Product Info MSI GeForce RTX 5060 Ti Gaming Trio OCApril, 2025 TypeGraphics Card Price$429 US It's been two years since NVIDIA introduced its Ada Lovelace GPUs, kicking things off with the RTX 4090 and finishing up the initial lineup with the SUPER family At CES, the company unveiled its new RTX 50 "Blackwell" family which features a brand new architecture and several changes such as new cores, AI accelerators, new memory standards, and the latest video/display capabilities. NVIDIA recently released its 5th entry within its "RTX 50" portfolio, the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti. The GeForce RTX 5060 Ti is positioned in the mainstream segment, with the green team promising great value for gamers at a starting MSRP of $429 for the 16 GB models. Today, we will be trying out the MSI GeForce RTX 5060 Ti Gaming Trio OC, which retails at the MSRP of $429 US. NVIDIA GeForce GPU Segment/Tier Prices Graphics Segment20252023-20242022-20232021-20222020-20212019-20202018-20192017-2018 Titan TierGeForce RTX 5090GeForce RTX 4090GeForce RTX 4090GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 3090Titan RTX (Turing)Titan V (Volta)Titan Xp (Pascal) Price$1999 US$1599 US$1599 US$1999 US $1499 US$1499 US$2499 US$2999 US$1199 US Ultra Enthusiast TierGeForce RTX 5080GeForce RTX 4080 SUPERGeForce RTX 4080GeForce RTX 3080 TiGeForce RTX 3080 TiGeForce RTX 2080 TiGeForce RTX 2080 TiGeForce GTX 1080 Ti Price$999 US$999 US$1199 US$1199 US$1199 US$999 US$999 US$699 US Enthusiast TierGeForce RTX 5070 TiGeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPERGeForce RTX 4070 TiGeForce RTX 3080 12 GBGeForce RTX 3080 10 GBGeForce RTX 2080 SUPERGeForce RTX 2080GeForce GTX 1080 Price$749 US$799 US$799 US$799 US$699 US$699 US$699 US$549 US High-End TierGeForce RTX 5070GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GeForce RTX 4070GeForce RTX 4070 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16 GBGeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 2070 SUPERGeForce RTX 2070GeForce GTX 1070 Price$549 US$599 $549$599 US $499 US$599 $499$599 $499$499 US$499 US$379 US Mainstream TierGeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GBGeForce RTX 4060 Ti GeForce RTX 4060GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GeForce RTX 4060GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GeForce RTX 3060 12 GBGeForce RTX 3060 Ti GeForce RTX 3060 12 GBGeForce RTX 2060 SUPER GeForce RTX 2060 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER GeForce GTX 1660GeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 1060 Price$429 US $379 US$449 $299$399 US $299 US$399 US $329 US$399 US $329 US$399 US $349 US $279 US $229 US $219 US$249 US$249 US Entry TierGeForce RTX 5060RTX 3050 8 GB RTX 3050 6 GBRTX 3050RTX 3050GTX 1650 SUPER GTX 1650GTX 1650 SUPER GTX 1650GTX 1050 Ti GTX 1050GTX 1050 Ti GTX 1050 Price$299$229 $179$249 US$249 US$159 US $149 US$159 US $149 US$139 US $109 US$139 US $109 US NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Gaming Graphics Cards With Blackwell, NVIDIA is going full-on into the AI segment with loads of optimizations & AI-specific accelerators. The Blackwell GPU does many traditional things that we would expect from a GPU, but simultaneously breaks the barrier when it comes to untraditional GPU operations. To sum up some features: New Streaming Multiprocessor (SM) New 5th Gen Tensor Cores New 4th Gen RT (Ray Tracing) Cores AI Management Processor Max-Q Mode for Desktops & Laptops New GDDR7 High-Performance Memory Subsystem New DP2.1b Display Engine & Next-Gen NVENC/NVDEC 2 of 9 The technologies mentioned above are some of the main building blocks of the Blackwell GPU, but there's more within the graphics core itself, which we will talk about in detail, so let's get started. Contents Next page

Key Takeaways AMD’s RX 9060 XT is set to launch on June 5th, 2025 in both 8GB and 16GB versions under the same name, creating confusion and backlash. Reviewers and gamers say 8GB of VRAM isn’t enough for modern gaming, especially at 1440p. AMD’s decision to showcase only the 16GB model in benchmarks raised concerns about transparency. This move mirrors Nvidia’s controversial RTX 4060 Ti rollout, suggesting an industry trend of misleading GPU marketing. It all started with a new GPU announcement. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT is set to launch, and on paper, it looks like a solid move. A $349 graphics card with 16GB of VRAM? Not bad. That’s more memory than some RTX 4070 cards. Sounds like AMD might finally be delivering some value again, right?  Well, yes and no.  Because right alongside that 16GB version, AMD is also releasing an 8GB version for $299. Same name, same chip, half the memory. And that’s where the internet lost it.  Déjà Vu: We’ve Seen This Trick Before If this sounds familiar, it’s because Nvidia pulled the same move with the RTX 4060 Ti.  They sold both 8GB and 16GB versions with the same branding, but a $100 price difference. The RTX 4060 Ti 8GB launched in May 2023, and the 16GB variant followed in July.  Source: Nvidia Gamers hated the confusion. Reviewers criticized the 8GB version’s lack of performance, especially in memory-heavy games, and the way Nvidia tried to sweep the difference under the rug.  Performance dipped significantly at 1440p, and stuttering was a problem even in some 1080p titles. The backlash was swift. Tech media slammed Nvidia for deceptive marketing, and buyers were left second-guessing which version they were getting.  We’ve seen this pattern before in Nvidia’s review restrictions around the RTX 5060, where early coverage was shaped by what reviewers were allowed to test – and what they weren’t.  It led to a mess of misinformation, bad value perceptions, and a very clear message: don’t confuse your customers. So naturally, AMD did it too.  It’s like watching two billion-dollar companies playing a game of ‘Who Can Confuse the Customer More.’ It’s not just about the money. It’s about trust, and AMD just dumped a bunch of it off a cliff.  Frank Azor Lights the Fuse on X The backlash started when AMD’s Director of Gaming Marketing, Frank Azor, took to X to defend the 8GB card.  He said that most gamers don’t need more than 8GB of VRAM and that the cheaper card still serves the mainstream crowd just fine.  It’s the same reasoning Nvidia used last year with the RTX 4060 Ti. That didn’t work then, and it isn’t working now.  Because when Steve from Hardware Unboxed sees a bad take like that, you know a flamethrower video is coming. And oh boy, did it come.  Hardware Unboxed Fires Back The backlash against AMD’s 8GB RX 9060 XT took off after a post from Hardware Unboxed on X called out the company’s defense of limited VRAM.  In response to AMD’s claim that most gamers don’t need more than 8GB of memory, Hardware Unboxed accused them of misleading buyers and building weaker products just to hit certain price points. The criticism gained traction fast. Tech YouTuber Vex picked up the story and added fuel to the fire by showing side-by-side gameplay comparisons.  In multiple games, the 8GB RX 9060 XT showed serious performance issues – stuttering, frame drops, and VRAM bottlenecks – while the 16GB version handled the same titles smoothly.  