Sunday, October 1, 2023

10 Best Graphics Card Under 200 – Complete Guide 2023

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With the release of new graphics cards by Nvidia and AMD along with recent price changes, the performance hierarchy of graphics cards under $200 has shifted quite a bit. It has shifted in favor of AMD due to the release of the RX 5500 XT. Though Nvidia still has the GTX 1650 Super as a solid budget graphics card option.

With these new GPU releases and changes in pricing, finding the best graphics card under $200 is no longer an easy choice. This is especially true when you’re building a budget system. While some time ago, Nvidia’s X/XX50 (Ti) would’ve been the first recommendation out of anyone’s mouth, today we have AMD’s RX 5500 XT.

A while ago, when AMD’s RX GPUs first released, they weren’t too expensive and performed really well, which caused cryptocurrency miners to buy them quite a bit. In turn, their prices skyrocketed. Today, though, their prices are back to normal, and AMD’s GPUs are great budget graphics cards you can get for under $200. At more or less the same price, they outperform Nvidia’s new GTX 1650 Super which is still a solid GPU.

Comparison Table

PRODUCT FEATURES LATEST PRICE
1. AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (4GB) GIGABYTE Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming OC 4G Graphics Card, PCIe 4.0, 4GB 128-Bit GDDR6, GV-R55XTGAMING OC-4GD Video Card
  • PCIe 4.0
  • 5.2 TFLOPs
  • 60 fps at 1080p
Check Price
2. RX 580 (8GB) SAPPHIRE Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5 Dual HDMI/ DVI-D/ Dual DP OC with Backplate (UEFI) PCI-E Graphics Card Graphic Cards
  • 1257 MHz base frequency
  • Polaris (GCN 4.0)
  • 1340 MHz boost frequency
Check Price
3. GTX 1650 Super Gigabyte MSI GeForce GTX 1650 Super Ventus XS OC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 Super 128-Bit HDMI/DP/DVI 4GB GDRR6 HDCP Support DirectX 12 Dual Fan VR Ready OC Graphics Card (GTX 1650 Super Ventus XS OC)
  • Turing shaders
  • 1530MHz base clock
  • 1725MHz boost clock
Check Price
4. GTX 1060 (6GB) ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 6GB GDDR5 192-bit Gaming Graphics Card, Super Compact, ZT-T16600K-10M
  • Powerful midrange graphics card
  • 1506 MHz memory
  • Dual-Link DVI-D
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5. GTX 1060 (3GB) Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce OC 3GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
  • Budget-oriented version
  • 1152 CUDA cores
  • gOOD Thermals and power
Check Price
6. RX 570 (8GB) MSI Gaming Radeon RX 570 256-bit 8GB GDRR5 DirectX 12 VR Ready CFX Graphcis Card (RX 570 ARMOR MK2 8G OC)
  • Excellent budget graphics card
  • 150W TDP
  • 224 GB/s maximum bandwidth
Check Price
7. GTX 1650 ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB GDDR5 128-Bit Gaming Graphics Card, Super Compact, ZT-T16500F-10L
  • 896 CUDA cores
  • 1485 MHz base clock speed
  • 75W TDP
Check Price
8. GTX 1050 Ti MSI Computer Video Graphic Cards GeForce GTX 1050 TI GAMING X 4G, 4GB
  • 1290 MHz base frequency
  • 768 CUDA cores
  • 75W TDP
Check Price
9. GTX 1050 EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 SC Gaming, 3GB GDDR5, DX12 OSD Support (PXOC) Graphics Card 03G-P4-6153-KR
  • 768 CUDA cores
  • 1392 MHz base clock
  • 75W TDP
Check Price
10. RX 560 VIEW MAX Biostar Gaming Radeon RX 560 4GB GDDR5 128-Bit DirectX 12 PCI Express 3.0 DVI-D Dual Link, HDMI, DisplayPort and Vortex Dual Cooling Fan
  • 1175 MHz base clock speed
  • 80W TDP
  • Budget-oriented
Check Price

The budget GPU hierarchy is quite clear here as we made sure to order the graphics cards below from best in performance, to the ones that don’t perform quite as well. In the end, you’ll see that we have a roundup of the top graphics card, with something for everyone’s budget. However, if you are willing to increase your budget a bit more, it is worth checking out the graphics cards under $300 as they offer quite a bit more performance.

