Upgrading my current build

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some solid advice on upgrading the GPU in my current setup:

https://postimg.org/image/4r5jp9vpdn

I want to grab a card that’s compatible with this motherboard—and actually fits inside the case!—that can handle newer titles on at least mid-to-high settings.

My budget is around $200—$833.

Let me know what you guys recommend.

LP

You can basically pick whatever you want as long as your budget allows for it; there aren't really any restrictions here. In your specific case, you're looking at either an RX 580 or a GTX 1060 6GB. The 580 isn't exactly priced as a bargain right now, so I'd personally lean toward the GTX 1060 6GB.

Grab an extra 4GB stick of RAM if you only have one right now (used is fine since it'll save you some cash)

Also, check out PCPartPicker to see what kind of GPU you can snag with whatever money you have left over

That Sapphire RX 580 Nitro 4GB GDDR5 SAPPHIRE RADEON $728....that specific card pulls about 200W, so double-check if your power supply can actually handle it (I'm thinking it probably can)

https://www.newegg.com/p/graphics-cards...m_medium=click

Or maybe

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search/gtx1060...m_medium=click

The PSU can definitely handle it, and honestly, grabbing the 1060 3GB version makes zero sense when there's already enough cash for the 6GB model. Plus, $733 paying that much for a 4GB RX 580 is way too high when you can get the GTX 1060 6GB I linked for the same price...

I might eventually pick up an EVGA RX 580 with a three-year warranty nitro for $853 cash. Or, even better, I'll look for a deal on Amazon US if I can snag a GTX 1060 6GB or an RX 580 8gb (there was an EVGA model for 2100-$733 the other day)

I don't know, it all feels a bit surreal when I remember how much they used to go for. I mean, nearly $350 for an RX 580, come on...

Dual-fan models like the GTX 1060 6GB usually come with a 3-year warranty. You might see some 2-year options or those tiny ITX versions with just a single fan, sometimes with extra registration perks, but they’re all pretty much the same when you're shopping around. Looking at Best Buy, the cheapest GTX 1060 meeting those specs is a Gigabyte Windforce 2-fan model for $850 at places like Micro Center or Newegg. Honestly, if I had to choose between these two GPUs—and power draw isn't an issue since my PSU can handle it—I’d go with the RX 580 8GB. It's the more powerful card, and it holds its own much better in titles like Battlefield 1, Wolfenstein II, and other modern games that rely on newer APIs.

Sure, back in the day, you could occasionally snag a 480 8GB for less than $633, but those were different times—just like how RAM used to be dirt cheap.

Bryan Taylor6 said:Grab an extra 4GB stick of RAM if you only have one right now (used is fine since it'll save you some cash)

Also, check out PCPartPicker to see what kind of GPU you can snag with whatever money you have left over

That Sapphire RX 580 Nitro 4GB GDDR5 SAPPHIRE RADEON $728....that specific card pulls about 200W, so double-check if your power supply can actually handle it (I'm thinking it probably can)

https://www.newegg.com/p/graphics-cards...m_medium=click

Or maybe

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search/gtx1060...m_medium=click

Oh, I totally forgot to mention—I actually went ahead and added another 8GB of RAM earlier, so I'm sitting at 16GB total now. That should definitely be plenty! I also tossed in a 256GB SSD while I was at it. Now, the only thing left that's really holding me back is the graphics card.

Kimberly Gomez34 said:Dual-fan models like the GTX 1060 6GB usually come with a 3-year warranty. You might see some 2-year options or those tiny ITX versions with just a single fan, sometimes with extra registration perks, but they’re all pretty much the same when you're shopping around. Looking at Best Buy, the cheapest GTX 1060 meeting those specs is a Gigabyte Windforce 2-fan model for $850 at places like Micro Center or Newegg. Honestly, if I had to choose between these two GPUs—and power draw isn't an issue since my PSU can handle it—I’d go with the RX 580 8GB. It's the more powerful card, and it holds its own much better in titles like Battlefield 1, Wolfenstein II, and other modern games that rely on newer APIs.

Sure, back in the day, you could occasionally snag a 480 8GB for less than $633, but those were different times—just like how RAM used to be dirt cheap.

That's true, but given how things stand right now, I think $225 for an EVGA 1060 is probably the best deal you're going to find. If they're looking for something... $100 Is it worth paying more for the same card if they've been sitting around for an extra year? $100 More options for the RX 580. If you're asking me, I’d personally go with the EVGA card. But then again, I'm just a broke college student, so my perspective might not be the best for everyone... 😁

Author, you're basically choosing between the GTX 1060 6GB or the RX 580 8GB. Your best bet is to dig into some benchmarks first—see which specific games run better on each card and let that guide your decision. If you... $100 It’s not all the same when you talk about "throwing money away." If that's the case, then the link I sent you is actually a solid deal. If... $100 It’s not exactly great then, considering you’ve got that RX 580 that Kimberly Gomez34 linked... way to go.
You can't really miss the mark here; at the end of the day, it's all the same cookie. You'll just see the FPS swing one way in one title and the other way in the next...

