10 BEST GAMING GRAPHICS CARDS (2024)
The gaming industry is a multi-billion dollar business. The sale of all kinds of projects and related merchandise, the implementation of seasonal passes, and various “decorations” that do not have a direct impact on the gameplay brings developers millions, and often tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars in profit annually. But this category also includes various “hardware”, such as a gaming video card. If not for gamers, then AMD and NVIDIA would not have been able to sell so many expensive chips. But what solutions should you choose among ready-made adapters? Let’s figure it out in our review, which contains the best video cards for games for the summer of 2024.
TOP 10 Best Graphics Cards for Gaming in 2024
Immediately, we note that at the time of this writing, both new video cards from “red” and NVIDIA Super are either not yet available, or are just appearing on sale. Therefore, there was simply no opportunity to conduct full-fledged tests and comparisons. As a result, we chose well-proven models for the rating. In addition, the imminent appearance of the updated 20-series “green” should have a positive effect on the prices of graphics adapters presented in stores, which means that their purchase will become quite profitable.
10. PowerColor Radeon RX 580
The review starts with a good budget graphics card for games from PowerColor. The model from the Red Dragon line is based on the Polaris architecture, or more precisely, on the RX 580 chip. Undemanding users who do not need resolutions higher than Full HD can safely purchase this option since the adapter will demonstrate a comfortable frame rate at high graphics settings almost all modern projects.
The device is built on advanced GDDR5 memory chips, supports AMD App Accelerator (proprietary application acceleration), as well as CrossFire. One of the best cheap TOP graphics cards from Red is able to cope with almost any game at medium or even ultra graphics settings. True, this requires an appropriate CPU, because if the processor does not open the card, then you will see friezes.
Advantages:
- Price-performance ratio.
- Excellent build and colorful design.
- Excellent work of the cooling system.
- Requires only one 8 pin power connector.
Disadvantages:
- Very noisy cooling cooler.
- The heating of the video card is above average.
Pro Tip:
The PowerColor range includes the RX 580 with 8GB of video memory. Some new games know how to use it all, and in this case, it makes sense to overpay some dollars.
9. Sapphire Nitro + Radeon RX 570
As with the 400 series, AMD has made the RX 570 and RX 580 nearly identical. If we compare versions with similar memory sizes, we will get a minimal discrepancy in the test results. This explains the almost identical price tag between the two devices. However, it’s very strange that Sapphire’s RX 570 requires two power connectors (6 and 8 pins) at once. Otherwise, this is an excellent video card in terms of reliability, costing about 11 thousand, equipped with two DP ports, a pair of HDMI, and one DVI-D.
Advantages:
- Full HD performance.
- Sapphire branded design.
- Ease of overclocking.
- Cooling as in RX 580.
- Good overclocking potential.
Disadvantages:
- Additional power supply 6 + 8 pins.
8. Palit GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
Moving on to the popular gaming graphics card from the GeForce 10 Series. After the GTX 1050 Ti hit the market, it became a popular favorite, perfect for a basic gaming computer (especially in conjunction with the Pentium G4560). For the review, we chose the Palit card from the StormX line, since it can be taken from some sellers for as little as 9 thousand.
It is a small model with a length of only 166 mm, making it an excellent choice for compact assemblies. The device is equipped with 4 GB of memory clocked at 1750 MHz and a bandwidth of 7000 Mbps per contact. The bit bus of this model is 128 bits, and the TPD of an inexpensive video card Palit is 75 W. The base frequency of the adapter processor is 1290 MHz, but in Boost mode, it can rise by another hundred.
Advantages:
- Compact size.
- Affordable cost.
- Excellent performance.
- Good cooling.
- Combination of cost and quality.
- Low power consumption.
Disadvantages:
- The noise level is above average.
7. GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660
With the release of the Turing architecture, users have received many interesting video adapters. And if initially, NVIDIA put on the market solutions for professionals, as well as cards of the middle and upper price segment that support real-time ray tracing, then younger Turinges appeared on sale, which the manufacturer referred to the 16 series to separate the two lines.
The video card we have chosen is good in performance and is equipped with 6 gigabytes of memory, which is enough for most modern projects, especially if you will not run them at a resolution higher than 2560 × 1080 pixels. The processor and RAM frequencies in the GTX 1660 are 1830 and 8000 MHz, respectively. The card is cooled by a pair of 90 mm “turntables” rotating in different directions. The fan blades have special notches designed to enhance the airflow.
Advantages:
- Attractive cost.
