Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for the Core Ultra 5 245K
We weighed five graphics cards on video memory and cooler thickness; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB has the slimmest cooler thickness, and it also costs the least.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
The Core Ultra 5 245K pairs well with mid-range cards for 1440p. Every pick has 12GB or more of VRAM, ordered by memory.
We ranked these graphics cards on GPU, VRAM and memory using manufacturer specifications; we did not test these graphics cards ourselves, and where a maker leaves out thickness, we say so.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Slimmest Cooler Thickness
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OCThe slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot).
Best for: Buyers who put cooler thickness first.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
ASUS Dual Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GBA dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles.
Best for: Buyers who want dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles.
Check price for ASUS Dual Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
XFX Mercury AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC White 16GBA white triple-fan MERC cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want white triple-fan MERC cooler.
Check price for XFX Mercury AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC White 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Triple Fan 16GBA triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Check price for XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Triple Fan 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GBA 2.5-slot design at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB costs less.
Check price for ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Slimmest Cooler Thickness1 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC
ASRock's Challenger gives the RX 9060 XT a full 16GB of memory in a two-slot, 249mm card.
Best for
- Buyers who put cooler thickness first.
Skip if
- Look at the other picks if you need a feature not covered above.
Why we like it
The maker offers a 550W power supply and a single 8-pin plug, so it drops into most existing builds. Nothing else here matches its 2-slot cooler thickness; the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB comes closest at 2.5-slot. It is the only pick here with a 3290MHz boost clock; the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB has a 3250MHz (OC mode) boost clock instead.
You also get 32 compute units and 0dB fan stop at light load. Power for the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes through 1 x 8-pin, with 550W the maker's minimum PSU. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB was closest.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9060 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Length
- 249mm
- Thickness
- 2-slot
- Recommended PSU
- 550W
- Power connector
- 1 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 3290MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Short 249mm length suits compact cases
- Dual-slot cooler leaves the next slot free
- A modest 550W PSU recommendation
Also Consider2 of 5
ASUS Dual Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
The ASUS Dual RX 9060 XT 16GB offers a 3250MHz boost in OC mode with Quiet and Performance BIOS profiles and 0dB fan stop.
Best for
- Buyers who want dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It matches the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB on cooler thickness (2.5-slot). No other pick in this guide offers a 3250MHz (OC mode) boost clock; compare the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White, which has a 3320MHz boost clock. The ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB 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 Dual 9060 XT 16GB with the maker. It was priced above the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and below the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White at the time of writing.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9060 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- Boost clock
- 3250MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles
- 0dB fan stop at light load
- 3250MHz (OC mode) boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
Strong Alternative3 of 5
XFX Mercury AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC White 16GB
The XFX Mercury 9060 XT White is built around a white triple-fan MERC cooler, with a boost clock of up to 3320MHz on top.
Best for
- Buyers who want white triple-fan MERC cooler.
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. Like the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB, it has a 3320MHz boost clock, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses a 3290MHz boost clock. No dimensions are published for the XFX Mercury 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 Mercury 9060 XT White with the maker. It was priced above the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB and below the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB at the time of writing. There is no published cooler thickness figure, whereas the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes in at 2-slot.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9060 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Boost clock
- 3320MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- White triple-fan MERC cooler
- Boost clock of up to 3320MHz
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
Worth a Look4 of 5
XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Triple Fan 16GB
The XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB stands out for a triple-fan SWFT cooler, and it adds a boost clock of up to 3320MHz.
Best for
- Buyers who want triple-fan SWFT cooler.
Skip if
- Skip it if you need to know its cooler thickness before buying; the maker doesn't publish one.
Why we like it
It also offers a 16GB video memory. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB; 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 16GB with the maker.
When we checked, only the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and cheaper picks cost less, and the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB cost more. If you want a confirmed cooler thickness, look to the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB instead: it comes in at 2-slot, while this one gives no figure.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9060 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Boost clock
- 3320MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Triple-fan SWFT cooler
- Boost clock of up to 3320MHz
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
Premium Pick5 of 5
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
The ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB is built around a 2.5-slot design, with a dual BIOS switch on top.
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB costs less.
