Buying Guide

The Best Graphics Cards for 1080p Gaming

Five graphics cards for 1080p gaming, from the RTX 5050 to the RTX 5060 Ti, compared on memory, cooler size and outputs.

By , PC Hardware Editor

12 min read5 products evaluated

PC components laid out on a workbench ready for a build
Illustrative image

1080p is still the most common gaming resolution, and it asks the least of a graphics card. An 8GB card can handle it well at tuned settings, so the choice comes down to refresh rate, budget and cooler size.

We built this list by researching maker specifications and listings, not by running our own benchmarks. For frame rates, check independent reviews of your games.

Quick Picks

Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.

  1. Best for 1080p

    ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB

    An RTX 5060 with GDDR7 in a 2.5-slot, SFF-Ready card.

    Best for: 1080p high-refresh gaming.

    Check price for ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  2. Best AMD for 1080p

    ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Steel Legend 8GB OC

    An RX 9060 XT with a triple-fan cooler and 3320MHz listed boost.

    Best for: 1080p on AMD with quiet cooling.

    Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Steel Legend 8GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  3. Fastest 1080p Pick

    ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC

    The RTX 5060 Ti, the highest GPU tier here.

    Best for: 240Hz 1080p monitors.

    Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  4. Best Previous-Generation Value

    Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G

    An RX 7600 with three WINDFORCE fans.

    Best for: 1080p on a lower budget.

    Check price for Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  5. Lowest-Priced 1080p Card

    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5050 WINDFORCE OC 8G

    An RTX 5050 at the lowest price here at the time of writing.

    Best for: Entry 1080p builds.

    Check price for GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5050 WINDFORCE OC 8G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Our Picks

Best for 1080p1 of 5

ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB

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

1080p high-refresh gaming.

Skip if

Look at the others if this bothers you: 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5060 8GB

Why we like it

You get an RTX 5060 gpu here, which sets it apart from the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce and its an RTX 5050 gpu. Like the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, it has GDDR7 memory, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend uses GDDR6 memory. It is the only pick here with a 2527MHz (OC mode) boost clock; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend has a 3320MHz boost clock instead.

It also offers 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. When we checked, only the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and cheaper picks cost less, and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB cost more.

Key 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 ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing

Best AMD for 1080p2 of 5

ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Steel Legend 8GB OC

ASRock's RX 9060 XT Steel Legend 8GB uses a triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop and a reinforced metal backplate.

Best for

1080p on AMD with quiet cooling.

Skip if

Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games is a problem.
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Steel Legend 8GB OC

Why we like it

Its 3320MHz boost is the highest among these cards. You get an RX 9060 XT gpu here, which sets it apart from the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce and its an RTX 5050 gpu. Like the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 uses GDDR7 memory.

It is the only pick here with a 3320MHz boost clock; the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 has a 2527MHz (OC mode) boost clock instead. It also offers 20Gbps memory on a 128-bit bus. No dimensions are published for the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.

Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend with the maker. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce was closest.

Key specs

GPU
RX 9060 XT
VRAM
8GB
Memory
GDDR6
Boost clock
3320MHz
Outputs
DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

Pros

  • Triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop
  • Reinforced metal backplate
  • 20Gbps memory on a 128-bit bus
  • RX 9060 XT gpu, the only one here

Cons

  • 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games

The catch

If you want a confirmed cooler thickness, look to the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 instead: it comes in at 2.5-slot, while this one gives no figure.

Fastest 1080p Pick3 of 5

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC

The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB is the fastest chip here and suits high-refresh 1080p.

Best for

240Hz 1080p monitors.

Skip if

Look at the others if this bothers you: 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC

Why we like it

Its 3.1-slot cooler is large for this class, so check the slot below. It shares GDDR7 memory with the ASUS Prime RTX 5060; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend goes with GDDR6 memory. A 2692MHz (OC mode) boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend uses a 3320MHz boost clock.

You also get military-grade components and a protective PCB coating. The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB occupies 3.1 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 TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB with the maker. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the ASUS Prime RTX 5060.

Key specs

GPU
RTX 5060 Ti
VRAM
8GB
Memory
GDDR7
Thickness
3.1-slot
Boost clock
2692MHz (OC mode)

Pros

  • Faster GDDR7 memory
  • Military-grade components
  • Protective PCB coating
  • The ASUS GPU Guard

Cons

  • 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
  • Its 3.1-slot cooler covers the slots below
  • Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing

Best Previous-Generation Value4 of 5

Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G

Gigabyte's RX 7600 Gaming OC is a previous-generation card with three WINDFORCE fans and a metal backplate.

Best for

1080p on a lower budget.

Skip if

Pass on it if 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games rules it out for your setup.
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8G

Why we like it

It has two DisplayPort 2.1 outputs and one HDMI 2.1. No other pick in this guide offers an RX 7600 gpu; compare the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, which has an RTX 5060 Ti gpu. It shares GDDR6 memory with the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend and Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce; the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB goes with GDDR7 memory.

It also offers 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 third of 5, between the cheaper Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce and the pricier ASUS Prime RTX 5060, at the time of writing.

Key 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
  • RX 7600 gpu, the only one here

Cons

  • 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
  • Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing

The catch

The maker doesn't give its cooler thickness; if that figure matters, the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 comes in at 2.5-slot.

