Best Budget Graphics Card for Training AI

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 3090

• Some users mentioned using the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 3090 for AI training and graphics-intensive tasks.
• One user mentioned, "I bought 5090 for blender work specifically, and my MC performance can't even get me to 60 fps on 24 chunks anymore."

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ti 16GB

• The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ti 16GB was recommended as a decent budget option with 16GB of VRAM.
• It was noted that the RTX 3080 is not recommended due to its low VRAM compared to newer models.

Used GPUs

• Users suggest considering used GPUs like the RX 6800XT, RTX 3080, 3070TI, 3080, or RTX 7700 XT for budget-friendly options.
• Used RTX 3090 was also recommended as a significant upgrade for VRAM and speed.

Additional Components

• Consider investing in an NVME drive with at least 2TB of storage for fast loading.
• Some users recommend upgrading RAM to at least 64GB, with one user mentioning, "Trust me, you want more storage. Get an NVME with at least 2TB."

Processor and Motherboard

• Users mentioned that for AI tasks, the GPU is more crucial than the processor, but a Ryzen 7600 was suggested as a budget-friendly CPU option.
• A motherboard with slots for potential future GPU expansion was recommended.

RAM and PCIe Generation

• Recommendations include DDR5 RAM with 8 data banks, acting like dual channel.
• For CPU and RAM choices, options like AMD Ryzen 7950X3D with 128GB of RAM were mentioned for memory-intensive tasks.

Observations and Warnings

• Some users caution against overspending on certain components and prioritize memory throughput for machine learning tasks.
• Consider the possible limitations of current budgets against the ever-evolving AI hardware market.

General Advice

• Users caution against hasty purchases without a clear plan or understanding of the specific needs and applications, recommending thorough research and analysis before investing in AI training hardware.

By considering used GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 or RTX 4060 ti 16GB, along with optimizing components like storage, RAM, and CPU, individuals can create a budget-friendly AI training setup that meets their needs.