And yet, during the GPU’s official reveal, AMD only showed performance data for the 16GB card. There were no benchmarks for the 8GB version – not a single chart. That omission wasn’t lost on anyone. If AMD truly believed the 8GB model held up under modern gaming loads, they would have shown it. The silence speaks volumes.  Why This Actually Matters You might be thinking: ‘So what? Some games still run fine on 8GB. I only play Valorant.’ Sure. But the problem is bigger than that. Source: AMD Games are getting heavier. Even titles like Cyberpunk 2077, released in 2020, can eat up more than 8GB of VRAM. And with GTA 6 (still) on the horizon, do you really think game developers are going to keep optimizing for 8GB cards in 2025? That’s not how game development works. Developers target the most common setups, yes. But hardware also shapes software.  If everyone’s stuck with 8GB, games will be designed around that limit. That holds back progress for everyone.  It’s like trying to make a movie with a flip phone because some people still own one. Same Name, Different Game Another big issue is how these cards are named and sold.  The RX 9060 XT 16GB and RX 9060 XT 8GB are not clearly labeled as different products. They’re just two versions of the same GPU.  But that extra memory makes a huge difference.  In some games, the 8GB card performs dramatically worse. And yet, unless you know what to look for, you might walk into a store and buy the 8GB version thinking you’re getting the same performance.  You’re not. You’re getting a watered-down version with the same name and a silent asterisk. This isn’t just AMD’s Problem Nvidia started this mess with the 4060 Ti naming confusion. AMD just saw the outrage and decided to walk straight into the same buzzsaw.  It’s hard not to feel like both companies are treating consumers like they’re too dumb to notice. Spoiler: they noticed. And this whole ‘VRAM doesn’t matter’ argument? It’s already been debunked by dozens of reviewers.  If you’re spending over $300 on a graphics card in 2025, it needs to last more than a year or two. 8GB cards are already struggling. Buying one now is like buying a smartphone in 2025 with 64GB of storage. Sure, it works. Until it doesn’t. Steam Data Doesn’t Help AMD’s Case AMD and Nvidia both love to point at the Steam Hardware Survey. They say, ‘See? Most people still play at 1080p.’ And that’s true – for now. Source: Nvidia But what they leave out is that 1440p gaming is growing fast. More gamers are upgrading their setups because 1440p monitors are getting a lot more affordable.  Take the Pixio PXC277 Advanced, for instance – a 27-inch curved 1440p monitor with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, all for $219.99. A few years ago, a screen like that would’ve cost you double. Now it’s entry-level. Gamers are ready to step up their experience. The only thing holding them back is GPU hardware that’s still stuck in 2020.  Planned Obsolescence in Disguise Here’s the worst part. Companies know full well that 8GB won’t cut it in 2026.  But they still sell it, knowing many gamers will only find out when it’s too late – when the stutters kick in, the textures disappear, or the next big title becomes unplayable. It’s planned obsolescence disguised as ‘choice.’ And while it’s great to have options at different price points, it should be clear which option is built to last – and which one is built to frustrate.  So, Is AMD Actually Screwed?  Not right now. In fact, they’re playing the game better than they used to.  They’ve learned from past pricing disasters and figured out how to get better launch-day headlines – even if it means faking the MSRP and letting street prices run wild.  But this kind of marketing comes at a cost. If AMD keeps making decisions that prioritize short-term wins over long-term trust, they’ll lose the very crowd that once rooted for them.  We don’t need two Nvidias. We need AMD to be different – to be better.  One Name, Two Very Different Cards The RX 9060 XT 16GB might be a good deal. But it’s being overshadowed by the 8GB version’s drama. And the longer AMD keeps playing games with memory and naming, the more it chips away at its hard-earned goodwill.  This whole mess could’ve been avoided with one simple move: name the 8GB card something else. Call it the RX 9055. Call it Lite or whatever. Just don’t make it look like the same card when it isn’t.  Until then, buyers beware. There’s more going on behind the box art than meets the eye.  Anya Zhukova is an in-house tech and crypto writer at Techreport with 10 years of hands-on experience covering cybersecurity, consumer tech, digital privacy, and blockchain. She’s known for turning complex topics into clear, useful advice that regular people can actually understand and use.  Her work has been featured in top-tier digital publications including MakeUseOf, Online Tech Tips, Help Desk Geek, Switching to Mac, and Make Tech Easier. Whether she’s writing about the latest privacy tools or reviewing a new laptop, her goal is always the same: help readers feel confident and in control of the tech they use every day.  Anya holds a BA in English Philology and Translation from Tula State Pedagogical University and also studied Mass Media and Journalism at Minnesota State University, Mankato. That mix of language, media, and tech has given her a unique lens to look at how technology shapes our daily lives.  Over the years, she’s also taken courses and done research in data privacy, digital security, and ethical writing – skills she uses when tackling sensitive topics like PC hardware, system vulnerabilities, and crypto security.  Anya worked directly with brands like Framework, Insta360, Redmagic, Inmotion, Secretlab, Kodak, and Anker, reviewing their products in real-life scenarios. Her testing process involves real-world use cases – whether it's stress-testing laptops for creative workloads, reviewing the battery performance of mobile gaming phones, or evaluating the long-term ergonomics of furniture designed for hybrid workspaces.  In the world of crypto, Anya covers everything from beginner guides to deep dives into hardware wallets, DeFi protocols, and Web3 tools. She helps readers understand how to use multisig wallets, keep their assets safe, and choose the right platforms for their needs.  Her writing often touches on financial freedom and privacy – two things she strongly believes should be in everyone’s hands. Outside of writing, Anya contributes to editorial style guides focused on privacy and inclusivity, and she mentors newer tech writers on how to build subject matter expertise and write responsibly.  She sticks to high editorial standards, only recommends products she’s personally tested, and always aims to give readers the full picture.  You can find her on LinkedIn, where she shares more about her work and projects.  Key Areas of Expertise: Consumer Tech (laptops, phones, wearables, etc.) Cybersecurity and Digital Privacy PC/PC Hardware Blockchain, Crypto Wallets, and DeFi In-Depth Product Reviews and Buying Guides Whether she’s reviewing a new wallet or benchmarking a PC build, Anya brings curiosity, care, and a strong sense of responsibility to everything she writes. Her mission? To make the digital world a little easier – and safer – for everyone.  View all articles by Anya Zhukova Our editorial process The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors.

