It's no secret that graphics cards have become more expensive over time, but there's good news for budget-conscious gamers: affordable options are making a strong comeback. Leading the pack is the Intel Arc B580, which has just hit the market at an attractive $249 and outperforms every other GPU under $300. This means you don't have to settle for outdated cards that launched at similar prices years ago. Even the RTX 5060 Ti, priced at $450, offers a budget-friendly alternative to the flagship RTX 5080, which starts at a hefty $999. In today's market, the RTX 5060 Ti is still considered a budget option.
TL;DR - These Are the Best Budget GPUs:
### Intel Arc B580
4Experience unparalleled performance in its price range with the Intel Arc B580. See it at Newegg
### PNY Dual Fan OC GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
5Elevate your gaming with the powerful RTX 5060 Ti. See it at Newegg
### Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC
2Get solid 1080p performance without breaking the bank. See it at Amazon
### MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X
1A reliable choice for budget 1080p gaming. See it at Amazon
### AMD Radeon RX 9070
0A standout mid-range option with excellent 1440p performance. See it at Newegg
Even at a lower price, you can still enjoy a fantastic gaming experience if you set realistic expectations. For example, while the RTX 5060 Ti isn't built for 4K gaming, it excels at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, making it an ideal choice for users with the most common display settings, as per the latest Steam Hardware Survey. You don't need to spend a fortune to build a great gaming PC in 2025, even if prices have risen slightly over time.
With years of experience reviewing graphics cards, I can confidently endorse the performance and value of each GPU listed here.
Contributions by Kegan Mooney and Georgie Peru
What Do We Consider a "Budget GPU"?
In the current landscape, graphics cards have reached unprecedented price levels, with some Nvidia models topping $2,000, while even the more affordable options remain in the hundreds. Previously, a budget graphics card around $200 could deliver a robust 1080p gaming experience, but those days are gone. Today, a card like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, priced at $399, is considered budget-friendly by contemporary standards.
Perspective is key here. If high-end cards hover around $1,000 and mid-range options like the AMD Radeon RX 9070 are around $449, budget GPUs typically fall within the $200 to $300 range. While there are even cheaper cards available, opting for these often means settling for last-generation GPUs. However, models like the RTX 3060 or RTX 2060 still offer excellent 1080p performance, even if they lack some modern features.
Consider whether you truly need the latest ray tracing effects; you might find you can do without them.
Intel Arc B580 – Photos
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1. Intel Arc B580
The Best Budget Graphics Card
### Intel Arc B580
4The Intel Arc B580 stands out as the best budget graphics card we've seen in years. See it at NeweggProduct SpecificationsBase clock2,670MHz VRAM12GB GDDR6Output3 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1aShading cores2,560Compute units20PROSExcellent performance at 1440pVery affordableCONSSome driver problems at launch
For a long time, it seemed like budget GPUs were an afterthought for manufacturers. Nvidia, for instance, hasn't followed up the GTX 1660 Ti, leaving budget gamers to rely on last year's models. Fortunately, Intel has entered the arena with its second-generation graphics cards, offering a compelling entry point into PC gaming. The Intel Arc B580 is a standout, delivering the best value we've seen in years.
Priced at $249, it comes equipped with 12GB of VRAM—far surpassing the 8GB found in comparable cards like the RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 7600. This extra VRAM is crucial at higher resolutions where the frame buffer can quickly become saturated. During my review, the Intel Arc B580 consistently outperformed its competitors at 1440p, largely thanks to its robust frame buffer.
Intel Arc B580 – Benchmarks
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Across eight benchmarked games, the Intel Arc B580 delivered the lowest cost per frame at 1440p. With an average of $3.72 per frame, it's a clear winner over the RTX 4060 at $4.39 and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 at $4.89, based on retail prices. This makes the B580 an unbeatable choice for budget-conscious gamers.
What's even more surprising is its prowess in handling ray tracing. In games like Cyberpunk 2077, typically favoring Nvidia hardware, the B580 holds its own, delivering 60fps at 1440p with the Ray Tracing Ultra preset and XeSS set to Balanced, outpacing the more expensive RTX 4060's 49fps.
However, as Intel's second-generation GPU, it's not without its quirks. During testing, I encountered a bug in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 where the gun didn't render in the player's hand. This issue, though frustrating, is fixable and was not exclusive to the B580 but also affected last-gen Intel GPUs like the Arc A770 and A750.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti – Photos
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2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti
Best Budget Graphics Card Under $450
### PNY Dual Fan OC GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
5Experience enhanced gaming performance with the RTX 5060 Ti. See it at NeweggProduct SpecificationsShaders 4608Compute units36Base Clock2407MHzVRAM16GB GDDR7 Output3 x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1 x HDMI 2.1bBus StandardPCIe 5.0PROSDLSS 4 compatibleIncredible 1080p performanceCONSStruggles at higher resolutions
Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti marks a significant upgrade from the RTX 4060 Ti, largely due to its larger chip with 36 compute units instead of 34. The introduction of Blackwell architecture brings exciting features, including DLSS 4.