Yeah, that EVGA 1060

Or the RX 580 8GB that Kimberly Gomez34 linked

Adam Moore3 said:That's true, but given how things stand right now, I think $225 for an EVGA 1060 is probably the best deal you're going to find. If they're looking for something... $100 Is it worth paying more for the same card if they've been sitting around for an extra year? $100 More options for the RX 580. If you're asking me, I’d personally go with the EVGA card. But then again, I'm just a broke college student, so my perspective might not be the best for everyone... 😁

Author, you're basically choosing between the GTX 1060 6GB or the RX 580 8GB. Your best bet is to dig into some benchmarks first—see which specific games run better on each card and let that guide your decision. If you... $100 It’s not all the same when you talk about "throwing money away." If that's the case, then the link I sent you is actually a solid deal. If... $100 It’s not exactly great then, considering you’ve got that RX 580 that Kimberly Gomez34 linked... way to go.
You can't really miss the mark here; at the end of the day, it's all the same cookie. You'll just see the FPS swing one way in one title and the other way in the next...

What’s actually the difference between these two 1060s, besides just having one or two fans?

I can't believe I finally pulled the trigger on this! After staring at the specs for weeks—and checking my bank account more times than I care to admit—I finally picked up an EVGA RX 580. Honestly, it feels like such a massive upgrade compared to what I was running before. I’ve been seeing so much debate lately about whether this card holds up for modern gaming, especially when you're looking at titles like Call of Duty: WWII or even pushing through some intense Battlefield sessions. There's always that nagging feeling of "should I have waited for something newer?" but honestly, for the price point right now? It just makes sense. It's funny because I was reading some old threads where people were comparing it to the GTX 1060 6GB, and man, those discussions go deep. Some folks swear by the GTX 1060, while others think the RX 580 has that extra bit of breathing room you need. For me, it’s all about getting that smooth experience without breaking the bank. Anyway, I'm stoked to get this installed. I’ll probably spend the whole weekend just tweaking settings and seeing how it handles everything from Wolfenstein II to some older classics. If anyone has any specific driver tips or knows a good overclocking sweet spot for this particular model, please—hit me up! I'm all ears.

I was just browsing through some hardware listings online—you know how it goes, you start looking for one thing and suddenly you're three hours deep into a rabbit hole of components—and I stumbled upon this specific listing. It’s a pretty straightforward piece of gear, but it got me thinking about how much the "budget king" tier of hardware has shifted lately. It's funny how we used to obsess over every single megahertz, but now, if a part just works reliably for what you need, you're happy. This particular item feels like one of those foundational pieces that doesn't need to be flashy to be useful. It's just solid, honest tech. Anyone else been eyeing similar stuff for a build recently, or am I just falling down the same rabbit holes as everyone else?

Is having more fans actually better, or is it smarter to just go with one big one?

So, when it comes to what we're actually playing—we're talking about Call of Duty: WWII. I'm trying to figure out how to get this latest installment running smoothly on high settings without everything turning into a slideshow.

If I had to pick other games, it’d honestly just be anything from the Call of Duty or Battlefield series.

So, looking at those games—which one should you actually go with, the GTX 1060 6GB or the RX 580?

Also, how do they stack up when it comes to noise levels? I'm curious which one is actually quieter than the other.

Based on what I'm seeing in the benchmarks, those two cards are pretty much neck and neck—in some games one pulls ahead, while in others the other takes the lead, but the gap isn't actually that huge. We're really just talking about a difference of a few FPS here and there.

Having two fans helps with cooling and keeps things quieter. That’s pretty important for a card pulling 200W... maybe less so for a card that only pulls 100W.

Bryan Taylor6 said:Having two fans helps with cooling and keeps things quieter. That’s pretty important for a card pulling 200W... maybe less so for a card that only pulls 100W.

Also, I had another question—since I'm running a 550W power supply, how big of a deal is it really? Like, how much of a potential headache could the RX 580 be, considering it pulls 200W, compared to the GTX 1060 which only takes up about 120W?

Best,

Your PSU is rated for 44A on the 12V rail if I remember correctly, so you should be totally fine... there's no need to swap anything out. It’s plenty strong enough. If you aren't sure, just Google the specs

Austin Carter4 said:Also, I had another question—since I'm running a 550W power supply, how big of a deal is it really? Like, how much of a potential headache could the RX 580 be, considering it pulls 200W, compared to the GTX 1060 which only takes up about 120W?

Best,

Your PSU is solid; it can deliver 550W on the 12V rail. That card might hit 200W at full load, but realistically you're looking at closer to 150-170W.

If your CPU is overclocked, it could pull up to 200W itself. Total system draw shouldn't top 400W. Even if you hit some spikes near 500W, your power supply will hold up. Power draw isn't constant.

Call of Duty: WWII—according to one source (TPU), the GTX 1060 6GB gets about 1 FPS more, while Guru3D claims the RX 580 8GB takes the lead by 1 FPS. We're talking about random, undefined settings here; honestly, you wouldn't even notice the difference.

It's a similar story with Battlefield 1.

wiredotter14 said:Your PSU is solid; it can deliver 550W on the 12V rail. That card might hit 200W at full load, but realistically you're looking at closer to 150-170W.

If your CPU is overclocked, it could pull up to 200W itself. Total system draw shouldn't top 400W. Even if you hit some spikes near 500W, your power supply will hold up. Power draw isn't constant.

My CPU is just running at stock settings—I didn't see any need to overclock it—so that definitely helps keep the power draw down.

So yeah, it really should run without any issues.

Kimberly Gomez34 said:Call of Duty: WWII—according to one source (TPU), the GTX 1060 6GB gets about 1 FPS more, while Guru3D claims the RX 580 8GB takes the lead by 1 FPS. We're talking about random, undefined settings here; honestly, you wouldn't even notice the difference.

It's a similar story with Battlefield 1.

That’s exactly what I was thinking—it’ll probably land somewhere right in the middle of those two.

Thanks for digging into that for me!