Gigabyte RTX 5060 Gaming OC Review: Mid-Range GPU Performance in 2026

The mid-range GPU market in 2026 is more competitive than ever, and NVIDIA’s RTX 5060 arrives with the promise of Blackwell architecture efficiency and DLSS 4 magic. Gigabyte’s Gaming OC variant adds a chunky triple-fan cooler and factory overclock to the mix, but does it deliver the 1440p performance we’ve been waiting for, or is this another case of 8GB VRAM holding back an otherwise capable card? I’ve spent the past fortnight putting this card through its paces in everything from Cyberpunk 2077 to the latest esports titles.

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5060 GAMING OC 8G Graphics Card - 8GB GDDR7, 128bit, PCI-E 5.0, 2595 MHz Core Clock, 3 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, GV-N5060GAMING OC-8GD

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.4 (369 reviews)

£299.99

• Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
• Powered by GeForce RTX 5060
• Integrated with 8GB GDDR7 128bit memory interface
• WINDFORCE cooling system
• RGB lighting

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Price checked: 10 Jan 2026 | Affiliate link

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Gaming Performance: The Numbers That Matter

Right, let’s cut through the marketing waffle and talk actual frame rates. I tested the RTX 5060 Gaming OC across a range of demanding titles at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K to see where this card truly belongs. The test rig included a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32GB DDR5-6000, and a 1000W PSU, so no bottlenecks here.

At 1080p, this card is frankly overkill for esports titles but shines in AAA games where you want to push beyond 60fps without compromise. The real sweet spot, however, is 1440p gaming with high settings. This is where the RTX 5060 Gaming OC feels most at home, delivering playable frame rates in even the most demanding titles when you’re sensible about settings.

These numbers are with DLSS Quality mode enabled, which frankly is how you should be running this card at 1440p. Native rendering sees frame rates drop by 25-30% in most titles, making DLSS 4 absolutely essential rather than optional. The good news is that DLSS 4 with frame generation looks brilliant on this card, with minimal artifacting even in fast-paced scenes.

The 8GB of GDDR7 memory is a double-edged sword. On one hand, GDDR7’s bandwidth improvements mean less stuttering than you’d expect from 8GB in 2026. On the other hand, I did encounter VRAM warnings in Hogwarts Legacy at 4K ultra textures, and Starfield occasionally showed texture pop-in when teleporting between areas. If you’re primarily gaming at 1080p or 1440p, you’ll be fine. 4K native gaming is simply not this card’s forte, regardless of what the marketing materials suggest.

Compared to my experience with the Gigabyte RTX 5060 AERO OC, the Gaming OC’s factory overclock nets you an extra 3-5 fps in most scenarios. Not earth-shattering, but appreciated nonetheless.

Ray Tracing & DLSS 4: The Real Story

Ray tracing on the RTX 5060 is perfectly usable at 1080p and viable at 1440p with DLSS assistance. The Blackwell architecture’s improved RT cores deliver roughly 20% better ray tracing performance than the RTX 4060, which translates to the difference between ‘slideshow’ and ‘playable’ in titles like Cyberpunk 2077’s RT Overdrive mode.

In Cyberpunk 2077 with RT Ultra settings and DLSS Quality at 1440p, I averaged 68fps, with lows of 52fps in the densest city areas. That’s genuinely impressive for a card at this price point. Disable ray tracing entirely and you’re looking at 95fps average, so there’s definitely a performance cost, but it’s manageable.

DLSS 4 with frame generation is where this card truly shines. The multi-frame generation technology can effectively triple your frame rate in supported titles, turning 40fps native into a smooth 120fps experience. I was initially sceptical about the latency implications, but with NVIDIA Reflex enabled, input lag remained imperceptible in single-player titles. Competitive multiplayer is a different story though. I’d recommend disabling frame generation for games like Call of Duty or Valorant where every millisecond counts.

The AI upscaling quality has improved noticeably over DLSS 3. Fine details like power lines, foliage, and distant text remain sharp even in Performance mode, which is crucial for maintaining image quality while chasing higher frame rates. If you’re upgrading from something like the RTX 3060, the DLSS improvements alone justify the upgrade.

Thermals & Noise: Whisper Quiet Under Load

Gigabyte’s WINDFORCE cooling system on the Gaming OC variant is genuinely impressive. The triple-fan design with alternate spinning fans creates positive air pressure that efficiently exhausts heat without sounding like a jet engine. After years of reviewing GPUs that prioritise aesthetics over acoustics, this is refreshing.

During a three-hour Cyberpunk 2077 session, the GPU core temperature stabilised at 67°C with the fans spinning at roughly 1,450 RPM. From my usual seated position about a metre from the case, the card was barely audible over the ambient noise of my office. The hotspot delta of just 7°C indicates excellent thermal paste application and heat spreader contact.

