I'm shopping for new components and have found some decent deals, but I'm unsure whether to buy now or wait for the next generation of hardware. I haven't followed recent release news closely, and I'm not sure whether another launch is actually near or what kind of performance improvement to expect. From what I remember, the jump from the RTX 4060 to the RTX 5060 was fairly modest, while higher-end cards saw more meaningful gains. Since I usually shop at the budget or entry-level end of the market, would waiting likely be worthwhile, or should I take advantage of current deals and build now?
3 Answers
The RTX 5060 is roughly a 20% improvement over the 4060, so it’s an upgrade, but not necessarily a reason to replace a working card. For a new budget GPU, the RX 9060 XT 8GB may offer better value. If you’re comfortable buying used, an RX 6800 or RX 7700 XT could also be worth considering.
There isn’t enough reliable information about the next generation’s release date or performance to make waiting a clear choice. If you need the system soon and find a good deal, buying now is probably the safer option. Otherwise, you can wait, but it would be speculative rather than based on confirmed improvements.
Budget graphics cards have become much less appealing compared with older generations. Cards that used to offer plenty of memory and performance for under $250 now cost considerably more, so current pricing matters more than the product name. If newer entry-level cards are close to or above your local budget, waiting for a sale or considering a used midrange card may be the better move.
That’s my problem too. In my area, the RTX 5060 and RX 9060 XT are difficult to find below about 500 CAD, while the only new options under that price are much weaker cards like the RTX 3050.
That makes sense. I mainly wanted to check whether I had missed any confirmed news about the next generation.