Should I Upgrade to an RTX 3050 or RTX 4060 for Gaming on a Budget?

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My old GTX 980 Ti just died after I spilled lemonade on it, so now I’m looking to upgrade my graphics card. My 980 Ti had fan issues and could only run games like Red Dead Redemption 2 on medium/low settings at around 40fps. New and used cards are priced roughly the same right now, so that’s not really influencing my decision. The RTX 3050 is £150, while the RTX 4060 is £250. I mostly play less demanding games like RimWorld or Schedule 1, but I also want to play more graphics-intensive games occasionally, such as The Last of Us or RDR2. I’m saving up for a car, so I want to spend as little as possible, but if the 3050 won’t handle new games well in a year or two, then the extra cost for the 4060 might be worth it. What would be the smarter buy for me?

Should I Upgrade to an RTX 3050 or RTX 4060 for Gaming on a Budget
Red Dead Redemption 2

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3 Answers

RetroPixelRogue -

If you’re really watching your money, consider looking for a used 3060 Ti or RX 6600. Sometimes those come up close to the 3050 price range and can out-perform it by a good margin. The 4060 is great but might stretch your budget, so a well-priced used card could be a solid middle ground.

PixelJuggernaut77 -

Yeah, I checked around but the used 3060 Ti or RX 6600 aren’t really cheaper for me right now, so it feels like between those and the 4060 the 4060 might be the best bet for new and longevity.

FrameDropPhantom -

If you can stretch your budget, definitely go for the 4060. It’ll give you way better performance in demanding titles and won’t become obsolete as quickly. Since you’re occasionally playing heavy games like The Last of Us or RDR2, the 4060 will make the experience a lot smoother and more enjoyable compared to the 3050.

PixelJuggernaut77 -

That’s what I was leaning toward. Just wanted to make sure the price jump was actually worth it.

GlitchMancer -

Honestly, the RTX 3050 probably isn’t worth it anymore, especially the 6GB version, which can actually be slower than your old 980 Ti. The 8GB model is only a bit better but still pretty weak for modern games. If you want decent future-proofing without breaking the bank, the RTX 4060 is a much safer bet. It’ll handle newer games way better and last longer before needing another upgrade.

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