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Longterm PC Gaming Enthusiasts, How often do you upgrade your GPU?
- Thread starter Boss Mog
- Start date
Raelgun
Member
Pretty consistently upgraded every 2-3 years for a long time.. but not sure what happend 2012 to 2017 
1997 - 3DFX Voodoo 1
1999 - Nvidia Riva TNT 2
2000 - Nvidia GeForce 2 GTS
2003 - Nvidia GeForce FX 5900
2005 - ATI Radeon X1950 Pro
2008 - ATI Radeon HD 4850
2010 - Nvidia GTX 470
2012 - Nvidia GTX 680
2017 - Nvidia GTX 1080Ti
2020 - Nvidia RTX 3080
2022 - Nvidia RTX 4090
1997 - 3DFX Voodoo 1
1999 - Nvidia Riva TNT 2
2000 - Nvidia GeForce 2 GTS
2003 - Nvidia GeForce FX 5900
2005 - ATI Radeon X1950 Pro
2008 - ATI Radeon HD 4850
2010 - Nvidia GTX 470
2012 - Nvidia GTX 680
2017 - Nvidia GTX 1080Ti
2020 - Nvidia RTX 3080
2022 - Nvidia RTX 4090
Icymanipulator
Member
Buy the most cutting edge one, sit on it for 8-10 years, then do it again
sendit
Member
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5-6 years.
I always wait for the card that can run 3rd party games @4k maxed out with every bell, whiste and new tech from the current gen. Right now thats RTGI and other RT effects. Lets face it thats the only upgrade PCs will be getting this gen. So this gen that would mean a card that can handle UE5 4k maxed out with RT features at full res. I dont see a card available that can do that yet :/
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Has does that work...the warranty I mean?
LavitzSlambert
Member
I don’t follow a strict schedule, I buy the GPU that fits my use case and upgrade when I feel the need to. At first this was every few years (3 or 4) but I’ve sat with my 1070 for a while and have no plans to upgrade anytime soon. I play all the heavy hitters on console now. GPU prices are way too high to be constantly upgrading.
I upgraded more often when you got good models at 400-500€ range.
Now when lower-end models are costing that I'm upgrading less often. Currently I'm using GPU bought in early 2019, maybe next generation is the one where I upgrade again.
Good thing about current situation is that many games don't really need beefy GPU. Many games are targeting consoles first or try to be accessible for the widest audience possible. My setup is better than PS5 or Series X and I could probably use it until new consoles are released.
Now when lower-end models are costing that I'm upgrading less often. Currently I'm using GPU bought in early 2019, maybe next generation is the one where I upgrade again.
Good thing about current situation is that many games don't really need beefy GPU. Many games are targeting consoles first or try to be accessible for the widest audience possible. My setup is better than PS5 or Series X and I could probably use it until new consoles are released.
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BusierDonkey
Member
Had a 980ti I bought in Jan 2016, bought a 2080ti in May 2019. I had planned on replacing it in 2021 but I still haven’t needed to. I might finally pull the trigger if modded Starfield needs more grunt to hold 1440/60+ fps. We’ll see. I’ll wait for the 5080 if I can.
LQX
Member
Use to be every generation as I could normally make back close to 75%, if not more of what I paid, but shit fell apart with these price increases. But that has sort of been a blessing as it forced me off of this mindset I needed to upgrade every year when a new card dropped. Only way I will now consider upgrading from my 3080 anytime soon is if Starfield runs like shit or if there is massive price shakeup.
ShadowNate
Member
It highly depends on my spare funds *and* on the GPU not being absurdly priced.
I make a point to upgrade when a new game that I really want to play will not perform well on my PC or if enough years have passed and the new hardware is like 2+ times faster than my own.
I don't care for 4K, and very little for RTX.
I make a point to upgrade when a new game that I really want to play will not perform well on my PC or if enough years have passed and the new hardware is like 2+ times faster than my own.
I don't care for 4K, and very little for RTX.
Optimus Lime
(L3) + (R3) | Spartan rage activated
ATI cards aside, we have a disturbingly similar upgrade path.Pretty consistently upgraded every 2-3 years for a long time.. but not sure what happend 2012 to 2017
1997 - 3DFX Voodoo 1
1999 - Nvidia Riva TNT 2
2000 - Nvidia GeForce 2 GTS
2003 - Nvidia GeForce FX 5900
2005 - ATI Radeon X1950 Pro
2008 - ATI Radeon HD 4850
2010 - Nvidia GTX 470
2012 - Nvidia GTX 680
2017 - Nvidia GTX 1080Ti
2020 - Nvidia RTX 3080
2022 - Nvidia RTX 4090
yamaci17
Member
hd 4550 from 2008 to 2014
r7 265 from 2014 to 2019 (card died, if not for that, I'd keep using it. it runs sekiro all right. runs all them great indie games. shame it died while playing jedi fallen order. it ran that fine too actually)
gtx 1080 from 2019 to 2021 (second hand, got it for very cheap)
rtx 3070 from 2021 -
I would've kept 1080 for longer but I sold it for a lucrative deal and 3070 only cost me 250 bucks as a result. I couldn't pass the opportunity
on average it is 4.3 yrs. however I'm planning on keeping the 3070 at least until 2026-2027. I will have to see how UE5 games run on it. if it is going to be unplayable (1080p low <30 fps %1 lows) then it means ue5 games will literally be unplayable on %80 of the userbase. so I don't think UE5 will be unplayable on a 3070. but we will have to see. crazy times are upon us. but currently I'm happy with it.
