Best GPU new/used in 400-450 price range 3060ti?/6700XT?

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Napoleon

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Hi All-

I am looking at building a new build or eGPU and want the best performance for around $400 (new or used). I play at 1440p-144hz and currently am using it on a EVGA SC15 laptop with 1060 and i7 7700. 1080p Gsync on the laptop screen is cool but I generally use a monitor

I've been out of the tech loop for a bit but it still seems 3060TI has huge FPS per $ and has DLSS capabilities. That said I game on a freensync 2-capable (but not Gsync) monitor and am not sure if that is worth it.

A little bit about my setup:
BenQ EX3203R 32" 144Hz HDR 1800R Curved Gaming Monitor with FreeSync 2
I primarily pay Diablo 2 resurrected, Dota2, Mechwarrior and random shooters like Valorant/CS:GO/Insurgency Sandstorm

Let me know your recommendations/thoughts and thank youf or your help!

- Kyle (Napoleon)
 
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Used 3070s are only $320 is right now. Plenty of cheap gpus so I would up your performance expectations abit. A 3080 may be within your reach
 
Used 3070s are only $320 is right now. Plenty of cheap gpus so I would up your performance expectations abit. A 3080 may be within your reach
Are card which were used for mining actually a concern? I was thinking a new card would be better as less use, but with a big used market it certainly makes you wonder if there are any issues as long as it was cooled well.

Has anyone tested this?
 
I think if it was carefully / intelligently mined on (undervolted, lower power / limited heat / maximized efficiency) then it's not a concern. If it was mined on by someone just pushing it constantly to the max, then more of a concern. I would feel pretty comfortable buying a mined-on card from a fellow [H]er if they were smart about the mining
 
If looking for new, the 6700xt is an easy buy over a 3060ti if you don't need RTX features. New ones can be had for about $370 vs I think around $450 for a 3060ti. As for DLSS, I believe FSR 2.0/2.1 is becoming more adopted and generally seems to look nice.
 
With 6700 XTs now dropping below $400 fairly regularly (watch the Hot Deals forum), I can't imagine looking at anything else - let alone used.
 
With 6700 XTs now dropping below $400, I can't imagine looking at anything else - let alone used.
I checked FB market and saw some 3070s for 350-400. While overall the 3070 is a bit faster than the 6700xt, there are titles that swing towards the 6700xt. Also new vs 1-2 years used + probably mined on + return policy/warranty is something to consider
 
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If looking for new, the 6700xt is an easy buy over a 3060ti if you don't need RTX features. New ones can be had for about $370 vs I think around $450 for a 3060ti. As for DLSS, I believe FSR 2.0/2.1 is becoming more adopted and generally seems to look nice.
Nice - I've been a longtime Nvidia fan (since winning an EVGA GF2 Ultra, all Nvidia except Radeon 5850) and like the idea of DLSS boosts (or similar FSR), but it seems AMD is back on the map. Seems like 6700XT is similar perf to 3060ti depending on the title
With 6700 XTs now dropping below $400 fairly regularly (watch the Hot Deals forum), I can't imagine looking at anything else - let alone used.
you’d choose it over 3060ti at same price?
 
Are card which were used for mining actually a concern? I was thinking a new card would be better as less use, but with a big used market it certainly makes you wonder if there are any issues as long as it was cooled well.

Has anyone tested this?
Nope video cards are extremely robust, even when abused they are hard to kill and should last years. Even better if you just buy from a casual miner like someone on this forum vs cheap ebay stuff.

If you really want the best bang for your buck I would grab a used (probably mined on) card. 6700xts are very cheap as well
 
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in the mining aspect of gpu's. I would not go out of my way to buy one if I knew it was mined on. If giving the right deal on one is a different story. So what's the difference in a mined card compared to a card that's been folded on? Any DC will run a card to high limits. Will it fail is always a good question.

Nvidia wise the 3070ti would be my choice for bang for the buck. The 6700xt and 6800xt are good cards for the AMD side. I am a Nvidia guy so keep a eye out on a 3070ti or start looking at AMD.
 
