Best Budget GPU 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti DUKE

The graphics cards from MSI are known for their sheer beauty and excellent performance, however, the DUKE edition is one of its own kind. First of all, GeForce GTX 1080 Ti was the flagship graphics card from the previous generation and is based on Pascal architecture. The popularity of the latest RTX-series graphics cards, especially the RTX 2080, has greatly reduced the price of GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, which is why it is a very attractive product as of now.

The GeForce GTX 1080 comes with 88 Render Output Units and 28 Streaming Multiprocessors, leading to 224 Texture Mapping Units and 3584 Shader Processing Units. As for the memory, it comes with 11 GB of GDDR5X memory and with a 352-bit memory bus and 11008 MHz effective memory clock speed, the overall memory bandwidth sums up to 484.4 GB/s.

The core clocks of the graphics card are subjective to the variant and this MSI DUKE edition comes with 1582 MHz of boost core clock. The MSI GTX 1080 Ti DUKE has a TDP of 250 watts, which makes it quite a power-hungry card.

Related: Best GPU for Ryzen 5 2600 & 2600X

Now, speaking about the design of the graphics card, we must say, this is one of the biggest graphics cards of all time, measuring at 12.6 inches. It gives very beastly looks and the tri-fan design enhances this feeling.

The design of the shroud is pretty impressive too, providing you with a complex shape and multiple textures. It is a dual-slot graphics card and it is thinner than other high-end variants such as ZOTAC AMP Extreme and GIGABYTE AORUS XTREME, etc.

The graphics card does support RGB lighting, however, it is barely present here and only the DUKE logo at the top is RGB-lit. The backplate of the graphics card is pretty attractive too, with a huge MSI branding and some vents here and there. As for the I/O ports are concerned, you get 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI, and 3 x DP ports in this graphics card.

The graphics card requires two 8-pin PCIe connectors for powering it, as it has a high TDP. Overall, the design of the graphics card is really attractive, however, make sure that you have enough space in your case before buying this graphics card.

he performance of this graphics card is better than most of the GTX 1080 Ti variants and is close to the previously mentioned high-end variants like ZOTAC AMP Extreme. The cooling performance of the graphics card is quite good, as expected from a graphics card with such a beefy heat-sink and you will be looking at around 75-degree temperature at full load.

The graphics card does not come factory overclocked, which is why you get the same clock rates as the reference edition, i.e. 1481 MHz base core clock and 1582 MHz boost core clock.

Despite this, you can overclock the graphics card yourself if you are looking to improve performance further and can easily achieve the real-time core clocks around 2000 MHz. The memory does not seem so promising in overclocking; however, an offset of +500 MHz won’t be difficult, leading to effective memory clock rates around 12000 MHz.

As for the gaming performance is concerned, MSI GTX 1080 Ti DUKE edition will let you max-out most of the games at even 2160P resolution, providing you with a stable frame rate of 60. You can also use this graphics card to do high-refresh-rate gaming as well and it will provide you with more than 100 FPS at 1440P resolution in most AAA games.

A particular downside of using this graphics card would be that you won’t be able to use RTX-specific features in games, such as Ray-Tracing and DLSS, however, if those features do not interest you, this card will provide you with astounding performance.

Summary:

Conclusively, MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti DUKE edition is one of the finest graphics cards from the previous generation of NVIDIA graphics cards and it can make your dreams come true as long as you couple it with a high-end processor.

ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 TI

ASUS designs some of the best variants of graphics cards and their variants are highly appreciated for top-notch performance and visuals. The GeForce GTX 1070 Ti was the last graphics card from the previous generation of NVIDIA and it was originally released to tackle AMD VEGA 56 graphics card, at which it was fairly successful. The graphics card possessed core properties closer to the GTX 1080 while the memory performance was the same as that of the GeForce GTX 1070.

