It's no secret that graphics cards have become significantly more expensive in recent years. However, there's good news for budget-conscious gamers: affordable graphics cards are making a comeback. My top pick, the Intel Arc B580, has just been released at a competitive price of $249 and outperforms all other GPUs in its price range below $300. This means budget gamers no longer have to settle for outdated cards that were priced similarly to the GTX 1070 Ti back in 2014. Even a $450 card like the RTX 5060 Ti is a more affordable option compared to the $999 starting price of the RTX 5080, which powers the best gaming PCs on the market today, and can still be considered a budget-friendly choice.

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, you can still enjoy an excellent gaming experience, provided you adjust your expectations slightly. For example, while the RTX 5060 Ti isn't designed for 4K gaming, it excels at 1080p and even 1440p, making it an ideal choice for those using the most popular display resolution according to the latest Steam Hardware Survey. So, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to build a great gaming PC in 2025, even if prices are higher than they used to be.

Having reviewed graphics cards for years, I can confidently vouch for the performance of each 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 the more affordable options still cost hundreds of dollars. Previously, a budget graphics card could be found for around $200 and would deliver a solid 1080p gaming experience in the latest games, but that's no longer the case. For instance, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, which could be considered a budget card by today's standards, costs $399.

It's all about perspective. If a high-end graphics card costs around $1,000 and a mid-range card like the AMD Radeon RX 9070 is priced at $449, a budget graphics card would typically fall within the $200 to $300 range. There are certainly cheaper options available, but these often require you to compromise and opt for last-generation GPUs. However, cards like the RTX 3060 or RTX 2060 still offer excellent performance at 1080p, even if they lack some modern features.

You need to ask yourself if you really need the best 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

4The Intel Arc B580 is the best budget graphics card we've seen in years. Full stop. 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 launchFor years, it felt like graphics card manufacturers had forgotten about the budget segment. Nvidia, for example, hasn't released a follow-up to the GTX 1660 Ti, instead suggesting budget buyers settle for last year's GPUs. Fortunately, Intel has entered the market, and its second generation of graphics cards offers an excellent entry point into PC gaming. The Intel Arc B580 is by far the best budget graphics card we've seen in years.

This graphics card starts at $249 and comes with 12GB of VRAM, significantly more than the 8GB found in the comparable RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 7600. While having more than 8GB is beneficial at 1080p, it's essential at higher resolutions, as the frame buffer can fill up quickly at 1440p or 4K. In my review of the Intel Arc B580, I found that it delivered superior performance at 1440p compared to any other card in its class, largely due to its ample frame buffer.

Intel Arc B580 – Benchmarks

View 15 ImagesIn fact, across the eight games I benchmarked with the Intel Arc B580, it offered the lowest cost per frame in the lineup. Averaged across the test suite, the Arc B580 costs just $3.72 per frame in a 1440p game, compared to $4.39 for the RTX 4060 and $4.89 for the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (based on retail price). For its price, the B580 provides the best value for budget-conscious gamers.

What's most surprising is how well the B580 handles ray tracing. Even in games that traditionally favor Nvidia's hardware, like Cyberpunk 2077, the Intel B580 performs admirably. In Cyberpunk at 1440p with the Ray Tracing Ultra preset and XeSS set to Balanced, you can expect a solid 60fps average, compared to the more expensive RTX 4060's 49fps.

However, as this is only the second generation of Intel's graphics cards, there are still some bugs to work out. During my testing of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the benchmark ran without rendering the gun in the player's hand, which was annoying but fixable. This issue was consistent across all Intel GPUs I tested, including the last-gen Arc A770 and A750, so it's not unique 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 resolutionsNvidia has struggled to follow up its RTX 4000 series, but the RTX 5060 Ti marks a solid improvement over the RTX 4060 Ti. This higher performance is achieved through a larger chip with 36 compute units instead of 34, and the introduction of Blackwell's features, including DLSS 4.

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

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti – Benchmarks

View 12 ImagesIn my review of the Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti, I found it to be about 23% faster than the RTX 4060 Ti across my entire testing suite, and 43% faster than the RTX 3060 Ti. While this isn't the most dramatic generational uplift, it means the RTX 5060 Ti can handle virtually any game at 1080p or 1440p with settings cranked to the max.

