Top Budget GPUs of 2025: Best Value Picks

It's no secret that graphics cards have become more expensive over the years, but there's good news for budget-conscious gamers: budget graphics cards are making a strong comeback. My top pick, the Intel Arc B580, has just hit the market at a competitive $249 and outperforms every other GPU under $300. This means budget gamers no longer have to settle for outdated options like the GTX 1070 Ti, which launched at a similar price back in 2014. Even a $450 card like the RTX 5060 Ti offers a more affordable alternative to the $999 RTX 5080, making it a viable budget 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 these lower price tags, you can still enjoy an excellent gaming experience if you adjust your expectations slightly. For example, while the RTX 5060 Ti may not be ideal for 4K gaming, it excels at 1080p and 1440p, making it the perfect choice for gamers using the most popular display resolutions, according to the latest Steam Hardware Survey. So, you don't need to break the bank to build a great gaming PC in 2025, despite the slight increase in costs over the years.

Having reviewed graphics cards for years, I can confidently endorse the performance of every GPU on this list, 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 pricier than ever, with some Nvidia models reaching up to $2,000, while even budget options cost hundreds of dollars. Previously, a budget GPU around $200 could deliver solid 1080p gaming performance, but that's no longer the case. For example, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, considered a budget card by today's standards, will set you back $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, a budget GPU now falls within the $200 to $300 range. While there are cheaper last-generation options available, they might require some compromises. An RTX 3060 or RTX 2060, for instance, remains excellent for 1080p gaming, though you might miss out on some modern features.

The key question to ask yourself is whether you really need the latest ray tracing effects. Chances are, you can do without them.

Intel Arc B580 – Photos

View 5 Images1. Intel Arc B580

The Best Budget Graphics Card

### Intel Arc B580

4

The Intel Arc B580 stands out as the best budget graphics card we've seen in years. Period. See it at Newegg

Product 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 years, it felt like graphics card manufacturers had forgotten about budget gamers. Nvidia, for example, hasn't released a successor to the GTX 1660 Ti, leaving budget-conscious gamers with last year's models. Thankfully, Intel has entered the arena with its second-generation graphics cards, offering an excellent entry point to PC gaming. The Intel Arc B580, starting at $249, is equipped with 12GB of VRAM—far surpassing the 8GB found in comparable RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 7600 models. This extra VRAM is crucial for higher resolutions, where frame buffers fill up quickly. My tests showed that the Arc B580 delivers superior performance at 1440p, thanks largely to its generous frame buffer.

Intel Arc B580 – Benchmarks

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Across the eight games I benchmarked with the Intel Arc B580, it consistently offered the lowest cost per frame in the lineup. On average, at 1440p, the Arc B580 costs just $3.72 per frame, compared to $4.39 for the RTX 4060 and $4.89 for the AMD Radeon RX 7600, based on retail prices. For its price, the B580 provides exceptional value for gamers watching their wallets.

Surprisingly, the B580 handles ray tracing remarkably well. Even in games traditionally favoring Nvidia's hardware, like Cyberpunk 2077, the Intel B580 excels. At 1440p with the Ray Tracing Ultra preset and XeSS set to Balanced, it achieves a solid 60fps average, outperforming the more expensive RTX 4060's 49fps.

However, being only the second generation of Intel's graphics cards, there are still some kinks to iron out. During my testing of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the benchmark ran without rendering the gun in the player's hand—a minor issue but one that could be fixed. This problem was consistent across all Intel GPUs I tested, including the last-gen Arc A770 and A750, indicating it's not specific to the B580.

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 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 has struggled to follow up its RTX 4000 series, but the RTX 5060 Ti marks a significant improvement over the RTX 4060 Ti. This boost comes from a larger chip with 36 compute units instead of 34, and the introduction of Blackwell's features, including DLSS 4.

The highlight of this generation is the next iteration of Frame Generation, with the RTX 5060 Ti supporting Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) via DLSS 4. This AI-driven feature can generate up to three interpolated frames for each rendered frame, significantly boosting frame rates, though at the cost of increased latency. I wouldn't recommend using it in games requiring fast reaction times, like Marvel Rivals.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti – Benchmarks

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My review of the Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti showed it was about 23% faster than the RTX 4060 Ti across my testing suite, and 43% faster than the RTX 3060 Ti. While not a dramatic generational leap, it's capable of handling virtually any game at 1080p or 1440p with maximum settings.

