Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for VR Gaming
Five graphics cards compared, from the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend to the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, with the trade-offs of each named.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
VR renders two views at high frame rates, so a card with 12GB or more of memory keeps headsets from dropping frames. Every pick has 12GB or more of video memory and cost $1,100 or less, ordered from the lowest price.
Our comparison rests on published figures for GPU, VRAM and memory; where a maker leaves out thickness, we say so, and no figure here comes from our own testing.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Lowest Price Here
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC
The lowest price of the group at our last check.
Best for: Getting white-and-silver Steel Legend finish for the least money.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC
32 compute units.
Best for: Buyers who want 32 compute units.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC
Three TORX Fan 5.0 fans.
Best for: Buyers who want three TORX Fan 5.0 fans.
Our take Check price for MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT Triple Fan Gaming Edition
An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Our take Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT Triple Fan Gaming Edition (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC
The top of this price range, adding a quiet/performance dual BIOS.
Best for: Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Our take Check price for ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Lowest Price Here1 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Steel Legend adds a white-and-silver finish and a 2520MHz boost, and it has a 700W recommended power supply.
Best for
- Getting white-and-silver Steel Legend finish for the least money.
Skip if
- Pass on it if needs two 8-pin PCIe power cable rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
On video memory it ties with the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at 16GB. An RX 7800 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses an RTX 5070 gpu. Like the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and XFX Swift RX 9070 XT, it has GDDR6 memory, while the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses GDDR7 memory.
No other pick in this guide offers a 2520MHz boost clock; compare the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT, which has a 2970MHz boost clock. It cost the least of the 5 picks at the time of writing, with the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB the next step up. There is no published cooler thickness figure, whereas the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes in at 2-slot.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7800 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Recommended PSU: 700W
- Power connector: 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock: 2520MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- White-and-silver Steel Legend finish
- 700W recommended PSU
- RX 7800 XT gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
- Recommended power supply of 700W, behind the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB (550W)
Also Consider2 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
ASRock's Challenger gives the RX 9060 XT a full 16GB of memory in a two-slot, 249mm card.
Best for
- Buyers who want 32 compute units.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
The maker offers a 550W power supply and a single 8-pin plug, so it drops into most existing builds. It matches the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB on video memory (16GB). It is the only pick here with an RX 9060 XT gpu; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend has an RX 7800 XT gpu instead.
A 3290MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses a 2557MHz boost clock. 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. Its price falls between the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & 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
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
Strong Alternative3 of 5
MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Ventus 3X is MSI's plain take on the RTX 5070: three TORX fans, a copper baseplate and 12GB of GDDR7.
Best for
- Buyers who want three TORX Fan 5.0 fans.
Skip if
- Skip it if video memory matters most to you; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend offers 16GB.
Why we like it
Three DisplayPort 2.1a outputs and one HDMI 2.1b cover most monitor setups. On video memory it trails the group at 12GB, while the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend offers 16GB. An RTX 5070 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses an RX 9060 XT gpu.
Like the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, it has GDDR7 memory, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses GDDR6 memory. No other pick in this guide offers a 2557MHz boost clock; compare the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT, which has a 2970MHz boost clock. You also get a vented metal backplate.
No dimensions are published for the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. It was priced above the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and below the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5070
- VRAM: 12GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Boost clock: 2557MHz
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1a, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Three TORX Fan 5.0 fans
- Nickel-plated copper baseplate
Cons
- Video memory trails the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend (16GB)
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
Worth a Look4 of 5
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
XFX's Swift RX 9070 XT uses AMD's top RDNA 4 chip with 16GB of memory and a 2970MHz boost.
Best for
- Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It is the card to choose for a 240Hz 1440p monitor. On video memory it ties with the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at 16GB. An RX 9070 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses an RX 9060 XT gpu.
