Trying to build the cheapest “RTX” PC that still makes ray tracing actually look good at 1080p. I’m a bit lost on what matters most for a tight budget and low power.
Goals:
- 1080p, 60-75 fps target
- Some ray tracing (reflections/shadows/GI) that actually looks worth it
- Quiet, low power (ideally under 250W from the wall while gaming)
- Budget around $600-800 for the whole tower, or willing to upgrade GPU into an existing old i5/FX box if that’s smarter
Questions:
- GPU pick for budget RT: used RTX 3060 12GB vs new RTX 4060 8GB vs quirky RTX A2000 12GB (low profile, low watts). Which one gives the best “RT experience” at 1080p when you factor DLSS/Frame Gen, VRAM limits, and power draw?
- Frame Generation on a budget CPU: if I pair something like a Ryzen 5 5500 or i3-12100F with a 4060, does FG actually help smooth out CPU bottlenecks in RT-heavy scenes, or do I still need a stronger CPU to keep 1% lows decent?
- VRAM vs RT trade-offs: for modern games, is 8GB a deal-breaker for 1080p RT if I’m willing to drop texture resolution but keep RT enabled? Any specific games where 8GB makes RT stuttery no matter what?
- “Budget RT settings playbook”: which RT toggles give the most wow per frame? For example, is “RT reflections + DLSS Quality + medium textures” usually better than “full RT + DLSS Performance”? What do you turn down first to keep the RTX look without tanking fps?
- Power/thermals: can a quality 450W PSU handle a budget RTX build safely with some RT? Anyone tried undervolting a 4060 or A2000 to keep noise and temps down while retaining RT performance?
- Small form factor: is an A2000 (or similarly low-power card) a sneaky good pick for a tiny, quiet 1080p RT rig, or does it fall behind too much vs a 4060 once you enable RT?
- Used market traps: any common pitfalls with used 3060s/3070s for RT (e.g., ex-mining cards, VRAM issues) I should look out for?
If you’ve got a parts list that hits 1080p with some RT flair under a power/price cap, or tested settings that keep the “RTX feel” without destroying 1% lows, I’d love to copy your homework.