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I recently tested some 8 GB vs 16 GB graphics cards, and came away with some disappointing news. Yes, overall, 8 GB GPUs are usually slower than their 16 GB equivalents. Sometimes significantly. So what's the point in buying one?
Well, you can save a whole lot of cash, that's why. And that's particularly true when you look at this PNY RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB for $350 at Amazon this Prime Day (if you're not a Prime member, you can also pick it up for $350 at Newegg after using a rebate card).
This particular GPU came out of my testing looking rather good for its MSRP—because while it's slower than the 16 GB version, it's still pretty speedy. And with this discount? It's seriously good value.
Especially when you consider the cheapest RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB we can find right now is a whole $190 more, which is silly money to pay for a "budget" card. And the 16 GB AMD RX 9060 XT is $80 more expensive at $430, too.
Now, I like the RX 9060 XT 16 GB a lot, and it's a faster GPU. But it has to be said, FSR 4 support has been very slow to roll out, while Nvidia's DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution and Multi Frame Generation chops have gone from strength to strength.
At this level, you need good upscaling and frame gen support to keep the image quality (and frame rates) high in the demanding stuff. And the little Nvidia card has that down. AMD's FSR 4? It's pretty good, but the game support is patchy at best.
Cyberpunk 2077 - VRAM usage and performance
In-game testing, Ultra RT settings
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB | 84 Avg FPS, 56 1% Low FPS, 9.28 Avg. VRAM |
| RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB | 78 Avg FPS, 42 1% Low FPS, 7.44 Avg. VRAM |
| RX 9060XT 16 GB | 86 Avg FPS, 68 1% Low FPS, 10.67 Avg. VRAM |
| RX 9060 XT 8 GB | 68 Avg FPS, 36 1% Low FPS, 7.69 Avg. VRAM |
I'm tempted by the RX 9060 XT 16 GB for this kind of money, I really am. But I think, for the better upscaling support and the $80 saving, I'd get the little RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB instead.
And no, I wouldn't go for the RX 9060 XT 8 GB. It simply can't keep up with the 8 GB Nvidia GPU overall, making it a poor value proposition by comparison.
Yes, 8 GB of VRAM is a limiting factor, particularly when you up the resolution and settings. But the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB still pumps out some good frame rates even when its VRAM is topped out—and for $350, I think it's a great deal compared to the rest of the market right now.
If I had more cash to splash, I might go for the 16 GB AMD card. Perhaps. Or this RTX 5070 12 GB for $550 at Newegg, if I could stretch that far. But if money was really tight and I needed an upgrade today, I'd jump on the little RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB without a huge amount of thought. And if you want a canny deal, I reckon you should, too.
👉Shop all the Amazon Prime Day graphics card deals right here👈
1. Best overall: AMD Radeon RX 9070
2. Best value: AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB
3. Best budget: Nvidia RTX 5050
4. Best mid-range: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
5. Best high-end: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090