Like the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, it has GDDR6 memory, while the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses GDDR7 memory. It was priced above the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X and below the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 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 dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9070 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 2970MHz
- Outputs: 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler
- RX 9070 XT gpu, the only one here
- 2970MHz boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
Premium Pick5 of 5
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB is the lower-cost NVIDIA route to 16GB at 1440p.
Best for
- Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It is a 2.5-slot card with 0dB fan stop and dual-ball fan bearings. On video memory it ties with the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT at 16GB. An RTX 5060 Ti gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses an RX 9060 XT gpu.
Like the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, it has GDDR7 memory, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses GDDR6 memory. No other pick in this guide offers a 2632MHz (OC mode) boost clock; compare the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, which has a 2557MHz boost clock. Only the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 5 picks. There is no published recommended power supply figure, whereas the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB offers 550W.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5060 Ti
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Boost clock: 2632MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Quiet/performance dual BIOS
- 0dB fan stop
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- The figures behind the order
- We set side by side five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and cooler thickness from manufacturer specifications. We did not test them in-house.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend to the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT give no cooler thickness; the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB give no recommended power supply.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend ($250 to $500) to the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB ($500 to $1000).
What to Look for in a GPUs for VR Gaming
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Video memory across these picks
Here video memory runs from 12GB on the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X to 16GB on the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend. The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend is the pick for video memory.
Cooler thickness
Here cooler thickness runs from 2.5-slot on the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB to 2-slot on the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB. Start with the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB if cooler thickness decides it. No figure for the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT.
How much recommended power supply you need
Here recommended power supply runs from 700W on the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend to 550W on the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB. The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB is the pick for recommended power supply. No figure for the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB.
Memory
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT list GDDR6; the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB list GDDR7. Settle this first, then compare prices.
Power connector
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend lists 2 x 8-pin; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB lists 1 x 8-pin. Rule out the mismatches before looking at price.
How to Choose a GPUs for VR Gaming
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Getting white-and-silver Steel Legend finish for the least money | ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend | The lowest price of the group at our last check |
| Buyers who want 32 compute units | ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB | 32 compute units |
| Buyers who want three TORX Fan 5.0 fans | MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X | Three TORX Fan 5.0 fans |
| Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler | XFX Swift RX 9070 XT | An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler |
| Spending more for the fullest feature set | ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | The top of this price range, adding a quiet/performance dual BIOS |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend leads on video memory at 16GB, ahead of the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at 16GB. "Not listed" means the maker leaves that figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend | RX 7800 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2-slot |
| MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X | RTX 5070 | 12GB | GDDR7 | Not listed |
| XFX Swift RX 9070 XT | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | RTX 5060 Ti | 16GB | GDDR7 | 2.5-slot |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend was the lowest-priced pick and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB the highest when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| About $250 to $500 | ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend |
| About $500 to $1000 | ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, XFX Swift RX 9070 XT, ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB ahead of the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB on cooler thickness?
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes out best at 2-slot, with the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at 2.5-slot. The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT don't state a figure, so they sit outside this comparison.
Which has the lowest recommended power supply: the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB or the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend?
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes out best at 550W, with the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at 700W. The MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB don't state a figure, so they sit outside this comparison.
What makes the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend the Lowest Price Here?
It earns the label for the lowest price of the group at our last check. It suits getting white-and-silver Steel Legend finish for the least money.
Do the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB differ on GPU?
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend uses RX 7800 XT; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses RX 9060 XT; the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses RTX 5070; the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT uses RX 9070 XT; the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB uses RTX 5060 Ti.
What should I check before buying the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB?
The ASUS Dual RTX 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 Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB with the maker. In this guide it ranks fifth of 5, as our Premium Pick pick.
Beyond the specs, what sets the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB apart?
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend: a white-and-silver Steel Legend finish. The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB: 32 compute units. The MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X: three TORX Fan 5.0 fans.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, chosen for the lowest price of the group at our last check. Look at the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB for 32 compute units, the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X for three TORX Fan 5.0 fans and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT for an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler if those matter more to you.
Check your headset's connector; some older ones need a USB-C or DisplayPort adapter.