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Best Budget GPU/CPU Combos for Racing and Sports Games in 2025

By / Tech / June 10, 2025

Discover the best GPU/CPU combos for Racing and Sports games in 2025 that provide you with high fps numbers and are affordable too.

Best Budget GPU/CPU Combos for Racing and Sports Games in 2025
Ryzen 5 7600 and Arc B580 GPU (Image via Amazon)

Sports and racing games are relatively lightweight on your system and run smoothly on most hardware. According to industry trends, CPU and GPU combinations within the budget segment have become significantly more powerful. Even at 1440p, you can expect a smooth framerate in games like Forza Horizon 5, FC 25, F1 25, among others. This article focuses on budget GPU/CPU combos that will help you achieve maximum performance for your dollar.

Top Budget GPU/CPU Combos: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + Intel Arc B580 ($400-$450)

Intel Arc B580 GPU (Image via Amazon)
Intel Arc B580 GPU (Image via Amazon)

The most affordable yet powerful combination for 2025 comprises the Ryzen 5 7600 and the Intel Arc B580 Battlemage graphics card. The B580 GPU features 12GB of VRAM, which is significantly more than similarly priced GPUs within its bracket. The VRAM buffer helps you dial in those higher texture and shadow settings, and specifically when it’s raining, racing games look spectacular.

The Ryzen 5 7600 complements this GPU perfectly at $202. Those six Zen 4 performance cores and a 5.1 GHz clock can even pull the 4090 in many titles. That said, the combination is a perfect fit for a 1080p and 1440p high refresh rate gaming experience, ideal for sports and racing lovers.

Intel Alternative: Core i5-13400F + RX 7600 XT ($400-$450)

RX 7600 XT (Image via Amazon)
RX 7600 XT (Image via Amazon)

With the launch of the RX 9060 XT, the 7600 XT 16GB can be purchased for $300 or less. Keep an eye on the sales counter, you will gain a lot. That said, the 13400F has more cores but is weaker in games than the 7600. Nonetheless, it can still deliver a high-refresh-rate sports and racing experience.

High Performance Option: Ryzen 5 7600X + RTX 5060 Ti ($550-$600)

You could easily put an RX 9060 XT here and notice almost no difference. Yes, DLSS will help in the rain, assuming you’re running at the maximum resolution of 1440p with upscaling. The 5060 Ti is an incredible GPU, but it is poorly priced. What it does in terms of 180W TDP is impressive, but it has several issues, mainly ones that hinder its performance for gamers, including capping its VRAM bandwidth and excessive power draw.

Racing and Sports Specific Considerations

As mentioned, racing games require very minimal configurations to run. For example, Forza Horizon 5 runs at 60 FPS on a modern AMD Ryzen-powered APU. It only becomes intensive if you want to max it out on your racing sim setup with an ultra-wide monitor, etc.

Sports titles such as FC 25 also run seamlessly on handhelds, APUs, and other devices. But it can get intensive if you want to play at super high resolutions, such as 4K on your plasma TV. Picking either of these combos will easily get you through. For 4K, get the high-performance option.

Platform Compatibility

For future-proofing your build, opt for the AM5 option. It supports DDR5 memory and newer CPUs such as the Ryzen 9000 series and future generations. However, the upfront cost will be higher than that of the Intel platform. For compatibility, if you want the latest and greatest PCIe Gen 5.0 for your GPUs, you will need to invest in a premium motherboard that supports either the Intel or AMD platform.

Cheaper motherboards come with PCIe Gen 4.0, and honestly, with the tier of GPUs mentioned here, you are fine with the cheaper ones. There is barely any noticeable difference in performance. Just ensure that you enable the Resizable Bar on your boards so the games run smoothly.

Performance Expectations

These budget combinations will easily get you above 60 FPS and may even reach higher FPS, such as 120+, if you tweak the in-game settings. 1440p is also easily possible on all the rigs mentioned here; 4K should be reserved for the performance ones. In conclusion, when purchasing a PC, always opt for a GPU with more VRAM that falls within your budget range, as this will provide significant long-term benefits.

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