Graphics card upgrade - which option?

[Goldenhawk]

Hello,

 

I'm planning to upgrade my AMD RX 560 4GB to a more powerful GPU, or potentially dual RX 560's. I do have many plans to proceed with upgrading, but before mentioning that, I'll list my PC specifications. Hopefully it can provide you with information to assist with my final dissision. My CPU is an Intel i5 7600 (Non K edition), RAM is 16GB of DDR4 (Which runs at 2133Mhz, unless XMP mode is enabled), an MSI Radeon RX 560 4GB AERO ITX (Somehow manages to run at 80c, while gaming, though I am in AUS), an eVGA Supernova G2 750W 80+ Gold, MSI MORTAR ARCTIC H270M mATX, Corsair Air 240 white edition mATX case and an sata SSD + HDD.

 

I know, a strange system indeed, having a 750w PSU with a 80w GPU.... Bad previous choices, though I did plan for the ability to upgrade in the future. (Sadly, Intel screwed me over there) Just some other notes to mention, I'm unable to sell my RX 560 as it'll be passed down to a family member, I do favor AMD over Nvidia due to past experiences and software, and finally my budget is roughly $300~ AUD, which is roughly GTX 1060 3GB level ($325~).

 

 

 

So here's my choices, 

 

One,

purchase another MSI Radeon RX 560 4GB ($189 AUD) and use them in crossfire. Now, I have seriously considered this option, however, online searches reveal many people who deem it a waste in such a low-end GPU, also due to the issues related to crossfiring two (or more) graphics cards. Considering I won't receive any money for my existing RX 560, assume this option as getting two RX 560's for $189 instead of $378. Again, all in AUD. I'm unsure if my motherboard is optimal for a crossfire configuration, it does support crossfire but I'm unsure if the PCIe slots are at optimal speed for full effect of crossfire. Also, I'm unsure if I can, but is it possible to force crossfire on games that do not support it? If any, what issues would be associated with doing this?

 

Two, 

Purchase a GTX 1050 Ti  (Galax EXOC White) to replace my existing graphics card, this would mean I would pay the full cost of the GPU ($239) with no coverage from my exsisting graphic card, as I cannot sell it. I'm unsure on this choice, as I've seen the 1050 Ti destory games in ultra at 1080p, which I can't currently do. Then I see games such as the Witcher 3, which barely runs at 60 FPS on medium. Also, it's Nvidia which for me would be a downside, really love the AMD Chill feature, and monitoring tools - would miss them.

 

Three, 

Step it up a bit more, and purchase a GTX 1060 3GB, just to mention again this the 3GB model - not the 6GB. Couldn't afford the 6GB model, costs $429 and the 3GB already stretches my budget. Again, alike the 1050 Ti, I'd miss the AMD features. The GPU seems great though, with similar performance to a GTX 970 "4GB". 

 

Four,

Hold off upgrading, and wait for newer GPUs to be released. I'm certainly not in a hurry, and can wait (At least until mid to late 2018) for new ones, not only would higher end AMD GPUs be available again (Bloody miners) but it should also be better performance for the cost. Again though, I'll only have $300 maximum.

 

And five,

Your own suggestion! The previous are my choices, however, if you think another option would be better, please do suggest.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading my wall of text, I apologize for it being so long.

 

Just to note, it'd be awesome having dual graphics cards! Even if there are some issues - as in some games only utilize one GPU or screen tearing. 

 

TLDR - Want to upgrade GPU, crossfire RX 560's for price of one, buy GTX 1050 Ti or GTX 1060 3GB or wait until mid to late 2018 for more options.

 

[Thunderzzu]

Hold off if you're a heavy gamer, buy a gtx 1050ti if you're playing moba's etc.

[DocSwag]

GPU prices are pretty screwed up right now so I'm not sure if it's a good idea.

[Goldenhawk]

So the verdict seems to wait for newer graphics card to release, though, maybe instead of buying a new card, I could purchase a second hand graphics card? What's your thoughts regarding this, or should I wait regardless?

[jimbuba]

Hey, buddy! I know it's been a year, but I'm curious to find out what you ended up doing. Oddly enough, I find myself with a Radeon RX 560 that I'd like to upgrade. A quick google search led me to this thread, and I really appreciated the detail and thought you put into this. Did you ever try the crossfire setup, did you find a decent upgrade, or are you still rocking that 560? Please let me know. Thanks!

 

James

[Goldenhawk]

On 1/26/2019 at 10:10 PM, jimbuba said:

Hey, buddy! I know it's been a year, but I'm curious to find out what you ended up doing. Oddly enough, I find myself with a Radeon RX 560 that I'd like to upgrade. A quick google search led me to this thread, and I really appreciated the detail and thought you put into this. Did you ever try the crossfire setup, did you find a decent upgrade, or are you still rocking that 560? Please let me know. Thanks!

 

James

Hello,

I ended up purchasing the Radeon RX 580 (8GB). Entirely avoiding the crossfire route due to potential issues that may occur such as micro-stuttering. Additionally, the performance wouldn't be anything near double, even in supported titles. I uploaded a video of the performance difference between the RX 560 and RX 580, wasn't exactly a fair one on one comparison, due to different drivers and older version of a certain game (PUBG). Regardless though, hopefully the video can be of assistance in your final decision. 

If you're after an upgrade now and cannot wait, I'd either recommend the RX 570 or RX 580/GTX 1060. I would advise against crossfire RX 560's, since two of them would cost more than a single RX 580 8GB, offers less performance and would introduce many issues. Certainly avoid the GTX 1050 Ti, as the RX 570 is overall superior and similarly priced. Deciding between the GTX 1060 or RX 580 may more difficult depending on your region's pricing. I'd say go with whatever is cheaper. For myself in Australia, the RX 580 8GB is the superior purchase. Costing $60 less when compared to the GTX 1060 6GB while offering similar performance in most titles and an additional 2GB of VRAM. Here's a nice comparison of the two from Hardware Unboxed.
 

However, do consider waiting as an option. Rumours have suggested that AMD's "Navi" graphics cards are to launch mid-year? And may offer even greater performance for hopefully the same price, that is as long they do not follow in Nvidia's footsteps.

Hopefully this can give you a more informed decision on your graphics card upgrade, if you'd like to know anything else or have questions regarding the RX 580, please do ask.