Last Updated: August 30, 2020

Building you dream PC always requires hard work. It is a time-consuming process, which takes place in several stages and requires in-depth knowledge of specific concepts, and the graphics card is certainly one of them.

This is why we have prepared some basic information which you should take into account when choosing the graphics card for your computer. In addition, here you will also find the list of the best graphics cards, which includes models suitable for both regular users and zealous gamers.

WHY DO YOU NEED A GRAPHICS CARD?

Model, size, price, it all comes later. The first step is to make a final decision regarding the purpose of your purchase. Why do you need a new graphics card? If you plan to play games around the clock, make sure your card is fast and has enough RAM.

But if you plan to work with 3D animation or video production, for example, you need to pay more attention to image quality than speed. In this case, you can choose between high-quality cards or even workstation-class graphics cards. Also, if you are going to use your PC as a media center, check if the output connector matches the device to which you want to connect the system.

However, if you don’t have such serious plans for your PC and everything you need to surf the net and some casual games, you can choose a mid-range graphics card or a hybrid system.

BEST GRAPHICS CARD FOR GAMING AND VIDEO EDITING

If you consider yourself a gamer and need speed and quality for your games, find here the best graphics card. Check the one that best suits your needs to enjoy a unique experience.

Graphics cards have been gaining importance over the years. Formerly, they were only used by computer scientists, however, the Gaming industry is growing exponentially and are increasingly requested by users.

Therefore, if you are starting to play or are already an expert, surely you want to get the best graphics card that fits your needs.

They are designed to improve performance and optimize the speed of data processing, as well as image quality, especially when viewing and playing the computer. This is why those who are within the Gaming industry are going to need a graphics card.

9 BEST GRAPHICS CARDS FOR GAMING AND VIDEO EDITING

Below, you will find the 9 top graphics cards on the market with their own recommendations based on our experience, and the opinion of users who have already purchased them.

If, on the other hand, you want to know quickly which are the latest generation most powerful on the market, here we leave them: ASUS Rog Strix or Nvidia Titan XP.

Model Name Memory Frequency Fans PRICE ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 1,341MHz Two CHECK PRICE MSI GeForce GT 710 2GB DDR3 954MHz None CHECK PRICE Gigabyte GV-RX580 8GB GDDR5 1,355 MHz Two CHECK PRICE Sapphire Radeon RX 580 Nitro Plus 8GB GDDR5 1,366 MHz Two CHECK PRICE Gigabyte GV-N1030OC-2GI 2GB GDDR5 1,265 MHz One CHECK PRICE MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 1,493 MHz Two CHECK PRICE MSI GeForce GTX 1060 Gaming X 3G 3GB GDDR5 400 MHz Two CHECK PRICE ASUS PH-GT1030-O2G 2GB GDDR5 1,531 MHz One CHECK PRICE Evga GeForce GTX 1070 SC Gaming 8GB GDDR5 1,594 MHz Two CHECK PRICE

1. ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – Best Graphics Card for Medium Gamers

ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB OC Edition GDDR5 Memory: 4 GB GDDR5

4 GB GDDR5 Fans: Two

Two Dust resistance: Yes

Yes Frequency: 1366 MHz

1366 MHz Overclocking: No View on Amazon

Designed to offer high performance and to be able to play without rest. Forget about overheating. It has a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics processor with a frequency of 1366 MHz. Asus Cerberus has successfully passed stress and performance checks to check compatibility with the latest generation games and those most used by Gaming Users (League of Legends and Overwatch among others).

This graphics card for games has been designed with Auto-Extreme technology. They are components made of high quality alloys (Super Alloy Power II). Considered very efficient, they optimize energy loss and heat up 50% less than conventional ones.

For this, it integrates a resistant metal plate protecting the built-in components on the back, increasing the structural resistance of the PCB. In the same way about your cooling system they have been tested under conditions of work extreme to improve reliability and durability. So much so that it obtained the IP5X dust resistance certificate. Its memory capacity is 4 GB, with a GDDR5 graphics adapter and a memory speed of 7008 MHz.

Pros Suitable for Tripe A titles and last generation games

Efficient cooling system

Powerful graphics adapter Cons Low Frequency

MSI Gaming GeForce GT 710 2GB GDRR3 Memory: 2 GB DDR3

2 GB DDR3 Fans: No

No Dust resistance: Yes

Yes Frequency: 954 MHz

954 MHz Overclocking: No View on Amazon

This 200 gram MSI V809 external NVIDIA brand family has been specially designed to revive old computer and give it a few more years of life. You can give that old computer a little help to enjoy gaming and editing your gaming videos.

