Graphic cards are the heart of your pc when it comes to gaming and allows us to enjoy video games, VR, and videos at the best quality possible.
Graphics cards, also known as GPUs, have been around since 1999 and have improved drastically every year. These improvements have allowed people to run games and videos at amazing quality and as time passes the quality will only get better but for the best you will have to pay a big price. When graphics cards first came out they were affordable but since then they have increased in price and in today’s era they are extremely expensive and hard for many people to afford.
Top 10 budget graphic cards for gaming 2023
It has been hard for many people to afford high-end GPUs so this list will help you find graphic cards that are relatively cheap and can run many games.
Nvidia Geforce Gtx 1660 Super
Specs:
- Price: $230 – $260
- Cores: 1408
- Memory size: 6GB
- Memory type: GDDR6
- Interface: PCI Express x16 3.0
- Base clock: 1530 MHz
- Boost clock: 1785 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 300W
Pros
- Power efficient
- Great 1080 gaming performance
Cons
- Expensive
- Limited ports
The Gtx 1660 Super came out in 2019 and was a great value for the price. The original Gtx1660 was already one of the best cheap GPUs and the gtx1660 Super is just better in every single way, whilst still being offered at a relatively low price.
The Gtx 1660 Super runs triple AAA easily and can run cyberpunk 2077, which is known as one of the most GPU-intensive games at a solid 60 fps. Games like warzone, GTA V, and Overwatch can be run in 4K with a smooth experience and solid fps as well. It is safe to say that this graphics card will be able to run any game at a good fps rate and will be able to run many games in 4K. When using this GPU you will become immersed in the smooth gameplay of whichever game you are playing.
The price for these graphics cards range from $230 to $260 which, considering how powerful they are, is actually a great value for your money. If this price is still a little too expensive for you then you could even try and find a good option second hand, where prices can instead range from $160 to $220.
AMD Radeon RX 5500-XT 4GB
Specs:
- Price: $300 – $400
- Cores: 1408
- Memory size: 4GB
- Memory type: GDDR6
- Interface: PCI E 4.0
- Base clock: 1607 MHz
- Boost clock: 1845 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 550W
Pros
- Great 1080p performance
Cons
- Expensive
- High power usage
The AMD Radeon RX 5500-XT is a great budget graphics card and was designed as a new and improved GPU, which came out in 2019 and superseded the RX 460 series. It is able to run almost every game on ultra settings at 1080p. The GPU runs games such as GTA V, Overwatch, warzone, and all esports games perfectly with a stable fps rate. This RX 5500 has very similar GPU power to that of the gtx1660. Although there are other VRAM options out there for this GPU, such as the 6GB and 8GB models, the 4GB model still does the job perfectly fine and will only drop the fps rate by very little. Even with you opting for the 4GB model the price will still be pretty high and set you back around $350.
XFX RX 6500 XT
Specs:
- Price: $160 – $200
- Cores: 1024
- Memory size: 4GB
- Memory type: GDDR6
- Interface: PCI E 4.0 x4
- Base clock: 2310 MHz
- Boost clock: 2815 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 400W
Pros
- Low power usage
The XFX RX 6500 XT came out in 2022 and if you are someone that doesn’t quite want to spend over $200 for a GPU then this is definitely a great option for you to consider investing in. The RX 6500 is pretty strong and will be able to run any game you want at a solid 1080p resolution.
This GPU is one of the cheaper ones on this list but don’t let the price tag fool you because this GPU is actually able to keep up with many of the more expensive options. You’ll be able to run games like Cyberpunk, Warzone, GTA V and even more at medium and sometimes even high settings. The price of this GPU ranges from $160 to $200. So if you are looking for a cheap graphics card for your pc build that can run almost every game, then this one’s for you.
AMD RX 580-8GB
Specs:
- Price: $200
- Cores: 2304
- Memory size: 8GB
- Memory type: GDDR5
- Interface: PCIe x16
- Base clock: 1257 MHz
- Boost clock: 1340MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 500W
Pros:
- Handles most modern games at high settings
- Handles some games at 1440p
- Multiple ports
- Great value for money
Cons:
- Fairly high power usage
The AMD RX 580-8GB was released in 2017 and is a great budget GPU for around only $200. This GPU can run most of the latest games at ultra settings and can handle some games at 1440p. The GPU receives great reviews and has great value for its price. The AMD RX 580-8GB runs games like Overwatch, Warzone, Valorant, and GTA V at over 60fps so you will be guaranteed a smooth experience when gaming. This GPU also has solid VR play for those that are interested in immersing themselves in virtual reality.
Nvidia Geforce Gtx 1050 Ti
Specs:
- Price: $150 – $230
- Cores: 768
- Memory size: 4GB
- Memory type: GDDR5
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16
- Base clock: 1291 MHz
- Boost clock: 1392 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 300W
Pros:
- Low power usage compared to other competitors
- Single fan design fits any case or build
Cons:
- Can’t handle some modern games at high settings.
The next budget GPU on this list is the Nvidia Geforce Gtx 1050 Ti which was released in 2016. This GPU is not as powerful as the other GPUs in this list but it is still able to handle many modern games at a cheap price that ranges from $150 to $230.