So, if you are on a mission to find GPU under $200, you have come to the right place. Below is a buyers guide that we recommend looking over before proceeding to read the review so that you have a clear understanding of how they should perform.

Things to Consider and Overview 

Graphics Memory 

The graphics memory capacity of most GPUs is between 2GB and 24GB, but it is not uncommon to find GPUs with more than 32GB of memory. The amount of memory you need depends on the intensity of the games you play. 

Memory Bandwidth 

Memory bandwidth is the speed of the video RAM. 

Clockspeed 

This is how fast the GPUs cores are. 

Manufacturer and Model

Consider which GPU manufacturer you like the most, and which model will suit your needs. MSI GeForce GTX 1650 OC, AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition, GeForce GTX 1050 TI, RX 5500 XT, Nvidia GTX are some examples of the most popular GPUs on the market. 

Cooling Features 

Do you have enhanced cooling pipes or any additional GPU cooling features attached to your PC? Some high-powered GPUs will need help staying cool.  

Updated hardware 

How up-to-date and new is the hardware that you are looking for? Modern laptops and computers often require the latest GPUs to keep up with their speed and power needs. 

Gaming intensity 

Most games are targeted towards casual gamers, but if you spend lots of hours in front of the PC playing games, you will need a GPU that will keep up with your gaming intensity. 

Price Tag 

Budget GPUs are often more than capable of providing the gamer with the features they are looking for, so working out your budget before looking for a GPU is important. 

Graphical Power 

The most demanding games require some serious graphical power. Modern gaming needs a fair amount of power to be enjoyable.

Read Related Article: Graphics Card Brands

Graphics Cards Under $200 Buying Guide

  1. AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (4GB)

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming OC 4G Graphics Card, PCIe 4.0, 4GB 128-Bit GDDR6, GV-R55XTGAMING OC-4GD Video Card

A lot of users don’t really need a lot more than a GPU that can consistently hit 60 frames per second at a resolution of 1080p, and if that’s you, the 4GB variant of AMD’s RadeonRX5500XT could be just perfect for you. It’s AMD’s latest architecture that’s decently powerful yet doesn’t consume a lot of power.

Those 4GB of memory are GDDR6, but if you’re gaming at 1080p, it should be more than enough. It does supportPCIe 4.0, which means you’ll get a lot more bandwidth if you also have a motherboard that supports it. The base frequency is 1717MHz, but if necessary, there’s a bit of a boost that goes up to 1845MHz.

Note: The total performance is 5.2TFLOPs, which is decent for the price.

The RX5500XT’s other nice thing is the fact that it only uses about 130W of power, so you can run your whole system with a 450W PSU, which should be pretty budget-friendly.

RX 5500XT (4GB) Specs
Architecture Navi / RDNA
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 1408
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1717MHz / 1845MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 4GB / GDDR6
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 128-bit / 14Gbps / 224GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 130W / 8-pin / 450W
Standard Display Connectors DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI
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  1. RX 580 (8GB)

SAPPHIRE Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5 Dual HDMI/ DVI-D/ Dual DP OC with Backplate (UEFI) PCI-E Graphics Card Graphic CardsIf your budget hovers at the $200 mark, there isn’t a better choice than AMD’s RX 580. For starters, it comes with 8GB of GDDR5 memory, which is impressive at this price point. It makes use of AMD’s Polaris GCN 4.0 architecture and comes with quite a lot of great features.

It makes an easy job out of running the latest AAA titles at high or ultra settings at 1080p, and you could also do some light 1440p or 4K gaming on it, too. Just don’t expect to hit 144Hz – you are on a budget after all. With a base frequency of 1257 MHz and a boost frequency of up to 1340 MHz, the graphics card actually performs really good. The 256-bit bus and 2304 stream processors play a part here as well.

