Scored using Graphics cards Methodology v1.0
Graphics cards Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Graphics cards Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Graphics cards Methodology v1.0

Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB Review | 118 Data compared

Avg. price:~£400VRAM:16 GBMemory bus width:128 bitThermal Design Power (TDP):182 W

Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB Review: Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Graphics cards category and whether it is worth buying.

Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
7.1/10

Overall score

Score
7.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

90%

6.9

Technical score

10%

8.9

User score

â–¼Worse than 51% of graphics cards
7.5

Value for money

Value for money
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

7.1

Overall score

30%

8.4

Price

â–²Better than 64%
6.9

Technical score

Technical score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Graphics cards category across these key areas: Performance, Memory, Platform & Features, Connectivity & Media, Power & Cooling, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

44%

6.0

Performance

24%

5.9

Memory

12%

9.2

Power & Cooling

11%

9.6

Platform & Features

5%

7.3

Design

4%

7.0

Connectivity & Media

â–¼Worse than 53%
8.9

User score

User score
8.9/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

9.2

User ratings

30%

8.4

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–²Better than 83%
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Technical Specifications of graphics card Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

Technical score
Technical score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Graphics cards category across these key areas: Performance, Memory, Platform & Features, Connectivity & Media, Power & Cooling, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

44%

6.0

Performance

24%

5.9

Memory

12%

9.2

Power & Cooling

11%

9.6

Platform & Features

5%

7.3

Design

4%

7.0

Connectivity & Media

6.9
User score
User score
8.9/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

9.2

User ratings

30%

8.4

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
8.9
Popularity
Popularity
8.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters
When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Popularity:
Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB has a popularity score of 8.4 points, which is higher than that of 78.1% of products in this category.
8.4
Value for money
Value for money
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

7.1

Overall score

30%

8.4

Price

7.5
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
17,069 points
This graphics card scores 17,069 points in 3DMark Time Spy, which is higher than 56.9% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of graphics cards.
3DMark Port Royal score
9,713 points
This graphics card scores 9,713 points in 3DMark Port Royal, which is higher than 52.2% of graphics cards and equal to 0.5% of graphics cards.
PassMark (G3D) result
17,231 points
This graphics card scores 17,231 points in PassMark G3D, which is lower than 67.9% of graphics cards.
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
8,982 points
This graphics card scores 8,982 points in PassMark DirectCompute, which is lower than 65.2% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of graphics cards.
Floating-point performance
27.2 TFLOPS
This graphics card delivers 27.2 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is higher than that of 55.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.3% of graphics cards.
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VRAM
16 GB
This graphics card has 16 GB of VRAM, which is more than 61.5% of graphics cards and equal to 28.6% of graphics cards.
Memory type
GDDR6
GDDR version
GDDR6
This graphics card uses GDDR6 memory, which is newer than on 15.9% of graphics cards and equal to 40.3% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
128 bit
This graphics card uses a 128 bit memory bus, which is narrower than that of 69.6% of graphics cards and equal to that of 26% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
320 GB/s
This graphics card reaches 320 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 66.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3.1% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
5
This graphics card supports PCIe 5, which is newer than on 74.5% of graphics cards and equal to 25.6% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
x16
This graphics card uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 23.4% of graphics cards and equal to 76.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
12 Ultimate
This graphics card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is more advanced than on 22.6% of graphics cards and equal to 77.4% of graphics cards.
Vulkan version
1.3
This graphics card supports Vulkan 1.3, which is older than on 79.4% of graphics cards and equal to 15.7% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
4.6
This graphics card supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 1.9% of graphics cards and equal to 98.1% of graphics cards.
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Max displays supported
3
This graphics card supports up to 3 displays, which is fewer than 91.8% of graphics cards and equal to 5.9% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
7680x4320
This graphics card supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320, which is higher than that of 9% of graphics cards and equal to that of 91% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
1
This graphics card offers 1 DisplayPort outputs, which is fewer than 88.7% of graphics cards and equal to 8.6% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
2.1a
This graphics card supports DisplayPort 2.1a, which is more advanced than on 75.5% of graphics cards and equal to 3% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
54 Gbps
This graphics card supports DisplayPort link rates up to 54 Gbps, which is faster than on 80.4% of graphics cards and equal to 4.6% of graphics cards.
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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
182 W
This graphics card has a TDP of 182 W, which is lower than that of 58.1% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
188 W
This graphics card draws 188 W under peak load, which is lower than 59.2% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
450 W
This graphics card recommends a 450 W PSU, which is lower than that of 84.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 6% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
182 W
This graphics card has a board power limit of 182 W, which is lower than that of 62.1% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
182 W
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Size
320x 135x 61 mm
Length
300 mm
This graphics card is 300 mm long, which is longer than 56.5% of graphics cards and equal in length to 2.9% of graphics cards.
Height
55 mm
This graphics card is 55 mm tall, which is shorter than 95.8% of graphics cards and equal in height to 0.1% of graphics cards.
Slot width
3 slot/s
This graphics card occupies 3 slot/s, which is wider than 69.8% of graphics cards and equal in width to 17.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
1,130 g
This graphics card weighs 1,130 g, which is heavier than 56.2% of graphics cards and equal in weight to 0.2% of graphics cards.
Show more

Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB vs the average graphics card

246810TotalPerformanceMemoryPlatform & FeaturesConnectivity & MediaPower & CoolingDesign
  • 32.5% higher boost clock speed
    This graphics card has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (3320 MHz vs 2505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2505 MHz.
    3,320 MHz vs 2,505 MHz
  • 4 GB more VRAM
    This graphics card has more VRAM than the average graphics card (16 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    16 GB vs 12 GB
  • 30.8% lower PSU requirement
    This graphics card has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (450 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    450 W vs 650 W
  • 20% smaller process node
    This graphics card has a lower process node than the average graphics card (4 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    4 nm vs 5 nm
  • Newer PCIe version
    This graphics card supports a newer PCIe version than the average graphics card (5 vs 4).
    5.0 vs 4.0
  • 70 mm lower card height
    This graphics card is shorter than the average graphics card (55 mm vs 125 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 125 mm.
    55 mm vs 125 mm
  • Newer HDMI version
    This graphics card supports a newer HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.1b vs 2.1).
    2.1b vs 2.1
  • 30.2% higher pixel rate
    This graphics card has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (212.5 GPixel/s vs 163.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 163.2 GPixel/s.
    212.5 GPixel/s vs 163.2 GPixel/s
  • 11.8% higher user score
    User score
    8.9/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.
    When it matters
    When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
    the average graphics card
    Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB has a higher user score than the average graphics card (8.95 vs 8.000).
    8.95 vs 8
  • 32.5% higher boost clock speed
    This graphics card has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (3320 MHz vs 2505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2505 MHz.
    3,320 MHz vs 2,505 MHz
  • 30.2% higher pixel rate
    This graphics card has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (212.5 GPixel/s vs 163.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 163.2 GPixel/s.
    212.5 GPixel/s vs 163.2 GPixel/s
  • 5.77x higher BF16 performance
    This graphics card has a higher BF16 performance than the average graphics card (205 TFLOPS vs 35.5 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has BF16 performance of 35.5 TFLOPS.
    205 TFLOPS vs 35.5 TFLOPS
  • 3.39x higher INT8 performance
    This graphics card has a higher INT8 performance than the average graphics card (821 TOPS vs 242 TOPS). The average graphics card has INT8 performance of 242 TOPS.
    821 TOPS vs 242 TOPS
  • 4 GB more VRAM
    This graphics card has more VRAM than the average graphics card (16 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    16 GB vs 12 GB
  • 14.3% faster VRAM clock
    This graphics card has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2000 MHz vs 1750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1750 MHz.
    2,000 MHz vs 1,750 MHz
  • 8x more Infinity Cache
    This graphics card has more Infinity Cache than the average graphics card (32 MB vs 4 MB). The average graphics card has 4 MB Infinity Cache.
    32 MB vs 4 MB
  • 20% smaller process node
    This graphics card has a lower process node than the average graphics card (4 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    4 nm vs 5 nm
  • Newer PCIe version
    This graphics card supports a newer PCIe version than the average graphics card (5 vs 4).
    5.0 vs 4.0
  • 2 newer
    This graphics card was released more recently than the average graphics card (2025 vs 2023).
    June 2025
    2,025 vs 2,023
  • Newer encoder generation
    This graphics card uses a newer encoder generation than the average graphics card (9 vs 8). The average graphics card uses encoder generation 8.
    9 vs 8
  • Newer HDMI version
    This graphics card supports a newer HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.1b vs 2.1).
    2.1b vs 2.1
  • Newer DisplayPort version
    This graphics card supports a newer DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (2.1a vs 1.4a).
    2.1a vs 1.4a
  • 2.7x higher DisplayPort bandwidth
    This graphics card has a higher DisplayPort bandwidth than the average graphics card (54 Gbps vs 20 Gbps). The average graphics card has DisplayPort bandwidth of 20 Gbps.
    54 Gbps vs 20 Gbps
  • 30.8% lower PSU requirement
    This graphics card has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (450 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    450 W vs 650 W
  • 14 °C lower load temperature
    This graphics card has a lower load temperature than the average graphics card (53 °C vs 67 °C). The average graphics card has a load temperature of 67 °C.
    53 °C vs 67 °C
  • 13.4 dB quieter under load
    This graphics card has a lower load noise level than the average graphics card (22 dB vs 35.4 dB). The average graphics card has a load noise level of 35.4 dB.
    22 dB vs 35.4 dB
  • 70 mm lower card height
    This graphics card is shorter than the average graphics card (55 mm vs 125 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 125 mm.
    55 mm vs 125 mm
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    This graphics card has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
    128 bit vs 256 bit
  • No CUDA support
    This graphics card does not support CUDA, the average graphics card does.
  • No DLSS support
    This graphics card does not support DLSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No dual BIOS
    This graphics card does not include dual BIOS, the average graphics card does.
  • 56 fewer TMUs
    This graphics card has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (128 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    128 vs 184
  • 8 fewer compute units
    This graphics card has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (32 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    32 vs 40
  • 2 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    This graphics card has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
    1 vs 3
  • 80 fewer AI cores
    This graphics card has fewer AI cores than the average graphics card (64 vs 144). The average graphics card has 144 AI cores.
    64 vs 144
  • No CUDA support
    This graphics card does not support CUDA, the average graphics card does.
  • 56 fewer TMUs
    This graphics card has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (128 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    128 vs 184
  • 8 fewer compute units
    This graphics card has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (32 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    32 vs 40
  • 80 fewer AI cores
    This graphics card has fewer AI cores than the average graphics card (64 vs 144). The average graphics card has 144 AI cores.
    64 vs 144
  • 8 fewer ray tracing cores
    This graphics card has fewer ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (32 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 ray tracing cores.
    32 vs 40
  • 23.9% lower PassMark score
    This graphics card has a lower PassMark score than the average graphics card (17231 points vs 22653 points). The average graphics card has a PassMark score of 22653 points.
    17,231 points vs 22,653 points
  • 2,304 fewer FP32 units
    This graphics card has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (2048 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
    2,048 vs 4,352
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    This graphics card has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
    128 bit vs 256 bit
  • 28.6% lower memory bandwidth
    This graphics card has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (320 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
    320 GB/s vs 448 GB/s
  • 83.3% smaller L2 cache
    This graphics card has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (4 MB vs 24 MB). The average graphics card has 24 MB L2 cache.
    4 MB vs 24 MB
  • 75% smaller L1 cache
    This graphics card has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (32 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
    32 vs 128
  • No DLSS support
    This graphics card does not support DLSS, the average graphics card does.
  • Older Vulkan version
    This graphics card supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
    1.3 vs 1.4
  • Older OpenCL version
    This graphics card supports an older OpenCL version than the average graphics card (2.2 vs 3).
    2.2 vs 3.0
  • 2 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    This graphics card has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
    1 vs 3
  • 1 fewer displays supported
    This graphics card supports fewer displays than the average graphics card (3 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 displays.
    3 vs 4
  • Narrower encode codec support
    This graphics card supports narrower hardware encode codec support than the average graphics card (H.264/AV1 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9).
    H.264/AV1 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9
  • Narrower decode codec support
    This graphics card supports narrower hardware decode codec support than the average graphics card (H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9/MPEG-2/VC-1).
    H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9/MPEG-2/VC-1
  • No dual BIOS
    This graphics card does not include dual BIOS, the average graphics card does.
  • 15 °C lower thermal ceiling
    This graphics card has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 95 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 95 °C.
    110 °C vs 95 °C
  • 0.5 slot/s wider design
    This graphics card occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2.5 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2.5 slot/s.
    3 slot/s vs 2.5 slot/s
  • 15 mm longer card length
    This graphics card is longer than the average graphics card (300 mm vs 285 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285 mm.
    300 mm vs 285 mm