Pros Excellent cooling performanceBrilliantly designed front fan bracketsBeautiful lighting effects in tested Ambience Pro RGB versionElaborate, web-accessible software controls for lighting, fans Cons Only minimal dust filtrationHigh price for our Ambience Pro test model Fractal Design Meshify 3 Specs 120mm or 140mm Fan Positions 6 120mm to 200mm Fans Included 3 Dimensions (HWD) 20.1 by 9.1 by 17.2 inches Fan Controller Included? Front Panel Ports HD Audio Front Panel Ports USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2) Front Panel Ports USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Included Fan Lighting Color Addressable RGB Internal 2.5-Inch Bays 6 Internal 3.5-Inch Bays 2 Internal Chassis Lighting Color None Maximum CPU Cooler Height 173 Maximum GPU Length 349 Motherboard Form Factors Supported ATX Motherboard Form Factors Supported MicroATX Motherboard Form Factors Supported Mini-ITX PCI Expansion Slot Positions 7 Power Supply Form Factor Supported ATX Power Supply Maximum Length 180 Power Supply Mounting Location Bottom Side Window(s)? Yes (Tempered Glass) Weight 20.2 All Specs Fractal Design boosts its latest Meshify PC case with a trio of 140mm ARGB fans behind its now-iconic “crumpled mesh” front face. Starting at a mid-market $139.99 for its base model, the Meshify 3 also comes in upgraded versions with nifty extras that creep up the price. These include items like ARGB fan trim, ARGB side panel lighting, an ARGB strip surrounding the face panel, and even an ARGB controller that connects to the web. Taken together, all that can bump the price as high as the $219.99 MSRP for the deluxe, spectacular Ambience Pro RGB version of the case we tested. Whatever the feature mix you opt for, the case’s robust cooling performance shines. At the high end of the range, though, factor in the case’s biggest shortfall—its lack of inlet-air dust filtration—given what competitors deliver in $200-plus cases. Our current ATX tower favorite, the NZXT H7 Flow, isn't much better equipped with filters and isn't as striking as the Ambience Pro case in all its lit glory, but it costs much less.Design: A Crumpled ClassicPC-case feature trends have changed a bit in the eight years that Fractal Design has been putting its signature crumpled-mesh faces on classic mid-tower cases. (The aesthetic crumpling is easier to see in photos of the shinier black finish, such as the Meshify 2 we reviewed in 2021.) This latest version adds an air deflector at the front of the power supply shroud to force a bit more airflow past your hot graphics card. This Ambience Pro RGB variant’s feature set, as noted, has a USB-based ARGB controller, as well as lighting around the front face, along the bottom of the left side panel’s window, and on the three fans. Buyers willing to forgo most of the lit-up bling can get the basic “RGB” version with just the fan lighting for $159.99, and those willing to give up even that helping of ARGB can get the base “TG” version for $139.99. Our sample was in white; all three models are also available in black, and buyers who yearn for further simplification will find an additional “Solid” variant sold exclusively in black, with a painted steel panel on the left side in place of the window.Fractal Design has merged the headphone and microphone jacks of previous versions into a single four-pole connector on the Meshify 3. This connector functions as a normal headphone jack when one is plugged in; the extra pole serves the monaural microphone of a combined headset plug. Fractal also ditched the reset button of previous cases, but kept the twin USB 3 Type-A and a single Type-C port. And, this time around, the lighted power-on indicator ring that surrounds the power button is ARGB.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Though the mesh that covers the face and top panel could potentially filter out some inbound dust, the only part of the Meshify 3 that’s explicitly designed as a dust trap is under the power supply’s air inlet. Sliding out from the case’s side, it’s partially disguised as a portion of the rear case foot.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The Meshify 3’s back panel features a pattern of vent slots spaced to allow a fan to be screwed directly into the slots. Also back here are surface-mounted PCI Express expansion-card slots with replaceable covers, a plastic screw-tab cover with a built-in push tab at the bottom to ease its removal, and a removable power supply bracket that’s secured with two large knurled screws. Power supply insertion is through the case’s rear panel; the design lacks the space to slide in the power supply from the side.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Both side panels are secured at the top with snaps, and Fractal Design added a pair of tabs to make that task a little easier. Those tabs also have screw holes, enabling you to further secure your side panels against accidental removal.A nylon pull tab at the center of the top panel’s back edge serves a similar function. To release that panel and lift it off, you must first slide it back a quarter inch or so.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The front ARGB fans have 140mm frames, but there’s too little space behind them to mount a 420mm-format radiator vertically. That’s because radiator end caps tend to extend the total size by around 40mm (give or take 6mm).(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)On the other hand, those really motivated to place a radiator behind the front panel’s fans will find that a 360mm-format unit will work, but only by removing the 140mm fans and flipping the fan-mount brackets over. (They are visible in the image below.) Fractal Design’s brilliance shines through with these very basic sheet-metal brackets that flip to support either 120mm or 140mm fans without hindering airflow.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The top panel is fully removable to ease radiator installation and removal, but it does not benefit from the front panel’s design wizardry. While its straight-edged brackets will cover a portion of the fan’s blades when fans are mounted directly on them, its 330mm-plus of length is sufficient to support every 280mm-format radiator we can think of.Also, notice the removable cable shroud running up and down the case near the front. It is adjustable to fit motherboards up to 10.9 inches deep. That is less than the 13-inch max depth of Extended ATX, but it’s still sufficient to fit the slightly oversized enthusiast-class motherboard models that sometimes still get called EATX.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The lower front fan’s air deflector is removable and sits far enough above the case’s floor to be used in conjunction with a pair of 2.5-inch drive bays hidden beneath it. (We don’t even want to think about how we’d manage the cables in that configuration, however.)We removed the cable shroud for a clearer shot of this area. Keen observers might note the mounting slot for its lower edge at the top of the photo.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Two drive trays, three push-in cable clips, and the ARGB controller are all found behind the motherboard tray. The card bracket’s removable covers and the removable power supply bracket are shown in the image below detached and in front of the case, and the photo also shows the gap beneath the removable front fan duct into which some builders may want to install a pair of 2.5-inch drives.Recommended by Our Editors(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)More drive storage is visible here on the back of the motherboard tray. Configured from the factory to hold two 3.5-inch drives, these brackets on the back of the motherboard tray can be repositioned to hold four 2.5-inch drives instead.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Held in place by a hook-and-loop Velcro-style strap, the included ARGB controller has USB and PWM input on the top, proprietary combination connectors on the side, and an old-fashioned SATA power connector on its bottom to power it up.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Note that Fractal designed special outer shells on the proprietary ARGB/PWM combo connectors. This design is to prevent them from being mistakenly connected to anything USB Type-C, from which they appear to borrow their form. As with several others, this photo again shows the 10mm gap between the bottom panel’s 2.5-inch drive mounts and the underside of the front fan’s air guide.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)As for the controller box itself, here’s a shot of the connectors that we couldn’t see in the ARGB controller’s previous photos, including the SATA power inlet.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Of the two output cables we did see, one is for the case's chain of fans, and the other is for this version of the case’s “Ambience Pro” lighting. Four telescoping contact pins allow the front panel’s portion to separate easily from the rest of that latter cable without an awkward tether.