Upgrade to an RTX 3080

[shenley0511]

Budget (including currency): $2000 USD for new parts

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Heavy gaming, software development

Other details

I first built this system sometime 2018-2019 with a relatively conservative budget. Over time I have made some smaller upgrades but now I am ready for a more over-the-top gaming powerhouse. I'm looking for a top-tier 3080 (TI) card but I have some questions that I'm hoping the community can address:

• What is the right 3080 card for me?
• Will my current power supply/cooling solution be able to support a 3080?
• Any other advice/recommendations

The main upgrade piece would be the graphics card. I'm open to additional upgrades to get better value from a 3080, but I'm hoping to use as much of the current system as possible.

 

This would be the final part list. All components I already have except the graphics card. The CPU is using the stock AMD cooler. The H500 came with two fans which are blowing out the top and rear. I have added the two Corsair fans to the front of the case blowing in

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xCVsfv

[SpookyCitrus]

First off, that case is an oven. NZXT cases especially the non-flow cases are just bad. 

Second, your 3600x is about the bare minimum I'd recommend to pair with a 3080, let alone a 3080ti or higher. 

Your 750w PSU while enough is barely, I'd recommend at least an 850w if you want a 3080ti or higher. 

 

Also if it's not a big deal to you check Ebay and your local classifieds, I've bought three 3090s in the last month for less than $800 each. 3080s and 3080tis are even less. 

 

Personally I'd get a used 3080ti or 3090 and use the rest of the budget to get get a 5600 or higher, a new high airflow case, and an 850w or larger PSU.

 

Go for something like this, then if you're comfortable with it find a good deal on a used 3080 or higher.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7GFBH2

[Queen Chrysalis]

7 minutes ago, SpookyCitrus said:

Your 750w PSU while enough is barely, I'd recommend at least an 850w if you want a 3080ti or higher. 

For a 3080 a 750w is not 'barely enough'.  It's what nvidia recommends in case people are using suboptimal units.  3080s are fine on well-made 650w PSUs.  A Super Nova G3 is a great 750, definitely not worth spending $125 to replace with a unit of similar quality providing an extra 100w, especially since used PSUs don't sell for much.

[SpookyCitrus]

6 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

For a 3080 a 750w is not 'barely enough'.  It's what nvidia recommends in case people are using suboptimal units.  3080s are fine on well-made 650w PSUs.  A Super Nova G3 is a great 750, definitely not worth spending $125 to replace with a unit of similar quality providing an extra 100w, especially since used PSUs don't sell for much.

If OP is wanting a 3080ti or higher, I'd recommend upgrading. I never said it wouldn't work, I said it will work with a 3080. However, with the rest of the system it's going to be taking up 80% or higher of the units available power depending on load, I'd rather have more headroom than that personally. With OPs budget a $125 PSU upgrade isn't even close to being not worth it, especially if they want a 3080ti or better GPU.

[leclod]

Rememeber to undervolt, roughly 1/4 of the power/noise saved. No problem anymore with psu whatsoever

[Queen Chrysalis]

1 hour ago, SpookyCitrus said:

If OP is wanting a 3080ti or higher, I'd recommend upgrading. I never said it wouldn't work, I said it will work with a 3080. However, with the rest of the system it's going to be taking up 80% or higher of the units available power depending on load, I'd rather have more headroom than that personally. With OPs budget a $125 PSU upgrade isn't even close to being not worth it, especially if they want a 3080ti or better GPU.

Plenty of people run 3080tis on 750s without issues.  If I were buying a whole new system, yeah I'd get an 850.  But if I already had a quality 750 I wouldn't.  It'll run totally fine.  Just because someone has an amount of money their able to spend, doesn't mean it's always a good way to spend it.  Part of the reason people come here is to bounce ideas around and get advice about value.  And on that note, there are better 850s out there for cheaper than the TT one in your parts list.

 

For a 3090 I'd look around, but a 3080ti is a better buy for gaming, the 3090 is too expensive because of its 24GB of VRAM.  Even just a regular 3080 is probably all that's worth getting, most games are gonna run at a stupidly high framerate on ultra settings with that.

 

1 hour ago, leclod said:

Rememeber to undervolt, roughly 1/4 of the power/noise saved. No problem anymore with psu whatsoever

This too.

[Zando_]

1 hour ago, SpookyCitrus said:

a new high airflow case,

Case should be fine. I ran an OCed 8600K and SLI GTX 1080s OCed to 2100MHz core in an NZXT S340 Elite, the previous "ooh spooky no airflow" case. Unless OP gets their new card and has an actual issue, 0 reason to buy a new case preemptively. 

[Queen Chrysalis]

3 minutes ago, Zando_ said:

Case should be fine. I ran an OCed 8600K and SLI GTX 1080s OCed to 2100MHz core in an NZXT S340 Elite, the previous "ooh spooky no airflow" case. Unless OP gets their new card and has an actual issue, 0 reason to buy a new case preemptively. 

Yeah this.  Adding a couple extra fans can do plenty, too. People are quick on the draw about non-mesh fronts, but while yes airflow is sub-optimal on solid panel cases, it isn't nonexistent.  And systems don't need wind tunnels to work, they'll just be a little warmer which is totally fine.  how many consoles run for a decade plus while cooking themselves at 100c their entire lifespan with zero airlfow?  There is usually enough side ventilation to get the necessary amount of air in so that it's not dead air.  Hot air is still getting out, and cold air is still getting in, just a little slower.

[Zando_]

3 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

There is usually enough side ventilation to get the necessary amount of air in so that it's not dead air.  Hot air is still getting out, and cold air is still getting in, just a little slower.

Yep. Those GPUs of mine never broke 76C, which is a good margin below the 83C or so where they'd start dropping clocks. Sure a higher airflow case might have let them run at... 66C instead of 76C, a full 10C drop, but if that drop is inside in a safe range to begin with (both for hardware and not impacting performance) it's not really useful for anything. A lot of folks overly focus on temps for their own sake with 0 consideration of whether they actually matter to the hardware at all.