Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for First Builds
Three graphics cards ranked on video memory and recommended power supply, where the Arc B580 Challenger has the largest video memory; the ASRock RX 6500 XT is the cheapest route in.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
11 min read3 products evaluated
A first GPU should be easy to power and fit. Every pick needs one 8-pin connector and cost $400 or less, ordered from the lowest price.
Rankings weigh GPU, VRAM and memory as the makers state them; if a maker skips recommended PSU, the guide says so rather than guess, since we have not benched them.
Quick Picks
Which of the 3 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Lowest Price Here
ASRock Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming D 4GB OCThe lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing.
Best for: Spending as little as possible, with the Arc B570 Challenger the next step up.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming D 4GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OCA 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps.
Best for: Buyers who want 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps.
Check price for ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Largest Video Memory
ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OCThe largest video memory here (12GB).
Best for: Buyers who put video memory first.
Check price for ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing. | Spending as little as possible, with the Arc B570 Challenger the next step up. | Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming D 4GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps. | Buyers who want 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps. | Check price for ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The largest video memory here (12GB). | Buyers who put video memory first. | Check price for ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Lowest Price Here1 of 3
ASRock Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming D 4GB OC
ASRock's RX 6500 XT has only 4GB of memory and states a 400W minimum power supply.
Best for
- Spending as little as possible, with the Arc B570 Challenger the next step up.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: 4GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
Why we like it
It suits light esports titles rather than recent AAA games. On video memory it trails the group at 4GB, while the Arc B580 Challenger offers 12GB. You get an RX 6500 XT gpu here, which sets it apart from the Arc B580 Challenger and its an arc B580 gpu.
It is the only pick here with a 2820MHz boost clock; the Arc B570 Challenger has a 2600MHz boost clock instead. You also get 0dB silent cooling at light load and a metal backplate. No dimensions are published for the ASRock RX 6500 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Power for the ASRock RX 6500 XT comes through 1 x 8-pin, with 400W the maker's minimum PSU. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Arc B570 Challenger was closest.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 6500 XT
- VRAM
- 4GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Recommended PSU
- 400W
- Power connector
- 1 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 2820MHz
Pros
- A modest 400W PSU recommendation
- A single 8-pin power connector
- 0dB silent cooling at light load
- Metal backplate
Cons
- 4GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
- Video memory trails the Arc B580 Challenger (12GB)
The catch
Video memory is its weakest area, and the Arc B580 Challenger covers it better at 12GB.
Also Consider2 of 3
ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC
The Arc B570 is the B580's cheaper sibling with 10GB of memory on a 160-bit bus.
Best for
- Buyers who want 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps.
Skip if
- Pass if a published recommended power supply matters; this one has none.
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. On video memory it sits mid-pack at 10GB: the Arc B580 Challenger offers 12GB, and the ASRock RX 6500 XT comes in at 4GB.
An arc B570 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Arc B580 Challenger uses an arc B580 gpu. No other pick in this guide offers a 2600MHz boost clock; compare the ASRock RX 6500 XT, which has a 2820MHz 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. It was priced above the ASRock RX 6500 XT and below the Arc B580 Challenger at the time of writing.
Key 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
Cons
- No published recommended power supply
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 6500 XT at the time of writing
The catch
There is no published recommended power supply figure, whereas the ASRock RX 6500 XT offers 400W.
Largest Video Memory3 of 3
ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC
Intel's Arc B580 brings 12GB of GDDR6 to the entry tier, more than the 8GB common at this price.
Best for
- Buyers who put video memory first.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock RX 6500 XT was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
ASRock's Challenger version is 249mm long and needs one 8-pin plug and a 650W PSU. On video memory it leads this guide at 12GB, ahead of the Arc B570 Challenger (10GB). An arc B580 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Arc B570 Challenger uses an arc B570 gpu.
No other pick in this guide offers a 2740MHz boost clock; compare the ASRock RX 6500 XT, which has a 2820MHz boost clock. You also get a 192-bit memory bus at 19Gbps and dual-fan cooling with 0dB fan stop. Measure for 249mm and 2 slots before ordering the Arc B580 Challenger.
Power for the Arc B580 Challenger comes through 1 x 8-pin, with 650W the maker's minimum PSU. Only the Arc B570 Challenger came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 3 picks.
Key specs
- GPU
- Arc B580
- VRAM
- 12GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Length
- 249mm
- Thickness
- 2-slot
- Recommended PSU
- 650W
- Power connector
- 1 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 2740MHz
- Outputs
- 3 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1a
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Short 249mm length suits compact cases
- Dual-slot cooler leaves the next slot free
- A single 8-pin power connector
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 6500 XT at the time of writing
How We Chose
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- What we compared
- We set side by side three cards on GPU, video memory, memory and recommended power supply, using each maker's published specs. We did not test them in-house, and recommended power supply and outputs are missing for at least one pick.
- What every pick has in common
- All 3, from the ASRock RX 6500 XT to the Arc B580 Challenger, state GPU, video memory and memory and share GDDR6 memory and 1 x 8-pin power connector.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The Arc B570 Challenger gives no recommended power supply; the ASRock RX 6500 XT gives no outputs.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the ASRock RX 6500 XT ($150 to $250) to the Arc B580 Challenger ($250 to $500).
