GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Man, an RX 6700 for $1067 here in the States—does that actually sound overpriced when you consider you can grab an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti from Amazon for $1133? Even an NVIDIA GTX 1060 feels like it's past its prime at this point.

If you can find an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti for around $350 locally, there's really no need to be scouring Amazon. As for the prices themselves—finally, things are looking up. We're actually seeing some movement. Just a few months ago, the cheapest 6700 was $1667.

Does anyone happen to know if I were to put together a dual-card setup, would the NVIDIA GTX 1060 run at PCIe 3.0 x8 while the NVIDIA RTX 3050 operates at 4.0 x8, or would they both end up being throttled down to 3.0?

Hi everyone, I'm currently putting together a PC build with a budget of around $1,700 for video editing, but I'm having a hard time deciding on a GPU.

Crucial P5 Plus SSD, 1TB
ASUS ROG Strix B660 with Corsair Vengeance RAM
G.Skill Trident Z Neo, 16GB
EVGA SuperNOVA 850 G6, 850W
Intel Core i5-13600K

For the graphics card, I was leaning towards the NVIDIA RTX 3080 (XFX NVIDIA RTX 3080 Merc 319, 16GB)
but it still feels a bit out of my price range....

I’m not entirely sure what the point of owning an Intel Core i5-13600K actually is if you have no intention of overclocking it, especially since you opted for a B660 motherboard instead of stepping up to a Z690.

NVIDIA RTX 3080, 16GB, GDDR6
roughly $1667 and about 13% slower than the 6800xt

Since I’m building a custom PC anyway, there’s really no reason not to go with the 13th Gen...
But I can't find the GAMING model anywhere; I looked everywhere and all I see is the Merc 319 version...
I'll probably just order through Micro Center... I'm not sure if there's a better deal out there in the US besides AMD, since I've heard mixed things about them.

Benjamin Sanders76 said:If I’m going through the trouble of building a rig, why wouldn't I just grab the 13th gen...
But the GAMING model isn't available; I looked everywhere, and all they have is the merc 319...
I'll probably order through Newegg... I'm not sure if there's any cheaper retailer in the US besides (AMD) since I've heard mixed things about them.

I've picked up most of my gear from AMD and never run into a single issue. Everything worked perfectly then, and everything still works perfectly now.

Benjamin Sanders76

You aren't going to be able to push that processor on a B660 board, and if you'll permit me a moment of blunt honesty, that motherboard isn't really built to handle a chip of that caliber anyway. We're looking at an 8+1+1 VRM setup here, so good luck with that. I honestly find it baffling when people drop $400 on a top-tier CPU only to pair it with such budget-friendly components.

Furthermore, I assume you're aware that you really ought to perform a BIOS flash before you even boot the machine to start tinkering with settings. Your only saving grace in this particular scenario is that Gigabyte board, since it features a Q-Flash Plus button, which allows you to update the BIOS without even having the CPU or other parts installed.

So, I picked up an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti today and honestly... I'm kind of underwhelmed, though I guess it was $1233. I really thought I’d be crushing Red Dead Redemption 2 on Ultra settings at 1080p, but man, it’s just not happening like I expected. Temps are hitting 74°C, too. I was totally banking on staying in that sweet 65-70°C range. I'm running a Cooler Master Hyper 212 case with one intake fan in the front and then one exhaust in the back and one on top.

Jeremy Lopez57 said:I've purchased most of my components from AMD, and I have never run into an issue. Everything worked perfectly then, and everything continues to work flawlessly now.

However, looking through various forums, I've seen quite a few negative comments. Some people even claim they received broken or used parts.🤔

bluesurfer66 said:Benjamin Sanders76

You aren't going to be able to overclock it on that B660. And honestly, without wanting to be rude, that motherboard isn't really meant for a processor like that. It has an 8+1+1 VRM setup. Good luck. I just don't understand people who drop $400 on a high-end CPU and then pair it with budget components.

Also, you should probably know that you need to flash the BIOS before you even turn the computer on to start messing around in the settings. Your only saving grace here is that Gigabyte board because it has the Q-Flash Plus button, which lets you update the BIOS without even having the CPU or other parts installed.

What do you mean I won't be able to overclock it?
I hear what you're saying, but that's not my main concern—the graphics card is what I'm actually worried about....

bluesurfer66 said:What’s the point of getting a 13600K if you aren't going to overclock it? You picked a B660 board instead of a Z690.

Exactly. Why bother with a Z690 if there's no intention to overclock?
B660 boards vary wildly in quality. That one probably isn't top-tier, but I assume it's better than an ASRock B660M, which hits about 160W on the CPU, so it should be fine.
Obviously, you need a decent cooler—get at least a 120mm unit for that chip.