The standout feature of this generation is the advanced Frame Generation technology, with the RTX 5060 Ti supporting Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) via DLSS 4. This AI-powered feature can generate up to three interpolated frames per rendered frame, boosting frame rates significantly. However, this comes with a slight increase in latency, making it less suitable for fast-paced games like Marvel Rivals.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti – Benchmarks
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In my review, the RTX 5060 Ti showed a 23% performance increase over the RTX 4060 Ti and a 43% increase over the RTX 3060 Ti across my testing suite. While this isn't a massive generational leap, it ensures you can run any game smoothly at 1080p or 1440p with max settings.
It's worth noting that there are two versions of the RTX 4060 Ti: one with 16GB of VRAM and another with 8GB. Given the increasing memory demands of modern games, the 8GB model is best avoided.
Best Gaming PC Deals
Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 (AMD) with RX 7600- $1,049.99Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel) with RTX 4080 Super- $2,699.99Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel) with RTX 4070 Ti Super- $2,199.99Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) Gaming PC- $2,499.99### Radeon RX 7600
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3. Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC
Best Budget AMD GPU
### Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC
2Enjoy solid 1080p performance at a competitive price. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsBase clock2655MHz VRAM8GB GDDR6Outputx2 HDMI 2.1, x2 DisplayPort 1.4aShading cores2,048Compute units32PROSSolid 1080p performanceCompetitively pricedCONSUnderwhelming ray tracing performance
Choosing a budget-friendly graphics card often involves compromise. The AMD Radeon RX 7600, while not ideal for ray tracing enthusiasts, excels at traditional 1080p gaming. If you're more interested in playing games like Phasmophobia with friends than in fancy ray tracing, this card is perfect for you.
In my review, the RX 7600 struggled in some ray tracing-heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077 but still delivered over 60fps in many 1080p titles. For example, it achieved up to 83fps in Total War: Warhammer 3. At around $250, it's hard to complain.
With 8GB of VRAM, the RX 7600 is more than sufficient for most 1080p gaming scenarios. Its strength lies in its ability to run popular games smoothly, even if you need to dial back on ray tracing occasionally. I can live with that trade-off.
MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X
Best Budget GPU Under $200
### MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X
1The RTX 3050 remains a solid choice for affordable 1080p gaming. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsBase Clock1507MHzVRAM6GB GDDR6Outputx2 HDMI 2.1, x1 DisplayPort 1.4aShading cores2304Compute units18PROSImpressive dual fan coolingGreat valueCONSOnly 6GB VRAM
The RTX 3050 might be last-generation, but it's still a fantastic option for budget-conscious gamers seeking 1080p performance. Nvidia hasn't released a direct follow-up to this card, but the RTX 3050 continues to offer great value, delivering solid gaming performance in nearly any title you throw at it.
You may need to adjust quality settings for demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Horizon: Forbidden West. Currently available for $179 on Amazon, it's the most affordable entry into PC gaming, aside from scouring second-hand markets.
Thanks to Nvidia's third-generation Tensor cores, the RTX 3050 supports DLSS 2.0, which helps maintain performance in supported games. However, I wouldn't recommend enabling ray tracing on this card; it's better suited for traditional gaming and esports titles.
AMD Radeon RX 9070 – Photos
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5. AMD Radeon RX 9070
Best Mid-Range GPU
### AMD Radeon RX 9070
0A powerful mid-range GPU with exceptional value. See it at NeweggProduct SpecificationsShading Units3584Base Clock1330 MHzBoost Clock2520 MHzVideo Memory16GB GDDR6Memory Bandwidth644.6 GB/sMemory Bus256-bitPower Connectors2 x 8-pinPROSExcellent 1440p performance16GB of VRAMCONSNot technically a budget GPU
While not strictly a "budget" card, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 offers the best value for under $600 once stock levels stabilize. It serves as the entry point to mid-range GPUs, delivering impressive 1440p performance and boasting 16GB of VRAM—a rarity at this price point.
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT & 9070 – Benchmarks
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In my review, the Radeon RX 9070 outperformed the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 at the same price point, even in ray tracing-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077, thanks to enhancements in AMD's ray tracing pipeline. At 1440p with the ray tracing ultra preset and FSR set to balanced, it achieved 93fps, edging out the RTX 5070's 90fps under similar conditions.
With 16GB of GDDR6, the RX 9070 has an edge over the RTX 5070's 12GB of GDDR7, especially as games demand more memory at higher resolutions. The only downside is its proximity in price to the 9070 XT, which offers 4K gaming capabilities for just $50 more. It's a small price to pay if you're aiming for 4K performance.
How to Pick the Best GPU on a Budget
Selecting the best budget GPU doesn't have to be daunting. It's about understanding your needs and finding the right balance between performance and cost. Consider what you'll be using the GPU for—frame rates, resolution capabilities, and compatibility with your current setup are crucial factors. Check the system requirements of specific games you're interested in to guide your decision.
Keep an eye out for sales, discounts, and bundle deals, as prices can fluctuate. If you're not in a hurry, waiting for a good deal can maximize your investment. Older models can also offer great value once newer GPUs hit the market.
FAQs about Cheaper GPUs
How much should I budget for a GPU?
For less demanding games, a budget of $200 to $400 can secure a decent 1080p graphics card. For 1440p or 4K gaming, you'll need to budget well over $500.
What is the best budget GPU for content creation?
For content creators on a budget, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti is an excellent choice. It has enough CUDA cores for most creative workloads in applications like Adobe Premiere or Blender, and its 4th-generation Tensor cores support DLSS, which is increasingly integrated into popular content creation software.