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Building With the Fractal Design Meshify 3: Perfect Parts PacksFractal's accessory kits are hard to top in terms of neatness and clear labeling. Start with the screws: The Meshify 3 includes 24 M3 mounting screws, nine #6-32 screws to attach the motherboard to case standoffs, four #6-32 screws with hex/Phillips combo heads for power supply installation, and eight #6-32 shoulder screws for mounting 3.5-inch drives on damping grommets. (Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)You also get eight damping grommets, four cable ties, and an extra motherboard standoff. (But no extra screw for it! Such is life.) Our case being the Ambience Pro RGB version, it also includes a breakout cable that goes from the case’s proprietary ARGB/PWM connector to a standard ARGB strip and a standard PWM fan, along with an extension cable for the proprietary connector.Connecting the case to our motherboard are a power-button lead, an HD Audio header cable for the headset combo jack, a 19-pin USB 3.x for the Type-A ports, and a Gen 2x2 Type-E internal cable for the single Type-C external port. The case’s RGB controller also connects to one our motherboard’s USB 2.0 breakout headers and one of its PWM fan headers.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The white version of the Meshify 3 includes chrome hardware, but since our standard Asus ATX test motherboard is black, I flexed my design chops and used black screws to attach it. I can also divulge that I initially forgot to reinstall the cable shroud, which required me later in the build to remove the graphics card, install the shroud, and reinstall the card. Oops!(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The RGB controller uses a web interface to select its various lighting and fan modes, rather than forcing users to install software, and it stores those settings on the controller rather than leaving components in the OS. You can dictate a "startup" lighting effect separately from the regular run of lighting that the case cycles through. Using it allowed us to switch from the case’s soft blue default to something a little more, shall we say, festive.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The light controller’s “Sunset” mode looked like a softer variation of our CPU cooler’s Rainbow mode in this test. Nice.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Testing the Fractal Design Meshify 3: Cool It, ManToday’s build leverages the ATX hardware from our most recent case evaluation platform, including its full-sized Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W power supply and mid-size Corsair iCue H100i RGB Pro XT CPU cooler.Apparently, that little scoop that pushes air upward from the lower of the three front fans does have some positive effect on overall case temperature. Our CPU, motherboard (voltage-regulator), and GPU numbers all show slightly lower temperatures than its five most closely-matched recently reviewed rivals. (These include the Corsair Frame 4000D, the SilverStone Fara 514X, and the MSI Velox 300R.)And just in case you thought that Fractal Design might have gotten its high score by overspeeding its fans a bit…it didn’t. Fan noise is tied for second place in this test group, behind the Super Flower Zillion Direct.The biggest nit we can pick is that some of the Meshify 3’s airflow enhancement might be due to its lack of flow-restricting dust filters.

Product Info MSI GeForce RTX 5060 Gaming OCMay, 2025 TypeGraphics Card Price$369.99 It's been two years since NVIDIA introduced its Ada Lovelace GPUs, kicking things off with the RTX 4090 and finishing up the initial lineup with the SUPER family At CES, the company unveiled its new RTX 50 "Blackwell" family which features a brand new architecture and several changes such as new cores, AI accelerators, new memory standards, and the latest video/display capabilities. Today, NVIDIA releases its 6th entry within its "RTX 50" portfolio, the GeForce RTX 5060. The RTX 5060 is positioned in the entry-level segment, with an MSRP of $299 US and a factory-equipped 8 GB of VRAM, which might seem a bit too little for today's standards. Today, we will be trying out the MSI GeForce RTX 5060 Gaming OC, which retails for $70 US above the MSRP. NVIDIA GeForce GPU Segment/Tier Prices Graphics Segment20252023-20242022-20232021-20222020-20212019-20202018-20192017-2018 Titan TierGeForce RTX 5090GeForce RTX 4090GeForce RTX 4090GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 3090Titan RTX (Turing)Titan V (Volta)Titan Xp (Pascal) Price$1999 US$1599 US$1599 US$1999 US $1499 US$1499 US$2499 US$2999 US$1199 US Ultra Enthusiast TierGeForce RTX 5080GeForce RTX 4080 SUPERGeForce RTX 4080GeForce RTX 3080 TiGeForce RTX 3080 TiGeForce RTX 2080 TiGeForce RTX 2080 TiGeForce GTX 1080 Ti Price$999 US$999 US$1199 US$1199 US$1199 US$999 US$999 US$699 US Enthusiast TierGeForce RTX 5070 TiGeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPERGeForce RTX 4070 TiGeForce RTX 3080 12 GBGeForce RTX 3080 10 GBGeForce RTX 2080 SUPERGeForce RTX 2080GeForce GTX 1080 Price$749 US$799 US$799 US$799 US$699 US$699 US$699 US$549 US High-End TierGeForce RTX 5070GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GeForce RTX 4070GeForce RTX 4070 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16 GBGeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 2070 SUPERGeForce RTX 2070GeForce GTX 1070 Price$549 US$599 $549$599 US $499 US$599 $499$599 $499$499 US$499 US$379 US Mainstream TierGeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GBGeForce RTX 4060 Ti GeForce RTX 4060GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GeForce RTX 4060GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GeForce RTX 3060 12 GBGeForce RTX 3060 Ti GeForce RTX 3060 12 GBGeForce RTX 2060 SUPER GeForce RTX 2060 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER GeForce GTX 1660GeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 1060 Price$429 US $379 US$449 $299$399 US $299 US$399 US $329 US$399 US $329 US$399 US $349 US $279 US $229 US $219 US$249 US$249 US Entry TierGeForce RTX 5060RTX 3050 8 GB RTX 3050 6 GBRTX 3050RTX 3050GTX 1650 SUPER GTX 1650GTX 1650 SUPER GTX 1650GTX 1050 Ti GTX 1050GTX 1050 Ti GTX 1050 Price$299$229 $179$249 US$249 US$159 US $149 US$159 US $149 US$139 US $109 US$139 US $109 US NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Gaming Graphics Cards With Blackwell, NVIDIA is going full-on into the AI segment with loads of optimizations & AI-specific accelerators. The Blackwell GPU does many traditional things that we would expect from a GPU, but simultaneously breaks the barrier when it comes to untraditional GPU operations. To sum up some features: New Streaming Multiprocessor (SM) New 5th Gen Tensor Cores New 4th Gen RT (Ray Tracing) Cores AI Management Processor Max-Q Mode for Desktops & Laptops New GDDR7 High-Performance Memory Subsystem New DP2.1b Display Engine & Next-Gen NVENC/NVDEC 2 of 9 The technologies mentioned above are some of the main building blocks of the Blackwell GPU, but there's more within the graphics core itself, which we will talk about in detail, so let's get started. Contents Next page

Get Out / Us Limited Edition Steelbook Collection (4K Blu-ray) $26 (was $46) See at Amazon Nope: Collector's Edition (4K Blu-ray) $17 See at Amazon Jordan Peele 3-Movie Collection (Blu-ray) $19.47 (was $45) See at Amazon Jordan Peele fans can add a limited-edition 4K Blu-ray combo pack to their collection for cheap right now. Amazon has the Get Out / Us Double Feature: Limited Edition Steelbook discounted to only $26. Released last October with an MSRP of $46, this four-disc collection cleverly combines the memorable key art from both horror hits to create a unique display piece. The $26 price is a new all-time low for the Get Out / Us Steelbook. This deal is so good that you'd actually pay more for the 2019 version of the 4K Double Feature with a standard plastic case ($30).Get Out / Us Double Feature - Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)$26 (was $46)Continue Reading at GameSpot

