Is the gtx 1050ti still any good?
Posted by -thatoneawkwardguy@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 42 comments
I'm only really planning to play games I've missed out on, like rdr2 and re2.
Gpu prices ridiculously high at where I live and the rx 550 and gtx 1050ti are my only affordable options here. So is it still any good?
Illustrious-Ant-1483@reddit
The GPUs I'd consider the bare minimum for games in 2026, either for their speed, VRAM capacity, modern features, support status or a combination of the 4 are as follows:
RTX 2060 12GB (great VRAM amount for 1080p, still decently fast to this day, supports all DLSS features except framegen but you can use AMD or Intel 1x framegen instead, still supported with driver and security features)
RTX 2080 Ti (way faster than 2060, only 1GB less VRAM, everything else about support/features is the same as the 2060)
RTX 3080 10GB (faster than the 2080 Ti, 1GB less VRAM which is still good for 1080p and better than even a lot of modern low-end cards, everything about support/features is the same as the 20 series cards and it will continue getting such updates for longer because it's newer)
RX 6700 (10GB VRAM which, again, is still decent for 1080p, inbetween the 2060 and 2080 Ti in terms of speed, doesn't support DLSS cos it's an AMD card but you can use FSR 3 and XeSS 3 on it instead and it will be getting FSR 4 support soon, same generation as the 3080 so it will be supported for about as long)
Arc A770 16GB (overkill amount of VRAM for 1080p but it is the slowest card here, supports FSR 3, XeSS 3 and Intel's multi-framegen is exclusive to Intel cards only, it's newer than all the cards I've mentioned already so it will be supported longer)
Arc B570 (same amount of VRAM as the 3080 and 6700, faster than the A770 but slower than the 2060, same feature support as A770 and it's the newest card here so it will be supported for the longest)
If you want a budget card that will actually last you a while you should really avoid cards any older than 2018. The only card older than that worth considering is the 1080 Ti thanks to its 11GB VRAM and even that lost driver support recently and also doesn't support ray tracing so despite its legendary status it's been becoming more and more obsolete the past couple of years. I'd recommend looking for one of the cards in the list above or something better if you can find anything more powerful for a reasonable price. The 2060 will probably be the cheapest of all the cards here so maybe start by looking for one of those. It'll cost more upfront than a lot of older cards but if you buy one of those older cards instead, you'll be spending more money sooner anyway as your PC will become outdated quicker.
I definitely wouldn't recommend a 1050 Ti in 2026; there's been an ongoing debate in the PC gaming space since about 2023 about whether or not 8GB VRAM is enough for modern games, and the general consensus (which I absolutely agree with) is that it definitely isn't. If the 8GB of some much better cards than the 1050 Ti isn't enough for modern games then the 1050 Ti's 4GB definitely isn't. I can tell you for a fact it's not enough for RDR2, I tried playing that game on a 1650 a couple of years ago and it ran awfully
XiTzCriZx@reddit
All the cards you mentioned are in a completely different price class to what OP can afford. There's still plenty of people who are happy with 720p 30fps because that's better than literally nothing at all. A 1050 Ti would be capable of exactly that for RDR2.
My gf is using a 1060 and it can handle a majority of games she plays. I'm currently using a 2070 Super and can play Forza Horizon 6 at Ultra settings. You using cards that are equivalent or better than a 2070S and claiming that's the bare minimum required for gaming is absolutely delusional.
It sounds like you play at 1440p or 4k because that's when VRAM matters, not for 1080p and definitely not for 720p.
Illustrious-Ant-1483@reddit
OP never specified a budget or a resolution so I assumed they were going to be playing in 1080p because that's basically seen as the minimum resolution for any modern display, not even just for gaming, just for technology in general. Maybe OP will be playing at 720p but they didn't specify that so I assumed based on the fact they clearly want a budget GPU that they were using the resolution most people use with budget GPUs nowadays, while also trying to recommend the 1080p appropriate GPUs that I thought would break the bank as little as possible. VRAM definitely matters less at 1080p than it does in 1440p or 4K but it's undeniable that 8GB definitely isn't enough for a lot of modern games so for the best possible experience in as many games as possible while still saving money I can't in good conscience recommend anyone a GPU with less than 10GB, even for 1080p if they don't want to upgrade for a long time, which they probably don't if they're on a budget. Like I said in my original comment, any of the GPUs I listed will cost more than something like a 1050 Ti upfront but OP will save money in the long run buying something a bit newer now because they won't have to upgrade their PC as soon, assuming they're playing in 1080p, which most people on a budget are.
norm009@reddit
You can get a 1070 for under $100 on eBay. If you want NVIDIA on the cheap I would look here first.
XiTzCriZx@reddit
As long as you don't have expectations of a modern experience, yeah it'll work. You'll have to play at 720p or lower which doesn't look very good, but if you use a small monitor it'll be harder to tell lol.
You'll want to use something like Lossless Scaling as it'll help boost your fps to hopefully above 30. It works great for my gf's 1060 which barely faster than the 1050 Ti for modern games. There are other programs too, but if you can't afford it, I'm sure you can figure something out.
1050 Ti is better than the rx 550 as well.
MarioMan52@reddit
save up for a 1650/60
Forsaken-Question577@reddit
DLSS Enabler and Optiscaler make it very much usable.
ToborWar57@reddit
If you're on that steep of a budget ... see if you can get a 1060 6gb, somehow they got that one right, just like the 1080. (I kept mine as a trouble shooter/test post tool)
iceseayoupee@reddit
get an rtx card, trust me. save your money and get an rtx card, or even an rx6600 for that matter. i bought the 1650 when I first started gaming and trust me man Its not that pretty even on RDR2.