The technical properties of this external MSI are quite acceptable, without going any further, it presents an NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 graphics processing unit, with a frequency of 954 MHz accompanied by a maximum digital resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels and another VGA of 2048 x 1536 pixels, will make you enjoy an enriching experience.

On the other hand, it offers a 2GB internal memory with a 64-bit DDR3 interface. So you don’t have problems with overheating, it supports low temperatures with high efficiency. Other characteristics to highlight; Interface x8 PCI Express 2.0 support and control wireless mobile devices and tablet iOS & Android.

Despite all these benefits, the price it presents is truly affordable, which does not exceed 100 dollars.

Pros Wireless Control by iOS and Android Devices

Relive Old Computer

Very Affordable Price Cons Low frequency and 2GB RAM

Not recommended for Triple A titles

Gigabyte Radeon RX 580 Gaming 8GB Memory: 8GB GDDR5

8GB GDDR5 Fans: 2

2 Dust resistance: Yes

Yes Frequency: 1355 MHz

1355 MHz Overclocking: Yes View on Amazon

This Gigabyte GV-RX580 belongs to the AMD family of graphics processors. Specifically, the graphics processor that is integrated is the Radeon RX 580 with a frequency of 1355 MHz, and can obtain a maximum resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels.

Thanks to its thermal overclocking technology system, you will be able to monitor its AORUS graphics engine, thus being able to easily adjust the card, to meet the requirements that any game requires. So if you like to play games this is the graphics card for you.

The cooling system has excellent properties, having 3 heat pipes made of pure copper, which together with the metal plate on the back will prevent unnecessary overheating through proper heat dissipation.

Additionally, it has 2 automatic fans that will start when the temperature and load require it. You can visually observe the state of these thanks to its LED indicator on the back.

Gigabyte GV supports Windows and Linux operating systems, having a PCI Express x16 3.0 interface, considered highly intuitive, allowing monitoring of all technical properties, such as clock speeds, voltage or fan performance. Just as you can customize it in millions of colors and lighting shades.

As for its memory, quite wide and powerful, 8GB GDDR5 with a clock speed of 8000 MHz, obtaining a data width of 256 bit.

Pros Large RAM memory power

Very efficient heat dissipation

Optimized overclocking

Suitable for Triple A titles Cons Low Frequency

Sapphire Radeon RX 580 Nitro Plus Memory: 8GB GDDR5

8GB GDDR5 Fans: 2

2 Dust resistance: Medium

Medium Frequency: 1,411 MHz

1,411 MHz Overclocking: No View on Amazon

The Radeon (AMD) brand is considered one of the most recognized on the market. Well, manufacturing graphics cards with this precision and quality is not for less.

Sapphire Nitro Radeon RX 580 is designed on a Polaris architecture, especially recommended for next-generation games that require very specific features. We are talking about eSports and MOBA games as well as the most graphics-intensive AAA titles.

We talk about before and after computer games, it incorporates asynchronous shaders and an improved geometry engine, providing a unique experience when we play. If you have HDR displays, Sapphire Nitro Radeon will exponentially expand the color gamut and contrast ratios.

This graphics card, before and after computer games, incorporates asynchronous shaders and an improved geometry engine, providing a unique experience when playing. If you have HDR displays, Sapphire Nitro Radeon will exponentially expand the color gamut and contrast ratios.

Additionally, it has an electric power of 500 watts, with a GPU clock speed of 1411 MHz, PCI-E graphics card interface and the memory speed falls on 8000 MHz.

Finally, it has high resistance to dust with its dual repellent ball bearings, as well as the cooling system, being quite efficient with 95mm fans, providing more powerful and silent cooling.

Pros Suitable for Triple A games

Optimized for HRD displays

Dust resistance Cons High Price

Gigabyte GV-N1030OC-2GI Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 OC 2G Graphics Card Memory: 2GB GDDR5

2GB GDDR5 Fans: 1

1 Dust resistance: Medium

Medium Frequency: 1,265 MHz

1,265 MHz Overclocking: Yes View on Amazon

Very similar to the Gigabyte previously described in number #3. However, it only has one fan when it comes to cooling. Still, it is able to increase performance and dissipate heat properly.

Gigabyte GV-N1030OC is developed by GeForce GT 1030, incorporating a 2GB GDDR5 64bit memory. Additionally, HDM formats with 4K video playback and HTML5 web browsing. Thanks to AORUS Graphics Engine, it is highly recommended for Gaming.