What to Look for in a GPUs for First Builds
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Video memory
Here video memory runs from 4GB on the ASRock RX 6500 XT to 12GB on the Arc B580 Challenger, a 200% spread. The Arc B570 Challenger comes second at 10GB, in the same price tier as the Arc B580 Challenger.
Recommended power supply across these picks
Across these 2 picks recommended power supply spans 650W (the Arc B580 Challenger) to 400W (the ASRock RX 6500 XT). If recommended power supply is your first filter, the ASRock RX 6500 XT sets the ceiling at 400W. The Arc B570 Challenger gives no recommended power supply figure, so 2 of 3 picks are compared here.
A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die What to check at home
No dimensions are published for the ASRock RX 6500 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Measure for 249mm and 2 slots before ordering the Arc B580 Challenger.
Extras that separate them
The ASRock RX 6500 XT: a metal backplate. The Arc B570 Challenger: 0dB fan stop. The Arc B580 Challenger: dual-fan cooling with 0dB fan stop.
Where your budget lands
$150 to $250 buys the ASRock RX 6500 XT; $250 to $500 buys the Arc B570 Challenger and the Arc B580 Challenger at our last check.
How to Choose a GPUs for First Builds
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spending as little as possible, with the Arc B570 Challenger the next step up | ASRock RX 6500 XT | The lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing |
| Buyers who want 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps | Arc B570 Challenger | A 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps |
| Buyers who put video memory first | Arc B580 Challenger | The largest video memory here (12GB) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The Arc B580 Challenger leads on video memory at 12GB, ahead of the Arc B570 Challenger at 10GB. "Not listed" marks recommended power supply where the Arc B570 Challenger leaves the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Recommended PSU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock RX 6500 XT | RX 6500 XT | 4GB | GDDR6 | 400W |
| Arc B570 Challenger | Arc B570 | 10GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| Arc B580 Challenger | Arc B580 | 12GB | GDDR6 | 650W |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The ASRock RX 6500 XT was the lowest-priced pick ($150 to $250) and the Arc B580 Challenger the highest ($250 to $500) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| About $150 to $250 | ASRock RX 6500 XT |
| About $250 to $500 | Arc B570 Challenger, Arc B580 Challenger |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arc B580 Challenger ahead of the Arc B570 Challenger on video memory?
The Arc B580 Challenger leads at 12GB, with the Arc B570 Challenger at 10GB. The spread runs down to the ASRock RX 6500 XT at 4GB.
How does the Arc B580 Challenger compare with the ASRock RX 6500 XT on recommended power supply?
Between the top two, it is 400W on the ASRock RX 6500 XT against 650W on the Arc B580 Challenger, a 38% difference. No recommended power supply figure is published for the Arc B570 Challenger, which leaves 2 of 3 picks ranked here.
What does the Arc B580 Challenger add over the ASRock RX 6500 XT?
On paper it adds video memory (12GB against 4GB). It does not win everywhere: the ASRock RX 6500 XT still leads on recommended power supply (400W). On our last price check the ASRock RX 6500 XT was in the $150 to $250 tier and the Arc B580 Challenger in the $250 to $500 tier, with 1 other pick between them; pay the difference only if video memory decides your purchase.
Why is the Arc B580 Challenger our Largest Video Memory pick?
It carries the badge for the largest video memory here (12GB). On video memory it leads the Arc B570 Challenger, 12GB against 10GB, a 20% margin. The price of that: the ASRock RX 6500 XT, the cheapest pick, still beats it on recommended power supply (400W against 650W). It suits anyone who puts video memory first.
Do the ASRock RX 6500 XT and the Arc B570 Challenger differ on GPU?
The ASRock RX 6500 XT uses RX 6500 XT; the Arc B570 Challenger uses Arc B570; the Arc B580 Challenger uses Arc B580.
Will the ASRock RX 6500 XT work with my setup?
No dimensions are published for the ASRock RX 6500 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Power for the ASRock RX 6500 XT comes through 1 x 8-pin, with 400W the maker's minimum PSU. In this guide it ranks first of 3, as our Lowest Price Here pick, and third of 3 on video memory (4GB).
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock RX 6500 XT, chosen for the lowest price among these graphics cards at the time of writing. Look at the Arc B570 Challenger for a 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps and the Arc B580 Challenger for the largest video memory here (12GB) if those matter more to you.
Install the latest driver from the GPU maker's site before playing.
Related Guides
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards for 1440p Gaming
- Related guideThe Best Budget Graphics Cards
- Lower budgetThe Best GPUs Between $280 and $400
- Similar guideThe Best Graphics Cards
- ExplainerHow Much VRAM Do You Need?
- ExplainerGPU Power Connectors Explained
- Check compatibility: power suppliesHow to choose a power supply for a PC build
- Similar guideThe Best 8GB GPUs
- Topic hubAll graphics cards guides
About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
View all articles