Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for Hollow Knight: Silksong
We weighed five graphics cards on video memory and cooler thickness; the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile has the slimmest cooler thickness, and the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger costs the least.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
Hollow Knight: Silksong does not push current hardware, so this guide compares cards by price, memory and what they leave for other games. Every pick cost $600 or less, ordered from the highest price.
Rankings weigh GPU, VRAM and memory as the makers state them; we did not test these graphics cards ourselves, and if a maker skips thickness, the guide says so.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Premium Pick
PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB
16GB of GDDR6 at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger costs less.
Our take Check price for PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
ASUS ATS Radeon RX 9070 GRE 12GB OC Edition
A 2.5-slot design.
Best for: Buyers who want 2.5-slot design.
Our take Check price for ASUS ATS Radeon RX 9070 GRE 12GB OC Edition (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC White Triple Fan 16GB
A white triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want white triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Our take Check price for XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC White Triple Fan 16GB (opens in a new tab)
Slimmest Cooler Thickness
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Low Profile
The slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot).
Best for: Buyers who put cooler thickness first.
Our take Check price for ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Low Profile (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Challenger 16GB OC
Undercutting the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile on price when we checked.
Best for: Keeping the cost under $1000.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Challenger 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Premium Pick1 of 5
PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT is built around 16GB of GDDR6.
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger costs less.
Skip if
- Skip it if you need to know its cooler thickness before buying; the maker doesn't publish one.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 16GB video memory. On video memory it ties with the XFX Swift 9060 XT White and the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at 16GB. No dimensions are published for the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT with the maker. At our last price check it topped the group, with the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE the nearest cheaper option. If you want a confirmed cooler thickness, look to the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile instead: it comes in at 2-slot, while this one gives no figure.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7800 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 16GB of GDDR6
- 16GB of GDDR6 at the highest price in the group
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at the time of writing
Also Consider2 of 5
ASUS ATS Radeon RX 9070 GRE 12GB OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
What the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE brings to the table is a 2.5-slot design, plus a dual BIOS switch.
Best for
- Buyers who want 2.5-slot design.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It also offers a 12GB video memory and offers a 2.5-slot cooler thickness. Its 12GB video memory ranks fourth of 5 here, behind the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT (16GB) and ahead of the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile (8GB). On cooler thickness it ties with the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at 2.5-slot.
No other pick in this guide offers an RX 9070 GRE gpu; compare the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile, which has an RTX 5060 gpu. The ASUS ATS 9070 GRE occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE with the maker. On price it sat fourth of 5, between the cheaper XFX Swift 9060 XT White and the pricier PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9070 GRE
- VRAM: 12GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- 2.5-slot design
- Dual BIOS switch
- RX 9070 GRE gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at the time of writing
Strong Alternative3 of 5
XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC White Triple Fan 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The XFX Swift 9060 XT White stands out for a white triple-fan SWFT cooler, and it adds a boost clock of up to 3320MHz.
Best for
- Buyers who want white triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Skip if
- Pass if a published cooler thickness matters; this one has none.
Why we like it
It also offers a 16GB video memory. On video memory it ties with the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at 16GB. An RX 9060 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE uses an RX 9070 GRE gpu.
No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift 9060 XT 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 XFX Swift 9060 XT White with the maker. It was priced above the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile and below the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE at the time of writing. There is no published cooler thickness figure, whereas the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile comes in at 2-slot.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9060 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 3320MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- White triple-fan SWFT cooler
- Boost clock of up to 3320MHz
- RX 9060 XT gpu, the only one here
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at the time of writing
Slimmest Cooler Thickness4 of 5
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Low Profile on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Zotac's RTX 5060 Low Profile offers a two-slot width, one 8-pin plug and three DisplayPort 2.1b outputs plus HDMI.
Best for
- Buyers who put cooler thickness first.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
Why we like it
It uses 40mm fans with composite heatpipes. On video memory it trails the group at 8GB, while the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT offers 16GB. Its 2-slot cooler thickness is the slimmest here; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE comes next at 2.5-slot.
An RTX 5060 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE uses an RX 9070 GRE gpu. It is the only pick here with GDDR7 memory; the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT has GDDR6 memory instead. It also comes with a metal backplate.
The Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile occupies 2 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Half-height cases need the low-profile bracket; confirm it ships with the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile. It was priced above the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger and below the XFX Swift 9060 XT White at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Thickness: 2-slot
- Power connector: 1 x 8-pin
- Low profile: Yes
- SFF-Ready: Yes
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Dual-slot cooler leaves the next slot free
- A single 8-pin power connector
- Low-profile design for slim desktops
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Video memory trails the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT (16GB)
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here5 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
ASRock's Challenger is a 267mm, 2.5-slot dual-fan RX 7800 XT with two 8-pin connectors and a 750W recommended power supply.