Another cool thing about this GPU is that it is compact, meaning you’ll be able to easily fit it into almost any case or build you have. The 1050 Ti can run esports titles such as apex legends, valorant, Fortnite, and overwatch at over 60 fps however with other more modern games it does tend to struggle a bit.
Nvidia GeForce Gtx 1650 Overclocked 4GB
Specs:
- Price: $150 – $200
- Cores: 896
- Memory size: 4GB
- Memory type: GDDR5
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16
- Memory clock: 8000 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 300W
Pros:
- Relatively low pricing compared to other competitors
- Low power usage
Cons:
- Struggles with some demanding games
The Nvidia GeForce Gtx 1650 was released in 2019 and replaced the Gtx 1050 Ti. This GPU was extremely popular when it was released because it was able to handle any game, however today it struggles with handling some of the more modern games that have recently come out. This is still an excellent buy for people only looking for a cheap GPU as although it struggles with some of the more modern games, it will still be able to run them just not at the smooth framerate you would’ve hoped for. This GPU will be able to run games like Overwatch, Warzone, Fortnite, and all esports titles at over 60fps, which is definitely very impressive considering the price is so low and sitting at around $190.
GeForce RTX 3050
Specs:
- Price: $280 – $320
- Cores: 2560
- Memory size: 8GB
- Memory type: GDDR6
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16
- Base clock: 1552 MHz
- Boost clock: 1777 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 350W
Pros:
- Great 1080p gaming at high graphics settings
- Low power usage
- DLS and ray tracing
Cons:
- Relatively expensive among budget GPUs
The GeForce RTX 3050 was released in early 2022 and it will constantly deliver those high frame rates that you want from your GPU. This graphics card will give you a high frame rate in almost every game, even games like cyberpunk and the witcher 3 which are known for their high GPU requirements. This GPU will guarantee you a smooth experience in 1080p with its DLSS and ray tracing support and can even run some games smoothly at 1440p and sometimes even 4k if you turn down your graphic settings.
The RTX 3050 is more expensive than the other GPUs on this list however the strength of this GPU is much stronger. For the top performance of this GPU you can expect to spend anywhere from $280 ro $320, which definitely sounds expensive but is actually a great value for the money considering what it is capable of.
GeForce GT 1030
Specs:
- Price: $90 – $110
- Cores: 384
- Memory size: 2GB
- Memory type: GDDR5
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4
- Base clock: 1228 MHz
- Boost clock: 1468 MHz
- Slot width: single-slot
- Suggested PSU: None
Pros:
- Cheap
- Very low power usage
Cons:
- Struggles with modern games
- Only 2GB VRAM
The GT1030 was released in 2017 and at the time it was great and was able to run a lot of the games that were around in that era. However, today the GT 1030 struggles with many of the modern games. This GPU will be able to run some esports titles at good fps at low graphics settings but it will definitely struggle with high graphics settings.
Even though this GPU is weak it is relatively cheap and takes very little power to run. This GPU will run games like Valorant and Overwatch at around 60 fps but will struggle with games like warzone and other modern games because of its low memory. The price is pretty low and ranges from $90 – $110.
AMD RX 570 4GB
Specs:
- Price: $170 – $210
- Cores: 2048
- Memory size: 4GB
- Memory type: GDDR5
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16
- Base clock: 1168 MHz
- Boost clock: 1244 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 450W
Pros:
- Great 1080p performance
- Great value for money
Cons:
- Power efficiency is not as great as Nvidia GPUs
The AMD RX 570 4GB was released in 2017 and at the time competed as one of the best GPU’s released during this period. This GPU will give you a smooth experience of over 60 fps for almost every single game however it does tend to struggle a bit with a game like cyberpunk 2077 or the witcher, which are 2 of the most GPU-intensive games in modern times. To counter this problem you can just lower the graphics settings so that you can still get that smooth experience that you are looking for. This GPU will give a smooth experience for everything in 1080p with its compact design. The price ranges from $170 to $210, so it is definitely one of the best value-for-money GPUs on the market right now.
GeForce Gtx 1060 6GB
Specs:
- Price: $260 – $300
- Cores: 1280
- Memory size: 6GB
- Memory type: GDDR5
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16
- Base clock: 1506 MHz
- Boost clock: 1709 MHz
- Slot width: dual-slot
- Suggested PSU: 400W
Pros:
- Great 1080p Performance
- Easily overclocked
Cons:
- Relatively expensive among budget GPUs
The GeForce Gtx 1060 6GB was released in 2016 and was one of the best of its time. This GPU has still managed to hold its ground and is still pretty popular even in this day and age. This GPU will be able to handle most games but tend to struggle with titles such as cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher asn similar games that require a more powerful GPU. This GPU will be able to run games such as overwatch, Warzone, Fortnite, and other esports titles at over 60fps on ultra settings. The Gtx 1060 promises a fun and smooth experience in 1080p gaming and the price will range from $260 to $300, so it is a bit more on the more expensive side of things when compared to the other affordable GPUs.
Final Thoughts
These GPUs all have their pros and cons and there are many better GPUs out there but many of them tend to be more expensive. If you are aware of exactly what you want and what specs you want your GPU to have then it may be a good idea to not only look on this list for options but do your own research as these are only some of the options out there.
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