Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for Mass Effect 3
Five graphics cards ranked on video memory and GPU, where the Arc B570 Challenger has the largest video memory, and it also costs the least.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
Mass Effect 3 sits well within what current cards offer, and the same card also covers heavier games in your library. Every pick cost between $250 and $650, ordered from the lowest price.
Rankings weigh GPU, VRAM and memory as the makers state them; if a maker skips boost clock, the guide says so rather than guess, since we have not benched them.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Largest Video Memory
ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC
The largest video memory here (10GB).
Best for: Buyers who put video memory first.
Our take Check price for ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Ventus 2X 6G OC
Two HDMI 2.1a outputs.
Best for: Buyers who want two HDMI 2.1a outputs.
Our take Check price for MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Ventus 2X 6G OC (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition 8GB
A dual-fan SWFT cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want dual-fan SWFT cooler.
Our take Check price for XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition 8GB (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G
Three WINDFORCE fans.
Best for: Buyers who want three WINDFORCE fans.
Our take Check price for Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 WINDFORCE OC 8G
The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler and can spend more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs.
Our take Check price for GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 WINDFORCE OC 8G (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Largest Video Memory1 of 5
ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Arc B570 is the B580's cheaper sibling with 10GB of memory on a 160-bit bus.
Best for
- Buyers who put video memory first.
Skip if
- Look at the other picks if you need a feature not covered above.
Why we like it
It was the least expensive card here at the time of writing and still offers three DisplayPort 2.1 outputs. Its dual striped axial fans stop completely at low load, and the card supports Intel XeSS 2 upscaling. Its 10GB video memory is the largest here; the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB comes next at 8GB.
An arc B570 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB uses an RX 9060 XT gpu. No other pick in this guide offers a 2600MHz boost clock; compare the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X, which has a 1492MHz boost clock. No dimensions are published for the Arc B570 Challenger; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Power for the Arc B570 Challenger comes through 1 x 8-pin.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: Arc B570
- VRAM: 10GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Power connector: 1 x 8-pin
- Boost clock: 2600MHz
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1a
Pros
- 10GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- A single 8-pin power connector
- 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps
- 0dB fan stop
Also Consider2 of 5
MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Ventus 2X 6G OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
MSI's RTX 3050 Ventus 2X 6G OC has two HDMI 2.1a outputs and one DisplayPort, with DLSS support.
Best for
- Buyers who want two HDMI 2.1a outputs.
Skip if
- Pass on it if 6GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It is built on the Ampere architecture with 6GB of GDDR6 at 14Gbps on a 96-bit interface and a 1492MHz boost clock. Its single DisplayPort output is version 1.4a, and the card carries two HDMI 2.1a ports. On video memory it trails the group at 6GB, while the Arc B570 Challenger offers 10GB.
An RTX 3050 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB uses an RX 9060 XT gpu. No other pick in this guide offers a 1492MHz boost clock; compare the Arc B570 Challenger, which has a 2600MHz boost clock. You also get a dual-fan Ventus cooler.
No dimensions are published for the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X with the maker.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 3050
- VRAM: 6GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 1492MHz
- Outputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4a, 2 x HDMI 2.1a
Pros
- Two HDMI 2.1a outputs
- Dual-fan Ventus cooler
- DLSS support
- RTX 3050 gpu, the only one here
Cons
- 6GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Video memory trails the Arc B570 Challenger (10GB)
Strong Alternative3 of 5
XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition 8GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
What the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB brings to the table is a dual-fan SWFT cooler, plus a boost clock of up to 3320MHz.
Best for
- Buyers who want dual-fan SWFT cooler.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
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 is the only pick here with an RX 9060 XT gpu; the Arc B570 Challenger has an arc B570 gpu instead.
A 3320MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X uses a 1492MHz boost clock. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB; 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 8GB with the maker. Its price falls between the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X and the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9060 XT
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 3320MHz
Pros
- Dual-fan SWFT cooler
- Boost clock of up to 3320MHz
- Video memory of 8GB, ahead of the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X
- RX 9060 XT gpu, the only one here
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
Worth a Look4 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 want three WINDFORCE fans.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
Why we like it
It has two DisplayPort 2.1 outputs and one HDMI 2.1. It matches the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB and the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce on video memory (8GB). No other pick in this guide offers an RX 7600 gpu; compare the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB, which has an RX 9060 XT gpu.
You also get RGB Fusion lighting. No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte RX 7600 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 RX 7600 Gaming OC with the maker. On price it sat fourth of 5, between the cheaper XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB and the pricier Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce, at the time of writing.