The GeForce GTX 1070 Ti comes with 64 Render Output Units and 19 Streaming Multiprocessors, which lead to 152 Texture Mapping Units, and 2432 Shader Processing Units. The graphics card provides an 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 256-bit memory bus and 8008 MHz effective memory clock rate, leading to 256.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

As for the clock rates, NVIDIA did not allow factory overclocking and that is why almost all variants come with 1607 MHz of base core clock and 1683 MHz of boost core clock. ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 TI has a TDP of 180 watts, which is not a lot, considering the performance of this graphics card.

Related: Best Graphics Cards 2021

ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 TI comes with a blower-style cooler and that is why it feels considerably boring, comparing to graphics cards that come with an open-air design. To be honest, the looks of the graphics card are even worse than the NVIDIA’s Founder Edition GTX 1070 Ti, although it is surely an improvement from the old blower-style designs. The blower-style design is great for people who have minimal airflow in their cases, as the hot air is blown out of the case directly and does not interfere with other components inside the case.

It is a dual-slot graphics card but it has a regular height, which means that you will be able to use it in most of the micro-ATX cases. A particular thing to note here is that the graphics card does not come with a backplate, which might sound a bit disappointing to some people. As for the I/O ports, you get 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI, and 3 x DP ports, which is the standard configuration. The graphics card requires a single 8-pin PCIe connector for powering it, which is enough even if you overclock it.

The performance of this graphics card is not so promising relative to open-air variants, as this graphics card operates at fairly higher temperatures. You will be looking at around 75-degree temperature at full load or even more and such temperatures limit the functionality of NVIDIA’s features like GPU Boost, which is used to increase the core clocks of the graphics card in real-time.

Still, you will be looking at around 1800 MHz real-time core clocks in gaming, which is not too shabby for a blower-style card. A good thing about this graphics card is that it is considerably quieter than most of the other blower-style cards and the noise is bearable even at 2500 RPM of fan speed.

As for overclocking, you can increase the core offset by around +150, leading to 2000 MHz real-time clocks and memory can be pushed to around 9000 MHz effective memory clocks. This is bound to increase the temperatures so you will have to compensate it with higher fan speeds by using an aggressive custom fan curve.

As for gaming performance, GTX 1070 Ti works wonders even in 2021 games and you will be able to play most of the AAA games at 60 FPS with a resolution of 1440P, although some GPU-bound games will ask you to reduce the resolution to 1080P to achieve a stable frame rate of 60.

Summary:

Conclusively, ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 TI is a fine choice for budget gamers who are looking to get stable 60+ FPS at 1080P or even 1440P resolution and own a case that has poor airflow.

PNY GeForce GTX 1060

PNY is one of the less popular companies that design graphics cards and their graphics cards are known for a great value. The GeForce GTX 1060 was the mid-range graphics card from the Pascal-series NVIDIA graphics cards and it is one of the most popular budget graphics cards of all time. The performance of this graphics card was closer to the GeForce GTX 980 from the 900-series graphics cards and yet it was available at a fraction of the cost of GTX 980.

The GeForce GTX 1060 provides you with 48 Render Output Units and 10 Streaming Multiprocessors, having 128 Shader Processing Units and 8 Texture Mapping Units each, leading to a total of 1280 SPUs and 80 Texture Mapping Units.

The graphics card has a 6 GB of GDDR5 memory, coupled with a 192-bit memory bus and has an effective memory clock rate of 8008 MHz, leading to 192.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. PNY GeForce GTX 1060 does not come with a factory overclock and hereby, it has a base core clock of 1506 MHz and boost core clock of 1708 MHz. PNY GeForce GTX 1060 has a TDP of only 120 watts, which is why you can use it with low-power PSUs as well.

Related: Best GTX 1050 Ti

The design of the graphics card is although better than the graphics card we would see in the 700 and 900-series graphics cards from NVIDIA but it is surely not as competitive as other variants in the Pascal-based graphics cards. It is a dual-fan graphics card, with a mediocre length and width while it has regular height.

The front shroud of the graphics card is black in color and has an intriguing shape. There is no RGB lighting in this graphics card, as the company focuses more on the performance and less on visuals.

There is 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI, and 3 x DP ports in this graphics card and it requires only a single 6-pin PCIe connector. You don’t get the backplate with this graphics card, which is why it might not give you fabulous looks if you would be using it in a horizontal position.