Peteretreat@reddit
No.
NoGhostRdt@reddit
Only if you can get it for less than 20 bucks
AlkalineBrush20@reddit
Look for RX 580 8GB, GTX 1060 6GB, 1070, 1660 variants. These offer massive improvements and should not cost much more.
Independent-Gear-711@reddit
Igpus are more powerful than this
gen_adams@reddit
are you serious?
nesnalica@reddit
it wasnt even good during its prime.
it was and has always been decent. for modern games like rdr2 and re2 it is really bad.
if you want another decent upgrade check out the RTX 3050, 4050 or 5050
its basically the newer 50 series cards.
EternalLoner@reddit
Don’t know about rdr2 but I played re2 when it came out on my 1050ti years ago with no issues. 1080p60fps smooth on low and like 40-50 on high with no fsr/upscaling. Still not a good card to get in 2026.
Rafdg666@reddit
Were Nvidias XX50 cards any good ? I doubt it
pogboy357_x@reddit
Are you definitely sure there are no 6gb GPUs in your budget. A 1660/super/ti would be a big improvent over a 1050 ti and in my country theres very little difference in price. If a 1050 ti is all you can get then it should be fine on 1080p low 30-60fps for most AA/AAA games and you should be fine with almost any indie game.
-thatoneawkwardguy@reddit (OP)
The only next option I have is a gtx 1650. But even so, the price difference between it and the 1050ti is still pretty high. But would the 1650 be any huge leap from the 1050ti?
jikesar968@reddit
Keep in mind the 1650 will be supported by Nvidia for longer with drivers.
pogboy357_x@reddit
Nah, the 1650 isn't that much better than a 1050 ti and you probably wouldn't notice the difference. I only reccomend a 1660 because it has 2gb more vram but if its out of your budget then the 1050 ti is fine. However unless you really need the pc right now, I'd suggest saving up for a 1660 if possible.
-thatoneawkwardguy@reddit (OP)
Would you suggest the rx580 8gb model over the 1660? They are quite in the same price range from where I live at
pogboy357_x@reddit
Honestly, not unless its a bit cheaper. The 580 is good and better than a 1050 ti but it consumes 70 watts more than a 1660 and I think its around 25% slower. It does have more vram but you would run out of power well before you use more than 6gb on a 580.
I also forgot to mention that there is a 6gb 1060 that might be a bit cheaper than a 1660 so look for one of those and see if its within budget. A 1070 is also not a bad 8gb option but I'd assume it might cost more than a 1660.
the_Athereon@reddit
For 1080p Low with XESS in games that support it you could get by.
Should really go with a 1660TI for better performance and driver support
trimmedcactus@reddit
Are you sure you havent checked the used market? like fb marketplace or any local marketplace. You can save a lot of money that way
-thatoneawkwardguy@reddit (OP)
I'm actually planning to buy at fb marketplace or any local marketplace, since I could only afford used ones
trimmedcactus@reddit
You can always negotiate the price, doesnt hurt to ask for a 20% discount
RiloxAres@reddit
1050 was pretty trash when it released
bluejeansseltzer@reddit
Can you not get a R9 390 or GTX 980 for about the same price there?
-thatoneawkwardguy@reddit (OP)
Sadly those cards aren't really common here. The most common ones are the gtx 1000 series and probably the rx 500 series
bluejeansseltzer@reddit
What country are you in?
Winded_14@reddit
newer iGPU nowadays could match or beat its preformance. So I'd say depending on the price. anything under US$30 is good. $100 absolutely not. $50 depending on the location, as not everyone is in America.
Due_Shelter_5033@reddit
If that's all you can afford you should find a different hobby.
Over-Cucumber-5491@reddit
É péssima
AutoModerator@reddit
Hi there! Thanks for the comment.
We ask that posts and comments be in English so they can be understood by as many people as possible. Translations on Reddit are client-side, and not all apps or browsers support auto-translate. Currently many users (and moderators) aren’t able to read your comment.
Could you please submit a new comment in English?
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
MCX6_@reddit
Can you buy a used card? It would be better to buy a used rtx 2060 or rx 5600xt. You might be able to get a much better card for the same price.
jonasrm_21@reddit
Man just don't waste money on this, in 2026 playing rdr2 on this card is just wrong. 6 years ago it might be a good option, but not now. I personally would save up for a year to buy a better card for playing rdr2. Look for a used 1080ti, 3060ti, b580, b570.
TumorInMyBrain@reddit
Yea op will just regret it later
Mega_Ass_Sp00n@reddit
How much more are other options? A 1050ti isnt gonna cut it, look for a 2060 or a 5700xt/w5700 for something that will handle those games
Tiny-Extreme-9980@reddit
I would try and get a 1060. I had 1050ti until March this year and I gave up on playing modern games basically. I ended up having to play KCD in 720p because I couldn't use physics in 1080p. My brother has a 1060 6gb and he even managed to play Alan Wake 2 and other games in 1080p
Vol3n@reddit
It will do fine at 1080p low settings. Even then it might drop from 60 FPS. If you are OK with that - sure, its "pretty good".
pane_scoresau@reddit
i just build a 150 bucks ryzen 2400g gtx 1050 ti overclocked to 2000mhz for my girlfriend, my gf plays cozy games and it's totally fine at 1080p 30fps, but honestly i wouldn't buy a 1050 ti for gaming in 2026. a 1660/2060/ rx 5600 xt/5700 would be so much better for about 100 buck