With this system you can adjust the graphics card very intuitively according to the requirements of each game. That is, it monitors the core clock with a 1544 MHz boost and 1290 MHz base in OC mode or 1518 MHz boost and 1265 MHz base in game mode. It is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 operating systems.

Pros Accepts HDMI formats

4K video playback

Compatible with Triple A titles Cons Just features a fan

Low RAM Memory

MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Gaming X 4G Memory: 4 GB GDDR5

4 GB GDDR5 Fans: 2

2 Dust resistance: Medium

Medium Frequency: 1,493 MHz

1,493 MHz Overclocking: No View on Amazon

Without a doubt, all the benefits and characteristics of the graphic card MSI GeForce GTX make it designed for Gaming. And now we will see why. The CPU speed is 1,354 MHz with a frequency of 1,493 MHz and a clock speed of 1,303 MHz. Its interface (PCI Express x16 3.0) is intuitive and easy to interpret. Additionally, it has integrated a 4GB GDDR5 memory with a speed of 7,108 MHz and a type of RAM PC2-4200.

The true strength lies in its extremely high Twin FROZR VI cooling power. It features a kind of silencer in the cooling system that generates 22% more air pressure for supreme performance. Finally, to watch tutorials while you play and get your best partials will allow you to view YouTube videos while you play thanks to MSI Dragon Eye. As we have seen, MSI GeoForce GTX 1050 is ideal to give a high performance to your games, which you can find for less than 200 dollars.

Pros You can watch tutorials while you play

Efficient cooling system

Great memory power Cons Low Frequency

MSI GeForce GTX 1060 Gaming X 3G Memory: 3GB GDDR5

3GB GDDR5 Fans: 2

2 Dust resistance: Medium

Medium Frequency: 400 MHz

400 MHz Overclocking: No View on Amazon

It is the older sister of the previously described MSI graphics card. However, it has more processing speed, frequency and memory, which is going to provide you with somewhat more efficient behavior. The GPU clock speed and frequency of GTX 1060 is 400 MHz, and CPU speed is 1,506 MHz. It comes with the same interface (PCI Express x16 3.0), which is very intuitive. As for memory, we also have changes for the better. It incorporates a memory type GDDR5 of 3GB of a speed 8.008 MHz and with a type of RAM PC2-4200.

Like its little sister, it also features the Twin FROZR VI cooling system. Which is specially designed to optimize and avoid overheating it. Additionally, it has the MSI Dragon Eye system allowing you to view tutorials on a mini screen while you overcome your game partials. Without a doubt, it is an excellent graphics card quality price.

Pros Suitable for Triple A titles

You will be able to watch tutorials while you play

Great cooling system Cons Upgradeable RAM

ASUS PH-GT1030-O2G Memory: 2 GB GDDR5

2 GB GDDR5 Fans: 1

1 Dust resistance: Yes

Yes Frequency: 1,531 MHz

1,531 MHz Overclocking: Yes View on Amazon

The ASUS PH-GT 1030 has two very competitive advantages at an affordable price. Cooling is an effective and easy overclocking. As for its cooling system, we can say that the ASUS Phoenix NVidia GeForce GTX 1030 incorporates a single fan by means of a ball bearing system that increases durability, reduces friction, and increases efficiency cooling.

Additionally, it is manufactured with the most advanced Auto-Extreme technology with Super Alloy Power II making it a guarantee graphics card, reducing noise, energy loss and temperature.

On the other hand, the GPU Tweak II interface, very easy to interpret and truly intuitive, facilitates overclocking for any user with the aim of maximizing graphics performance through Game Booster. Eliminating this way processes waste and providing a unique cinematic and interactive experience as you can make screenshots live.

As for its memory and processing characteristics. The graphics processor is a GeForce GT 1030 with a frequency speed of 1252 MHz and a memory capacity of 2GB of the GDDR5 type, while the memory speed of the clock is 6008 MHz.

Pros Take live screenshots

Suitable for next-generation games

Easy overclocking Cons Low frequency and memory capacity

It only has one fan

Evga GeForce GTX 1070 SC Gaming Memory: 8 GB GDDR5

8 GB GDDR5 Fans: 2

2 Dust resistance: Yes

Yes Frequency: 1,594 MHz

1,594 MHz Overclocking: Yes View on Amazon

It comes from the NVIDIA family of graphics processors. With up to 100% more performance than previous series cards and excellent graphic development in virtual reality and video games, it leaves no one indifferent.

