With AMD and NVIDIA transitioning their focus towards the 60-series graphics cards, the mid-range market is silently gaining momentum. Manufacturers like GIGABYTE and MSI are taking notable initiatives to gear up for the anticipated launches of the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti and Radeon RX 9060 XT cards. These GPUs, aimed at the budget-conscious segment, carry not only the enthusiasm of gamers but also signal a fresh round of price-to-performance competition.

GIGABYTE has been proactive, registering two Radeon RX 9060 XT models with the Korea Radio Research Agency (RRA) - the Gaming Edition and Gaming OC Edition, both available in 8GB and 16GB memory configurations. Previously, ASUS completed similar registrations, suggesting that GPUs based on the RDNA 4 architecture are nearing market readiness. The RX 9060 XT is expected to feature a Navi 44 chip, with a 128-bit memory interface and GDDR6 memory, achieving an effective rate of 20Gbps and a memory bandwidth up to 320GB/s. Its energy consumption is maintained below 225W, with a single 8-pin power supply connector, recommending a 500W power supply for standard operation and 550W for overclocked versions. In terms of video output, the card provides one HDMI 2.1 and two DP 2.1a interfaces, catering to mainstream multi-screen needs.

Simultaneously, GIGABYTE and MSI are advancing their RTX 5060 Ti product portfolios. GIGABYTE has registered seven RTX 5060 Ti variants, including Gaming, AERO, AORUS, WindForce, and Eagle editions, all equipped with 16GB of memory. Meanwhile, MSI is preparing nine 16GB versions that cover diverse cooling designs and overclocking choices. Although the 8GB edition's registration details aren't available yet, it's plausible that manufacturers have those models ready, anticipating a concurrent release with the 16GB version. The RTX 5060 Ti is engineered around NVIDIA's GB206 chip featuring 4608 CUDA cores, paired with 128-bit width GDDR7 memory running at 28Gbps, boosting the bandwidth to 448GB/s. Compared to its predecessor, the RTX 4060 Ti, bandwidth has improved by up to 55%, with a power draw set at 180W, utilizing a single 8-pin power design.

Pricing is expected to be competitive, with the RTX 5060 Ti rumored at $399 and $499 for the 8GB and 16GB versions respectively. The RX 9060 XT's pricing remains unconfirmed, though market speculation pegs the 16GB variant around CNY 3,000 and the 8GB version possibly as low as CNY 2,200, continuing AMD's traditional price/performance approach. Both cards are clearly positioned to appeal to 1080p and 1440p gamers while catering to the demand for light AI computations.

The RTX 5060 Ti is slated for a May 15 release, with retail availability coinciding with this date. While the RX 9060 XT's launch date remains undisclosed, AMD assures it will debut within Q2, potentially aligning closely with the RTX 5060 Ti's release. Additionally, the RTX 5060 series includes a non-Ti variant expected to feature 8GB of GDDR7 memory, a reduced CUDA core count of 3,072, lowered power use at 115W, and is scheduled for a June release.

From a performance viewpoint, the RTX 5060 Ti benefits from GDDR7 memory, excelling in bandwidth, ideal for texture-loaded high-resolution scenes. Test results indicate a roughly 15% frame rate enhancement in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p ultra-quality settings compared to the previous generation, with a 20% boost in ray tracing capabilities.

Regarding cooling designs, GIGABYTE's RTX 5060 Ti and RX 9060 XT both employ dual-fan setups with WindForce technology to ensure stability in mid-range models. MSI introduces the Ventus and Gaming X series for high-frequency overclocking, satisfying performance enthusiasts. Both cards support the PCIe 5.0 interface, with bandwidth comparable to PCIe 4.0 x16 despite an 8-channel design, promising future upgrade potential.

Current information suggests that the RTX 5060 Ti holds an edge over the RX 9060 XT in memory capacity, bandwidth, and power efficiency. However, competitive pricing from AMD might yet sway the market in unexpected ways.