It's worth noting 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 memory demands of modern games, I'd advise steering clear of the 8GB model.

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 performancePurchasing a more affordable graphics card often involves compromise. While the AMD Radeon RX 7600 isn't ideal for ray tracing enthusiasts, it excels at traditional 1080p gaming. After all, who needs fancy ray tracing when you just want to enjoy games like Phasmophobia with friends?

In my review of the AMD Radeon RX 7600, I found that while it struggles in some games like Cyberpunk 2077, it delivers over 60fps at 1080p in many others. For instance, in Total War: Warhammer 3, the RX 7600 achieves up to 83fps at this resolution. At around $250, it's hard to complain.

Moreover, this AMD graphics card comes with 8GB of VRAM, more than sufficient for most 1080p gaming needs. The RX 7600 shines in powering popular games without any fuss, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a modern game that can't run smoothly on this GPU, even if you need to dial back the ray tracing occasionally.

4. MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

Best Budget GPU Under $200

### MSIGeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X

1The RTX 3050 might be last-gen, but if you're looking for a 1080p graphics card on a budget, there aren't many better options. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsBase Clock1507MHzVRAM6GB GDDR6Outputx2 HDMI 2.1, x1 DisplayPort 1.4aShading cores2304Compute units18PROSImpressive dual fan coolingGreat valueCONSOnly 6GB VRAMThe RTX 3050 is an older graphics card from the last-generation 3000-series, but Nvidia hasn't released a follow-up yet, and we're three years into the Ada Lovelace generation. Fortunately, the RTX 3050 remains a great value, delivering solid 1080p gaming performance in nearly any game.

You may need to compromise on quality settings for more demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Horizon: Forbidden West. At the time of writing, this EVGA RTX 3050 is available for just $179 on Amazon, making it the most affordable entry point into PC gaming, short of buying a used card.

Thanks to Nvidia's third-generation Tensor cores, the RTX 3050 supports DLSS 2.0, which helps extend its value and compensates for some performance loss in supported games. However, I wouldn't recommend enabling ray tracing on this card, even though it bears the RTX name. It will run, but the experience won't be great.

This GPU is best suited for traditional gaming workloads and is perfect for esports or indie games.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 – Photos

View 4 Images5. AMD Radeon RX 9070

Best Mid-Range GPU

### AMD Radeon RX 9070

0While it's priced close to the RX 9070 XT, the Radeon RX 9070 is an excellent 1440p graphics card for the money. 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 GPUThe AMD Radeon RX 9070 isn't what I'd typically call a "budget graphics card," but it offers the best value for under $600 right now, especially once stock normalizes in a few months. This AMD graphics card is the entry point to the mid-range, providing excellent 1440p performance and more VRAM than you'd typically find in a card of this caliber.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT & 9070 – Benchmarks

View 11 ImagesIn my review of the Radeon RX 9070, it outperformed the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 at the same price point, even in games with heavy ray tracing effects, thanks to improvements in AMD's ray tracing pipeline. For example, in Cyberpunk 2077, the Radeon RX 9070 achieves 93fps at 1440p with the ray tracing ultra preset and FSR set to balanced, compared to the RTX 5070's 90fps with similar settings. AMD has significantly closed the gap in games that traditionally favored Nvidia.

Unlike the RTX 5070, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 comes with 16GB of GDDR6, which, while not as fast as the GDDR7 on the Nvidia card, offers more memory than the RTX 5070's 12GB. This will become increasingly important as games demand more memory, especially at higher resolutions. The only drawback is its proximity in price to the RX 9070 XT, which can handle 4K gaming for just $50 more. It's 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 overwhelming. It's all about understanding what to look for and finding the right balance between performance and cost. Before making a purchase, consider what you'll be using the GPU for.

Pay attention to factors like frame rates, resolution capabilities, and compatibility with your existing hardware. A GPU that performs well across these areas is likely a solid choice. If you have a specific game in mind, check the system requirements on your chosen gaming platform 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 a new GPU release, as their prices often drop. Combining a quality GPU with a good deal can significantly enhance your gaming experience.

FAQs about Cheaper GPUs

How much should I budget for a GPU?

For less demanding games, you can find a decent graphics card 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?

If you're into content creation but can't afford a high-end GPU like the RTX 5080, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti is a great 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.