End of 2019: Good time for a new graphics card?
21.11.2019
Translation: machine translated
Is now the right time to buy a new graphics card? That depends. I'll tell you for whom it's worth buying at the end of 2019 and for whom it's not.
With Christmas just around the corner, you might be thinking about buying a new graphics card. But is now a good time? The RTX 2000 series has already been out for over a year and the rumour mill is buzzing about the release of the upcoming RTX 3000 series. The same applies to AMD, where the long overdue high-end cards are finally due to arrive. Based on this premise, I'll tell you whether you should still go ahead and buy one.
I have identified different types of users: From the user who doesn't have a PC and is desperate to build or buy one now, to the owner of an older machine, to the hardcore user who always wants the latest. Of course, the user types do not apply to everyone: It always depends on what you want. With certain games, you will reach the limits even with a GTX 1660 Super in 1080p. Then you need a little more power
I don't have a PC and want to build/buy one now
The timing is not bad: although the RTX 2000 series has been on the market for over a year, the RTX 3000 is not expected until the middle of next year. So if you want to wait, you'll have to be patient for over seven months. It is also likely that the high-end models will come first. If you want the mid-range, you'll have to wait even longer. In addition, the prices of the 2000 cards have fallen slightly since release and the super refresh has slightly increased performance.
So which card should you buy? Depends on your needs. I'll be writing a buying guide on the current generation of graphics cards soon. So check back then. In a nutshell, however, I can recommend the following models, sorted according to your needs.
If money is no object and you want maximum performance: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
Here you can find all RTX 2080 Ti models
For VR and games in 1440p: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super
Here is the link to all RTX 2070 Super models
For gaming in 1440p: AMD Radeon RX 5700 or RX 5700 XT
Here is the link to all RX 5700 XT models
Here is the link to all RX-5700 models
For gaming in 1080p: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super
Here you can find all GTX 1660 Super models
The budget variant: AMD Radeon RX 570
Here to all RX 570 models
My current PC is over three years old and I have an Nvidia 900 series card or older
If your PC is over three years old, you probably still have a graphics card from the Nvidia 900 series or older. Even if the parts are already getting on in years, the GTX 980 and 980 Ti in particular should still have enough power to play current games. Perhaps no longer on the highest settings, but still. I would recommend waiting here. On the other hand, if you have a GTX 970 or weaker, you can safely switch. The price pays off here and the increase in performance is enormous. Which card you should buy depends again on what you want. The easiest way is to consult the recommendations under "I really want to build a new PC now, but I don't have one yet".
My current PC is over three years old and I have an AMD Radeon 400 series card or older
If your PC is over three years old and has an AMD card installed, you most likely have an AMD Radeon 400 series card or older. Honestly: In this case, it's best to buy a new card. With the RX 5700 and 5700 XT, AMD can keep up with Nvidia in the mid-range. However, if you're leaning towards a budget model like the RX 570 and are coming from an RX 470, I wouldn't advise you to upgrade. The increase in performance is too small here. For everything below an RX 470, however, an upgrade to the RX 570 is worthwhile.
My PC is two years old and I have an Nvidia 10 series graphics card, should I switch?
The situation with the Nivida 10 series is similar to the 900 series: If you have a GTX 1080 or 1080 Ti, you can safely stick with it and wait for the next generation. The 1080 Ti is still one of the most powerful consumer graphics cards today. You just have to do without ray tracing. With the 10 series, I would even say that you don't necessarily have to switch with a 1050. The performance increase from the 10-series to the RTX 2000 is not enormous. This is also due to the fact that Nvidia is now focussing on ray tracing. The increase in performance should be greater with the 3000 series than from the 10 series to the 2000 series. But that's just it: These are statements from analysts. We'll know what's actually coming at Computex 2020, when the new cards will most likely be unveiled.
My PC is two years old and I have a Vega series graphics card from AMD, should I switch?
The Vega Series is similar to the Nvidia 10 series. A Vega 56 or Vega 64 still delivers enough computing power for most games in 1440p. AMD is likely to announce further graphics cards based on the Navi architecture in the coming months. These should be in the upper segment in terms of performance. Then the upgrade could be worthwhile.
I have a PC with a graphics card of the current generation
What are you even reading here? Either you always have the latest anyway or you have the latest. Go game, CAD or cool your card with water, then you can get even more out of it.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.