The fans support zero-RPM mode, remaining completely silent during desktop work, video playback, and light gaming. They don’t spin up until the GPU hits 55°C, which in practice means titles like Stardew Valley or older esports games run in complete silence. This is a massive quality-of-life improvement if you’re sensitive to fan noise.

Under sustained stress testing with FurMark (which pushes the card far harder than any actual game), temperatures peaked at 72°C with fans at 1,800 RPM. Still quiet, still cool. Gigabyte has clearly learned from past mistakes. The cooling solution here is more than adequate for the TDP on offer.

Power Consumption: Blackwell Efficiency Shines

One of Blackwell’s headline features is improved power efficiency, and the RTX 5060 delivers on that promise. This is a genuinely efficient GPU that won’t murder your electricity bill or require a PSU upgrade for most builders.

During typical gaming sessions, the RTX 5060 Gaming OC pulled between 155-170W from the wall, with occasional spikes to 180W during loading screens. That’s remarkably efficient for the performance on offer, especially compared to AMD’s competing offerings. The Radeon RX 9060 XT draws closer to 200W for similar performance levels.

For system builders, this means a quality 550W PSU is genuinely sufficient, assuming you’re not running a power-hungry CPU like the Intel i9-14900K. I tested the card with a Tecnoware Free Silent PRO 650W unit without any stability issues whatsoever. The single 8-pin PCIe power connector keeps cable management simple too.

Idle power consumption sits at just 12W with the fans off, dropping to 8W when the monitor enters sleep mode. This is proper modern efficiency, and it’s appreciated given current UK energy prices. Over a year of typical gaming (say, 20 hours per week), you’re looking at roughly £25-30 in electricity costs at current rates, compared to £35-40 for less efficient alternatives.

Build Quality & Design: Functional Over Flashy

The Gigabyte RTX 5060 Gaming OC measures 282mm in length, 115mm in height, and occupies 2.5 slots. It’s not a small card by any means, but it should fit in most modern mid-tower cases without drama. The metal backplate feels reassuringly solid and helps prevent PCB flex, though there’s no anti-sag bracket included in the box. Given the card’s weight (roughly 850g), I’d recommend using your case’s built-in GPU support bracket if available.

The aesthetic is understated, which I appreciate. There’s RGB lighting along the top edge that’s controllable via Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion 2.0 software, but it’s subtle rather than garish. You can sync it with other RGB components or simply set it to a static colour and forget about it. The overall design language is ‘gamer’ without being obnoxious about it.

Build quality feels solid throughout. The shroud is primarily plastic but doesn’t exhibit any flex or creaking. The fans are secured properly with no wobble, and the heatsink fins are densely packed with good fin spacing for airflow. I’ve seen far worse at this price point.

The port selection is adequate for most users. Three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs support up to 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 240Hz, which is more than sufficient for current-generation monitors. The single HDMI 2.1 port is a slight disappointment. I’d have preferred two HDMI ports for users running mixed monitor setups or connecting to TVs, but most serious gamers will be using DisplayPort anyway.

One minor gripe: the power connector is positioned at the top-right corner, which can make cable routing awkward in some cases. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s worth considering if you’re building in a compact chassis.

Alternatives: What Else Should You Consider?

The mid-range GPU market in 2026 is fiercely competitive, and the RTX 5060 Gaming OC faces strong competition from both team red and NVIDIA’s own lineup. Here’s how it stacks up against the key alternatives.

The AMD RX 9060 XT offers 12GB of VRAM for similar money, which provides more headroom for texture-heavy games and future-proofing. However, NVIDIA’s superior ray tracing performance and DLSS 4 implementation give the RTX 5060 a clear advantage in supported titles. If you play a lot of ray-traced games or value upscaling quality, the RTX 5060 is the better choice.

The RTX 5060 Ti is the obvious step-up within NVIDIA’s lineup, offering roughly 20% better performance and 12GB of VRAM for about £100 more. If your budget stretches that far, it’s a worthwhile upgrade that eliminates the VRAM concerns entirely. However, for pure 1440p gaming at high settings, the standard 5060 offers better value.

Intel’s Arc B770 is an interesting budget alternative with strong rasterisation performance and 12GB VRAM, but driver maturity remains a concern. I’ve had mixed experiences with Arc cards, and unless you’re willing to troubleshoot occasional compatibility issues, I’d stick with NVIDIA or AMD.

If you’re considering older generation cards like the RTX 3050 or RX 6600 to save money, don’t. The performance gap is substantial, and you’ll miss out on modern features like DLSS 4 and improved ray tracing that are increasingly essential for new releases.