With the rise in RAM prices caused by the growth of AI-focused companies, you might be adjusting your budget right now to upgrade or even build your gaming PC.
Games have also become much more demanding, so if you do not have a big budget but still want to play most AAA titles with good visual quality, today I will show you two graphics cards available for under $400.
These are the RTX 5050 and the RTX 5060, two GPUs developed by Nvidia. They include new technologies that help boost performance without sacrificing visual quality, mainly through DLSS 4 and even DLSS 4.5, and likely future versions like DLSS 5, which has already sparked some debate among gamers.
What does DLSS mean?
Before getting into the RTX 5050 and RTX 5060, you are probably wondering what DLSS actually means, since it is a key technology many Nvidia users rely on to improve both visuals and FPS.
DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling. It allows a game to render at a lower resolution, and then AI upscales it to a higher resolution with much better accuracy compared to older upscaling methods.
For example, if a game runs at 60 FPS in 1080p, moving up to 1440p might drop it to around 40 to 50 FPS. But with DLSS 4 enabled, the game renders at a lower resolution and gets upscaled to 1440p, so you might end up seeing 60 to 80 FPS without actually rendering everything at native 1440p.
In my case, this is very useful because I use a 1440p monitor, so running games at 1080p does not look great.
DLSS can be pushed even further, but that is usually not necessary, especially since it can introduce more noticeable visual issues in some cases.
Nvidia RTX 5050
Now let’s talk about the RTX 5050, which is currently the most affordable graphics card in the RTX 5000 series. It comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which is more than enough to handle demanding games at 1080p with high settings.
For example, in Crimson Desert, released on March 19, 2026, the RTX 5050 can run the game at 1080p at around 60 FPS with DLSS 4.5 enabled and ultra settings. This is one of the most graphically demanding games, so it gives you a good idea of what this card can do. Even as an entry-level GPU, it can handle almost any modern game at solid performance.
Where to buy the RTX 5050? Available here on Amazon.
Nvidia RTX 5060
Even though the price difference is not that big, the RTX 5060 is, in my opinion, the better buy. In many cases, you can find it at nearly the same price as the RTX 5050, so if you get that opportunity, I would not think twice.
Like the RTX 5050, it also comes with 8 GB of VRAM, but this time it uses GDDR7 instead of GDDR6. In theory, it can be up to 30 percent more powerful, so in most games you will have no problem playing at 1440p instead of 1080p. It is still not really meant for 4K gaming, even with the extra power.
I was honestly surprised by its performance in Crimson Desert. It reached an average of 124 FPS at 1080p with DLSS 4 enabled and 2x frame generation. This is another example of how powerful DLSS 4 can be on the RTX 5000 series.
Where to buy the RTX 5060? Available here on Amazon.
Which one is worth it: RTX 5050 or RTX 5060?
If I were looking for an entry-level graphics card that performs well both now and in the long run, I would go straight for the RTX 5060. The reason is simple: it offers better performance for almost the same price, especially if you find a good deal.
If the price gap increases significantly in the future, then the RTX 5050 would still be a very solid option to experience Nvidia’s DLSS technology.