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

T
techpowerup.com
05/06/2025
Summary of the review
T
thefpsreview.com
05/06/2025
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: June 2026 · How we calculate this

What we like about Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

  • Excellent cooling performance, with many users reporting very low temperatures even under load
  • Exceptionally quiet operation, often described as 'whisper quiet' by reviewers
  • Premium build quality and aesthetic, featuring a stylish gunmetal gray design and high-quality materials
  • Ample 16GB VRAM provides longevity for modern titles at 1440p
  • Significant generational performance leap over previous RDNA 3 cards
  • High-end features including an elaborate RGB setup and quick-connect fans for easy cleaning

What we don't like about Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

  • Relatively high price for its segment, approaching the cost of some RTX 5060 Ti models
  • Large physical footprint (300mm length, 2.7-slot width) may not fit in smaller cases
  • Ray tracing performance, while improved, still generally lags behind Nvidia's Blackwell architecture
  • Narrow 128-bit memory bus can limit performance in 4K scenarios
  • AI and productivity performance is inferior compared to Nvidia equivalents

Verdict

The Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is a high-performance mid-range graphics card built on AMD's RDNA 4 architecture, featuring 2,048 stream processors and a factory-overclocked boost clock up to 3320 MHz. It is equipped with 16GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with an effective speed of 20 Gbps, making it highly capable for 1440p gaming. Main characteristics include the premium Tri-X cooling technology with three AeroCurve fans, a 9-phase digital power design, and a robust PCIe 5.0 interface. Key pros include its exceptional thermal management that keeps the card quiet and cool at around 55°C, significantly improved ray tracing capabilities compared to previous generations, and support for FSR 4 AI-based upscaling. Some cons include its relatively high price premium over reference models, a narrow 128-bit memory bus that can limit 4K performance, and reports of occasional coil whine under heavy loads.

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