I'm considering the Sapphire Radeon RX 9060 XT with 16GB GDDR6 to pair with my Intel i5-14600k/kf for 1080p gaming, particularly for titles like CS2. It's somewhat cheaper than the lowest-priced 5060 Ti 16GB available in my area. Should I go for the 9060 XT, or is it worth it to pay extra for the 5060 instead?
5 Answers
If your motherboard doesn’t support PCIe Gen5, I'd advise against picking a PCIe x8 card, as the 5000 series below the 5070 are x8. The AMD cards are x16, and that does make a difference for performance overall.
Actually, isn’t the 9060 x16?
The 5060 Ti outperforms the 9060 XT by about 45% in CS2 at 1080p, and even more as you push to higher resolutions. If you're looking for higher frame rates, it might be worth spending more on that upgrade.
That’s exactly my point! It seems like a no-brainer for those who want better performance.
But keep in mind, CS:GO can run on low-end systems, so don't underestimate the 9060 XT.
CS2 places more importance on having a solid CPU over a GPU. Your 14600KF paired with a 5060 could still perform well. However, if you want the best, the 5060 Ti 16GB is a solid choice. From my experience with an RX 9070, I can say Nvidia usually handles CS2 better than AMD does.
The RX 9060 XT is a strong performer across the board, regardless of the brand. In my experience, it can handle 1080p ultra settings smoothly and even dips into 1440p without too much hassle. I'm actually looking to upgrade to the 9060 XT from my RX 6600, although I think it might be overkill for 1080p at the moment, so I'm holding off for now.
I got my Sapphire Pulse 9060 XT at launch, and it's incredible! It runs cool and quiet, and the hottest it gets is around 79°C under full load. Totally love it!
Definitely grab one now; you can upgrade to 1440p later!
For playing CS2 specifically, Nvidia cards tend to perform better, especially at settings above medium. If you plan to play on low or medium, then the 9060 XT can still provide decent performance. I’m currently using a 14600KF with a 9060 XT and it works just fine!
The 9060 XT should be more suited for your needs than the 5060!