Benjamin Sanders76 said:I'm not sure if there's any cheaper shop in America besides AMD, since I've heard all sorts of things about them.

Never had issues with AMD, especially when you're building the rig yourself...

Best Buy messes around with that "5-year warranty" nonsense of theirs, otherwise they're alright, I guess.

wiredotter14 said:What's even the point of getting a Z690 if he isn't planning on overclocking.

We’ve already covered this ground before, so there really isn't any need to go over it all again.

Benjamin Sanders76 said:What do you mean when you say you won't be able to unscrew it?

The truth is, that motherboard just isn't built to handle an Intel K-series chip properly. While a handful of B660 boards offer some support—I know the MSI MAG Mortar works, and certain Asus B660 models do too, though specifically the ROG Strix lines—your current setup will likely struggle. You’ll probably find your CPU stuck idling at its base clock, which sits right around 3.5 GHz for the Intel Core i5-13600K, regardless of what you actually want it to do.

Jerry Watson2 said:So, I picked up an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti from the Eagle series today, and honestly, I’m feeling a bit underwhelmed, even if it was a decent $1233. I went in thinking I could just cruise through Red Dead Redemption 2 on Ultra settings at 1080p without a hitch, but reality hasn't quite aligned with those expectations. My temperatures are hitting 74°C, which feels high; I had this idea that it would settle somewhere in the 65-70°C range. I'm running a Cooler Master Hyper 212 case setup with one intake fan at the front and one exhaust fan at both the rear and top.

It really comes down to the case design and simply having too few fans.

Jerry Watson2 said:So, I picked up an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti Eagle today, and honestly, I’m not feeling particularly thrilled about it, even if it was $1233. I had this idea in my head that I could just breeze through Red Dead Redemption 2 on Ultra settings at 1080p, but reality isn't quite matching those expectations. My temperatures are hitting around 74°C, whereas I really thought I’d see something more in the 65-70°C range. I'm running a Cooler Master Hyper 212 case setup with one intake fan in the front and one exhaust fan in both the rear and the top.

I was actually drawn to the Eaglov models because they seemed to be the most budget-friendly option available... though now it feels like there might be a reason for that pricing... hmm... did you happen to pick that up at Micro Center?

wanderingbison9 said:I was actually eyeing the Eaglov ones because they seem like the absolute cheapest option out there... but I guess there might be a catch... hmm... did you pick one up at Micro Center?

Yeah, bummer, but there's barely any reviews for that specific model. Based on the one review I found, temps should be sitting around 63-65c. I just kept my old Seasonic S12 620w PSU in there for now and it's holding up okay. Honestly, once I scrape together some more cash, I'll probably try to grab a better case or maybe just toss in another fan.

bluesurfer66 said:That board isn't hardware-designed for Intel's K-series. Some B660s have the option—I know the MSI MAG Mortar and some Asus B660s, but specifically the ROG Strix. Otherwise, your CPU will just sit at the base clock, which is 3.5 on a 13600K.

What do you mean "base clock"? You're talking about PL1. Where did you even get that from? 😵 🙂

What does "not hardware-designed" even mean?

Different boards have different PL2 limits. On the Gigabyte ASRock B660M, which is a lower tier than the gaming x, you can hit 160W, according to measurements from Linus Tech Tips


The gaming x actually has heatsinks, unlike the entry-level DS3H which lacks them. That's what really throttles it because the VRM-ov components overheat.

The ASRock B660 Steel Legend pulls a respectable 235W.

TL;DR: The gaming x isn't the top-tier B660, but the chipset itself isn't the bottleneck for a 13600K. Saying the processor is stuck at base clock is just a ridiculous claim.

Finding the actual "best buy" for that CPU is a completely different conversation...

Jerry Watson2 said:Yeah, there unfortunately aren't many reviews out there for that specific model. Based on what I've seen, temperatures should sit somewhere around 63-65°C. I've kept my Seasonic S12 620W PSU in there for now, and everything seems fine. Honestly, my next move is to save up enough cash to grab a better case, or maybe just throw in another fan.

Look, the NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti isn't exactly a tiny little thing either. I regularly see my NVIDIA GTX 1060 hitting 80°C under full load, even though it draws way less power; I'm running two fans—a 120mm in the front and an 80mm in the back—in a pretty compact case. Have you thought about trying a light undervolt? Besides being a good value, those Eaglov cards are quite slim, which works perfectly for me, so I'm actually eyeing an RX 6700 for $1067.