Lowest-Priced 1080p Card5 of 5

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5050 WINDFORCE OC 8G

Gigabyte's RTX 5050 Windforce is the cheapest way into DLSS 4 here.

Best for

Entry 1080p builds.

Skip if

Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games is a problem.
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5050 WINDFORCE OC 8G

Why we like it

The maker publishes few details, so confirm size and power needs on Gigabyte's page. An RTX 5050 gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend uses an RX 9060 XT gpu. Like the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend and Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 uses GDDR7 memory.

It also comes with a dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler and a PCIe 5.0 interface. No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte RTX 5050 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 5050 Windforce with the maker. It was priced above the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend and below the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC at the time of writing.

Key specs

GPU
RTX 5050
VRAM
8GB
Memory
GDDR6

Pros

  • Dual-fan WINDFORCE cooler
  • PCIe 5.0 interface
  • RTX 5050 gpu, the only one here
  • An RTX 5050 at the lowest price here at the time of writing

Cons

  • 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
  • Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing

The catch

It gives ground on video memory, where the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 offers 8GB.

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 circuit board on the back of a graphics card
The circuit board on the back of a graphics card
How these picks were ranked
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 ASUS Prime RTX 5060 to the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce, state GPU, video memory and memory.
Where the specs have gaps
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend, the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce give no cooler thickness; the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce give no boost clock.
Price range
At our last check the picks ran from the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend ($250 to $500) to the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB ($500 to $1000).

What to Look for in a GPUs for 1080p

Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.

  1. Cooler thickness

    The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 tops cooler thickness at 2.5-slot and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB sits lowest at 3.1-slot. If cooler thickness is your first filter, the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 sets the ceiling at 2.5-slot. The ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend, the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce give no cooler thickness figure, so 2 of 5 picks are compared here.

  2. Memory

    The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB list GDDR7; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend, the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce list GDDR6.

    A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die
    A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die
  3. Boost clock

    The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 lists 2527MHz (OC mode); the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend lists 3320MHz; the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB lists 2692MHz (OC mode). Settling boost clock first narrows 3 picks to 1 or 1 or 1.

  4. Fit and compatibility

    The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 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 ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.

  5. Extras that separate them

    The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB: a protective PCB coating. The Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC: RGB Fusion lighting. The Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce: a PCIe 5.0 interface.

How to Choose a GPUs for 1080p

By priority

PriorityConsiderWhy
1080p high-refresh gamingASUS Prime RTX 5060An RTX 5060 with GDDR7 in a 2.5-slot, SFF-Ready card
1080p on AMD with quiet coolingASRock RX 9060 XT Steel LegendAn RX 9060 XT with a triple-fan cooler and 3320MHz listed boost
240Hz 1080p monitorsASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GBThe RTX 5060 Ti, the highest GPU tier here
1080p on a lower budgetGigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OCAn RX 7600 with three WINDFORCE fans
Entry 1080p buildsGigabyte RTX 5050 WindforceAn RTX 5050 at the lowest price here at the time of writing

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Key specs side by side

The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 leads on cooler thickness at 2.5-slot, ahead of the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB at 3.1-slot. "Not listed" marks cooler thickness where the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend, the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce leave the figure out.

CardGPUVRAMMemoryThickness
ASUS Prime RTX 5060RTX 50608GBGDDR72.5-slot
ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel LegendRX 9060 XT8GBGDDR6Not listed
ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GBRTX 5060 Ti8GBGDDR73.1-slot
Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OCRX 76008GBGDDR6Not listed
Gigabyte RTX 5050 WindforceRTX 50508GBGDDR6Not listed

Scroll sideways to see every column.

By price at the time of writing

The ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend was the lowest-priced pick ($250 to $500) and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB the highest ($500 to $1000) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.

Price tierCards
About $250 to $500ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend, Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce, Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC, ASUS Prime RTX 5060
About $500 to $1000ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has the slimmest cooler thickness: the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 or the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB?

Between the top two, it is 2.5-slot on the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 against 3.1-slot on the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, a 19% difference. The ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend, the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce don't state a cooler thickness figure, so they sit outside this comparison; 2 of 5 picks are ranked.

Why is the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC our Best Previous-Generation Value pick?

The label rests on an RX 7600 with three WINDFORCE fans. It makes sense for 1080p on a lower budget.

Do the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend differ on GPU?

The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 uses RTX 5060; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend uses RX 9060 XT; the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB uses RTX 5060 Ti; the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC uses RX 7600; the Gigabyte RTX 5050 Windforce uses RTX 5050.

Will the Gigabyte RX 7600 Gaming OC work with my setup?

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. In this guide it ranks fourth of 5, as our Best Previous-Generation Value pick.

What extras do the ASUS Prime RTX 5060 and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend include?

The ASUS Prime RTX 5060: a quiet/performance dual BIOS switch. The ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend: a triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop. The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB: military-grade components.

Bottom Line

The ASUS Prime RTX 5060 is the 1080p card for most people, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Steel Legend is the AMD alternative, and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti suits 240Hz monitors.

The Gigabyte RX 7600 and RTX 5050 Windforce keep costs down for entry builds.

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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