Now, even though this is a great graphics card, there are some things you’ll need to keep in mind. Namely, with a 185W TDP, this graphics card does use a lot of power, and it also needs to be cooled well in order to perform at its best. Oh, and you’ll need at least a 500W PSU if you want to run it.

RX 580 Specs
Architecture Polaris (GCN 4.0)
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 2304
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1257 MHz /1340 MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 8GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 256 Bit / 8 Gbps / 256 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 185W / 8-pin / 500W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI, DisplayPort 1.4 HDR
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  1. GTX 1650 Super

Gigabyte MSI GeForce GTX 1650 Super Ventus XS OC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 Super 128-Bit HDMI/DP/DVI 4GB GDRR6 HDCP Support DirectX 12 Dual Fan VR Ready OC Graphics Card (GTX 1650 Super Ventus XS OC)

While the GTX1050 and GTX1050Ti found their place in a lot of budget builds, the GTX1650 Super aims to improve on their performance by quite a bit, and still stay one of the best GPUs under$200. Compare it to a GTX1050, and it’s twice as fast. Compare it to a GTX1650, and it’s still around 50% faster.

The GTX1650 Super is built on theTuring architecture, and it also comes with Turing shaders. You get adaptive shading, and you get a new memory architecture that reduces latency, as well as increases performance. And you have all of this with a GPU that’s a lot more efficient than its predecessors, and stays cooler, too.

You’ll find 1280 CUDA cores in the GTX1650, and it has a base clock of 1530MHz and a boost clock of 1725MHz. The4GB of GDDR6 memory should be good enough for 1080p gaming, and there’s a total memory speed of 12Gbps.

GTX 1650 Super Specs
Architecture Turing Shaders
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 1408
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1530MHz / 1725MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 4GB / GDDR6
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 128-bit / 12Gbps / 192GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 100W / 8-pin / 350W
Standard Display Connectors DP 1.4a, HDMI 2.0b, DL-DVI-D
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  1. GTX 1060 (6GB)

ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 6GB GDDR5 192-bit Gaming Graphics Card, Super Compact, ZT-T16600K-10MWhile Pascal isn’t Nvidia’s latest architecture, this is exactly why a previous-gen graphics card is on our list. The GTX 1060’s 6GB variant is the faster, more powerful midrange graphics card of the pair, and is what allows you to play 1080p games at high settings. And yes, even AAA titles are absolutely playable this way.

So, what is the GTX 1060? It’s a Pascal chip with 1280 CUDA cores and a memory that runs at 1506 MHz. If you force it to boost, it will go up to 1708 MHz, which is excellent. As we mentioned, this is the 6GB variant, so you’re getting 6GB of GDDR5/X memory. With a 192-bit interface width and a speed of 8 Gbps, you’re looking at 192 GB/s of bandwidth. Fairly impressive for a midrange card.

What’s even more impressive is how much this is going to cost you in terms of cooling and power. Namely, the GTX 1060 has a very manageable 120W TDP, so you can run it in just about any case. You’ll want to have at least a 400W power supply, and one with an extra 6-pin connector. There is plenty of connectivity, with everything from a Dual-Link DVI-D, to an HDMI 2.0b and a DisplayPort 1.4 port, all present on the card. If you want the best graphics card for the money, and don’t mind “the previous generation”, this should have you set.

GTX 1060 (6GB) Specifications
Architecture Pascal
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD) 1280
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1506 MHz /1708MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 6GB / GDDR5/X
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 192 Bit / 8 Gbps / 192 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 120W / 6-pin / 400W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, and Dual-Link DVI
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  1. GTX 1060 (3GB)

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce OC 3GB GDDR5 Graphics CardThe Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB variant is the more budget-oriented version, alongside its more powerful, 6GB brother. However, this is far from a bad GPU. If you don’t need the extra VRAM for higher resolutions and more textures, this could be a great way to save some money. You aren’t missing out on too much anyways.