Cases News Hyte's "Impossible" Case: X50 Ultra-High Airflow ChassisMay 27, 2025Last Updated: 2025-05-27We'll look at Hyte’s upcoming X50 PC case and delve into some of its engineering and manufacturing challengesThe HighlightsHyte is working on a new "X50" series of computer cases with strange, bubbly panel designs, and vibrant colorsThe case will have a high focus on airflowHyte wants to make the X50 one of the highest performing cases on the market, especially for the price, and will be launching it in the next few monthsOriginal MSRP: $120 (mesh variant), $150 (glass variant) Grab a GN15 All-Over Print Component Mouse Mat for a high-quality mousing surface that'll fit your keyboard & mouse. These mouse mats use a high-quality yellow rubber underside, a blue stitched border for fray resistance, and are covered in PC parts. This is the best way to support our work and keeps us ad-free to support consumer-first reviews!We visited Hyte’s office in Taiwan during Computex 2025 and the company showed us its upcoming X50 case. Externally, it’s very strange…in mostly good ways.We also met with Hyte Product Director Rob Teller, who walked us through the many challenges of creating the case’s unique curved panels.  Editor's note: This was originally published on May 18, 2025 as a video. This content has been adapted to written format for this article and is unchanged from the original publication.CreditsHost, WritingSteve BurkeCamera, Video EditingMichael GaglioneVitalii MakhnovetsWriting, Web EditingJimmy ThangAs Hyte explains, the case is not easy to make. For instance, examining the front panel, you see perforations continue around the edge but maintain some structural rigidity.The back also has louvered vents, which require a 3-step process to manufacture.The cases are expected to be $120 or $150, but the US price may be different, and we expect to review them.The thing that jumps out to us most about the X50 is really just the panels. They are essentially gigantic pieces of perforated metal. Most of the case is steel. It has a unique power supply shroud that looks like plastic but is also steel.The X50 does not include any fans and Hyte’s focus has been to make something that looks different and has an emphasis on performance. In terms of fan options, the X50 supports up to 3x120mm fans at the bottom, which has a filter underneath the case that you can simply pull off.  Hyte has fans that color match most of its models. The X50 also has side-intake options and front intake mounts. The case is heavily ventilated everywhere. Taking the front panel off and examining it, we noticed that it has a lot of perforations on the side, which looks like it would provide more access to air. One of the things that isn’t final for the cheaper $120 model, which has the mesh panel as opposed to the glass, is the presence of the grommets. Teller tells us that the grommets are “the most expensive part per volume of a case.” The product director says that they are trying to see if Hyte can get it in the cheaper variant, but says that since it will be covered by a mesh panel, people aren’t likely to notice its omission. The case has a very deep cable management channel. It also has drive support on the sides. Looking at the glass-panel variant, the glass is 4mm thick, which is gigantic. We’re told that it’s a “laminated acoustic glass.”The horizontal louvered vents on the back are mostly straight, even though they may not look like it on camera. There were 2 reasons for its design here. Hyte tells us it was for structural reasons and flow. We often talk about impedance to flow into a case, but impedance to flow going out doesn’t come up as much. There were a few instances in which we have brought it up, like in the Lancool 207 (read our review), where it has a really restricted airflow in one of its panels. In theory, being able to help the air exit faster should help with thermal performance. Hyte is trying to make a thermal performance chart topper and we’ll see how it does in our testing. Another thing worth pointing out is that the front IO ends up routing, basically, internally and kicks out towards the back side. This is coupled with a couple cable management velcro straps, which is a more standard feature. Hyte continues its louvered vents on the PCIe slots.Speaking with Teller, the product director emphasized how difficult it was to design and manufacture the case. He explained that, in general, round things are typically difficult to make, which is even more difficult to make out of steel. In the case of the X50, it has compound curves, which are curves in 2 directions. This is exemplified in the corners of the case. Explaining how it was produced, Teller stated that the metal is stamped with a 3-ton hydraulic press that has to come down very slow and smoothly. According to the product director, most case tooling uses a 1-ton press that comes down very quickly. He also points out that the yield contributes to the cost. This means Hyte’s yield is lower with the X50 and its production is more difficult.  Grab a GN15 Large Anti-Static Modmat to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and for a high-quality PC building work surface. The Modmat features useful PC building diagrams and is anti-static conductive. Purchases directly fund our work! (or consider a direct donation or a Patreon contribution!)Teller explained that its machines have to run slowly otherwise things will tear and rip. Thus, the metal needs to be gently massaged into position. If the press comes down too quickly, it would act like a guillotine and cut things in half. The process of figuring out the manufacturing took a lot of experimentation. The company practiced with heated up presses, which Teller tells us is very expensive. Hyte also experimented with stainless steel and steel that doesn’t have any nickel or chromium in it, which reduces the structural rigidity that allows for easier manipulation, but then quickly oxidizes and rusts.The company initially thought that if they had less mesh, making the panels would be easier, but the factory making the X50 informed Hyte that it would actually be easier if they had more mesh. This ended up being an unexpected benefit as they wanted more ventilation.  The curved metal PSU shroud also required a slow stamping process with very tight tolerances, which is common with many kitchen products like colanders and metal bowls. The louvered slats on the back were also a challenge to implement. Some of the factories that Hyte has worked with have told them it couldn’t be done or that they didn’t know how to do it. Teller said that the factory that produced Hyte’s Y60 (watch our review) and Y70 (read our review) cases, however, has an appreciation for doing difficult things and understands that if they’re able to do difficult things, they’ll be able to produce more units, which can generate more money. The factory was able to pull it off. Next up, we’re going to take a look at some of the failed panel prototypes that Hyte has produced. Teller tells us that Hyte spent tens of thousands of dollars to create many different prototypes as they have different tooling. The company also initially heard that what they were asking for was “impossible.”One of the first prototypes we looked at was made using plastic, which would be easier than making it out of metal, but ends up feeling flimsy.Another one we looked at was all rusted, which was due to the fact that Hyte used a softer metal with less nickel and chromium to reduce the chance of it tearing during the manufacturing process. Like we said up above, however, this introduces oxidation, which causes rust. The panel in the picture above is only a week old despite looking significantly older than that. The reason Hyte tried that is because previous prototypes would just tear, especially at the seam of where the mesh meets the solid metal. These issues made Hyte second guess their manufacturing process and case design. Another prototype was stamped but also welded together, which wasn’t going to be acceptable. We looked at another prototype that was both ripped and rusted. This unit had a difference in hole size and spacing, which lent itself to tearing.  Another unit we looked at used lower porosity mesh on the edges, which is what the factory Hyte worked with said was the limit of what it could do. Hyte couldn’t accept this design, however, as they were targeting over 40% porosity. Teller says the X50’s final design ended up having about 45% porosity with 2mm holes and 3mm spacing. The last prototype involved a stamped sheet of mesh and looked close to what Hyte was going for but presented another issue. The downside is that it prevented Hyte from mounting any mounting points on it. This means the company couldn't attach it to a case and the factory couldn’t control the tolerances very well. It would have to require some welding.  Visit our Patreon page to contribute a few dollars toward this website's operation (or consider a direct donation or buying something from our GN Store!) Additionally, when you purchase through links to retailers on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Looking at the final front panel design, there’s about 40mm of mesh depth and that’s stamped into a piece of steel that was at one point a solid piece. The company then folds the remaining solid piece, which have studs in them that click into clips. When we asked Hyte if the X50 would be coming to the US, Teller stated, “We’ll see,” which is up in the air due to the US’ unpredictable tariff policies.  

