The 9060 XT has climbed to around £500, so I'm wondering what other graphics cards offer better 1440p performance for roughly the same money. I'm still fairly new to PC hardware, so I'd appreciate advice on both new and used options. If the 9060 XT is still the best choice at this price, I'm happy to stick with it.
5 Answers
A used RTX 3080 Ti could also fit under £500 and would still be powerful at 1440p, but it uses considerably more power and may have less appealing long-term features than newer cards. A used RTX 4070 Super is generally a safer, more efficient choice if you can find one at a reasonable price.
The Intel Arc B580 is a much cheaper alternative, often below £300. It can handle 1440p well in many games, including several newer titles, but it isn’t as consistently strong as the higher-end options. It makes more sense if you want to save money rather than spend the full £500.
The RX 9070 GRE is probably the best value recommendation here, followed by the RX 9070 if you can spend a little more. I’d avoid rushing into an older 30-series card unless the price is excellent, since newer games and features may make it feel dated sooner. Compare benchmarks and make sure the card fits your case and power supply before buying.
If you’re willing to buy used, look for an RX 7800 XT, RX 7700 XT, RTX 4070, or RTX 4070 Super. These can offer very good 1440p performance, although check the condition, warranty, power requirements, and seller carefully before buying.
I’m open to buying used, so I’ll compare those models and check the listings properly.
The RX 9070 GRE looks like the strongest option near this budget. It’s only around £40 more than the 9060 XT in some listings but can be roughly 30% faster, making it a much better fit for 1440p. If you can stretch closer to £590, a standard RX 9070 may also be worth considering, especially if it includes a game bundle.
I recently picked up a 9070 GRE for about £400 and it has been excellent. Most games run comfortably at 1440p, and it can even handle plenty of titles at 4K with sensible settings.
I’ve used a B580 at 1440p for games such as Forza Horizon and Indiana Jones, and it performs well on high settings. The most demanding games may need some settings reduced, but it’s a surprisingly capable budget card.