NVIDIA
Budget
GeForce RTX 5060
Fine at 1080p today. The 8GB buffer is a countdown timer.
Launch MSRP $299 (2025). Street prices move daily; the links open live listings. Amazon links may earn us a commission.
8GB GDDR7
Memory8GB GDDR7
MSRP$299
Board power145W
Released2025
Will it run your models?
VRAM meter8GB
8B5GB
14B9GB
24B14GB
32B20GB
70B40GB
Local AI fit: 7B-8B class models. Rule of thumb for 4-bit quantized models; context length and other apps eat into the same memory.
Why you buy it
- Cheapest current NVIDIA card
- 145W runs on modest power supplies
- DLSS support
Why you hesitate
- 8GB VRAM limits new titles and rules out AI work
- B580 offers more memory for less money
The editor's take
The performance is decent for $299 and DLSS stretches it further. But 8GB in 2026 is a compromise you feel in new releases already, and it rules out any serious local AI use. Intel's B580 gives you 12GB for $50 less; the NVIDIA tax here buys you DLSS and driver polish, nothing more.
Who it's for: 1080p gamers on a strict budget who want a new card with warranty and DLSS, and who accept that 8GB is a near-term ceiling.