Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for Celeste
From the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC to the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC: five graphics cards ranked on video memory and GPU, with who should skip each one.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
For Celeste, the card matters less than the monitor, memory and storage around it, so compare price and memory first. Every pick has at least 8GB of video memory and cost $600 or less, ordered by memory.
This is a research roundup, not a lab test: GPU, VRAM and memory come from each maker's published specs; nothing here was tested in-house, and gaps in the specs are flagged, not filled in.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Also Consider
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC
A white-and-silver Steel Legend finish.
Best for: Buyers who want white-and-silver Steel Legend finish.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC 16G
Three WINDFORCE fans at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs less.
Our take Check price for Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC 16G (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G
The lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing.
Best for: Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce.
Our take Check price for Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 WINDFORCE OC 8G
A dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler.
Our take Check price for GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 WINDFORCE OC 8G (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 8GB White OC Edition
A white finish.
Best for: Buyers who want white finish.
Our take Check price for ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 8GB White OC Edition (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Also Consider1 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Steel Legend adds a white-and-silver finish and a 2520MHz boost, and it has a 700W recommended power supply.
Best for
- Buyers who want white-and-silver Steel Legend finish.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables.
Why we like it
On video memory it ties with the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC at 16GB. An RX 7800 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC uses an RX 7600 gpu. Like the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC and Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC, it has GDDR6 memory, while the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce uses GDDR7 memory.
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Power for the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend comes through 2 x 8-pin, with 700W the maker's minimum PSU. It was priced above the ASUS Dual 5060 White and below the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7800 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Recommended PSU: 700W
- Power connector: 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock: 2520MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- White-and-silver Steel Legend finish
- 700W recommended PSU
- RX 7800 XT gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
- Costs more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC at the time of writing
Premium Pick2 of 5
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC 16G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC stands out for three WINDFORCE fans, and it adds a 128-bit memory interface.
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs less.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It also offers a 16GB video memory. It matches the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend on video memory (16GB). It is the only pick here with an RX 7600 XT gpu; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend has an RX 7800 XT gpu instead.
It shares GDDR6 memory with the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC; the ASUS Dual 5060 White goes with GDDR7 memory. No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC with the maker. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7600 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Three WINDFORCE fans
- 128-bit memory interface
- RX 7600 XT gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here3 of 5
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Gigabyte's RX 7600 Gaming OC is a previous-generation card with three WINDFORCE fans and a metal backplate.
Best for
- Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games is a problem.
Why we like it
It has two DisplayPort 2.1 outputs and one HDMI 2.1. On video memory it ties with the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce and the ASUS Dual 5060 White at 8GB. An RX 7600 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC uses an RX 7600 XT gpu.
Like the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC, it has GDDR6 memory, while the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce uses GDDR7 memory. It also offers RGB Fusion lighting. No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
It cost the least of the 5 picks at the time of writing, with the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce the next step up. What it gives up: video memory of 8GB, behind the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend (16GB); by contrast, the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend offers 16GB.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7600
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x DisplayPort 2.1
Pros
- Three WINDFORCE fans
- RGB Fusion lighting
- Metal backplate
- RX 7600 gpu, the only one here
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Video memory of 8GB, behind the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend (16GB)
Strong Alternative4 of 5
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 WINDFORCE OC 8G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Gigabyte's RTX 5060 Windforce is the budget route to DLSS 4 and GDDR7 memory.
Best for
- Buyers who want dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games is a problem.
Why we like it
The maker publishes few details, so confirm length and power needs on Gigabyte's spec page before buying. On video memory it ties with the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the ASUS Dual 5060 White at 8GB. It also offers a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler and a PCIe 5.0 interface.
No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce with the maker. The nearest alternative on video memory is the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at 16GB, against 8GB here.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR7
Pros
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler
- PCIe 5.0 interface
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Costs more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC at the time of writing
Worth a Look5 of 5
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 8GB White OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
What the ASUS Dual 5060 White brings to the table is a white finish, plus a dual BIOS switch.
Best for
- Buyers who want white finish.
Skip if
- Pass on it if 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It also offers an 8GB video memory. It matches the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce on video memory (8GB). It shares GDDR7 memory with the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend goes with GDDR6 memory.
No dimensions are published for the ASUS Dual 5060 White; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASUS Dual 5060 White with the maker. SFF-Ready is NVIDIA's size guideline, not a guarantee the ASUS Dual 5060 White fits every small case.
Its price falls between the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce and the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, based on our last check. If video memory is your priority, the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend (16GB) is the stronger choice.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- SFF-Ready: Yes
Pros
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- White finish
- Dual BIOS switch
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Video memory trails the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend (16GB)
- Costs more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC at the time of writing
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- The figures behind the order
- We lined up five cards on GPU, video memory and memory, using each maker's published specs. These are research figures, not bench results, and every compared field is stated for all 5 picks.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend to the ASUS Dual 5060 White, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Who each pick suits
- The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend for a white-and-silver Steel Legend finish; the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC for three WINDFORCE fans at the highest price in the group; the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC for the lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing.
- Price range
- From the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC to the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC, all sat in the $250 to $500 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a GPUs for Celeste
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Video memory
Here video memory runs from 8GB on the ASUS Dual 5060 White to 16GB on the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, a 100% spread. If video memory is your first filter, the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend sets the ceiling at 16GB.
Memory
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC list GDDR6; the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce and the ASUS Dual 5060 White list GDDR7.
Setup checks
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Features beyond the spec table
The Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC: RGB Fusion lighting. The Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce: a PCIe 5.0 interface. The ASUS Dual 5060 White: a dual BIOS switch.
How much to spend
Price does little to separate these 5: the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC through the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC all landed in the $250 to $500 tier, which leaves video memory to decide it.
How to Choose a GPUs for Celeste
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want white-and-silver Steel Legend finish | ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend | A white-and-silver Steel Legend finish |
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs less | Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC | Three WINDFORCE fans at the highest price in the group |
| Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce | Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC | The lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing |
| Buyers who want dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler | Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce | A dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler |
| Buyers who want white finish | ASUS Dual 5060 White | A white finish |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend leads on video memory at 16GB, ahead of the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC at 16GB.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend | RX 7800 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 |
| Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC | RX 7600 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 |
| Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC | RX 7600 | 8GB | GDDR6 |
| Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 |
| ASUS Dual 5060 White | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC worth paying more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC?
The spec sheets show video memory (16GB against 8GB) in its favour. Both sat in the $250 to $500 tier when we checked, so the gains in video memory cost little extra by tier.
What makes the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC the Premium Pick?
It earns the label for three WINDFORCE fans at the highest price in the group. It suits buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs less.
Do the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC differ on GPU?
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend uses RX 7800 XT; the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC uses RX 7600 XT; the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC uses RX 7600; the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce and the ASUS Dual 5060 White use RTX 5060.
What should I check before buying the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC?
No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC with the maker. In this guide it ranks second of 5, as our Premium Pick, and second of 5 on video memory (16GB).
Beyond the specs, what sets the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC apart?
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend: a white-and-silver Steel Legend finish. The Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC: three WINDFORCE fans. The Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC: three WINDFORCE fans.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, chosen for a white-and-silver Steel Legend finish. Look at the Gigabyte 7600 XT Gaming OC for three WINDFORCE fans at the highest price in the group, the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC for the lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing and the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce for a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler if those matter more to you.
Put leftover budget toward a higher-refresh monitor or an SSD.