News about Top Affordable GPUs of 2025: Best Value for Money

Graphics cards have seen a significant price increase in recent years, but the landscape is changing with the resurgence of budget-friendly options. The Intel Arc B580, priced at just $249, stands out as a top performer in the sub-$300 category, offering a compelling alternative to pricier models like the GTX 1070 Ti, which launched at a similar price back in 2014. For those with a slightly higher budget, the RTX 5060 Ti at $450 remains a more affordable option compared to the $999 RTX 5080, making it a budget-friendly choice in today's market.

TL;DR - These Are the Best Budget GPUs:

### Intel Arc B580

4See it at Newegg### PNY Dual Fan OC GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB

5See it at Newegg### Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC

2See it at Amazon### MSIGeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

1See it at Amazon### AMD Radeon RX 9070

0See it at Newegg

Even with a lower price tag, these budget GPUs can deliver an excellent gaming experience. The RTX 5060 Ti, for example, may not be ideal for 4K gaming, but it excels at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, making it a great choice for gamers using the most popular display resolutions, as per the latest Steam Hardware Survey. This means you don't need to spend thousands to build a great gaming PC in 2025, despite the overall rise in prices.

Having reviewed graphics cards for years, I can confidently vouch for the performance of each GPU listed here, especially considering their price points.

Contributions by Kegan Mooney and Georgie Peru

What Do We Consider a "Budget GPU"?

In today's market, graphics cards are more expensive than ever, with some Nvidia models reaching up to $2,000, while even the more affordable options are priced in the hundreds. Traditionally, a budget graphics card would cost around $200 and provide a solid 1080p gaming experience, but that's no longer the case. For instance, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, considered a budget option by today's standards, is priced at $399.

It's all about perspective. With high-end cards around $1,000 and mid-range options like the AMD Radeon RX 9070 at $449, budget GPUs typically fall within the $200 to $300 range. While there are cheaper, last-generation GPUs available, they may require some compromises. However, cards like the RTX 3060 or RTX 2060 still offer excellent 1080p performance, even if they lack some modern features.

Consider whether you truly need advanced features like ray tracing. Often, you can enjoy a satisfying gaming experience without them.

Intel Arc B580 – Photos

View 5 Images1. Intel Arc B580

The Best Budget Graphics Card

### Intel Arc B580

The Intel Arc B580 emerges as the best budget graphics card in recent years. Priced at $249, it offers exceptional value. See it at Newegg

Product Specifications

Base clock: 2,670MHz
VRAM: 12GB GDDR6
Output: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1a
Shading cores: 2,560
Compute units: 20

PROS

Excellent performance at 1440p
Very affordable

CONS

Some driver problems at launch

For years, it felt like budget graphics cards were overlooked by manufacturers. Nvidia, for example, has yet to release a successor to the GTX 1660 Ti, leaving budget-conscious gamers to rely on last-generation GPUs. However, Intel's second generation of graphics cards, including the Arc B580, fills this gap beautifully, offering a great entry point for PC gaming.

The Intel Arc B580, with its 12GB of VRAM, surpasses the 8GB found in competitors like the RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 7600. This extra memory is particularly beneficial at higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K, where the frame buffer can quickly become saturated. My benchmarks showed the Intel Arc B580 delivering superior performance at 1440p, largely thanks to its ample VRAM.

Intel Arc B580 – Benchmarks

View 15 Images

Across eight benchmarked games, the Intel Arc B580 offered the lowest cost per frame at 1440p. With an average cost of $3.72 per frame, it outperforms the RTX 4060 at $4.39 and the Radeon RX 7600 at $4.89, making it the best value for budget-conscious gamers.

Surprisingly, the B580 handles ray tracing well. In Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p with the Ray Tracing Ultra preset and XeSS set to Balanced, it achieves a smooth 60fps, outpacing the more expensive RTX 4060's 49fps.