This is one of Nvidia’s “previous-gen” Pascal graphics cards, which is in no way a bad thing. With 1152 CUDA cores and 3GB of GDDR5 memory, you should be good to go for anything but the most demanding titles. The memory has a base clock speed of 1506 MHz, but that can go up to 1708 MHz if necessary – just like the more powerful variant. And with a 192-bit bus and 8 Gbps speed, you’ll have 192 GB/s of bandwidth.

Thermals and power are good, too. You’re looking at a 120W TDP, which is certainly manageable, and a minimum of 400W in terms of power supply. The card does still require a 6-pin power connector. Last but not least, the port selection is very respectable – you have HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, as well as a Dual-Link DVI-D. All in all, a great budget graphics card, especially if that budget is under $300.

GTX 1060 (3GB) Specifications
Architecture Pascal
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD) 1152
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1506 MHz /1708MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 3GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 192 Bit / 8 Gbps / 192 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 120W / 6-pin / 400W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, and Dual-Link DVI
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  1. RX 570 (8GB)

MSI Gaming Radeon RX 570 256-bit 8GB GDRR5 DirectX 12 VR Ready CFX Graphcis Card (RX 570 ARMOR MK2 8G OC)The RX 570 is a slightly less powerful version of the RX 580 and is still an excellent budget graphics card. With a few less stream processors (2048, vs the 580’s 2304), slightly slower clock speeds and a bit slower memory, it manages to be quite a bit cheaper, yet still perform really well.

Like its bigger brother, it also comes with 8GB of GDDR5 memory. You still get a 256-bit bus, but the memory’s effective speed is 7 Gbps, which results in a maximum bandwidth of 224 GB/s. This is still impressive for a budget-oriented graphics card, and you’ll be able to run quite a lot of modern games at pretty high settings.

Also, like the RX 580, this is a somewhat power hungry card. The 150W TDP will require decent cooling, and you will need a 450W PSU to run it. Oh, and make sure it has an 8-pin connector, you’ll need it to power the card.If you want a budget-oriented graphics card that still runs modern games at 1080p very well, but don’t want to spend closer to $200 on an RX 580, the RX 570 is an excellent choice.

RX 570 Specs
Architecture Polaris (GCN 4.0)
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 2048
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1168 MHz /1244 MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 8GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 256 Bit / 7 Gbps / 224 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 150W / 8-pin / 450W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI, DisplayPort 1.4 HDR
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  1. GTX 1650

ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB GDDR5 128-Bit Gaming Graphics Card, Super Compact, ZT-T16500F-10LNvidia’s Turing architecture initially made waves with the high-end RTX-series graphics cards. However, a few months later, the same architecture became available in a budget-oriented model, in the form of the GeForce GTX 1650. It may not have ray tracing, but it’s still a great performer for budget-conscious buyers.

Compared to the previous XX50 graphics card, the GTX 1050, you’ll get considerably better performance in many games. This is thanks to the improvements in the CUDA cores, the clock speed, as well as the slightly faster memory. We’re talking about 896 CUDA cores, a base clock speed of 1485 MHz, as well as a boost clock speed of 1665 MHz and memory speed of 8 Gbps. All of this allows the GTX 1650 to push modern games with ease, albeit not at the highest settings.

If you’re on a budget, the GTX 1650 is certainly a great option. And with the 75W TDP and no external power needed, it’ll save you on electricity, too.

GTX 1650 specs
Architecture Turing
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 896
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1485 MHz /1665 MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 4GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 128 Bit / 8 Gbps / 128 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 75W / None / 300W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI 2.0b, Dual-Link DVI
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  1. GTX 1050 Ti

MSI Computer Video Graphic Cards GeForce GTX 1050 TI GAMING X 4G, 4GBEven though it’s a previous generation model, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is still found in many budget builds today. There are quite a lot of reasons for this.

