I'm upgrading from an RX 580 and want to play essentially any current game at 1080p and around 60 FPS using high settings, or medium settings in especially demanding titles. I'm not interested in relying on FSR or frame generation—I'd prefer straightforward GPU performance. Ray tracing support is important for compatibility, although I don't need excellent ray-tracing performance. My system has a Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB of RAM, and a 550W power supply. I'd prefer an AMD card, ideally with more than 8GB of VRAM, but I'm open to Nvidia or Intel if they offer significantly better value. My target budget is around $300, though I can stretch it if necessary, and I'm comfortable buying used. Games I'm interested in include Spider-Man 2, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Invincible VS, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds.
4 Answers
If you want to spend less, a used RX 6600 or RX 6600 XT can still deliver a solid 1080p experience. The RX 6600 is a good value around $150–$200, but the 6700 XT is the better choice if you want more headroom for newer games and higher settings.
The RX 6750 XT is also worth watching for, and a used RX 6800 or 6800 XT could be excellent if you find one near $300. Those cards provide plenty of VRAM and raw performance for 1080p, though you should check that your 550W power supply is a quality unit and has the necessary connectors.
For new cards under $300, options such as the RTX 5050 or Intel Arc B570 may be worth comparing, although the best choice depends on current pricing and game support. Used cards generally offer better performance per dollar in this range. Also keep in mind that the Ryzen 5 5500 may be the limiting factor in some CPU-heavy games, so a GPU upgrade alone cannot guarantee a perfectly steady 60 FPS everywhere.
That’s helpful. I hadn’t considered that the Ryzen 5 5500 could hold back the frame rate in some games, even though it should be fine for most 1080p gaming.
A used RX 6700 XT is probably the strongest fit for your budget. You can often find one around $200–$250, and its 12GB of VRAM gives it a better long-term outlook than many 8GB cards. It should handle 1080p at 60 FPS very well without depending on upscaling.
I’m seriously considering this and may save for a larger upgrade later. It seems like a good middle ground.
I was close to buying an RX 6600, but I’m wondering whether spending a little more on a 6700 XT would be worthwhile. I’d rather avoid upgrading again too soon.