The Best Video Card Buyer’s Guide – Spring 2022
-
Video Card –
eVGA GeForce GT 1030 2GB GDDR5
$137
This efficient, low-profile card will be supported by nearly every PC, and provides an HDMI 2.0 output that supports anything up to a 4K monitor or TV. That means the sky’s the limit in terms of what you connect to it. And this GDDR5 version is far faster than the weaker DDR4 versions that Nvidia snuck in after the fact. Translation: not all GT 1030 cards are the same!
The Guru’s Tip
While not a gaming card, this still has plenty of uses! It’s perfect for older systems without support for ultra-high resolution monitors (i.e., above 1080p), as well as any system without built-in graphics.
-
Video Card –
Asus TUF GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6
$220
The GTX 1650 is a capable gaming card, and with 4GB of GDDR6 memory onboard, it can easily handle mainstream games at resolutions up to 1080p.
The Guru’s Tip
This card is a great stepping-stone into gaming, and also the perfect home theater PC GPU!
-
Video Card –
XFX Radeon RX 6600 Speedster 8GB
$251
Jump into serious PC gaming today with the Radeon RX 6600 8GB. It has plenty of power to tackle any modern game, easily beating any Nvidia GeForce GPU anywhere near its pricepoint.
The Guru’s Tip
You can jump right into serious gaming with this card!
-
Video Card –
XFX Radeon RX 6600 XT Speedster 8GB
$380
Get into serious PC gaming today with the Radeon RX 6600 XT 8GB. It has plenty of power to tackle any modern game, easily beating every Nvidia GeForce GPU anywhere near its pricepoint!
The Guru’s Tip
The 6600 XT is actually faster than Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3060, while costing a lot less, which is why you don’t see a 3060 in our list!
-
Video Card –
XFX Radeon RX 6700 XT SWFT309 12GB
$460
It’s time to get gaming again! This Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB from XFX has impressive gaming power, easily beating the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and nearly catching the RTX 3070, while coming in at a far lower price! Grab a great GPU today and get into your games!
The Guru’s Tip
While there are plenty of GeForce cards in this price range, none come even close to offering the performance per dollar of the 6700 XT!
-
Video Card –
Zotac GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Trinity 8GB
$750
The RTX 3070 Ti offers amazing performance, and this model’s triple-slot, triple-fan cooler will keep temperatures in check and allow maximum boost.
It of course has an overclock applied from the factory, and can go even higher with manual tuning. While it’s selling for slightly above its MSRP, it’s among the best deals on the market today!The Guru’s Tip
The 3070 Ti is far faster than the original 3070, which often sells for the same price or more, so make sure not to fall for the trap!
-
Video Card –
EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XC3 Ultra
$760
Nvidia’s RTX 3080 10GB reset expectations when it was launched in September of 2020, but was nearly unobtainable for about a year and a half. Luckily, its legendary performance can now be yours! And with this model from EVGA, you’re getting a great cooler and the best customer service in the business.
The Guru’s Tip
The 3080 was the absolute star of the entire RTX 3000 series, and at one point regularly sold for around $2000!
-
Video Card –
MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ventus 3X 12GB LHR
$800
Nvidia truly one-upped AMD with the release of the RTX 3080 12GB, offering performance that beats the Radeon RX 6900 XT and nearly matches the much more expensive RTX 3080 Ti 12GB.
Simply put, it’s simply the best card available in its price range. Keep in mind that this is far improved over the original RTX 3080 10GB, despite the similar name. It of course has more VRAM, but it also has a wider memory bus and more cores, so benchmarks are in another league versus the original 3080!The Guru’s Tip
The 12GB version of the 3080 is far faster than the original 3080, so it’s definitely worth the upgrade if you have the extra cash!
-
Video Card –
Zotac GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB Trinity
$850
For extreme performance, nothing less than the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB will do! This model offers up a sweet triple-slot, triple-fan cooler to keep it running at maximum boost!
The Guru’s Tip
The Ti version of the 3080 is the fastest ever released, and within a few percentage points of the 3090!
-
Video Card –
MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 24GB Gaming X Trio
$1130
Hail to the king! The absolutely mind-blowing RTX 3090 Ti 24GB goes beyond extreme, beating the original 3090 by 10% thanks to an increase in CUDA cores and faster VRAM.
And this model from MSI offers the best air cooler available, which is MSI’s specialty!The Guru’s Tip
If only the best will do, the 3090 is what you want, as that 24GB of VRAM makes it future proof!
How to Choose A Graphics Card: 5 Things to Consider
Looking for a new graphics card? Need help making your decision? In this guide, we’ve outlined five important things to consider when choosing a GPU.
Oor those of you first-time builders who are planning on building a gaming computer, the most important component in your upcoming build will likely be your graphics card.