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Samsung announced the new Galaxy S25 Series back in January, and later that same month teased a fourth, thinner phone, the Galaxy S25 Edge. It wasn't until earlier this month that we finally learned more about the new device Samsung is calling the "slimmest Galaxy S Series ever." Intrigued? You can already preorder it, and both Samsung and Amazon are offering deals in the lead-up to the S25 Edge's release on May 30. Free 512 GB Upgrade and $50 Amazon Gift Card SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Edge $1,099.99 at Amazon $1,269.99 Save $170.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $1,099.99 at Amazon $1,269.99 Save $170.00 Free 512GB Storage Upgrade and Up to $630 instant trade-in credit SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Edge $1,099.99 at Samsung $1,219.99 Save $120.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $1,099.99 at Samsung $1,219.99 Save $120.00 SEE -1 MORE The phone sounds like a winner: It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, comes with 12GB of RAM, and starts with 256GB of storage. It also has a dual camera setup with a 200 MP wide lens and 12 MP ultra-wide and front lenses. And it's super thin at around 5.84mm.It's pretty sweet when retailers offer pre-order deals for flagship products. They don't happen very often, and once the products are released, it's rare to see a similar opportunity for at least a couple of months. Right now, both Samsung and Amazon are offering a free upgrade to 512GB from the basic 256GB option, allowing you to choose the unlocked version from among the same three colors. But that's where the similarities stop.If you have a phone to trade in, go with Samsung's offerSamsung is offering up to $630 in trade-in credits when preordering the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. You can trade in more than one phone if you want as well. If you go with Samsung, you'll also get their Samsung Care+ Theft and Loss program free for three months. Finally, if for some reason you want to upgrade again within 12 months, you'll get at least 50% of the MSRP of the new phone. If you don't have a trade-in, Amazon is offering a $50 gift cardIf you don't have a trade-in or want to try your luck selling your older phone yourself, go with Amazon's deal. You'll get the same delivery timing and price, a one-year warranty, and a $50 Amazon gift card that Samsung doesn't offer.

The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set (Leather/Cloth Hardcover) $146 (was $325) See at Amazon See at Walmart The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set (Hardcover) $49.45 (was $105) See at Amazon See all Tolkien Collector's Editions (2024) The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien Box Set $68.34 (was $125) See at Amazon The Lord of the Rings enthusiasts and anyone who loves beautiful books should check out the incredible deal on The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set at Amazon and Walmart right now. The premium, three-volume hardcover collection released last October with a staggering $325 price attached to it. If the high cost deterred you from picking up this gorgeous box set last fall, now's your chance to get it for a price that could be far easier to stomach. The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set is on sale for $146, saving you $179. This 55% price cut doesn't have a listed end date, so interested Tolkien fans would be wise to snag it sooner rather than later.You can take a closer look at the Deluxe Illustrated Box Set below. We've also included the 2024 Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Collector's Editions for those who want nice copies of Tolkien's iconic fantasy novels for budget-friendly prices. The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set is also on sale for over 50% off at Amazon. Lord of the Rings fans should also check out our buying guide for two upcoming Tolkien box sets: Tolkien Myths and Legends and The Great Tales of Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set (Leather/Cloth Hardcover) $146 (was $325) The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set is a revamped version of a gorgeous collection first launched in 1992. Across the three hardcover volumes--The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King--there are more than 50 new pencil sketches and full-color paintings by beloved Lord of the Rings artist Alan Lee. All told, the box set has 1,332 pages, which makes it longer than most, if not all, editions of LOTR currently in print. The page edges are sprayed dark blue on the top and bottom, and the side edges have unique illustrations of billowing smoke from Mount Doom's eruption. Lee created new artwork for the covers, too. Each cover has a framed rectangular drawing in the center. The illustrations are inset on gray cloth board and surrounded by an elegant, silver foil-stamped border. Each book is quarterbound in blue leather, and the pages are sewn into the spine. You can mark your spot using the attached ribbon bookmark.The silver-foil text along the spine and on the covers was stamped onto each book. The custom display case was constructed from cloth board and features stamped circular emblems designed by Lee. The case has rounded front edges to make it easy to remove each book. With all three books removed, you can peer inside the fully illustrated interior of the case. Lee's depiction of Mount Doom's eruption covers every surface inside the lovingly crafted slipcase.Inside each book, you'll find a large art card that can be removed and displayed separately. Along with three art cards, you get a pair of foldout maps of Middle-earth drawn by Christopher Tolkien, the author's literary executor who edited, expanded, and organized many supplementary writings about Middle-earth, including The Silmarillion and his legendarium, which formed the massive 12-part series now known as The History of Middle-earth.To be clear, The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated is much different from the popular 2021 version illustrated by Tolkien, but the premium design is reminiscent of the Deluxe Special Edition of the Tolkien Illustrated version. See at Amazon See at Walmart The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set (Hardcover) $49.45 (was $105) While the discount on the Deluxe Illustrated Box Set is quite good, $146 is still a lot of money for a single novel. But the great thing about modern editions of Tolkien's work is that there are beautiful collectible editions available at various price points. Case in point: The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set.Published just a few weeks after the Deluxe Illustrated Box Set, the hardcover Collector's Edition Box Set carries a $105 MSRP. Right now, however, you can buy this handsome collection for only $49.45.Once again, the Collector's Edition is split into the three distinct parts that make up Tolkien's novel: Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers, and Return of the King. Each book can be stored in the included display box shown above.The Collector's Editions have foil-stamped cover art, stained page edges, illustrated maps as endpapers, and built-in ribbon bookmarks. The beautiful cover art was previously featured in collectible editions released in the UK, so it's cool that American readers no longer have to import the books to admire the artwork up close.The box set also comes with an exclusive foldout map of Middle-earth.All three volumes in this box set are also sold separately, though it'd cost you about $15 more to buy them that way right now--and you miss out on the display case as well as the poster. But you may want to pair the box set with the matching Collector's Edition versions of The Hobbit and The Silmarillion, which were also published last year and are discounted close to 50%.J.R.R. Tolkien 2024 Collector's Editions (Hardcover)The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set -- $49.45 ($105)The Fellow of the Ring Collector’s Edition -- $22.50 ($35)The Two Towers Collector's Edition -- $18 ($35)The Return of the King Collector’s Edition -- $21.47 ($35)The Hobbit Collector’s Edition -- $18.83 ($35)The Silmarillion Collector’s Edition -- $19.40 ($35) See at Amazon See all Tolkien Collector's Editions (2024) The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien Box Set $68.34 (was $125) For a markedly different Tolkien experience, consider picking up The Collected Poems of J.R.R Tolkien. This three-volume hardcover collection follows a similar design philosophy as The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set, so they would look great next to each other on a display shelf.This collection contains poems composed by Tolkien the teenager as well as Tolkien the aging literary giant. The nearly 200 poems across the box set's 1,700 pages were written across nearly 70 years. The poetry is accompanied by commentary about the author's work and life from two Tolkien scholars.Just know that this collection isn't related to Lord of the Rings or Middle-earth in general. While Tolkien included poetry in his famous fantasy novels, the verse in his Middle-earth novels barely scratches the surface of Tolkien's lifelong love of poetry.If you like the idea of reading poetry by Tolkien, you should also check out the upcoming hardcover box set titled Tolkien Myth and Legends. Releasing August 19, this eye-catching collection includes four books of epic poems. Two books feature Tolkien's own poetry: a narrative poem about King Arthur and a Norse mythology-inspired classic poem. The set also comes with Tolkien's personal translations of Beowulf and three other classic poems. See at Amazon The History of Middle-earth Box Set Deals & Tolkien Box Set PreordersThe History of Middle-earth Box Sets 1-4, Tolkien Myths and Legends, The Great Tales of Middle-earthThe History of Middle-earth Hardcover Box Set 1 (4 Books) -- $63.37 ($125)The History of Middle-earth Hardcover Box Set 2 (3 Books) -- $56.42 ($100)The History of Middle-earth Hardcover Box Set 3 (4 Books) -- $72.88 ($125)The History of Middle-earth Hardcover Box Set 4 (4 Books) -- $67.27 ($125)Tolkien Myths and Legends Hardcover Box Set (4 Books) -- $125 | Releases June 10The Great Tales of Middle-earth Hardcover Box Set (2025) (3 Books) -- $125 | Releases August 19The aforementioned History of Middle-earth series edited and compiled by Christopher Tolkien was reissued as 15 stunning hardcover books spread across four box sets, each of which is on sale for very low prices right now. Box Set 1 comes with four books, including The Silmarillion, and is on sale for only $63 at Amazon (nearly 50% off).Continue Reading at GameSpot

TCL QM7K MSRP $1,300.00 Score Details “The TCL QM7K offers a stunning image for its price point, bringing premium-level picture quality to your living room without costing a small fortune.” Pros Fantastic color accuracy Impressive contrast Excellent brightness Decently wide viewing angle Cons Reflective screen Unimpressive sound “Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.“ Recommended Videos We finally got our hands on the TCL QM7K Mini-LED QLED, winner of our Top Tech of CES 2025 award. Earlier this year we reviewed the QM6K and were impressed with its value and performance, so we’re excited to put the QM7K through its paces. TCL continues to impress in the midrange and I’m happy to say, the QM7K did not disappoint. Mini-LED screen technology is making for gorgeous displays with incredible contrast more affordable for the average consumer, and TCL is really showing what the technology can do with this new entry. There’s a good chance that this isn’t the last model we’ll hear about from TCL this year as the company has switched to a staggered release approach for its 2025 models, but for now let’s soak in the QM7K and all it has to offer. TCL QM7K specs Sizes 55, 65, 75, 85, 98, and 115 inches Pricing $1,299.99, $1,499.99, $1,999.99, $2,499.99, $4,999.99, and $19,999.99 Display type QD-Mini LED Operating system Google TV Screen resolution 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) HDR support Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision Gaming, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10+, HDR10, HLG Native refresh rate 144Hz Gaming features Auto Game Mode (ALLM), AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Game Accelerator 288, VRR (up to 144Hz) Audio support Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, DTS: Virtual X (Passthrough Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, Dolby Digital, PCM) Connectivity 4 HDMI (1x eARC), USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Ethernet (LAN), S/PDIF, ATSC 1.0 Tuner Affordable price means a less premium build Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The QM7K targets that affordable middle ground between a true budget TV and the premium flagship models of today. It aims to be within reach of most consumers, particularly in the smaller 55- or 65-inch models. So I can’t say I was too shocked when I started unboxing and assembling the QM7K that I found its construction to be a little flimsy. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The stand that holds the TV is designed as one central piece, as opposed to the individual legs of the QM6K, which makes attaching it to the QM7K a straightforward process. It’s brushed to look like metal, but metal it is not. The plastic T-shaped stand weighs about 5 pounds and does its job in holding the 85-inch model we tested for this review. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The TV itself weighs only 75 pounds, aided by a frame made almost entirely of plastic. Savings have to come from somewhere to hit these price points, right? The good news is that this makes assembly a lot easier than on far heavier (albeit sturdier) high-end models. The QM7K sways a bit anytime you move it or the furniture it sits on, but it’s held securely enough that it’s not going anywhere. Decent audio, nothing mind-blowing The audio on the TCL QM7K is billed as having better audio than the QM6K, thanks to a Bang & Olufsen audio upgrade, which TCL says will offer “more accurate sound quality for an enhanced home theater audio experience.” All in all, the 2.2-speaker system performs about as expected for a mostly affordable model. Which is to say, it didn’t sound terrible, but it didn’t sound great. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends The bass response left a lot to be desired, but it’s not like I was expecting a 6-inch subwoofer built into the TV. The dialogue could at times sound muddled, blending in a bit too much with a soundtrack or background noise. This really only happened in intense scenes where loud music, dialogue, and sound effects all combined in a cacophony of sound. The QM7K natively supports Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital+ audio, but the built-in speakers aren’t doing it justice. Seeing as this model supports Dolby Atmos passthrough, you’d be better off with a Dolby Atmos soundbar, or another dedicated audio system to get the most out of the Dolby audio available on most streaming platforms. Color accurate right out of the box The QM7K features a number of display profiles that users can select from, but for our purposes we’re going to focus on Filmmaker Mode, which was first added on the QM6K. This mode is designed for color accuracy, and it was spot-on right out of the box. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends We tested the QM7K first in SDR while in Filmmaker Mode, and it delivered an impressive color delta E of 0.8. While this fell to near zero post-calibration, that’s honestly not even necessary, as the human eye struggles to distinguish a delta E of less than 1.0, making Filmmaker Mode more than sufficient. More than bright enough If you’re looking to sear your eyeballs out of your sockets during nighttime viewing, then the QM7K is the right TV for you. TCL advertises a peak brightness of 3,000 nits in HDR for the QM7K, though this varies by size and will vary slightly by panel. Andre Revilla / Digital Trends In my own testing, I was able to get one 2,400-nit burst in HDR testing in a 10% window with brightness, peak luminance, and dynamic backlighting all turned up to the max. More stable readings in HDR came in around 2,000 nits in peak brightness. Peak brightness measurements in SDR came in at a still very respectable 1,600 nits. If you’re wanting to get the best color accuracy and contrast out of your QM7K with minimal clipping and as much uniformity as possible, then you’ll likely be watching Filmmaker Mode in its default configuration, which still offers 800 nits with the brightness turned to 100 while keeping those other backlight and luminance settings turned off. My gripe with reflections While the brightness of the QM7K more than delivers, nothing could get away from the fact that the screen itself was pretty reflective. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen worse, but if your living room is like mine and has windows opposite the TV, you’ll find yourself getting up to close them every time you turn on the TV during the daytime. Windows reflected in the TCL QM7K Andre Revilla / Digital Trends I’m not even picking on reflections when sunlight is pouring in the windows midday, as this issue persists into the evening when the sun is already starting to set. With brightness settings maxed, the QM7K can handle as bright a room as you can throw at it, but any sort of light source directly in front of the screen from your viewing position will be thrown back at you and remains quite visible even in bright scenes. A superb image overall All in all, the TCL QM7K offers a stunning image for its price point. Without getting too far into the weeds, I’ll say that a lot of cool tech—like the condensed micro lens in the backlight system, helping focus and direct the light from each mini LED, and the decreased optical distance, which is the space between the backlight and the LCD—helps create an image with excellent contrast. These technologies also help reduce haloing in HDR, as they lead to less light scatter. The QM7K really goes to show that Mini LED QLED panels are taking the fight to OLED, bringing premium-level picture quality to your living room without costing you a small fortune. Value remains the focus TCL has continued to impress with panel technology and image quality while maintaining approachable pricing. The 85-inch model we tested launched just over two months ago and is already being sold by all major retailers and TCL at about a 30% markdown from its original MSRP of $2,500. Right now, that means you can pick up an 85-inch QM7K for $1,800, and the 55-inch is currently marked down to under $900. Look for these prices to continue dropping as the year goes on, especially as we get into the holiday season. The TCL QM7K is an impressive entry that blurs the line between flagship and mid-range in performance while staying solidly in the realm of mid-range pricing. I’ll be eagerly awaiting any TCL launches hopefully still to come this year.

Nvidia’s RTX 5060 is finally here, and many people hoped it’d put up a fight against some of the best graphics cards. Does it really, though? Reviewers are split on the matter. Alas, I’m not here to judge the card. I’m here to show you some alternatives. While Nvidia’s xx60 cards typically become some of the most popular GPUs of any given generation, they’re not the only option you have right now. The RTX 5060 might not even be the best option at that price point. Below, I’ll walk you through four GPUs that I think you should buy instead of the RTX 5060. Recommended Videos Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Jacob Roach / Digital Trends I’m not sure whether this will come as a surprise or not, but based on current pricing and benchmarks, the GPU I recommend buying instead of the RTX 5060 is its last-gen equivalent. The RTX 4060 is one of the last RTX 40-series graphics cards that are still readily available around MSRP. I found one for $329 at Newegg, and it’s an overclocked model, meaning slightly faster performance than the base version. However, you might as well just buy a used RTX 4060 if you find it from a trustworthy source, as that’ll cost you a whole lot less. The RTX 5060 and the RTX 4060 have a lot in common. Spec-wise, they’re not at all far apart, although Nvidia’s newer Blackwell architecture and the switch to GDDR7 VRAM give the newer GPU a bit more oomph. But, unfortunately, both cards share the same 8GB RAM — an increasingly small amount in today’s gaming world — and the same narrow 128-bit bus. Some reviewers note that the RTX 5060 isn’t far ahead of the RTX 4060 in raw performance. The newer card gets the full benefit of Nvidia’s Multi-Frame Generation, though. Overall, they’re pretty comparable, but if you can score a used RTX 4060 for cheap, I’d go for it. AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (or the RX 9060 XT) Jacob Roach / Digital Trends I wasn’t a big fan of the RX 7600 XT 16GB upon launch, and I still have some beef with that card. Much like Nvidia’s options, AMD equipped its mainstream GPU with a really narrow memory interface, stifling the bandwidth and holding back its performance. Still, in the current climate, I’ll take that 16GB with the 128-bit bus over a card that has the same interface and only sports 8GB VRAM. The cheapest RX 7600 XT 16GB costs around $360, and you can find it on the shelves with ease. But it’s the same scenario here — if you can find it used from a trustworthy source, it might be worth it, assuming you’re on a tight budget. The state of the GPU market as of late has made me appreciate second-hand GPUs a lot more. The RX 7600 XT is slower than the RTX 5060, and it’ll fall behind in ray tracing, but it gives you plenty of RAM where Nvidia’s card offers very little. That alone makes it worthy of your consideration. AMD’s upcoming RX 9060 XT could be a great option here, too. I expect it to offer better ray tracing capabilities than the RX 7600 XT, and it’ll have the same $300 price tag as Nvidia’s RTX 5060. Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB Gigabyte If your budget is a little bit flexible, you could go one level up and get the RTX 5060 Ti with 16GB of RAM. Unfortunately, the cheapest options are at around $479 right now, which is well over the MSRP and a whopping $180 more than the RTX 5060. However, for that price, you’ll get yourself a GPU that’s better suited to stand the test of time. With 16GB of video memory and the full benefit of GDDR7 RAM, the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB offers an upgrade over the last-gen version. It’s not perfect by any stretch, though. Reviewers put the GPU below the RX 9070 non-XT, the RTX 5070, and even the RTX 4070 when you consider pure rasterization. This means no so-called “fake frames,” which is what Nvidia’s DLSS 4 delivers. That leaves the RTX 5060 Ti in an odd spot. Basically, if your budget can stretch to it, the RX 9070 and the RTX 5070 are both better cards; they’re also a lot more expensive. Intel Arc B580 Jacob Roach / Digital Trends Less demanding gamers might find an option in Intel’s Arc B580. Upon launch, the GPU surprised pretty much everyone with its excellent performance-per-dollar ratio. The downside? That ratio is now a lot less impressive, because unexpected demand and low stock levels brought the price of the Arc B580 far above its $250 recommended list price (MSRP). The Arc B580 is a little bit slower than the RTX 4060 Ti, so it’ll be slower than the RTX 5060, too. It also can’t put up a fight as far as ray tracing goes. But it’s a budget-friendly GPU and a solid alternative to the RTX 5060 if you’d rather pick up something else this time around. My advice? Wait it out Jacob Roach / Digital Trends It’s not a great time to buy a GPU. The more successful and impressive cards from this generation, such as AMD’s RX 9070 XT or Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti, keep selling above MSRP. Those that aren’t quite as exciting may stick around MSRP (which is where the RTX 5060 sits right now, mere days after launch) … but that doesn’t make up for their shortcomings. Given the fact that reviews of the RTX 5060 are still pretty scarce, I’d wait it out for a week or two. Read some comparisons, check out the prices, and then decide. Gambling on a GPU just because the previous generations were solid doesn’t work anymore, and that’s now clearer than ever.