The graphics card might not be presenting the best looks but it packs a lot of power under its hood. The cooling solution of the graphics card gives a good competition to the high-end variants and the large fans keep the graphics card under 72 degrees at full load.

Since the graphics card does not come factory overclocked, it has a great potential for overclocking and you can achieve up to 2050 MHz of real-time core clocks. The memory can be pushed to around 9000 MHz with overclocking and the cooling performance of the graphics card is well enough to withstand all this overclocking without taking a major hit in thermals.

The GeForce GTX 1060 is definitely not a high-end graphics card for gaming in 2021 but you will be able to play most of the games at 1080P resolution with high settings, providing a stable frame rate of 60. However, the latest games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Metro Exodus give a hard time to the graphics card and you will have to reduce the settings to medium to achieve a stable frame rate.

Summary:

Conclusively, PNY GeForce GTX 1060 is a fine contender for 1080P gaming and is still one of the best graphics cards when it comes to price to performance ratio, although you should look at other options if you own a monitor with higher resolution or higher refresh rate.

EVGA GTX 1660 Ti XC Black

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 is on #1 in our Best Graphics Cards 2021 list. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 is a beginner’s graphics card with experienced features, such as not factory overclocking and RGB lighting. The heat sink covers the whole PCB, and the huge cooling fan acts as a shield against the noise. For most gamers, the NVIDIA GTX 1660 is a cost-effective system that offers modern gaming features.

More on this, 1660 is the latest invention from Nvidia that includes GDDR and a more advanced version of the GTX 1060, which is designed to offer the best gaming resolution at 1080p or 1440p. When it comes to awesome performance then this card is a monster.

Considering its price (which is so reasonable), its performance is quite commendable. Well, we can say that the GTX 1660 is compatible with the GTX 1070, but its price is lower than $300.

Related: Best GTX 1070 Ti

It is featured with 6GB of GDGR6 capacity that works at a rate of 12Gbps code. This is the main feature of the GTX 1660, which makes it remarkable for gaming, and not to mention the new and improved turing design. The cost of the GTX 1660 is still not affected by the modern turing design, which kind of is a big deal.

As the card is manufactured on the advanced Turing design, yet it is still not able to provide Real-Time Ray Tracing, which probably isn’t even needed. An 8 pin power port is required for the card to run and only uses 120 watts. So, you can even use it with a higher watt supply if you want.

Once you install it into your PC, your entire world of gaming will change, and this will somehow create a better gamer out of you. So, make sure you are ready to accept this change.

But, here’s a drawback, if you really want to purchase the GTX 1660, then I suggest you purchase a CPU compatible with it as well. Your old CPU will not be able to provide power to such an advanced graphics card. On the other hand, if your CPU is modern enough to provide strong enough company to the GTX 1660, then there is no need to buy a new CPU.

In short, if you want to have a powerful gaming experience combined with great resolution, you better purchase the GTX 1660, because it is literally the best graphics card for gaming.

Other than that, it is very reasonable, so you won’t be able to find anything better than 1660. Also, you can buy it from Amazon with amazing discount offers. At the same time, you can purchase it from a computer store as well, the choice is all yours.

Summary:

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 is a high-performance graphics card specially designed to offer an amazing gaming experience with a 1440p worth of resolution. So, if you are looking for a graphics card that is performance-filled and comes under a reasonable price, the GTX 1660 is your boy.

PowerColor AXRX 590 8GBD5

Enough about NVIDIA, let’s talk about the brand new graphics card released by AMD – The PowerColor AXRX 590 8GBD5. Before its release, a lot of rumors were spread around about its design and features, which are all proved now.

The AXPX 590 8GBD5 is basically dedicated to the Polaris – Ellesmere, installed with a smaller graphics processor. Let’s call it smaller than 12nm FiNFET. With it being small, it uses a very little amount of power, but the most important feature of PowerColor graphics card is that it offers high clock intensities.