However, as a second-generation product, the Intel Arc B580 still faces some bugs. During testing with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the gun in the player's hand didn't render in the benchmark, a persistent issue across Intel's GPUs, including the Arc A770 and A750.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti – Photos

View 5 Images2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti

Best Budget Graphics Card Under $450

### PNY Dual Fan OC GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB

5See it at Newegg

Product Specifications

Shaders: 4608
Compute units: 36
Base Clock: 2407MHz
VRAM: 16GB GDDR7
Output: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Bus Standard: PCIe 5.0

PROS

DLSS 4 compatible
Incredible 1080p performance

CONS

Struggles at higher resolutions

Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti marks a notable improvement over the RTX 4060 Ti, primarily through its larger chip with 36 compute units and the introduction of DLSS 4. The standout feature of this generation is Multi-Frame Generation (MFG), which uses AI to generate up to three interpolated frames per rendered frame, significantly boosting frame rates but at the cost of increased latency.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti – Benchmarks

View 12 Images

My review found the RTX 5060 Ti to be 23% faster than the RTX 4060 Ti and 43% faster than the RTX 3060 Ti across the test suite, making it suitable for high settings at 1080p and 1440p. However, 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, it's advisable to opt for the 16GB model.

Best Gaming PC Deals

Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 (AMD) with RX 7600- $1,049.99
Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel) with RTX 4080 Super- $2,699.99
Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel) with RTX 4070 Ti Super- $2,199.99
Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) Gaming PC- $2,499.99

Radeon RX 7600

View 5 Images3. Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC

Best Budget AMD GPU

### Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC

2See it at Amazon

Product Specifications

Base clock: 2655MHz
VRAM: 8GB GDDR6
Output: x2 HDMI 2.1, x2 DisplayPort 1.4a
Shading cores: 2,048
Compute units: 32

PROS

Solid 1080p performance
Competitively priced

CONS

Underwhelming ray tracing performance

Choosing a budget graphics card often involves compromise. The AMD Radeon RX 7600, while not ideal for ray tracing, excels at 1080p gaming. My review showed it achieving over 60fps in games like Total War: Warhammer 3 at 1080p, making it a great value at around $250. Its 8GB of VRAM is sufficient for most 1080p gaming needs, and it handles popular games smoothly, even if ray tracing needs to be dialed back.

MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

Best Budget GPU Under $200

### MSIGeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

The RTX 3050, though last-generation, remains a strong contender for budget 1080p gaming. See it at Amazon

Product Specifications

Base Clock: 1507MHz
VRAM: 6GB GDDR6
Output: x2 HDMI 2.1, x1 DisplayPort 1.4a
Shading cores: 2304
Compute units: 18

PROS

Impressive dual fan cooling
Great value

CONS

Only 6GB VRAM

As an older GPU, the RTX 3050 still offers excellent value, delivering solid 1080p performance across a wide range of games. However, you may need to adjust quality settings for more demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Horizon: Forbidden West. At $179, it's one of the most affordable new GPUs available. With third-generation Tensor cores, it supports DLSS 2.0, enhancing performance in supported games, though it's not suited for ray tracing.

This GPU is ideal for traditional gaming and esports, offering a cost-effective entry into PC gaming.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 – Photos

View 4 Images5. AMD Radeon RX 9070

Best Mid-Range GPU

### AMD Radeon RX 9070

While not strictly a budget GPU, the Radeon RX 9070 offers excellent value under $600, making it a compelling mid-range option. See it at Newegg

Product Specifications

Shading Units: 3584
Base Clock: 1330 MHz
Boost Clock: 2520 MHz
Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth: 644.6 GB/s
Memory Bus: 256-bit
Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin

PROS

Excellent 1440p performance
16GB of VRAM

CONS

Not technically a budget GPU

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the entry point to mid-range GPUs, offering strong 1440p performance and a generous 16GB of VRAM. My review showed it outperforming the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 in games with heavy ray tracing, such as Cyberpunk 2077, where it achieved 93fps at 1440p. Its only drawback is its pricing, which is close to the RX 9070 XT, a model better suited for 4K gaming.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT & 9070 – Benchmarks

View 11 Images

How to Pick the Best GPU on a Budget

Selecting the best budget GPU involves understanding your needs and balancing performance with cost. Consider factors like frame rates, resolution capabilities, and compatibility with your existing hardware. Check the system requirements for any specific games you plan to play, and keep an eye out for sales and discounts to maximize value. Older models can also be a great way to save money while still getting good performance.

FAQs about Cheaper GPUs

How much should I budget for a GPU?

For 1080p gaming, a budget of $200 to $400 can secure a decent graphics card. For 1440p or 4K gaming, you might need to spend over $500.

What is the best budget GPU for content creation?

For content creation on a budget, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti is a strong choice. It has enough CUDA cores for most creative workloads and supports DLSS through its 4th-generation Tensor cores, enhancing performance in popular content creation applications.