The combination of the power of its CPU and GPU, together with the use of GDDR5 memory and its compatibility with the latest version of DirectX, Evga GeForce GTX 1070 has a data width of 256 bits, CPU speed of 1920 MHz, memory clock speed of 80008 MHz, frequency of 1594 MHz with a maximum resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels.

As for its memory, it has 8192 MB of the GDDR5 with a type of graphic memory PC2-4200. The more than intuitive PCI-E 3.0 16x interface will help you enjoy an incredible experience. It only weighs 1.3 kilograms. It is highly recommended for Gaming since its processing speed is truly high.

Pros Very close to virtual reality

Great CPU and GPU power

Highly recommended for Triple A Titles Cons High Price

BUDGETARY QUESTIONS

In fact, the question of budget is often the starting point for any further research. Your needs, requirements and dreams will not play a role if your budget does not coincide with them. The general principle is simple: the more powerful a card, the higher its price. So if you belong to the game fan category, be prepared to spend a nice amount on your new graphics card.

BEST GRAPHICS CARD BUYING GUIDE

AMD’s graphics cards generally have more computing cores at the same price point and thus also a higher theoretical performance. Nvidia equips its graphics cards with higher clock frequencies, which provides more performance, especially in games. AMD has now overtaken Nvidia in the manufacturing process and manufactures its graphics chips using 7-nanometer technology. The smaller the process, the more energy efficient the graphics card. AMD can therefore deliver its chips ex works with boost clock frequencies of almost 2 GHz. NVidia lags behind with its 12-nanometer technology.

Computing cores: AMD graphics cards generally have more computing cores, also called stream processors, which in addition to 3D graphics can also be used for other types of calculations such as economic simulations. NVidia’s cores are better optimized for gaming, which is why the manufacturer’s chips often come with fewer cores than comparable models from AMD. However, if game developers optimize their games for AMD cores in cooperation with AMD, the chips have a significant performance advantage thanks to their higher number of cores. This is particularly noticeable in games that are optimized for DirectX 12, since DirectX 12 can use AMD’s cores particularly well. However, NVidia often has a head start in DirectX 11 games.

Clock frequency: Graphics cards always have a so-called base clock, which indicates the minimum frequency with which the card works. In addition, the manufacturers always specify a turbo or boost cycle, which the graphics cards can often only achieve for a short time if they are well cooled. As soon as the chip runs too hot, the clock frequency is reduced to a lower level, but never goes below the base clock. As a rule of thumb, the higher the clock frequency, the better the performance in games.

Memory: Most graphics cards now use the GDDR6 memory type, which offers good performance for most applications. AMD uses the so-called high-bandwidth memory of the 2nd generation (HBM2) in its high-end models, which has a particularly high bandwidth and is therefore significantly faster than GDDR6. To be prepared for the future, a graphics card should have at least 6 gigabytes (GB) of video memory. At most 4 GB are still acceptable for budget models, but not feasible in the long term. With some mid-range cards and high-end models, 8 GB is now normal. The most expensive cards even come with 16 GB.

Super: The name is NVidia’s attempt to place stronger versions of its GTX and RTX models against AMD’s competition. An RTX 2080 Super, for example, has more processing units and a higher clock frequency than the original RTX 2080. Actually, the Super versions have the same MSRP, but on the market, they are usually more expensive than the original models.

GPU: AMD OR NVIDIA?

The graphics processing unit (GPU) is the basis of any graphics card and determines its capabilities. If you want to get a high-end model, pay attention to the model number because the higher it is, the higher the performance of a card.

There are two graphics card providers from which to choose: AMD and NVIDIA. Which is the best? Well, it’s up to you to decide which graphics card will be most suitable for your PC. The fact is that both brands have advantages and disadvantages. Your task is simply to take them into account and choose the card that suits you best.

The most common fact about the difference between AMD and NVIDIA is their price. AMD is considered to be cheaper than NVIDIA. In fact, we have doubts about this idea. The prices are for the most part the same level and if you compare, for example, the NVIDIA GeForce 980Ti and AMD R9 Fury X models, you will even be surprised to learn that the AMD product is a little more expensive.

Today, AMD is working hard to reach NVIDIA status and join its high-end niche. Its Vega GPUs released in June 2017 are proof of this. However, NVIDIA performs better. It has an effective memory speed and a multitude of exclusive technologies. As for AMD, it offers more autonomy to its users – for example, you can download its drivers whenever you want directly from the official AMD website.

In summary, AMD and NVIDIA seem to be participating in eternal races, which motivates them to improve their products. And this is their main advantage.

GRAPHICS CARD MEMORY

Whichever brand you choose, NVIDIA or AMD, you will need to check the basic options offered by their cards. One of them is memory. Obviously, more memory in the graphics card guarantees better speed and improves its general performance.