It performs great in many modern games while staying at a very low price point. This is something gamers look for in a graphics card.

Running on the Pascal architecture, we have 768 CUDA cores at a base frequency of 1290 MHz, and a maximum boost of up to 1392 MHz. The 4GB of GDDR5 memory running on a 128-bit bus, with a speed of 7 Gbps for a total bandwidth of 112 GB/s.

You’ll also be pleased to know that the 1050 Ti only has a 75W TDP, and a 300W power supply can run your whole system with ease. There are no additional power connectors, so this is a pretty well-optimized card. There’s plenty of connectivity, too, with HDMI, DisplayPort and Dual-Link DVI all present.

Whether you’re building a budget system, or just want to upgrade your aging graphics card to something modern, yet wallet-friendly, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti should certainly be on your shortlist.

GTX 1050 Ti specs
Architecture Pascal
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 768
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1290 MHz /1392 MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 4GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 128 Bit / 7 Gbps / 112 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 75W / None / 300W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, and Dual-Link DVI
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  1. GTX 1050

EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 SC Gaming, 3GB GDDR5, DX12 OSD Support (PXOC) Graphics Card 03G-P4-6153-KRDepending on how tight your budget is, something like an RX 570 or a GTX 1650 may be out of question. However, if you still need a dedicated GPU to run games at 1080p, Nvidia’s GTX 1050 may be just right.

Compared to it’s Ti brother, it comes on the same Pascal architecture, and with the same 768 CUDA cores. However, it only has 3GB of GDDR5 memory. It does compensate somewhat with a faster base clock of 1392 MHz, as well as a faster boost clock of 1518 MHz. The memory interface width is only 96-bit, though, so even with a 7 Gbps maximum speed, the highest bandwidth you’ll get is 84 GB/s.

If you don’t run too many graphically intensive games, you should be good with the GTX 1050. It also doesn’t require too much cooling and power – a 75W TDP is very reasonable, and a 300W PSU could run the entire system. With plenty of ports such as HDMI, DisplayPort, and Dual-Link DVI, you’ll be able to connect your monitor however you want as well.

GTX 1050 specs
Architecture Pascal
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 768
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1392 MHz /1518 MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 3GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 96 Bit / 7 Gbps / 84 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 75W / None / 300W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, and Dual-Link DVI
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  1. RX 560

VIEW MAX Biostar Gaming Radeon RX 560 4GB GDDR5 128-Bit DirectX 12 PCI Express 3.0 DVI-D Dual Link, HDMI, DisplayPort and Vortex Dual Cooling FanWhile the RX 570 and RX 580 are certainly great options, there’s one more AMD competitor for the even more budget-oriented models – the RX 560. It comes at a very low price yet is a very interesting proposition for the budget-conscious buyer.

To begin with, it’s made on the Polaris architecture and comes with a base clock speed of 1175 MHz and a boost clock speed of 1275 MHz. And while there’s only 4GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 128-bit bus and 7 Gbps memory, you still get a respectable maximum bandwidth of 112 Gbps.

Unlike its larger brethren, the RX 560 isn’t too power hungry, with a maximum TDP of 80W, and no external power connections. A 450W power supply is recommended, though. Connections aren’t too impressive, with only HDMI and DisplayPort, which may leave users of older monitors looking for adapters.

RX 560 specs
Architecture Polaris (GCN 4.0)
Cuda Cores (Stream Processors for AMD GPUs) 896 / 1024
Memory Base Clock / Boost Clock 1175 MHz /1275 MHz
Memory Capacity / Type 4GB / GDDR5
Memory Interface Width / speed / bandwidth 128 Bit / 7 Gbps / 112 GB/s
TDP / Power Connections /Recommended Power Supply Wattage 60-80W / None / 450W
Standard Display Connectors HDMI, DisplayPort 1.4 HDR
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Graphics Card Buyer’s Guide for 2020

Following this guide will not only help you find your ideal graphics card for a PC that is used for general use, but it should help you if you are looking to purchase graphics card for gaming under 200 dollars too. You may have heard about mainstream graphics cards such as the GeForce GTX 1650, GeForce GTX 1060, Radeon RX 570, GTX 1050 TI or the GTX 150 Super, but do they have more features than budget graphics cards?

