Graphics Card Release: AMD's RX 9060 Offers Unwarranted Oversight, Yet Caters Perfectly to the Demands of Gamers
The AMD Radeon RX 9060 Non-XT is set to enter the graphics card market, facing competition from the Intel Arc B580, Nvidia's RTX 5060, RTX 5060 Ti, and potentially the RTX 5050.
This budget-oriented GPU, exclusively available through prebuilt systems by select system integrators, boasts 28 RDNA 4 compute units (CUs), 1,792 streaming processors (SPs), and 64 TOPs. However, it uses slower memory modules than the XT versions, offering 288GB/s of bandwidth compared to the 307.2GB/s offered by the RX 9060 XTs.
Despite its lower power requirement, with a TDP of 132 watts, the RX 9060 Non-XT is not expected to perform well in demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 on max settings.
The success of the RX 9060 Non-XT will largely depend on its pricing. If priced competitively, it could potentially be more than just a budget GPU; it could be a cheap GPU, which the market needs at the current state. A price point of $239 could make it a true budget-friendly GPU, offering alright 1080p performance under $250.
However, the RX 9060 Non-XT's price is currently only implicit as part of prebuilt PC pricing, and no MSRP for an individual purchase exists yet. Enthusiasts wanting this product must currently look to prebuilt systems rather than the aftermarket GPU market.
In the saturated market, the RX 9060 Non-XT needs to stand out. The RTX 5050, with GDDR6 memory, might be a performance target for the RX 9060, while the RTX 5060 could be an option as well. The current market trend of GPUs selling near their MSRPs could lead to intense competition for the RX 9060, not just from rivals like Intel and Nvidia, but also from AMD's own range.
The Intel Arc B580, priced near its MSRP of $249, has been the reviewer's favorite GPU of the year, offering undeniable value. Above $250, the RX 9060 doesn't make much sense, given the availability of the RTX 5060 for $299.
The launch date, location, and price of the RX 9060 Non-XT are currently unknown. Stay tuned for updates on this budget-focused GPU.
The AMD Radeon RX 9060 Non-XT, with its budget orientation, could find itself in the midst of technology's latest gadgets, as it goes head-to-head with competitors like the Intel Arc B580 and Nvidia's RTX 5060, 5060 Ti, and potentially the RTX 5050. Its success, however, may hinge on its pricing strategy, with a competitive price point of $239 potentially making it an attractive choice for those in search of a wallet-friendly yet decent performing gadget.
