5 best budget 1080p gaming GPUs in 2025

Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are actively manufacturing 1080p gaming GPUs in 2025. The resolution is quite sharp for the entry level while being forgiving on rendering hardware, making it a sweet spot for players who don't have a lot of money to splurge.

However, it's important to choose the right card to ensure you have the best upscaling, ray tracing, and raw rasterization capabilities. With the overwhelming number of options, getting the best GPU can be a bit of a chore.

To help you choose the greatest 1080p gaming GPUs effortlessly, we have compiled this list of five ideal cards for the resolution.

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1080p gaming GPUs are selling for cheap in 2025

1) Intel Arc B580 ($249)

The Intel Arc B580 12 GB is a capable 1080p gaming GPU (Image via Amazon)

The Intel Arc B580 12 GB is the latest launch from Team Blue. It is designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming without compromises at an affordable price tag of $249. This makes it the cheapest current-gen card you can buy, which is great for gamers on a tight budget.

Feature	Specification
GPU Architecture	Intel Xe-HPG
Memory	12 GB GDDR6
Memory Interface	192-bit
Base Clock	2.1 GHz
Ray Tracing	Yes (Hardware-accelerated)

Based on the revised Battlemage architecture, you get improved ray tracing, upscaling, and stable drivers with the Intel Arc B580 12 GB. With 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, the card is future-proof too. In terms of rendering potential, expect it to be about as good as the RTX 2060 Super or the Radeon RX 6600.

Pros:

1. Priced competitively at $249, making it a strong budget option
2. 12 GB of GDDR6 memory handles larger textures well
3. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing enhances visuals in supported games

Cons:

1. Occasional driver issues and less consistent game optimizations
2. Smaller ecosystem with fewer developer optimizations
3. Struggles with high frame rates in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077

Buy on Amazon

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2) AMD Radeon RX 7600 ($270)

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is pretty capable at 1080p (Image via AMD)

Another fantastic sub-$300 entry is the AMD Radeon RX 7600. While this card is a generation old, it still packs serious 1080p gaming capabilities. Our tests at 1440p revealed that it punches above its weight. Paired with decent hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and FSR 3 frame generation, you can max out pretty much any game at FHD.

Feature	Specification
GPU Architecture	RDNA 3
Memory	8 GB GDDR6
Memory Interface	128-bit
Base Clock	2.25 GHz
Ray Tracing	Yes (Hardware-accelerated)

Specs-wise, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 is based on the Navi 33 graphics chip. However, AMD has skimped on the VRAM. You get a limited 8 GB GDDR6 buffer on a narrow 128-bit bus. Despite this limitation, the card is about 13% faster than the Arc B580 on average across titles in 1080p gaming.

Pros:

1. RDNA 3 delivers strong performance for 1080p and 1440p gaming
2. Offers excellent value for money compared to Nvidia alternatives
3. Power-efficient design leads to quieter and cooler operation

Cons:

1. Ray tracing performance lags behind Nvidia cards
2. 8 GB of VRAM may limit performance at higher resolutions
3. Lacks AI features like DLSS, limiting visual enhancements

Buy on Newegg

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3) Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ($299)

The Nvidia RTX 4060 continues to be a strong 1080p gaming GPU (Image via Amazon)

Although a generation old now, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 continues to be a strong $300 1080p gaming GPU. These days, you can get it for a bit less, making it worthwhile for mid-range players. The card is about as fast as the RTX 2080 and, like the RX 7600, handles major titles at both 1080p and 1440p.

Feature	Specification
GPU Architecture	Ada Lovelace
Memory	8 GB GDDR6
Memory Interface	128-bit
Base Clock	1.83 GHz
Ray Tracing	Yes (Hardware-accelerated)

In terms of rendering capabilities, the RX 7600 almost matches the RTX 4060. The added benefits are better ray tracing capabilities, access to DLSS 3 frame generation, and a slightly higher memory bandwidth. You also get CUDA, which is more potent for light AI model training tasks.

Pros:

1. DLSS 3 boosts performance without sacrificing visual quality
2. Superior ray tracing performance compared to AMD alternatives
3. Nvidia’s mature ecosystem ensures consistent game optimization

Cons:

1. 8 GB VRAM may struggle with demanding titles at higher resolutions
2. Price-to-performance ratio is not as competitive as AMD’s offerings
3. Struggles with 4K gaming, even with DLSS 3

Buy on Amazon

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4) AMD Radeon 7600 XT ($390)

The AMD RX 7600 XT is still a competitive option for FHD (Image via Amazon)

AMD has made their 1080p gaming cards pretty alluring — the RX 7600 XT bundles 16 GB VRAM at just $320, for instance. In terms of the rendering potential, the GPU isn't much faster than the original 7600, as it shares the same Navi 33 graphics chip. The extra VRAM, however, helps future-proof your setup and deliver better 1% and 0.1% lows in demanding titles.

Feature	Specification
GPU Architecture	Ada Lovelace
Memory	16 GB GDDR6
Memory Interface	128-bit
Base Clock	1.83 GHz
Ray Tracing	Yes (Hardware-accelerated)

In terms of the on-paper specs, you get the same Navi 33 chipset with 2,048 Shading Units. This effectively ties the GPU with the RX 7600. The only difference is in the size of the memory buffer and the power requirements: you get double the VRAM for a 35W higher power draw.

However, the memory bus is severely limited at 128 bits, keeping the bandwidth pretty low (288 GB/s). In terms of rendering potential, expect the card to match the Nvidia RTX 2080 Super.

Pros:

1. 16 GB of GDDR6 memory provides an advantage in memory-intensive games
2. RDNA 3 offers efficient power usage for high performance
3. Excels in 1440p gaming with smooth performance at high settings

Cons:

1. Ray tracing performance is behind Nvidia’s RTX cards
2. Priced higher than competing options like the RTX 4060
3. Less stable driver support compared to Nvidia

Buy on Newegg

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5) Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB ($430)

The RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB is among the best 1080p GPUs (Image via ZOTAC)

The Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti is the latest creation from Team Green. It is available in two variants: $379 for 8 GB and $429 for the 16 GB. We recommend the latter for better longevity and performance in demanding titles. Based on the new Blackwell architecture, you get access to cutting-edge ray-tracing and DLSS 4 multi-frame generation, which future-proofs the package beyond its raw rendering capabilities.

Feature	Specification
GPU Architecture	Blackwell
Memory	16 GB GDDR6
Memory Interface	256-bit
Base Clock	2.1 GHz
Ray Tracing	Yes (Hardware-accelerated)

In terms of native rendering capabilities, the card isn't any faster than the last-gen RTX 4070, which is a bummer. The extra VRAM would only kick in a year or two down the line as games get more demanding. It is primarily limited by a narrow 128-bit bus and the severely cut-down hardware powering the GPU.

However, if you have $430 to spend and don't want to upgrade for the next three to four years, the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB is the best 1080p gaming GPU you can buy.

Pros:

1. 16 GB of VRAM ensures future-proofing for high-resolution gaming
2. DLSS 3 and strong ray tracing deliver top-tier visuals and performance
3. Handles 1440p and 4K gaming smoothly at higher settings

Cons:

1. Expensive for its performance class, making it less cost-effective
2. Ray tracing at ultra settings can still be demanding in the most taxing titles

Buy on Newegg

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These are some of the best 1080p gaming GPUs you can buy today. The costlier options, namely the 7600 XT and the 5060 Ti, are designed with longevity in mind. If you can upgrade every couple of years, there are fantastic options available for under $300.