So, the Powercolor AXRX 590 8GBD5 is the same as of the RX 580 and 480, but only the chip is equipped with a tiny process node (which provides extra room for breathing).

Related: Best GTX 1080 Ti

If we compare AMD with NVIDIA, this has a lot of influence on AMD. AMD has lowered a lot of its graphics card prices. With that being said, AMD contains some of the most powerful graphics cards at very reasonable prices. The AXRX 590 8GBD5 is an example of this. This graphics card is a 1080p monster that can improve any gamer’s experience.

For those of you who are willing to purchase a PC under $700-$800, this graphics card will go best with it. You can receive a better FPS with typical games like CSGO, Rocket League, and Overwatch.

On the other hand, the recent gaming trend revolves around PUBG and other multi-player games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Battlefield V. If you combine this graphics card with a high powered CPU, you will get the most amazing gaming experience ever. The most compatible CPU with this graphics card model is the i5 9400.

When we compare this model with the RX 580, it provides a higher speed and is even better than the GTX 1060. The only difference between AMD and NVIDIA is that AMD’s graphics card requires more power than NVIDIA. The AXRX 590 8GBD5 demands a 6+8 power connector, but the overclocking option takes over to provide efficient FPS, and the 8GB VRAM is enough to play any game popular today.

Most gamers demand a fast graphics card that will accommodate all types of games, new and old. But, even the newest graphics card models are not able to provide speed to modern era games. But, no need to worry about that because the AXRX 590 will help you make the most out of gaming within seconds. This graphics card can provide speed and high resolution to all sorts of games.

When it comes to the price, the AXRX 590 8GBD5 costs less than $250, which is a very surprising number compared to its performance and features.

What’s more? You can purchase this graphics card from Amazon under amazing deals and discount offers. The very common reason why most people shop from Amazon is that it offers high-end products under acceptable prices, with discounts.

Summary:

RX 590 is the best choice when it comes to high performance. With such high-end features, it even makes the GTX 1060 look dull in comparison. However, if the prices of these cards are the same when buying, the best option to go for is AXRX 590, because it excels in providing amazing performance.

XFX Radeon RX 570 RS XXX Edition

A few months ago, AMD released its Vega architecture in the Vega 64 and the Vega56-related video cards. Both of these cards shed light on the performance we were receiving from the Polaris-based 500 series. Still, the vega cards hold a powerful hand on the RX 5 series.

The Polaris-based video cards offer a 1929×1080 worth of performance and are worth every dollar.

However, when we move to the RX 570, it is a factory overclocked graphics card that contains 8GB of GDDR5 memory, which prevents the card from getting handicapped.

When we discuss this graphics card model in detail, it is a part of the RX series cards, which is a combination of the RX 560 and 580. You can purchase this card with 4 or 8GB of VRAM, but if you choose a higher GB, you will have to pay more than the actual price, which is less than $150. So, paying a couple of more bucks to get more power wouldn’t hurt.

Related: Best GTX 1080

This is the main reason why this graphics card is the best one in this entire list of best graphics cards under reasonable prices. The only competitor to the RX 570 is the GTX 1650, and not just for its price. The RX 570 is still higher in performance than this model.

We cannot just add this card to the entry-level cards list, but it is also a 1080 card that can play all types of games with ultra resolutions. Some games do not let the gamer get 60+fps settings, but if you choose to lower some other functions, you will be able to 60 without any struggle.

This is a very strong model, as it is a combination between the RX 560 and 580. However, its functions are quite close to the 580. With that being said, GTX 1050 is nothing compared to this model, and the RX 570 also a version of the RX series 470.

If you are going to game with this graphics card, it is important to have the latest technology with you, a compatible PC that consumes less energy. Basically, this model is a much better version than all of AMD graphics cards.  We assure you, this is the best graphics card that is feature-filled and is cost-effective.

When it comes to buying the RX 570, you can get it from Amazon with the best discount deals and make the most out of gaming.

Summary:

If your mark is $150, then the RX 570 graphics card is the best one for you. This model outranks all other AMD graphics card versions with its high-performance and smaller size filled with outstanding features. It is a low-cost solution for all your gaming problems.

