The latest Nvidia RTX 30 series graphics cards are slowly returning to stock, with prices close to the MRSP almost two years after launch. A global shortage of components required for the cards’ manufacture coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic all but halted production and sent asking prices skyrocketing. Now that it is easier to get hold of a top-tier Nvidia GPU and for a reasonable price, many PC users are in the market for an upgrade. However, many will not consider the following factors when upgrading their graphics card, meaning upgrading could be a pointless exercise.
Society has shaped us to want the latest technology and dream of owning the most powerful tech, especially if you are a PC user. The Nvidia RTX 3090 Ti is by far the best graphics card available, which is why it comes with a whopping $1,999 price tag! The asking price is enough to deter most PC users on the planet, but that does not stop people from wanting one. In addition, a GPU like the 3090 Ti is overkill for almost every single PC user on the planet. Imagine having a 3090 Ti and only using your PC to play Solitaire and browsing the internet looking for the best sportsbook bonuses. It would be both a waste of time and money. This brings us to the first factor to consider when upgrading your graphics card.
What Do You Use Your PC For?
Everyone uses their PC for different reasons. Some people are avid gamers who love playing the latest AAA titles on the highest settings and with as many Frames Per Second as possible. Others use their PC as a workstation where they only really need to browse the internet and run a handful of applications such as word processors and spreadsheets.
The former, in our example, requires a much more powerful GPU than the latter, which should be obvious. However, you will be surprised to learn how many people who do not need a fancy graphics card purchase one to say they own the best. This writer is fortunate enough to own a laptop and a PC. My PC is often used for gaming and video editing, so it runs an RTX 3080, among other things. However, my laptop, which I prefer for my day-to-day writing tasks, has integrated graphics because anything else would be overkill.
What Are Your PC’s Other Components?
Buying the best GPU does not necessarily mean you can play the games in the highest settings. Indeed, it doesn’t even guarantee your PC will run anything well. Why? Because the rest of your computer’s components work in tandem. Your processor, or CPU, and graphics card is the main component that needs to be a good fit. Should your CPU be far less potent than your GPU, your PC suffers from what is known as a bottleneck and will not work as effectively. The reverse is also true; having a graphics card too weak for your processor creates a similar bottleneck that vastly reduces performance.
In addition, you need to consider your power supply, which is often abbreviated to PSU. My 3080 draws a staggering 350 watts when running at 100%. Throw into the mix all the other components, and it can draw 600 Watts or more. Always ensure you have a gold-rated PSU that can handle what you throw at it.
Furthermore, check that any graphics card you are upgrading to actually fits your case. This sounds silly, but the more powerful GPUs are massive compared to the lesser powerful units. They need plenty of space to fit into your case and allow good airflow around the GPU because they can and do run hot when in full swing.