In reality, you do not have to break the bank when you buy a high quality graphics card, you just need to know what to look for. Regardless of your budget, finding a graphics card in your price range is a possibility.

1. Ports

DVI-D ports and DVI-A ports are rare ports to find on a GPU card. Most graphics cards have a DVI port, this port connects to a digital flat-panel LCD projector.

These ports mostly connect to a single display, so if you are looking for a graphics card with a dual-display port they will need a port that is sufficient. Displayport 1.4 has a dual-mode for DMI and HDMI ports.

2. Ray Tracing

Not long ago, ray tracing wasn’t available for everyone and was only accessible to gamers and video editors with the very latest and NVIDIA graphics cards. Ray tracing is the name given to a feature that enhances the lighting in the frame. That means that the images on the screen look more realistic, this is a very important feature indeed for gamers.

The GeForce GTX 1050 is just one of the many graphics cards on our list with ray tracing capabilities. We strongly recommend that video gamers invest in a graphics card that has ray tracing in order to improve the shadow and reflections in their games.

3. Clock Speed

A GPU’s boost clock is an extremely important feature. The higher the clock, the better the performance. 2 GHz and 3 GHz are common clock speeds for GPU’s to have, however a poor GPU with a clock speed of 3 GHz may still in fact be slower than a superior GPU with a clock speed of 2 GHz.

So, the point we are trying to make here is that the graphics card you choose is more important than its clock speed. If clock speed is important to you, look out for what speed the GPU chip on the graphics card has to offer.

The speed of the cores of a graphics processing unit will vary from model to model. In order to have brilliant graphics memory and fast responding graphics, the clock speed must be fast enough to keep up with the demands of the game.

4. Processor

High-end and modern graphics cards should have a processor that runs on at least a Core i5 processor. However, a Core i7 is probably the preferred option.

Digital graphics are highly affected by a PC’s CPU. A computer’s processor gives out all of the necessary instructions to the rest of the PC’s components in order for it to function properly.

5. GFLOPS/TFLOPS

GFLOPS are a unit of measurement (gigaflops), these measures a computer’s floating-point options. TFLOPS are teraflops and they are important when it comes to graphics cards. A graphics card that has 4 to 6 TFLOPS is considered sufficient.

6. Memory Bandwidth

You should look for a graphics card that has a high memory bandwidth such as GDDR5 memory. GDDR5 memory is short for graphics double data rate type 5 synchronous dynamic random-access memory, in short, this is especially designed for the use in high-performance computers and graphics cards.

Having a high bandwidth will increase the frame rate (the graphics cards overall performance) therefore it is important to get a graphics card with the appropriate memory speed.

7. Additional Power Supply

Most graphics cards will need an additional power supply in order to function properly. If you are not interested in graphics cards that require an additional power supply then keep in mind the graphics card you get probably won’t live up to your expectations.

8. Price

The price tag of the graphics cards that you are considering is an important factor in the decision you make. Looking for a graphics card that is a reasonable price yet still lives up to the features and performance expectations is crucial.

Whether you are looking for a graphics card for a pre-built office PC, or a games computer that you have designed, the product’s price tag needs to match your budget.

9. Power Consumption

A power-hungry GPU with complex graphics settings may be inappropriate for casual gamers. Some budget GPUs are not power-efficient, making their overall cost for the gamer higher than intended.

Looking for a graphics card that uses up less power than high-performance GPUs is wise for casual gamers. Just remember, the more features you look for in a graphics card, the more power it will use.

10. Know Your Models

What is the difference between the GeForce GTX 1650OC, AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition, MSI Geforce GTX, RX 5500XT, and the Radeon RX 580 GTX? Unless you have spent hours researching each and every one of the graphics card models on the market in-depth, you won’t know what makes each card unique, and that is ok!

