MeinMMO author Benedikt Schlotmann bought a graphics card. But now he regrets not buying a faster graphics card right away.
A few years ago, I wanted to upgrade my PC again and bought a new graphics card for that purpose.
Back then, I paid a whopping 139 euros for my Radeon RX 570 with 8 GB of video memory. A price that many users can only dream of today. Currently, graphics cards are being sold for thousands of euros on eBay. Nowadays, one has to pay around 300 euros on eBay for the 8-GB model of the Polaris graphics card (via eBay.de).
In hindsight, I regret not investing more money in a faster graphics card back then.
Especially considering the current graphics card prices, it annoys me that I didn’t opt for the RX 5700 XT at that time, which was also available in stores when I made my investment. And there are several reasons for this, which I would like to mention to you in this article.
I bought a RX 570 – should I have invested in a RX 5700 XT instead
That’s why I should have opted for the RX 5700 XT: The Radeon RX 5700 XT has been considered one of the best cards in the mid-range and WQHD segment for the last few years. For instance, our colleagues at GameStar had long listed the RX 5700 XT as the best alternative for gamers in their graphics card advice (via GameStar.de). Meanwhile, the new RX 6000 series has replaced the 5700 XT in the buying advice.
Especially with very new titles like Assassins Creed or Anno 1800, I can noticeably tell that my current RX 570 doesn’t always keep up. In Apex Legends or Overwatch, I still get around 100 FPS, but in many other games, I am far from that.
Especially in a time when new top titles appear that demand the hardware accordingly, but there are no graphics cards available at reasonably acceptable prices, I regret that I “only” chose a Radeon RX 570 back then. Particularly because, according to Nvidia, graphics cards are also expected to remain expensive in the future.
What did the RX 5700 XT cost? The Radeon RX 5700 XT was launched at 419 euros and was either just above or below the recommended retail price. It is also interesting that the price of the RX 5700 XT remained stable at around 400 euros and had hardly any fluctuations upwards or downwards.
Currently, prices for a used RX 5700 XT range somewhere between 700 and 800 euros, and for new cards, one pays even more and thus slightly above the RX 6700 XT. This is also because the old series is better suited for mining than the new models.
It is certain that I probably won’t buy an RX 5700 XT anymore, as AMD has now released its 6000 series. And here, there are interesting alternatives for me now.
The current prices are keeping me (still) from buying a graphics card
Which graphics card would I buy now? If I should still buy a new graphics card in the coming months, there are currently two sensible alternatives for me: Either the RX 6600 XT or the RX 6700 XT.
The 6600 XT appeals to me the most as a Full HD gamer, and I wouldn’t mind giving up ray tracing performance. Moreover, the graphics card is currently actually somewhat available.
With the RX 6700 XT, I would be set for the next few years and would also have some reserves for ray tracing and other fun features. However, the price is currently what keeps me away, as I am (still) not willing to pay 800 or 900 euros for a graphics card.
If I had had the time or had been at gamescom in the Rhineland, I would have even gone to Cologne for an RTX 3060 in the end.
This is my recommendation: So if you have the chance to get a graphics card at a fair price, then don’t skimp on a few euros, but rather buy a bit more performance than to have to upgrade again a year later. Because while it saves money in the short term, sooner or later you can’t avoid it and will have to buy new hardware.
In general, the buying decision always depends on several factors. First, it depends on how large my budget for buying a graphics card actually is, and second, it plays a role what I actually need the graphics card for:
- What resolution am I playing at?
- What refresh rate does my monitor support?
- What games am I playing?
More tips, tricks, and what to consider when buying a graphics card can be found in the Plus Guide from GameStar (via Gamestar.de). Plus is the paid premium offering from GameStar.
What do you think? Were you lucky enough to buy a fast graphics card in time or did you even manage to get a new graphics card at somewhat fair prices? Tell us in the comments!
Currently, you should not buy certain graphics cards. The RX 5700 XT is also among the graphics cards you should not buy right now, unless you can get it at a really good offer:
These 7 graphics cards should not be bought new in the shop in 2021