We’ve already covered what to look for in a processor and motherboard and, today, we’ll go over how to choose a graphics card.
In this short guide, we’ll discuss five different things you should look for in a graphics card. If you understand these five factors, you’ll be in a much better position to choose the GPU that is right for your needs.
Table of Contents
- NVIDIA vs AMD
- What Games Do You Play?
- Monitor Resolution & Refresh Rate
- PSU & Case Compatibility
- System Balance & Bottlenecks
MORE FROM THIS SERIES1. What to Look for In A CPU2. How to Choose A CPU Cooler3. How to Choose A Motherboard4. How to Choose A Graphics Card5. How to Choose A Power Supply6. How to Choose A Case for Your PC7. What to Look for In A Gaming Monitor8. What to Look for in A Gaming Chair
1. NVIDIA vs AMD
The first thing you’ll want to know about buying a graphics card is that there are only two main GPU manufacturers: NVIDIA and AMD.
(Although, Intel is close to releasing their first series of desktop graphics cards.)
However, while NVIDIA and AMD are the only GPU manufacturers, they license other companies to sell their GPUs. Companies like ASUS, Gigabyte, EVGA, MSI, etc. sell their own graphics cards with AMD or NVIDIA GPUs on them.
Also Read: GPU vs. Graphics Card: What’s the Difference?
These companies typically offer different cooling solutions, clock rates, and software on their video cards. So, while the GPUs may be the same across different resellers’ graphics cards, the cooling and software (and, thus, performance) can vary to a certain degree.
Which Company Makes Better GPUs?
It’s important to note, that if you don’t want to support one company over the other (as some people do) and performance is your only goal, then price-to-performance is going to be the biggest determining factor in what graphics card you can get.
Video card prices change frequently, and there are many different tiers of graphics card performance.
On some tiers, NVIDIA-based video cards will offer you better price-to-performance. On other tiers, it may be an AMD-based video card that will offer you the best price-to-performance option.
So, there is really no one answer to which GPU manufacturer is the best option. It really depends on what your budget is and what kind of deals/sales are available at the time you go to buy your graphics card.
Which Reseller Makes the Best Graphics Cards?
Along with wondering who is better between AMD and NVIDIA, you might also be wondering which graphics card reseller offers the best video card.
The truth is that most of the popular video card resellers offer worthy options.
So, the answer to what reseller makes the best graphics cards is similar to the answer of who is better between AMD and NVIDIA: it really depends on what the current prices are.
Right now, the consumer graphics card market is probably in the best shape it has been in in years (thanks to the end of the GPU shortage and the Ethereum merge.
) However, as with before when crypto mining hurt the market for video cards, video card prices on specific cards were constantly fluctuating.
On some days, you might find that a ZOTAC RTX 3060 graphics card costs $379. The next day, that same card may end up shooting up to $399, but Gigabyte’s RTX 3060 graphics card went down to $379.
Also Read: RTX vs GTX: Which is Right for You?
And, along with that, you may find completely different prices from one retailer (like Amazon or Newegg) to the next—especially if one retailer is holding a sale.
So, it’s a good idea to shop around and check prices.
But, here is a quick list of the most popular video card resellers:
- ASUS
- EVGA
- MSI
- Gigabyte
- Zotac
- Sapphire
- XFX
If you’ve chosen the GPU you want and you’re working with a budget, your best bet is to just go with the least expensive option from one of the above-mentioned brands.
Yes, the more expensive options may come with a higher clock rate or better cooling. However, the real-world in-game performance difference between a base model graphics card and a model that has a higher clock rate and better cooling isn’t always significant.
So, if you have a bigger budget and you want to get a graphics card with a high-end cooler on it, then, by all means, spend extra. But, if you don’t have an unlimited budget, you can save some money by going with the least expensive option, or you can use the difference in cost on other components in your system.
2. What Games Do You Play?
Another important thing that will determine what kind of graphics card you should get is the types of games you play.
In theory, the concept is if you play games that are graphics-intensive, the more powerful the graphics card you should get.
Games like Assassin’s Creed, Tomb Raider, God of War, and VR games are going to require a better GPU than games like World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Fortnite, Minecraft, etc.
So, if you’re someone who plays less-demanding games, you can save some money by choosing a more affordable entry-level graphics card.
On the other hand, if you are going to be playing those graphics-intensive games, then you’ll want to make sure you get a higher-end video card.
3. What Is the Resolution/Refresh Rate On Your Monitor?
Along with the types of games you play, it is also important to consider what resolution you will be playing your games at.
The higher your monitor’s resolution is the more pixels that will need to be rendered on each frame. And, the more pixels that need to be rendered for each frame, the harder your GPU will have to work.