Note that different types of graphics cards offer different RAM. It can be DDR3, GDDR3 or GDDR5. They all differ in speed and, therefore, in price. The best option is the GDDR5. It offers a large bandwidth and can open two memory pages at the same time. This option simulates the dual port nature of other VRAM technologies.

By the way, always pay attention to the characteristics of the graphics card such as bandwidth. Poor bandwidth can become a real trap for a PC user. That’s why don’t forget to check this feature in order to get a graphics card with excellent performance. Overall, modern types of RAM have much better bandwidth than their predecessors.

Another thing you should know is that the amount of memory affects the type of resolution with which a graphics card can be compatible. For example, a PC with a display larger than 1680 × 1050 is compatible with 1 GB of RAM. Monitors with a lower resolution require only 512 MB of RAM. So, if you need a PC to play and plan to use multiple monitors, you will need at least 3 GB of RAM.

GPU COOLING SYSTEM

The cooling is another aspect that greatly affects the productivity of the map. The general principle is simple: if a graphics card is equipped with more fans, it is able to offer better performance.

First, be aware that there are reference coolers and non-reference coolers. The point is, AMD and NVIDIA’s vendors sell their cards not only directly to customers, but also to other companies that add some changes to the cards and sell their own versions of graphics cards that are already modified. Thus, the cards which are sold directly to consumers obtain the reference title while those which have undergone modifications are without reference.

Therefore, the original cards have somewhat different cooling systems. Reference graphics cards have a single fan shifted to one side that sends hot air out of your PC case. As for non-referenced cooling systems, they often have two fans that blow hot air away from the card but not from the computer case. This can lead to overheating. However, they have their own advantages: their coolers are quieter.

Before choosing between these two types of cooling systems, you should know the average temperature of your CPU during your usual activities. If the temperature exceeds 55 ° C, it is better to take a reference, because it will blow the hot air out of the case of your PC. However, if your PC’s cooling system is powerful enough, you can choose the other one.

COMPATIBILITY OF GRAPHICS CARDS

Whichever card you choose; you need to be sure it will be compatible with the rest of your PC. Usually, weak spots are the size of a graphics card, power supply, and PCI card.

The first step is to check if the selected card can be connected to the system and in particular to your motherboard. Your PC can have an old type of connection called PCI (peripheral component interconnect) slot, its improved version, AGP (accelerated graphics port technology), or the latest PCIe (PCI Express) slots, which are faster and more flexible.

Therefore, before your purchase, you need to know which cards will be compatible with your computer’s expansion slots. Also, if you are building a powerful gaming machine, your PC case can probably support two to four cards. In this case, note that the locations and maps must be identical. These technologies are known as SLI in NVIDIA cards and CrossFire in AMD cards.

In terms of size, first-rate graphics cards are longer. However, the best option is to measure the card and the space inside your PC case to be sure that the card will adapt to it. Also, be careful of the slots on the back of the computer case – they should be large enough to match the outlet. Of course, you can use adapters for card outputs but it is always better to have the card which is originally compatible with your PC.

Almost all economy cards are powered directly from the PCIe port. However, higher quality graphics cards may require connection to the power supply. This is usually done using 6 or 8 pin connectors, although they can sometimes be used both. So, if you have such a high-end game card, you will need to check if your PSU is good enough for this purpose.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the best graphics cards? In this article, you have been able to find the best ones based on the recommendations of our experts, but we selected these two ASUS ROG STRIX or Nvidia Titan XP. What does OC mean on video cards? It refers to overclocking, that is, a feature offered by graphic cards, manual or automatic, capable of monitoring different functionalities such as the GPU and memory in order to optimize its performance. What is the most powerful graphics card in the world? Currently the most powerful on the market is the Nvidia Titan XP. What role does the graphics card play? They serve to monitor and regulate the quality of the images while we use or play on our laptop. They are responsible for transferring data to our monitor, television or projector and enhance its quality.

CONCLUSION

Whenever you buy a GPU, consider which manufacturer you want to choose since the specifications will be different accordingly. The latest cards in Nvidia’s 10 series also include the so-called ‘Manufacturer’s Edition’ or ‘Millennium Edition’ models. Third-party models tend to be more expensive and slightly more efficient. Common brand names include EVGA, Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, XFX, Zotac, etc.

With constantly changing prices and special offers that appear every day, it is difficult to recommend a specific model solely on the basis of its price. As such, this guide will offer you the usual price range for each card and the type of performance you can expect.