Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for RimWorld
We weighed five graphics cards on video memory and cooler thickness; the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT has the largest video memory, and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 costs the least.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
RimWorld 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.
The order reflects GPU, VRAM and memory from maker specifications; we did not test these graphics cards ourselves, and a missing thickness is flagged, not filled in.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Largest Video Memory
PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB
The largest video memory here (16GB).
Best for: Buyers who put video memory first.
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
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB
A quiet/performance dual BIOS switch.
Best for: Buyers who want quiet/performance dual BIOS switch.
Our take Check price for ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB (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)
Lowest Price Here
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC
Undercutting the ASUS Dual 5060 White on price when we checked.
Best for: Keeping the cost under $500.
Our take Check price for ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Largest Video Memory1 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 who put video memory first.
Skip if
- Pass if a published cooler thickness matters; this one has none.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 16GB video memory. Its 16GB video memory is the largest here; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE comes next at 12GB. An RX 7800 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 uses an RTX 5060 gpu.
Like the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS Dual 5060 White uses GDDR7 memory. 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.
Only the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 5 picks. There is no published cooler thickness figure, whereas the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE comes in at 2.5-slot.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7800 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 16GB of GDDR6
- RX 7800 XT gpu, the only one here
- The largest video memory here (16GB)
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 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
- Price-first buyers should look at the ASUS Dual RTX 5060, which 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 second of 5 here, behind the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT (16GB) and ahead of the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 (8GB). It is the only pick here with an RX 9070 GRE gpu; the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT has an RX 7800 XT gpu instead.
It shares GDDR6 memory with the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT; the ASUS Dual 5060 White goes with GDDR7 memory. 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. Its price falls between the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, based on our last check.
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 ASUS Dual RTX 5060 at the time of writing
Strong Alternative3 of 5
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 is a well-rounded 1080p card: GDDR7 memory, a quiet/performance BIOS switch and 0dB fan stop in a 2.5-slot, SFF-Ready design.
Best for
- Buyers who want quiet/performance dual BIOS switch.
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
On video memory it ties with the ASUS Dual 5060 White and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 at 8GB. It shares an RTX 5060 gpu with the ASUS Dual 5060 White and ASUS Dual RTX 5060; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE goes with an RX 9070 GRE gpu. Like the ASUS Dual 5060 White and ASUS Dual RTX 5060, it has GDDR7 memory, while the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT uses GDDR6 memory.
It also comes with dual-ball fan bearings. The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 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 Prime RTX 5060 with the maker. SFF-Ready is NVIDIA's size guideline, not a guarantee the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 fits every small case.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Boost clock: 2527MHz (OC mode)
- SFF-Ready: Yes
Pros
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- Quiet/performance dual BIOS switch
- 0dB fan stop
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Costs more than the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 at the time of writing
Worth a Look4 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
- 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 also offers an 8GB video memory. On video memory it ties with the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 at 8GB. It shares an RTX 5060 gpu with the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and ASUS Dual RTX 5060; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE goes with an RX 9070 GRE gpu.
Like the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and ASUS Dual RTX 5060, it has GDDR7 memory, while the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT uses 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. If you want a confirmed cooler thickness, look to the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE instead: it comes in at 2.5-slot, while this one gives no figure.
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
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here5 of 5
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Dual RTX 5060 is a 2.5-slot, SFF-Ready card with GDDR7 memory and DisplayPort 2.1b.
Best for
- Keeping the cost under $500.
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
Its 8GB of memory is best matched to a 1080p monitor. On video memory it ties with the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and the ASUS Dual 5060 White at 8GB. It shares an RTX 5060 gpu with the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and ASUS Dual 5060 White; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE goes with an RX 9070 GRE gpu.
Like the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and ASUS Dual 5060 White, it has GDDR7 memory, while the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT uses GDDR6 memory. You also get axial-tech fans with a barrier ring. The ASUS Dual RTX 5060 occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case.
