Nvidia’s next generation of graphics cards, the 5000 series, is set to be unveiled throughout Q1 of 2025. Based on the Blackwell architecture, these highly anticipated GPUs will feature the latest memory technology, GDDR7. While the big daddy of the lineup, the RTX 5090, is expected to get 32GB of VRAM, it seems like Nvidia won’t give the same treatment to the entry-level model, the RTX 5060.
According to leaks and rumors from WCCFTECH about the RTX 5060, it will get a measly 8GB of VRAM, which doesn’t make much sense in 2025. The story isn’t so bad for the 5060ti, which is speculated to come with 16GB of VRAM. This is all we know for now, but for any leaks and rumors, take it with a grain of salt. Intel’s latest Battlemage GPU, the Arc B580, packs a modest 12GB of VRAM, and the upcoming counterparts from AMD are expected to follow suit. This begs the question: will the Nvidia RTX 5060 be worth considering over its rivals?
Why Is Low VRAM An Issue?
While that doesn’t mean the 8GB RTX 5060 won’t run modern triple-A titles, users must make sacrifices in certain circumstances. Rendering complex textures and running games with ray-tracing turned on will munch away VRAM like Wimpy gobbles up hamburgers. Poorly optimized games also use the lack of VRAM as their scapegoat. Generally speaking, less VRAM comes with sacrifices in graphics quality, which hurts the GPU’s future-proofing expectations.
Compared to the current generation of GPUs, the 5060ti will launch with 16GB of GDDR7 memory instead of 8GB, although Nvidia did release a 16GB variant of the 4060ti later. It’s just that we don’t need to wait for the VRAM bump this time. The memory bandwidth of 128-bit won’t change for both the upcoming GPUs, which is another letdown for Team Green.
What Does This Mean For Nvidia?
As much as we hate to say this, hardcore Nvidia fans are still going to buy this over much better offerings from AMD and Intel. Those of us who are active on Reddit know that this was the trend with the 4060 and the 4060ti as well, where users would not care much about the whole VRAM predicament.
Those who are more open to weighing their options should wait for the upcoming AMD Radeon 8600XT launching in January 2025 at CES. Although much information isn’t available on the specs of that card, we expect it to go head-to-head with the RTX 5060/5060ti.
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For $250, one can pick up the Intel Arc B580, which beats the RTX 4060 in 1080p gaming and is an amazing bargain for performance. Considering AMD has shifted its focus towards the entry-level and enthusiastic gaming market, Nvidia needs to produce something special with the 5060/5060ti.
The cards are speculated to launch towards the end of Q1 2025 with no confirmed dates yet. As this GPU targets the lower end of the market, pricing can be expected to be between $300-$400 for the RTX 5060 and $100 for the RTX 5060ti. With aggressive pricing, higher clock speed, a higher GPU core count, and an optimized TDP, Nvidia can position the 5060 lineup to challenge its rivals.
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