XFX RX-560D2SFG5

When it comes to the latest technology, AMD is not far behind. This AMD graphics car model contains the AMD Radeon RX-560 processor. As all gamers know, the processor is also referred to as a GPU, and that is the most important element in every graphics card.

This AMD graphics card can run a thousand games with premium speed and performance. Gamers can enjoy games like PUBG, League of Legends, Overwatch, GTA V, and Fortnite.

This graphics card has been optimized for the most popular resolution in the entire market, and the RX-560 can provide the modern AAA feels in 1080p. With the fourth-generation GCN design, the RX-560 offers amazing DirectX12.

Related: Best GTX 1660 Ti

To achieve the maximum performance you need to overclock your graphics card. But you will only undermine your graphics card’s potential if you go with a stock card. That is when the factory overclocked RX-560 comes in hand.

Premium HDR and the High Dynamic Range is the hallmark of performance for every gamer who demands a stunning display and quality of their monitor or screen.

Other than that, the RX-560 is the most reasonably priced graphics card in this entire budget-demanding list of cards. It is not that fast when it comes to performance, but you can still be able to play games with a nice frame rate. With reasonable settings, you can receive 50 fps in most games.

However, this car is best for playing games on average in high settings. You can play awesome games on this card with smooth running and no interruption. These days, a lot of gamers are a fan of PUBG, and for playing PUBG, a feature-filled graphics card is needed. With that being said, the RX-560 will do you wonders in gaming. Plus, you can also be able to increase the settings to whichever level you desire.

This card is more powerful than you think, and it can operate on less than 80 watts and does not demand any external power ports, so you don’t have to invest in power supplies. What’s more? This card contains a high-quality cooling heatsink manufactured from aluminum, and it can fit every kind of theme, thanks to its grey covering.

Furthermore, if you have decided to buy the RX-560, that’s great. You can easily buy this graphics card on Amazon and enlighten yourself with the best deals and offers. Amazon is always offering its customers with amazing discount offers, you can take advantage of that and buy the RX-560 graphics card at a much more reasonable price.

Summary:

If you are a beginner at gaming, the RX-560 graphics card is everything you need. Just install it on your PC and be a part of the awesome gamers group. You can easily adjust the settings to get maximum performance with this card. Even though it is not able to provide speed to heavy games, it still can offer support to the modern games that are most commonly played.

Nvidia GTX 1060-3GB

For those of you who game on 1080p, the NVIDIA GTX 1060-3GB is the best option for you at a price lower than $210. Right now, the 6GB version is being sold in the market for a slightly higher rate, and everything is escalating quickly. For most gamers, the 3GB model is quite slow, but it is still able to provide high gaming experiences for people gaming at 1080p.

So, if you want to upgrade your PC, your best option would be the GTX 1060-3GB. Furthermore, it is significant to make sure that your graphics card is getting paired up with a compatible PC. What’s the point of buying a graphics card that doesn’t even meet the needs of your PC?

However, when we compare the GTX 1060-3GB with the RX 470, the GTX 1060-3GB is only a couple of bucks expensive that it.

Related: Best GTX 970

Every other graphics car model reviewed in this content is based on high performance, features, and prices, but this graphics card is all about helping you to have an amazing gaming experience.

Not every graphics card lets you play games that take most of the space in your PC, but the GTX 1060-3GB lets you play all sorts of games, even the high-capacity ones. Sure, you have a lot of other options in the world of graphics cards, but if the price is everything for you, you won’t be able to get what you want without a little research. In short, the GTX 1060-3GB is a cost-effective graphics card that lets you have all the fun you want.

Still, if you are okay with a few performance ups and downs, you can consider buying this graphics card. You can purchase it from anywhere you want, even online. The best place to buy this graphics card is through Amazon. The most amazing part about buying from Amazon is that you will receive a lot of discount offers.

Summary:

It is the best graphics card when you care for two things; price and performance. The 3GB lets you play at 1080p with maximum performance. You can play all sorts of games with the GTX 1060-3GB and have a great gaming experience under fewer rates.