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- Cheap GPUs are getting good and good GPUs are getting cheap.
- The RTX 4060 and RX 7600 are the best sub $250 GPUs.
- If you’re willing to go used, the RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 4070 Super are the best options.
It’s 2025 and GPU prices look all set on penetrating the ozone layer. No, I’m not even exaggerating this time. It’s a shame to say that GPU prices never truly recovered in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What was once considered painfully expensive for a flagship GPU is now deemed as a reasonable price point for upper midrange GPUs. No, it’s not right, but it is what it is. Of course, I can’t objectively classify as to what amount YOU in particular should be spending on a GPU for your gaming PC.
That’s because gamers are typically split into two different camps, i.e., the average Joe who’ll be happy with 60+ FPS in 1080p at High settings versus the hardcore enthusiasts who absolutely need triple-digit FPS in 1440p or even 4K at Ultra settings to drive their high refresh rate monitors.
As such, the definition and subsequently price of a satisfactory GPU will vary from gamer to gamer. Nevertheless, I’m still going to attempt to justify the reasonable limit for spending on GPUs in 2025 which should somewhat satisfy the needs of both types of gamers.
Breaking News: Nvidia’s RTX 5000 Launch Proves My Point
I’m sure you’re already well-versed with the recent unveiling of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5000 Series GPUs. For now, the cheapest GPU in the lineup is the RTX 5070 with an MSRP of $550.
Interestingly, Nvidia claims that the RTX 5070 can match the outgoing (and much more expensive) flagship GPU, i.e., the RTX 4090 thanks to advancements in the silicon giant’s DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) Technology.
However, I’d advise you to take this news with a grain of salt as you’ll need to enable DLSS 4.0 in order to have any possibility of rivaling the RTX 4090’s performance. Even so, it’s pretty groundbreaking to realize that a next-generation midrange $550 GPU has the technical potential to outgun a previous-generation flagship $1,600 GPU.
As I’m sure you’ve put two and two together, this is exactly why I’m advocating for the fact that $500 is plenty of money to be spending on a GPU in 2025.
What Kind Of GPU Does $500 Get You In 2025?
Let’s assume you’re the frenzied competitive gamer who needs upwards of 240 FPS to sync your frame rates with your high refresh rate monitors. If you’re into such hardcore gameplay, it’s safe to say you’ll be gaming in 1080p at High or Ultra settings.
As such, you’ll find that you can easily find a brand new RTX 3070 Ti or even an RTX 4060 Ti from a reputable vendor for under $500. Both of these GPUs are easily capable of pushing 144-240+ FPS at 1080p in the latest gaming titles and you won’t be running out of power anytime soon.
Even better, both these GPUs are relatively efficient when it comes to their power consumption as opposed to the power-hungry flagship GPUs like the RTX 3090/RTX 4090.
What About Used GPUs?
Here’s where things get a bit more interesting. If you’re willing to buy a used GPU, you’ll be able to easily pick up an RTX 2080 Ti, an RTX 3080 Ti, and even an RTX 4070 Super for under 500 bucks.
Of course, you might miss out on the manufacturers’ warranties, but these GPUs are still relatively new and packed with almost all of Nvidia’s latest technological architectures and hardware, so it’s not too much of a risk.
AMD GPUs: Are They Worth Considering?
It would be incredibly unthoughtful of me to write an article advocating for people to spend less money on GPUs without discussing what AMD has in store for us.
While Team Red is struggling to compete with Nvidia at the higher-end tiers of the GPUs’ hierarchy, that doesn’t mean they don’t make a good budget GPU.
In fact, I genuinely think that the Radeon RX 7800 XT and Radeon RX 7600 are some of the best budget GPUs that money can buy, provided they’re competitively underpriced in contrast to their Nvidia counterparts.
Next Generation GPUs: The Future Is Budget-Friendly
The battle for the best next-generation GPUs has already started with Intel taking the covers off of its Arc ‘Battlemage’ GPUs, i.e., its B-Series lineup consisting of the B570 and B580 which are priced at $220 and $260, respectively.
These discrete GPUs from Intel look set to give the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 a tough run for their money, which will only increase competition and ultimately benefit the consumer, i.e., you in terms of value propositions.
Furthermore, AMD has also announced the brand new Radeon RX 9000 Series of GPUs based on the company’s proprietary RDNA4 architecture.
The aforementioned RX 9060 and RX 9070 Series GPUs are still awaiting their launch, but Nvidia should expect stiff competition in the entry-level to midrange market segment.
To conclude, spending more than $500 on a GPU in 2025 really doesn’t make sense to me unless you’re in the game (no pun intended) for bragging rights.
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[Wiki Editor]
Ali Rashid Khan is an avid gamer, hardware enthusiast, photographer, and devoted litterateur with a period of experience spanning more than 14 years. Sporting a specialization with regards to the latest tech in flagship phones, gaming laptops, and top-of-the-line PCs, Ali is known for consistently presenting the most detailed objective perspective on all types of gaming products, ranging from the Best Motherboards, CPU Coolers, RAM kits, GPUs, and PSUs amongst numerous other peripherals. When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Ali meddling with mechanical keyboards, indulging in vehicular racing, or professionally competing worldwide with fellow mind-sport athletes in Scrabble at an international level. Currently speaking, Ali has completed his A-Level GCEs with plans to go into either Allopathic Medicine or Business Studies, or who knows, perhaps a full-time dedicated technological journalist.
Get In Touch: alirashid@tech4gamers.com
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