However, understanding the intensity of the graphics abilities of each model is essential. Here is a summary of which GPUs are best for each type of gamer;

Light Gaming:

MSI GeForce GTX 1650 OC

Casual Gaming and Some Video Editing:

AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition

GeForce GTX 1050 TI

Intense Gaming and Video Editing:

RX 5500 XT

Nvidia GTX

Gamers can slot most graphics cards straight into the computer’s PCI express slots. If your laptop or computer is old, make sure the GPU is compatible with your PC before purchase.

Take a look at the table below for a quick  reminder of the things to consider when shopping, along with an overview of why it is important.

Conclusion

We hope that reading our review has given you a little bit of clarity when it comes to purchasing a great graphics card. With all of the choices on the market, it can be hard to know what one is best for your needs and which GPU is appropriate for your PC.

As you can now see, there are plenty of great graphics cards out there that are not on the higher end of the price scale rendering spending a fortune on a good GPU rather unnecessary. Being clear with what features you want your GPU to have is one of the best bits of advice we can give you as this will make choosing the a great card out of the 10 above much easier for you.

Having a good graphics card is essential for video editing, gaming, photography and more, so we can see why purchasing the right one is important to you and keeping to a budget can make things difficult. 

Graphics Cards FAQ’s

Here are a few questions that people interested in purchasing a graphics card ask on a regular basis.

Q: Is a GPU a graphics card?

A: yes, a GPU is the same as a graphics card, these are sometimes also referred to as video cards.

Q: Do graphics cards speed up photoshop?

A: In general, a graphics card will not speed up the process it takes to photoshop an image. Photoshop is a delicate process that is directed by people and facilitated by your computer meaning that the rate in which it is completed depends on you.

Q: What does GTX mean in graphics cards?

A: GTX is the graphics card level of performance, a graphics card with GTX in its name is of the highest performance level.

Q: Will every GPU model suit my desktop computer?

A: No, not every GPU will suit your PC. Older computers will not be compatible with new GPUs.  You might need a more intensive cooling system if you are doing heavy gaming on an old computer.

Q: How important is it to have a GPU cooling system?

A: Intense gaming will cause your computer components to overheat, eventually damaging them. A cooling system is important for people who participate in moderate to intense gaming and video editing.

Q: Is it worth investing in a graphics card under 200 dollars?

A: Yes! There are many high-quality graphics cards under 200 dollars that are brilliant for everyday and professional use.

Q: What does video memory, or V RAM mean?

A: Video memory is also referred to as V RAM and is the RAM used to store images and data to your laptop or computer.

Q: What is better, a Display Port or a HDMI cable?

A: There are more devices on the market that support HDMI cables rather than Display Ports, making HDMI a more popular choice.

Q: How important is a PCIe power connector?

A: Some graphics cards require external power, which is where PCie power connectors come in handy. The physical link between the PCIe supports and the chipset is the pci express lane.

Q: Will the GPU that I use affect my gaming experience?

A: Graphic cards have an impact on the gaming experience. High-quality graphics make gaming more enjoyable.

Q: Can I get my graphics card to have more graphical power abilities to keep up with demanding graphics on my gaming PC?

A: No, there is little you can do to boost the graphics of a graphics card.

Q: How can I increase my gaming performance?

A: You can increase your gaming performance by investing in a high-quality gaming PC,  purchasing a reliable graphics card such as an AMD GPU model  XFX Radeon RX, Xtreme engine utility, or XFX Radeon RX 580,  and ensuring that you don’t play games with more demanding graphics than the card can handle.

Q: What graphics card has a good memory bandwidth?

A: The Radeon RX 5500 GTS, GeForce GTX 1650 GTX, Radeon RX 580 gts xxx edition, RX 580 GTS xxx, Nvidia GeForce models such as the GeForce GTX 1050 TI,  and the MSI GeForce GTX all have great memory bandwidth.

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