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The Intel Core i5-12500 was a low-cost alternative to the 12600 and the 12600K back in the Alder Lake lineup. The processor has been replaced by the newer Core i5-13500, but you can still get your hands on the 12th-generation chip. It continues to pack enough processing power to handle the latest hardware in the market. Coupled with the recent price cuts, this is a fantastic option for budget gamers.
Choosing the best option among the dozens of cards available in the market is a chore, especially if you know little about what the GPUs bring to the table.
To help you pick the right one, we will list the best graphics cards that are great to pair with the i5-12500. We will cover various prices to cater to all users.
The Intel Core i5-12500 is built for the budget graphics cards in the market
5) AMD Radeon RX 7600 ($269)
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The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is a new 1080p gaming graphics card focused on the budget gaming market. It's faster than the last-generation RX 6600 and the RTX 3060 and packs some serious rendering power enough for most modern video games.
It also brings the full stack of RDNA 3 technologies, like improved ray tracing and power efficiency, on a limited budget. The GPU is based on the Navi 33 GPU with 2,048 shading units. The graphics card bundles 8 GB of VRAM, which hasn't been improved from the last-generation offering. Such factors make this graphic card a recommended pairing for the Core i5-12500.
Pros:
- The RX 7600's biggest selling point is its affordable price tag: $269.
- It is powerful enough to handle all modern AAA titles at 1080p. Moreover, you get FSR 3 upscaling and ray tracing with it.
Cons:
- The 7600 is slower than the Nvidia RTX 4060, which also targets a similar price tag at $300.
- AMD's ray tracing and upscaling performance is worse than Nvidia GPUs.
4) Nvidia RTX 3060 12 GB ($299)
The Nvidia RTX 3060 12 GB is the most popular GPU in the market, according to Steam Hardware Survey charts, and that's for a reason. It ticks every box for the perfect budget graphics card and has a wow factor with 12 GB of VRAM. Currently, you can pick up the graphics card for $280-$290; this price gets cheaper during sales and promotions. This earns it a spot on the list of recommendations for the Core i5-12500.
For starters, the graphics card is based on the GA106 GPU. With 3,584 CUDA cores, it is a massive upgrade over the last-generation RTX 2060. In many ways, the 3060 gets close to the RTX 2080 in terms of performance. The graphics card has also been touted to be equivalent to the PlayStation 5. When paired with the i5-12500, you can play most games at 1080p without hiccups. Some even run at 1440p.
Pros:
- The RTX 3060 brings top-notch performance and the Nvidia guarantee on a budget.
- Almost no other video card bundles 12 GB of VRAM at this price, not even the newer 40 series alternatives.
Cons:
- The 3060 misses out on DLSS 3 and frame generation that the newer 4060 and 4060 Ti have.
3) Nvidia RTX 4060 ($299)
The RTX 4060 is the latest budget 1080p video gaming card from Team Green. It brings the improved features of the Ada Lovelace architecture to Nvidia's most popular series, making it a formidable alternative to the competition and older offerings like those listed above. The graphics card forms a near-perfect pair with the Intel Core i5-12500, earning it a spot on this list.
Regarding specs, the GPU is based on the severely cut-down AD107 graphics processor. The core count has been slashed compared to the last-generation 3060, and so has the memory buffer. It now packs 8 GB of VRAM, equal to the competition. However, the added support for DLSS 3 makes the difference.
Pros:
- The 4060 is capable enough of playing the latest video games at 1080p.
- The GPU bundles support DLSS 3 with frame generation and are capable of ray tracing-heavy workloads.
Cons:
- In terms of rasterization performance, the GPU isn't a massive upgrade over the last-generation 3060.
- The VRAM buffer has been slashed to 8 GB from 12 GB in the 3060.
2) Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB ($399)
The Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti is the bigger brother of the 4060, replacing the 3060 Ti. The card also targets 1080p gaming but is also quite capable at 1440p resolutions. Moreover, you get support for DLSS 3 with frame generation and the latest ray tracing capabilities, making it a fantastic mid-range option for the Core i5-12500.
The 4060 Ti also shares the same AD106 graphics processor as the 4060. However, the CUDA core count has been boosted to 4,352, over 33% more than the 4060. The video card shares a similar 8 GB GDDR6 video memory buffer for the $400 variant. Nvidia also sells a 16 GB variant for $500, but that isn't particularly value for money for budget CPUs like the i5-12500.
Pros
- The video card can play most modern video games at 1080p and 1440p.
- The added support for DLSS 3 with frame generation makes it lucrative.
Cons
- The 4060 Ti's rasterization performance hasn't improved compared to the 3060 Ti.
- At $400, it is one of the most expensive mid-range graphics cards.
1) Nvidia RTX 4070 ($599)
The Nvidia RTX 4070 is a 1440p gaming graphics card that shares DNA similar to the last-generation 3070. With the AD104 GPU and 5,888 CUDA cores on board, it targets no compromises gaming experiences at the resolution. This makes it one of the higher-end cards we recommend for the Core i5-12500. You can expect unparalleled performance on the GPU for years to come at both QHD and 4K resolutions.
The RTX 4070 is also bundled with 12 GB of fast GDDR6X video memory. Moreover, you get DLSS 3 with frame generation and competitive ray tracing performance. It is faster than the last-generation 3080 Ti and gets close to the 3090 in terms of overall performance. All of this also means the card is a bit expensive. It's selling for $600 right now.
Pros
- The 4070 delivers no-compromises 1440p and 4K gaming.
- You also get support for DLSS 3 with frame generation and advanced ray tracing.
Cons
- At $600, it is one of the more expensive recommendations for the i5-12500.
- The cheaper RX 7800 XT beats the graphics card in some scenarios.
We have included the best options from various price ranges. Although the cards differ in what they bring to the table, the Core i5-12500 can form a superb and modern gaming rig with these graphics cards installed.
Some of them are the latest offerings in the market, bringing advanced efficiency and performance capabilities. We recommend choosing the best option depending on your budget. However, none of these options will disappoint you in the latest games.
