as you're getting gtx 1080 performance or better for around what that kind of gou launched for. I really don't see how people can complain.

Yeah... I know! But darn it if I'm not disappointed at it anyway.

I haven't kept track of pricing, but when "near MSRP" or "at MSRP" or even "below MSRP" were common phrases, I... expected that. The RTX 3060 had an MSRP of $324, not the $499 the RTX 3070 has. Seems the claims are still a bit exaggerated then or I don't know. When the mid range starts at the line crossing into the better half of a grand, it's still not good. It doesn't need to be the old pricing, it won't be (inflation alone makes sure), but it's still about twice what it was before (using your sole example so maybe other modes are better, I don't know).

[Bad 💀 Motha]

That MSRP was for original 3060, not no 12GB. Plus you have the Ti to consider also.

You can a 3060 through EVGA website for around 379

[AbedsBrother]

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

6600/6650 are 1080p gpus though.
3060 can easily maintain a decent fps even at 1440p. Heck it has no problems running KCD in 4K

6600XT and 6650XT both marginally out-perform the 3060, so not sure what you're on about here.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Цитата допису AbedsBrother:

Цитата допису Bad 💀 Motha:

6600/6650 are 1080p gpus though.
3060 can easily maintain a decent fps even at 1440p. Heck it has no problems running KCD in 4K

6600XT and 6650XT both marginally out-perform the 3060, so not sure what you're on about here.

OMFG; yes in 1080p !!!
Not at higher res.
For 1080p that's what the RTX 3050 is for.

Go above 1080p on a 6600 XT and watch it chug hard.