No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the ASUS Dual 5060 White was closest. Video memory is its weakest area, and the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT covers it better at 16GB.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Boost clock: 2565MHz (OC mode)
- SFF-Ready: Yes
- Outputs: HDMI 2.1b, DisplayPort 2.1b
Pros
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- Axial-tech fans with a barrier ring
- Undercutting the ASUS Dual 5060 White on price when we checked
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Video memory trails the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT (16GB)
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- The figures behind the order
- We compared 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 boost clock have gaps.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT to the ASUS Dual RTX 5060, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASUS Dual 5060 White give no cooler thickness; the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE and the ASUS Dual 5060 White give no boost clock.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 ($250 to $500) to the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT ($500 to $1000).
What to Look for in a GPUs for RimWorld
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 ASUS Dual RTX 5060) to 16GB (the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT). The ASUS ATS 9070 GRE comes second at 12GB, in the $500 to $1000 tier against $500 to $1000 for the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT.
Memory
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE list GDDR6; the ASUS Prime RTX 5060, the ASUS Dual 5060 White and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 list GDDR7. Sort out memory before price: it splits 5 stated picks into groups of 3 and 2.
Boost clock
The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 lists 2527MHz (OC mode); the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 lists 2565MHz (OC mode). Settling boost clock first narrows 2 picks to 1 or 1.
What to check at home
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.
Extras that separate them
The ASUS ATS 9070 GRE: a dual BIOS switch. The ASUS Prime RTX 5060: 0dB fan stop. The ASUS Dual RTX 5060: axial-tech fans with a barrier ring.
How to Choose a GPUs for RimWorld
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who put video memory first | PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT | The largest video memory here (16GB) |
| Buyers who want 2.5-slot design | ASUS ATS 9070 GRE | A 2.5-slot design |
| Buyers who want quiet/performance dual BIOS switch | ASUS Prime RTX 5060 | A quiet/performance dual BIOS switch |
| Buyers who want white finish | ASUS Dual 5060 White | A white finish |
| Keeping the cost under $500 | ASUS Dual RTX 5060 | Undercutting the ASUS Dual 5060 White 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 ASUS ATS 9070 GRE at 12GB. "Not listed" marks cooler thickness where the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASUS Dual 5060 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 |
| ASUS Prime RTX 5060 | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 | 2.5-slot |
| ASUS Dual 5060 White | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 | Not listed |
| ASUS Dual RTX 5060 | RTX 5060 | 8GB | GDDR7 | 2.5-slot |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The ASUS Dual RTX 5060 was the lowest-priced pick ($250 to $500) and the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT the highest ($500 to $1000) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| About $250 to $500 | ASUS Dual RTX 5060, ASUS Dual 5060 White, ASUS Prime RTX 5060 |
| About $500 to $1000 | ASUS ATS 9070 GRE, PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE compare with the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT on video memory?
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT leads at 16GB, with the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE at 12GB. The spread runs down to the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 at 8GB.
What does the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT add over the ASUS Dual RTX 5060?
What it brings is video memory (16GB against 8GB). On our last price check the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 was in the $250 to $500 tier and the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT in the $500 to $1000 tier, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if video memory decides your purchase.
Why is the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT our Largest Video Memory pick?
The label rests on the largest video memory here (16GB). On video memory it leads the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE, 16GB against 12GB, a 33% margin. The ASUS Dual RTX 5060, the cheapest pick, sat in the $250 to $500 tier against $500 to $1000 here, without out-ranking it on any listed spec. It makes sense for anyone who puts video memory first.
Do the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT and the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE differ on GPU?
The PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT uses RX 7800 XT; the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE uses RX 9070 GRE; the ASUS Prime RTX 5060, the ASUS Dual 5060 White and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 use RTX 5060.
Will the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT work with my setup?
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. In this guide it ranks first of 5, as our Largest Video Memory pick, and first of 5 on video memory (16GB).
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 ASUS Prime RTX 5060: a quiet/performance dual BIOS switch.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the PowerColor Fighter 7800 XT, chosen for the largest video memory here (16GB). Look at the ASUS ATS 9070 GRE for a 2.5-slot design, the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 for a quiet/performance dual BIOS switch and the ASUS Dual 5060 White for a white finish if those matter more to you.
Confirm the card fits your case; many budget cards are compact but some are long.