Question gpu help

[toasty888]

Doing my first pc build in the UK and need some help on my gpu, originally i was getting a 5070 ti but i got put off by the melting connectors and fire risk so i moved on to the 9070 xt, no i am thinking of getting a second hand gpu as a temporary option while i wait and see what to do and also as a backup gpu in the future, i can get the 1080 for about £105 and a 1060 for about £60, any other suggestions for a budget of about £50 to £125, my other question is if i get the 1080 am i likely to never upgrade so is it best to get the 1060 so i am forced to upgrade later, my last pc i bought 8 years ago and at the time gpu's were expensive or i thought so anyway so i bought a 1050 ti as part of the pc with the intention of upgrading when prices were better, well guess what gpu i am still using now(1050 ti) so i tend to like the easy option.thanks.

 

[marees]

Better buy the 1080

You'll still have to upgrade because 8gb vram will limit the settings at which you can play many new games

 

[toasty888]

Thanks for the reply, that is my current thinking just dont want to buy it and never upgrade or always find an excuse not to.

 

[Shmee]

The GTX 1080 is already an older card, and lacks new driver support going forward. You will need to upgrade to a more recent card likely ASAP, for gaming at least. You may want to just wait till you can afford a better, modern GPU? Or possibly, would the new computer build have integrated graphics? If so, you could use that in the mean time, and save up for a more powerful card.

 

[Quintessa]

i can get the 1080 for about £105 and a 1060 for about £60, any other suggestions for a budget of about £50 to £125

Get the 1080 at £105 if it's not a dumpster fire. It’s still a solid performer at 1080p/1440p and will handily outclass a 1060.

if i get the 1080 am i likely to never upgrade so is it best to get the 1060 so i am forced to upgrade later

If you're honestly this prone to "I'll upgrade later" and then never do it, buy the 1080. It reduces future regret. The 1060 will make modern AAA look tired faster and will push you to upgrade sooner, which sounds like your historical pattern, but that's not a virtue here. Practical advice: buy performance you won’t immediately hate.

my last pc i bought 8 years ago and at the time gpu's were expensive or i thought so anyway so i bought a 1050 ti as part of the pc with the intention of upgrading when prices were better, well guess what gpu i am still using now(1050 ti) so i tend to like the easy option.

Then buy the easy option that doesn't suck in a year. The 1080 is the reasonable easy option here. With no fluff:
- Buy the GTX 1080 at £105 if it checks out physically and the seller provides proof it runs. It's the best value and will last you longer.
- If you can’t verify condition or the 1080 looks sketchy, pick a 1660 Super or a clean RX 580/590 from a trusted seller.
- Only grab the 1060 if you want guaranteed short-term savings and planned forced upgrade soon.

You’ll thank yourself later for avoiding false economy.

 

[coercitiv]

I would argue against both the 1080 and the 5070Ti / 9070XT. Based on the comments it sounds like the OP could definitely be content with less than 5070 Ti performance, as evidence by the fact that the 1080 might delay the upgrade to Blackwell indefinitely. The OP also already has a backup card din the form of the 1050Ti.

My suggestion is to aim lower to 5070 or 9060XT 16GB (though it sounds like Nvidia is preferred). Get a card that is significantly faster than the 1080 but is cheaper and much less prone to connector issues than the Ti. Take your time, look for a good deal, but don't spend money on a "backup card" that will dilute both your budget and your will to upgrade to modern hardware.

 

[marees]

I would argue against both the 1080 and the 5070Ti / 9070XT. Based on the comments it sounds like the OP could definitely be content with less than 5070 Ti performance, as evidence by the fact that the 1080 might delay the upgrade to Blackwell indefinitely. The OP also already has a backup card din the form of the 1050Ti.

My suggestion is to aim lower to 5070 or 9060XT 16GB (though it sounds like Nvidia is preferred). Get a card that is significantly faster than the 1080 but is cheaper and much less prone to connector issues than the Ti. Take your time, look for a good deal, but don't spend money on a "backup card" that will dilute both your budget and your will to upgrade to modern hardware.

He is correct to wait for the 9070xt as it will reduce in price by $100+ dollars

& for that exact same $100 budget he gets the 8gb 1080 (assuming it is in working condition). Sounds like a good idea to me ...

Edit: it is in pounds but the point still holds

Edit2: if he waits more he can also snag a super card or the 16gb 9070 gre too !!

 

[coercitiv]

He is correct to wait

I'm not against waiting, I'm against buying a temp GPU that likely costs more than the savings.

 

[toasty888]

thanks for your replies, i will have a think about it.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

GTX 1080 for $142usd? That's a hard no. Driver support has ended and it is well into the wrong side of the bathtub curve. The 1060 has all of the same issues.