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
- Video memory of 8GB, ahead of the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
Premium Pick5 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 a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler and can spend more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs.
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
The maker publishes few details, so confirm length and power needs on Gigabyte's spec page before buying. It matches the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB and the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC on video memory (8GB). It is the only pick here with an RTX 5060 gpu; the Arc B570 Challenger has an arc B570 gpu instead.
You get GDDR7 memory here, which sets it apart from the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and its GDDR6 memory. 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. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR7
Pros
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler
- PCIe 5.0 interface
- Video memory of 8GB, ahead of the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- How these picks were ranked
- We set side by side five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and boost clock, using each maker's published specs. We did not test them in-house, and boost clock and outputs are missing for at least one pick.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the Arc B570 Challenger to the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce give no boost clock; the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB and the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce give no outputs.
- Price range
- From the Arc B570 Challenger to the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce, all sat in the $250 to $500 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a GPUs for Mass Effect 3
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
How much video memory you need
The Arc B570 Challenger tops video memory at 10GB and the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X sits lowest at 6GB. The Arc B570 Challenger is the pick for video memory.
Memory
The Arc B570 Challenger, the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X, the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB and the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC list GDDR6; the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce lists GDDR7. Sort out memory before price: it splits 5 stated picks into groups of 4 and 1.
Boost clock
The Arc B570 Challenger lists 2600MHz; the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X lists 1492MHz; the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB lists 3320MHz. Sort out boost clock before price: it splits 3 stated picks into groups of 1, 1 and 1.
What to check at home
No dimensions are published for the Arc B570 Challenger; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Extras that separate them
The XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB: a boost clock of up to 3320MHz. The Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC: RGB Fusion lighting. The Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce: a PCIe 5.0 interface.
How to Choose a GPUs for Mass Effect 3
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who put video memory first | Arc B570 Challenger | The largest video memory here (10GB) |
| Buyers who want two HDMI 2.1a outputs | MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X | Two HDMI 2.1a outputs |
| Buyers who want dual-fan SWFT cooler | XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB | A dual-fan SWFT cooler |
| Buyers who want three WINDFORCE fans | Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC | Three WINDFORCE fans |
| Buyers who want a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler and can spend more than the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC costs | Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce | The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The Arc B570 Challenger leads on video memory at 10GB, ahead of the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB at 8GB. "Not listed" marks boost clock where the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce leave the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Boost clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arc B570 Challenger | Arc B570 | 10GB | GDDR6 | 2600MHz |
| MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X | RTX 3050 | 6GB | GDDR6 | 1492MHz |
| XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB | RX 9060 XT | 8GB | GDDR6 | 3320MHz |
| Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC | RX 7600 | 8GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 | Not listed |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the largest video memory: the Arc B570 Challenger or the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB?
The Arc B570 Challenger tops video memory at 10GB; the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB follows at 8GB, 25% apart. The MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X is at the other end of this group with 6GB.
What does the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce add over the Arc B570 Challenger?
The Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce matches or trails the Arc B570 Challenger on video memory, so the extra spend buys only what the spec sheet doesn't show. It does not win everywhere: the Arc B570 Challenger still leads on video memory (10GB). Both sat in the $250 to $500 tier when we checked, so the choice comes down to features.
Why is the Arc B570 Challenger our Largest Video Memory pick?
The label rests on the largest video memory here (10GB). On video memory it leads the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB, 10GB against 8GB, a 25% margin. It makes sense for anyone who puts video memory first.
Do the Arc B570 Challenger and the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X differ on GPU?
The Arc B570 Challenger uses Arc B570; the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X uses RTX 3050; the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB uses RX 9060 XT; the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC uses RX 7600; the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce uses RTX 5060.
Will the Arc B570 Challenger work with my setup?
No dimensions are published for the Arc B570 Challenger; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Power for the Arc B570 Challenger comes through 1 x 8-pin. In this guide it ranks first of 5, as our Largest Video Memory pick, and first of 5 on video memory (10GB).
What extras do the Arc B570 Challenger and the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X include?
The Arc B570 Challenger: a 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps. The MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X: two HDMI 2.1a outputs. The XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB: a dual-fan SWFT cooler.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the Arc B570 Challenger, chosen for the largest video memory here (10GB). Look at the MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X for two HDMI 2.1a outputs, the XFX Swift 9060 XT 8GB for a dual-fan SWFT cooler and the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC for three WINDFORCE fans if those matter more to you.
Match the card's video outputs to your monitor's HDMI or DisplayPort inputs.