PC gpu upgrade

I have the intel I7 8700K with a RTX 1080ti an 32 Gig of ram.
I’m thinking to change the video card so I can use DLSS. Any suggestion as which GPU will work well with this CPU? If any!

4070 Ti Super

So you think no bottle neck with these?

You will always be bottlenecked by that CPU, no matter what modern GPU you get.

The 4070 Ti Super is, in my opinion, the best ‘sweet spot’ value proposition.
It’s 16GB of VRAM is enough to run the sim well, and at it’s price point (around $900) is a great option for 2K, and even 4K.

It is about equivalent performance-wise, to my 3090 Ti 24GB, and I have no problem running the sim in 4K, although not in the same league as the very expensive 4090.

The 4080 Super is a great GPU as well, but it’s about $200 more than the 4070 Ti Super.

Whichever card you choose, I recommend getting a version with three fans.

I would focus on building a new system first before getting a new gpu. The 8700k is already several gens old and the game is already cpu intensive.

Yes it’s going to bottleneck. I won’t pair a 8700k with anything higher than a 4070.

I had a 10700k before I moved to a 5800X3D over a year ago had no idea I was loosing out on a ton of performance.

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I have a 5800X3D paired with my 3090 Ti. I’m very happy with it. overall.
Of course this sim can push my system pretty hard in 4K. Traffic especially stresses that CPU. And DLSS DLAA stresses my GPU pretty hard.

I picked up a 4070 ti super and it’s a good card. It runs msfs well, even in vr. That being said MSFS can make a 4090 struggle at times. I agree with the other posts. To really utilize the cards full potential, you will need to uggrade your cpu, motherboard, and potentially ram too. I have a ryzen 7 5800x3d. At this point its not the the newest, but it doesnt seem to bottleneck my gpu. Last gen parts are pretty reasonably priced and still very good. It would be a huge upgrade for you.
That being said, im pretty sure you would see a decent boost in performance as is with a new card.

Would a RTX 3080 make it better, or not high enough compare to the GTX1080 ti?

I have first hand experience with 8700K, so here are my modest 2 cents based on that:

Yes, 8700K is several generations old, but it is also no slouch.
Clearly, modern AMD chips with ample L3 cache are better, and provide a smoother experience.
However, one can also achieve a very respectable gaming experience with a good old 8700K mated with a proper GPU, and some settings magic:

I did run the sim at 1080p Ultra settings with Coffee Lake, but I toned down AI Traffic, etc.
So the visual were great. I managed to have consistent 30+ FPS almost everywhere but I do not fly airliners or business jets, my preference is GA including glass cockpit aircraft up to and including Turbo Props.
The only times I saw FPS and stuttering become a big problem is in super busy airports like JFK or Heathrow.

As to GPUs, IMHO there are two routes when you have a 8700K or similar chip:

  • either you pick up a GPU that you intend to keep for a long time, if you plan to invest in a new CPU/Mobo combo in the future, in which case, as @BegottenPoet228 said, a 4070 Ti Super is a perfect candidate. You can also pick up an AMD 7900XT with the same rationale.

  • or you go the budget route, and pick up a GPU that is the best match for your current CPU, without the intent of using said GPU in a new system.
    In this case, I think AMD 6800XT is an excellent candidate, simply because of its price/performance ratio and the fact that it has 16GB or VRAM whilst offering raw power that is comparable to a 3080 with lesser memory. In fact 6800XT performs better than the newer 7800XT in many benchmarks.

At this stage, we are all waiting to see what MSFS2024 will bring. I am curious to see how 8700K will perform with the next iteration of the sim.
After all 8700K has 12 cores, mine with a slight overclock would easily go to 4.9Ghz.
In Europe, a used RX6800XT in perfect condition can be picked up for 250/300 Euros.

I think it is a very reasonable interim upgrade, that is worth testing with MSFS2024 as well, before deciding to invest several thousand dollars in a new system.

Either way, both options would be bring a significant uplift coming coming from a 1080ti, especially if you intend to run the sim at higher resolutions, DX12, etc.

Ryzen 9000 unveiling is expected just 6 weeks from now, and details on Nvidia 5000, Intel Battlemage , AMD RDNA4 all expected to be made available soon, so I am not 100% sure now is the perfect time to be acquiring a whole new system.

Thanks for your input! It’s appreciated.
After spending $5000 4 years ago, I am not ready to build a new system for another $6 to $8000.00 to get the best!!! Man I have been doing that for 30 years!!! Just can’t justify the cost anymore! I will think about the AMD 6800 XT for now.

Glad you find that helpful.
When 8700K was released back in 2018, it was a very smart buy.
It was expected to perform well for many years, and it did.

We are told MSFS 2024 will make better use of multiples cores than MSFS 2020. Let’s see how that good old CPU performs with the new sim. Won’t be as good as the latest and greatest but who knows? :slight_smile:
In the meantime, an interim upgrade to a reasonable 16GB GPU can help stretch the CPU life a bit more.

Let us know how it goes!