I've been using an RTX 2060 since 2019, mainly for 1080p competitive games such as CS2, Valorant, PUBG, and DOTA 2. It has served me well, but I'm considering an upgrade, especially with newer games like GTA 6 on the horizon. My current system has a Ryzen 7 5700X, 32GB of RAM, a B350 motherboard, and a 500W be quiet! Pure Power 10 PSU. I'm currently choosing between the RTX 5060, RTX 5060 Ti, and RX 9060 XT. I'm leaning toward the RX 9060 XT, but I haven't owned an AMD card before. Is the RTX 5060 Ti's feature set and pricing worth choosing over the RX 9060 XT for this system?
5 Answers
For 1080p, the RX 9060 XT should deliver good performance for the money. Nvidia cards do have useful features and drivers, but current pricing often means you’re paying a large premium for them. I’d only choose the 5060 Ti if you find the 16GB model at a particularly good price.
If you’re spending enough to consider a 5060 Ti, it’s worth comparing it with the RX 9070 XT as well. In many regions they cost surprisingly close to each other, while the 9070 XT offers substantially higher performance and can approach the level of much more expensive cards.
The 16GB RX 9060 XT is the sensible budget choice. Nvidia’s pricing is difficult to justify unless a 16GB 5060 Ti is actually cheaper than the AMD option. For newer single-player games or possible 1440p gaming, I’d strongly favor 16GB of VRAM over 8GB.
For mostly competitive gaming, the RX 9060 XT is probably the best value. The RTX 5060 Ti mainly makes sense if you specifically want Nvidia features, and those features may not justify the extra cost for straightforward 1080p gaming.
If you decide on the 5060 Ti, make sure it’s the 16GB version. Otherwise, the RX 9060 XT 16GB is generally the better value. Also compare current prices before buying, since a discounted Nvidia card could change the recommendation.
The 5060 Ti can be faster in some situations, but it’s hard to justify paying an extra couple hundred dollars for that difference. At similar prices, it becomes much more competitive.