Note that there are two versions of the RTX 4060 Ti: one with 16GB of VRAM, which I reviewed, and another with 8GB. Given the increasing RAM demands of modern games, I advise steering clear of the lower-memory version.

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

View 5 Images3. Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC

Best Budget AMD GPU

### Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC

2See 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 more affordable graphics card often involves compromise. The AMD Radeon RX 7600, while not ideal for ray tracing, excels in traditional 1080p gaming. For gamers more interested in playing Phasmophobia with friends than in fancy ray tracing, the RX 7600 is a great choice.

In my review, the RX 7600 struggled in some games like Cyberpunk 2077, but it easily delivered over 60fps at 1080p in others like Total War: Warhammer 3, reaching up to 83fps. At around $250, it's a solid option. With 8GB of VRAM, it's more than sufficient for 1080p gaming most of the time, making it a hassle-free choice for popular games, even if you occasionally need to dial down the ray tracing.

4. MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

Best Budget GPU Under $200

### MSIGeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

1

The RTX 3050 may be last-gen, but it remains one of the best options for budget-conscious gamers seeking a 1080p graphics card. See it at Amazon

Product SpecificationsBase Clock1507MHzVRAM6GB GDDR6Outputx2 HDMI 2.1, x1 DisplayPort 1.4aShading cores2304Compute units18PROSImpressive dual fan coolingGreat valueCONSOnly 6GB VRAM

The RTX 3050, part of Nvidia's last-generation 3000-series, is still a fantastic value. With Nvidia yet to release a new budget-friendly card in the Ada Lovelace generation, the RTX 3050 remains a solid choice for 1080p gaming. You might need to adjust quality settings for demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Horizon: Forbidden West, but at $179 on Amazon, it's the most affordable entry into PC gaming right now.

Thanks to Nvidia's third-generation Tensor cores, the RTX 3050 supports DLSS 2.0, enhancing its value and performance in compatible games. However, I wouldn't recommend enabling ray tracing on this card, as it won't provide a satisfactory experience. Instead, it's perfect for traditional gaming, especially esports and indie games.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 – Photos

View 4 Images5. AMD Radeon RX 9070

Best Mid-Range GPU

### AMD Radeon RX 9070

0

While not strictly a budget GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 offers excellent value for under $600, especially once stock stabilizes. See it at Newegg

Product 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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 isn't what I'd typically call a "budget graphics card," but it's the best value you can get for under $600 right now. It's the entry point to the mid-range, offering excellent 1440p performance and more VRAM than you'd expect 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-heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077, thanks to AMD's improved ray tracing pipeline. At 1440p with the ray tracing ultra preset and FSR set to balanced, it achieved 93fps, compared to the RTX 5070's 90fps.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070's 16GB of GDDR6 memory is a significant advantage over the RTX 5070's 12GB of GDDR7, especially as games become more memory-intensive at higher resolutions. The only drawback is its proximity in price to the 9070 XT, which can handle 4K gaming for just $50 more—a small price to pay if you have a 4K display.

How to Pick the Best GPU on a Budget

Choosing the best budget GPU doesn't have to be daunting. It's about finding the right balance between performance and cost, and understanding your specific needs. Consider factors like frame rates, resolution capabilities, and compatibility with your existing hardware. If you have a particular game in mind, check its system requirements to guide your decision.

Keep an eye out for sales, discounts, and bundle deals, as prices can fluctuate. If you're not in a rush, waiting for a good deal can maximize your value. Also, consider older models after new releases, as their prices often drop. Combining a quality GPU with a smart purchase can give you the best bang for your buck.

FAQs about Cheaper GPUs

How much should I budget for a GPU?

For less demanding games, you can find a decent GPU for 1080p gaming between $200 and $400. However, for 1440p or 4K gaming, prices can easily exceed $500.

What is the best budget GPU for content creation?

For content creators on a budget, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti is a strong choice. It has enough CUDA cores to handle most creative workloads in Adobe Premiere or Blender, and its 4th-generation Tensor cores support DLSS, which is increasingly integrated into popular content creation applications.