r7 265 from 2014 to 2019 (card died, if not for that, I'd keep using it. it runs sekiro all right. runs all them great indie games. shame it died while playing jedi fallen order. it ran that fine too actually)
gtx 1080 from 2019 to 2021 (second hand, got it for very cheap)
rtx 3070 from 2021 -
I would've kept 1080 for longer but I sold it for a lucrative deal and 3070 only cost me 250 bucks as a result. I couldn't pass the opportunity
on average it is 4.3 yrs. however I'm planning on keeping the 3070 at least until 2026-2027. I will have to see how UE5 games run on it. if it is going to be unplayable (1080p low <30 fps %1 lows) then it means ue5 games will literally be unplayable on %80 of the userbase. so I don't think UE5 will be unplayable on a 3070. but we will have to see. crazy times are upon us. but currently I'm happy with it.
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DoctorEkkoUK
Member
I'm currently on a 3080 and my previous card was a 680ti
flying_sq
Member
No questions asked return policy for full refund of the original purchase price. Warranty cost is $150-$200 depending on price of the card.
Drizzlehell
Banned
With my last 3 GPUs it took about 3 years before I swapped them for a newer one but I got them at a significant discount and they were already a few years old at that point. My most recent one is RTX 3070 and I got it for 300 bucks in March this year. It still runs all games pretty well so I feel no need to change it for at least another 2-3 years.
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How interesting. So every 2 years you get a new card and they get reimbursed for the money the would lose selling it used afterward. Sounds like a good deal for sure. I might have to do this.
Raelgun
Member
haha yeah i dont think i would have ever had any ATI cards - but was burned badly with the FX5900... that card was such a disapointment
Warnen
Don't pass gaas, it is your Destiny!
Every gen it seems, that said only really last 2 gens before that I would always lag one gen behind. I never owned a 20 series.
I’ll prob skip 50 series or at least wait till the 5060ti, I’m done with the high end stuff. Rocking a 4070ti and does all I need to do.
I’ll prob skip 50 series or at least wait till the 5060ti, I’m done with the high end stuff. Rocking a 4070ti and does all I need to do.
ToTTenTranz
Banned
Honestly, the scale is way too sparse.
There's a large difference between waiting 2 and 3 years, and a massive difference between 3 and 5 years.
OP should have done at least 1 year intervals. GPU generations have been taking 2 year cycles with a 1 year refresh in between.
There's a large difference between waiting 2 and 3 years, and a massive difference between 3 and 5 years.
OP should have done at least 1 year intervals. GPU generations have been taking 2 year cycles with a 1 year refresh in between.
flying_sq
Member
It's pretty great, I bought a 6900xt over priced from them during COVID, basically got a 3090ti for free when the price dropped to 1600, waiting on a 4090ti then I'm going to return that.
Black_Stride
do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
Every second generation or if performance is still fine I skip even 2 generations.
Im debating getting an RTX 40 now that the RTX50s have been delayed.
- Radeon 9600
- 6800GS (Modded to Ultra)
- 8800GTS
- GTX 260c216
- GTX 570
- GTX 770
- GTX 1070
- RTX 3070 -Swapped for a RTX 3080 due to Crypto craze
Im debating getting an RTX 40 now that the RTX50s have been delayed.
supernova8
Banned
Can't remember but the only relatively high-end cards I ever had were the Geforce 6800 GT (oh yeah the Nalu tech demo) and then the 8800 GTS. Oh and the Radeon X800XT around the time Half Life 2 came out.
More recently I had been rocking an RX 560, which I replaced with a GTX 1650, which I most recently replaced with an RX 6600XT.
I can afford to buy one of the high end GPUs but then I take a look in the mirror and realize that I probably won't game enough to justify the purchase anyway.
More recently I had been rocking an RX 560, which I replaced with a GTX 1650, which I most recently replaced with an RX 6600XT.
I can afford to buy one of the high end GPUs but then I take a look in the mirror and realize that I probably won't game enough to justify the purchase anyway.
cinnamonandgravy
Member
bingo
Nitty_Grimes
Made a crappy phPBB forum once ... once.
I went from 3080Ti to 4090 in less than a year 
Valonquar
Member
Playing MMOs and bargin sale titles I find I'm safe running older cards until they reach critical mass, then I buy 1 or 2 steps below whatever is bleeding edge. Hardware market is so gradual it just plain doesn't matter. Games are designed to run on the lowest common denominator to make money.
LaughingStock
Member
Every 2 or 3 years.
These awere all the GPUs I had since 2008.
GTS 8800
GTX 280
GTX 460 sli
GTX 680 sli
GTX 980
GTX 1080 TI
RTX 3080
RTX 4090
These awere all the GPUs I had since 2008.
GTS 8800
GTX 280
GTX 460 sli
GTX 680 sli
GTX 980
GTX 1080 TI
RTX 3080
RTX 4090
Vox Machina
Banned
Been using Nvidia GPUs since forever and I generally upgrade every 3 generations.