Best for
- Keeping the cost under $1000.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables.
Why we like it
On video memory it ties with the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the XFX Swift 9060 XT White at 16GB. It matches the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE on cooler thickness (2.5-slot). It shares an RX 7800 XT gpu with the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT; the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile goes with an RTX 5060 gpu.
Power for the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger comes through 2 x 8-pin, with 750W the maker's minimum PSU. It cost the least of the 5 picks at the time of writing, with the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile the next step up. It gives ground on cooler thickness, where the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile comes in at 2-slot.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7800 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Length: 267mm
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Recommended PSU: 750W
- Power connector: 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock: 2475MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 267mm length
- Dual-fan Challenger cooler
- Undercutting the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile on price when we checked
Cons
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
- Cooler thickness trails the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile (2-slot)
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- What we compared
- We set side by side five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and cooler thickness from manufacturer specifications. Nothing was tested in-house; 3 of the 6 fields compared are stated for every pick, while cooler thickness and power connector have gaps.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT to the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the XFX Swift 9060 XT White give no cooler thickness; the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE and the XFX Swift 9060 XT White give no power connector.
- Price range
- From the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger to the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a GPUs for Hollow Knight: Silksong
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Video memory across these picks
Across these 5 picks video memory spans 8GB (the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile) to 16GB (the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT). The XFX Swift 9060 XT White comes second at 16GB, in the $500 to $1000 tier against $500 to $1000 for the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT.
How much cooler thickness you need
The Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile tops cooler thickness at 2-slot and the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger sits lowest at 2.5-slot. If cooler thickness is your first filter, the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile sets the ceiling at 2-slot. The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the XFX Swift 9060 XT White give no cooler thickness figure, so 3 of 5 picks are compared here.
Memory
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE, the XFX Swift 9060 XT White and the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger list GDDR6; the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile lists GDDR7. Sort out memory before price: it splits 5 stated picks into groups of 4 and 1.
Power connector
The Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile lists 1 x 8-pin; the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger lists 2 x 8-pin. Settling power connector first narrows 2 picks to 1 or 1.
Setup checks
No dimensions are published for the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. The ASUS ATS 9070 GRE occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Measure for 267mm and 2.5 slots before ordering the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger.
How to Choose a GPUs for Hollow Knight: Silksong
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger costs less | PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT | 16GB of GDDR6 at the highest price in the group |
| Buyers who want 2.5-slot design | ASUS ATS 9070 GRE | A 2.5-slot design |
| Buyers who want white triple-fan SWFT cooler | XFX Swift 9060 XT White | A white triple-fan SWFT cooler |
| Buyers who put cooler thickness first | Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile | The slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot) |
| Keeping the cost under $1000 | ASRock 7800 XT Challenger | Undercutting the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile on price when we checked |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT leads on video memory at 16GB, ahead of the XFX Swift 9060 XT White at 16GB. "Not listed" marks cooler thickness where the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the XFX Swift 9060 XT White leave the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT | RX 7800 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASUS ATS 9070 GRE | RX 9070 GRE | 12GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
| XFX Swift 9060 XT White | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 | 2-slot |
| ASRock 7800 XT Challenger | RX 7800 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile ahead of the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE on cooler thickness?
The Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile is lowest on cooler thickness at 2-slot; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE follows at 2.5-slot, 20% apart. The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the XFX Swift 9060 XT White don't state a cooler thickness figure, so they sit outside this comparison; 3 of 5 picks are ranked.
Why is the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile our Slimmest Cooler Thickness pick?
It carries the badge for the slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot). On cooler thickness it leads the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE, 2-slot against 2.5-slot, a 20% margin. The price of that: the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger, the cheapest pick, still beats it on video memory (16GB against 8GB). It makes sense for anyone who puts cooler thickness first.
Do the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE differ on GPU?
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASRock 7800 XT Challenger use RX 7800 XT; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE uses RX 9070 GRE; the XFX Swift 9060 XT White uses RX 9060 XT; the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile uses RTX 5060.
Will the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE work with my setup?
The ASUS ATS 9070 GRE occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE with the maker. In this guide it ranks second of 5, and fourth of 5 on video memory (12GB).
What extras do the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE include?
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT: 16GB of GDDR6. The ASUS ATS 9070 GRE: a 2.5-slot design. The XFX Swift 9060 XT White: a white triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, chosen for 16GB of GDDR6 at the highest price in the group. Look at the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE for a 2.5-slot design, the XFX Swift 9060 XT White for a white triple-fan SWFT cooler and the Zotac RTX 5060 Low Profile for the slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot) if those matter more to you.
Check the card's power connector against your power supply before ordering.