Also Read: 1080p vs. 1440p vs. 4K: Which Resolution Is Best for Gaming?
Or, in other words, games become more demanding at higher resolutions.
If you’re building a gaming computer so that you can play games on a 4K monitor, you will want to make sure that you get a high-end graphics card.
On the flip side, if your plan is to only play games on a 1080P monitor, you can save some money by selecting a less-expensive graphics card that can still handle games on a budget 1080p monitor with ease.
The thing to note here, though, is that if you are planning on upgrading to a higher resolution monitor in the future, and you have the money to spend on a higher-end graphics card now, that is probably the best route to go. That way, when you do get your higher-end monitor, you won’t have to upgrade your graphics card in order to accommodate it.
Refresh Rate
Speaking of monitor resolution, if you’re in the market for a new GPU, you’ll also want to consider what the refresh rate of your monitor (or the one you are planning on buying) is.
Also Read: Response Time vs Refresh Rate: What’s the Difference?
Just as having to render more pixels per frame is more taxing on a GPU, so, too, is forcing your GPU to render more frames per second.
High refresh rate monitors can certainly deliver a much smoother gameplay. However, they will also force your graphics card to work harder.
So, if you are looking to build a high-end computer for competitive gaming and you need a high refresh rate monitor in order to gain an advantage over your opponents, you’ll likely want to get a higher-end graphics card that can accommodate a higher refresh rate.
4. Compatibility
Just like you need to make sure that your processor and motherboard and your motherboard and case will work together, you also need to make sure that your graphics card will work with your other components.
And, really, when we talk about graphics card compatibility, there are two main things you need to check in order to ensure that your graphics card will work with your part list:
- Your Power Supply
- Your Case
There are a couple of other potential compatibility issues that can arise with graphics cards, but they are small and a bit rarer.
But, your power supply and your case are the main components to check and make sure that your graphics card is compatible with.
Power Supply
Your graphics card is going to be the most power-hungry component in your system. So, you need to make sure that you choose a power supply that can handle your graphics card.
There are a couple of ways to do this…
The Not Quite As Good Way
- Check the graphics card’s minimum recommended wattage (can be found on the graphics card’s spec sheet.)
- Buy a power supply that has more than the minimum recommended wattage.
The Better Way
- Check what the minimum +12v rail rating the graphics card requires (you can use this post to do so.)
- Buy a power supply that has a higher rating on its +12v rail (can be found on the PSU’s spec sheet.)
Your graphics card will draw its power from your power supply’s +12v rail and so, the +12v rail is a better indication of whether or not a power supply can handle your graphics card.
Also, the +12v rail is one easy way to avoid buying cheap knock-off power supplies. A lot of really bad power supply manufacturers claim higher wattage ratings than the power supply is actually capable of delivering. Typically, these cheap power supplies’ +12v rails will be a bigger indicator of their low quality than their wattage rating will.
Of course, the +12v rail isn’t the end-all of power supply quality indicators. Check our Power Supply Buyer’s Guide for the top options in each price range.
PCIe Connectors
Another thing you’ll want to check on the graphics card and power supply you are considering getting is what kind of PCIe connector the power supply has and what kind of PCIe connector port the graphics card has.
Most graphics cards need to be connected directly to your power supply. You use a PCIe power connector to connect the power supply to the graphics card.
However, PCIe power connector ports on graphics cards aren’t all the same.
Typically, the more powerful the graphics card, the more pins on the PCIe connector the graphics card requires. Common PCIe connectors or connection requirements will be referred to as…
- 6-pin
- 6+2 pin
- 8-pin
- 2 x 8-pin
- 12-pin
A mid-range graphics card like an RTX 3060 Ti requires an 8-pin connection.
A high-end graphics card like an RTX 3090 could require a 12-pin PCIe connector.
So, before you purchase your graphics card and power supply, you need to ensure that the power supply you are getting has the appropriate PCIe connector(s) to accommodate your graphics card. All of this information can be found on both the power supply’s and graphics card’s spec sheet.
Case Clearance
The other thing you’ll want to check to ensure your graphics card is compatible with your system is whether or not it can fit inside of the computer case you have chosen.
For the most part, this issue arises mostly with smaller form factor cases (like mini-ITX cases or micro-ATX cases).
But, it can arise in some smaller mid-tower cases as well—especially older ones.
Also Read: Which PC Case Size is Best for Your Next Build?
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to check and see if the graphics card you are considering will fit inside of the case you are considering (or already have):
- Check the length of the graphics card you are considering (it will be listed on the graphics card’s spec sheet)
- Check the maximum graphics card clearance on the case you are considering (it will be listed on the case’s spec sheet)
- Make sure the graphics card you are considering is shorter than the graphics card clearance on the case you are considering
That’s it!