I think used 3080s will soon be in the sub $500 range. Wait a few weeks to see what the 4090 launch does. There have already been several posts trying to unload 3080s/3090s in the FS/T in anticipation of 4090.
 
I think used 3080s will soon be in the sub $500 range. Wait a few weeks to see what the 4090 launch does. There have already been several posts trying to unload 3080s/3090s in the FS/T in anticipation of 4090.
Considering a rebranded 4070 is going to be $900+, I wouldn't hold my breath. Still, waiting never hurts.
 
TBH right now with the new releases of both Ryzen 4 and the new Nvidia lineup I'm debating waiting to see how the dust settles on new builds/used gear. I think Intel has a new lineup coming out soon and can't imagine more AMD GPUs are far off, too?

I don't have something to plug a GPU into right now and am on a laptop; trying to get my head wrapped around current builds. I'd like to do a DIY Thunderbolt 3 eGPU if I can make the cost work so I'd have a desktop case/PSU/GPU to plug into my laptop and would wait on the CPU/Mobo/Memory/SSD, seems like those prices are $700+ for gaming setups (R5-5600X or greater performance) vs ~$200 for PCIe3 to TB3 adapters
- eGPU boxes would be more cost effective in the short term but not long term when compares to $100 PSU/$100-250 Case + 200 PCIE, puts DIY eGPU box at $400-550
 
With that monitor being 1440p, you are going to run out of vram with any of the 8gb nvidia's unless you dont play games with a lot of textures.

A place you may want to watch is Amazon Warehouse. They sell returns and items that had boxes damaged in the warehouse, so no mining units. Also covered by prime shipping and return policy. They have 5 levels of item condition. The top 3 you wont get much off, but the bottom 2 which are more rare (and why you have to watch and wait) can net substantial discounts.
 
Are card which were used for mining actually a concern? I was thinking a new card would be better as less use, but with a big used market it certainly makes you wonder if there are any issues as long as it was cooled well.

Has anyone tested this?
Miner here: If buying locally/craigslist, maybe be worried just due to lack of any way to get a refund. If buying via ebay/FS forum, probably nothing to worry about. I don't think I ever had a GPU failure in my life until I started mining, but typically what you might see are:
1.) Fan failures ($10-20 fix)
2.) Memory issues (immediately evident due to artifacting)
3.) Bricked (some sort of power delivery problem, immediately recognizable)

I have noticed so-called "silicon degradation" where you have to slightly lower max overclocks on cards over time (6months-1yr ish) but the memory clocks miners ran at were way higher than anything you'd overclock to for gaming so probably no worries there. Thermal paste and such are probably in better condition than gaming cards as well. Sometimes if you get a card from an outdoor farm that didn't use filtered air you might have to clean the card out, but I've learned that electronics are much more robust than you'd think (I bought some outdoor GPUs that looked like they sat in saltwater for years and they worked fine. Bugs in cards, dead fans, etc., not really a big deal after a clean-up). Also, FWIW the 1xxx series nvidia cards have been 100% flawless in my experience, even when totally abused. I have had some failures of 3xxx series nvidia cards and it seems to be a problem others have experienced as well. 6xxx series AMD cards are also basically flawless in my experience (unless you do really stupid stuff with the power connectors which I totally would never do).

As for models, I would avoid 6700XTs because for a little more you can get a lot more power on the AMD side. The product stack has compressed a lot now and it's not like last year where you had to choose between a $600 6700xt or a $1000 6800xt. Spend the extra money and get a 6800 or better. On the nvidia side, $400 or so should probably get you a 3070TI. If you can stretch the budget a little more then a 10GB 3080. Prices might keep dropping and if you are on a tight budget then it's probably worth waiting until AMD releases their cards to see how that changes things. The nvidia side seems to be priced too high and they look awful for mining so I don't know if it will really drop prices much on existing cards. As more miners liquidate their cards I think that has more potential to lower prices than nvidia's latest gen coming out.
 
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