Skip if
- Skip it if cooler thickness matters most to you; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB offers 2-slot.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 16GB video memory and offers a 2.5-slot cooler thickness. On cooler thickness it ties with the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB at 2.5-slot. No other pick in this guide offers an RTX 5060 Ti gpu; compare the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White, which has an RX 9060 XT gpu.
GDDR7 memory is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB uses GDDR6 memory. The ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB 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 5060 Ti 16GB with the maker. It was the highest-priced of the 5 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB and the rest.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 5060 Ti
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- SFF-Ready
- Yes
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- 2.5-slot design
Cons
- Cooler thickness trails the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB (2-slot)
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
The catch
The trade-off is video memory; for more, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB offers 16GB.
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.
- The figures behind the order
- We set side by side five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and cooler thickness, using each maker's published specs. We did not test them in-house, and cooler thickness and boost clock are missing for at least one pick.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB to the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB give no cooler thickness; the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB gives no boost clock.
- Price range
- From the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB to the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a GPUs for the Core Ultra 5 245K
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
How much cooler thickness you need
Across these 3 picks cooler thickness spans 2.5-slot (the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB) to 2-slot (the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB). The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB is the pick for cooler thickness. The XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB give no cooler thickness figure, so 3 of 5 picks are compared here.
Memory
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB, the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB list GDDR6; the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB lists GDDR7. Settling memory first narrows 5 picks to 4 or 1.
A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die Boost clock
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB lists 3290MHz; the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB lists 3250MHz (OC mode); the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB list 3320MHz. Sort out boost clock before price: it splits 4 stated picks into groups of 2, 1 and 1.
What to check at home
Measure for 249mm and 2 slots before ordering the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB. The ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. No dimensions are published for the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Extras that separate them
The ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB: 0dB fan stop at light load. The XFX Mercury 9060 XT White: a boost clock of up to 3320MHz. The ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB: a dual BIOS switch.
How to Choose a GPUs for the Core Ultra 5 245K
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who put cooler thickness first | ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB | The slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot) |
| Buyers who want dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles | ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB | A dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles |
| Buyers who want white triple-fan MERC cooler | XFX Mercury 9060 XT White | A white triple-fan MERC cooler |
| Buyers who want triple-fan SWFT cooler | XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB | A triple-fan SWFT cooler |
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB costs less | ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB | A 2.5-slot design at the highest price in the group |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB leads on cooler thickness at 2-slot, ahead of the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB at 2.5-slot. "Not listed" marks cooler thickness where the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB leave the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2-slot |
| ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
| XFX Mercury 9060 XT White | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB | RTX 5060 Ti | 16GB | GDDR7 | 2.5-slot |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB compare with the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB on cooler thickness?
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes out best at 2-slot, with the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB at 2.5-slot. No cooler thickness figure is published for the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB, which leaves 3 of 5 picks ranked here.
What does the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB add over the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB?
The ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB matches or trails the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB on cooler thickness. The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB leads on cooler thickness (2-slot). Both sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked, so choose on the features you need.
Why is the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB our Slimmest Cooler Thickness pick?
The label rests on the slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot). On cooler thickness it leads the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB, 2-slot against 2.5-slot, a 20% margin. It makes sense for anyone who puts cooler thickness first.
Do the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB differ on GPU?
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB, the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB use RX 9060 XT; the ASUS Prime 5060 Ti 16GB uses RTX 5060 Ti.
Will the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White work with my setup?
No dimensions are published for the XFX Mercury 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 Mercury 9060 XT White with the maker. In this guide it ranks third of 5.
What extras do the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB include?
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB: 32 compute units. The ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB: a dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles. The XFX Mercury 9060 XT White: a white triple-fan MERC cooler.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, chosen for the slimmest cooler thickness here (2-slot). Look at the ASUS Dual 9060 XT 16GB for a dual BIOS switch with Quiet and Performance profiles, the XFX Mercury 9060 XT White for a white triple-fan MERC cooler and the XFX Swift 9060 XT 16GB for a triple-fan SWFT cooler if those matter more to you.
LGA1851 boards give the GPU PCIe 5.0 x16; any current card will run at full link width.
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 GPUs for the Core Ultra 7 265K
- 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 GPUs for the Core Ultra 9 285K
- 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
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