After rebuilding my desktop in 2022 with a new AMD Ryzen 5 5600 processor, EVGA 650 GA power supply, and ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-PLUS motherboard in an mATX case, I held onto my aging GTX 1060 6GB from 2016. While this card has served me well, the recent switch to dual 1440p monitors has made it clear an upgrade is overdue. My gaming preferences include titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, Cities Skylines 2, No Man’s Sky, and strategy games such as Civilization, along with occasional action RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2. I don’t require max settings, ray tracing, or frame rates above 60 FPS, but I’d like to comfortably run games at high settings without compromise.
With a flexible budget of up to $500, I’m seeking a mid-tier GPU that pairs well with my existing components and offers solid future-proofing. I’m open to both AMD and NVIDIA options, as I have no brand allegiance, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the array of choices like the RX 7800 XT, RX 6800, and potential upcoming releases. Any recommendations for a card that balances performance, value, and compatibility with my setup would be greatly appreciated.
I also upgraded from a GTX 1060 recently—that card really was a trooper! Since you mentioned Cities Skylines 2 and a $500 budget, I’d suggest looking at an RTX 4060 or RX 7600 XT; I went with the latter and it handles 1440p strategy games smoothly. What’s your top priority among the games you listed?
It’s great to hear from another GTX 1060 veteran—that card truly is a legend! For your mix of games, especially with Cities Skylines 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 in mind, I’d prioritize a GPU with strong rasterization performance and ample VRAM, making the RX 7600 XT a solid choice as you noted. I’d recommend checking out some recent 1440p benchmarks for those specific titles on YouTube to see real-world performance before deciding. Let me know which way you’re leaning or if you have any other questions!