- Full HD performance.
- Perfectly pulls out almost any game.
- Efficiency and silence of CO.
- The optimal amount of memory.
Pro Tip:
If we talk about a direct alternative to the 1050 Ti in terms of price, then it is, of course, the GTX 1650. However, its performance gain is not very large, and we decided to consider in the review the model 1660, which is only slightly more expensive.
6. ASUS GeForce GTX 1060
Even after the presentation of the new architecture, devices from the 10th series regularly appear in the reviews of video cards. And this is not surprising, because they have excellent value and good gaming performance. This is why we decided to review the excellent GTX 1060 Strix Advanced Gaming from ASUS. It has 6 GB of memory and a processor clocked at 1544 (OC Mode) to 1759 MHz (Boost).
Despite the rather low TDP of the chip, the manufacturer has installed as many as 3 fans here. Because of this, the video card turned out to be a bit long (almost 30 centimeters), so it obviously will not fit into all cases. There are slots for LED strips on the plastic casing on either side of the cooling system. You can choose any color, as well as synchronize the glow with other components of the video card through the AURA application.
Advantages:
- Great card design.
- Well-developed cooling system.
- Customizable backlight.
- Reliability in work.
- Mal plate at the back.
- Power supply via one 8 pin connector.
Disadvantages:
- Long length.
5. Sapphire Nitro + Radeon RX 590
Another “red” video card from the Nitro + line from Sapphire. RX 590 is based on the Polaris 30 chip, which includes 32 rasterization units, 2304 stream processors, as well as 36 and 144 texture and computational units, respectively. In reviews, the video card is praised for its excellent design, since in the Special Edition its case (a metal plate on the back of the board and a plastic casing in the front) is painted blue.
The graphics chip requires an additional 6 + 8 pin power supply, which is quite a lot. A BIOS switch is installed on the back of the board. Standard firmware uses the recommended frequencies, while the other switches the card to accelerated mode. The set of interfaces, which includes one DVI, as well as a pair of HDMI and DisplayPort, are also encouraging. The video card is cooled by a pair of 100 mm fans, which stop at low load and are quiet when working in 2D mode.
Advantages:
- Faster than RX 580 by an average of 10%.
- 8 gigabytes of video memory.
- Noiseless operation.
- Optimal set of ports.
- Excellent design and build;
- Reasoned price tag.
- A worthy competitor to the GTX 1060.
Disadvantages:
- Too much power consumption.
4. GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 TI
Like the GTX 1050 Ti, many gamers have been waiting for the GTX 1660 Ti. While not the cheapest graphics card in the Turing generation, it is the best choice if you don’t need beams, DLSS, or even a resolution higher than 1920 × 1080. The novelty is in many ways similar to the older models in the line. It is equipped with 6GB of GDDR6 memory, 48 ROPs, and 1536 CUDA cores, which is almost 400 fewer than in 2060, which we will discuss below.If you can’t decide which gaming graphics card to buy, then take a look at the solution from GIGABYTE. The GAMING OC 6G model boasts a processor frequency of 1860 MHz, which rises to 1940 in games. At the same time, the cooling system of three fans keeps the adapter temperature at about 65 degrees even under maximum load. For operation, the board requires an additional 8-pin power supply, which is divided into 6 phases – 4 for the processor and 2 for memory.
Advantages:
- Excellent performance.
- Effective cooling.
- Very quiet at work.
- Simple but beautiful design.
- RGB backlit logo.
Disadvantages:
- Plastic backplate.
- The cost is slightly overpriced.
Pro Tip:
The effective memory frequency in the GTX 1660 Ti is 12,000 MHz, which is about 15% lower than that of the older brothers. However, the chips run very well, so you can easily compensate for the difference if you want.
3. MSI GeForce RTX 2060
Of course, NVIDIA can be criticized for many things. But it cannot be denied that it is her decisions that move the industry forward. It is not a fact that in the future RTX blocks will remain part of video cards, as was the case with other “green” technologies. However, many of them had a significant impact on the industry, and what we once considered revolutionary, now belongs to the category of common and even obligatory things in any large-budget project.
So, the cheapest way to touch the future that NVIDIA is promoting today is with the RTX 2060. And if you need a graphics card with the perfect price-performance ratio, then we recommend choosing a model from the VENTUS line from MSI. The device received a small cooling system with two 92 mm fans. The recognizable “feature” of the series with a heat pipe extending beyond the card remained in place. The top end of the adapter contains a connector for 8 pin power supply.
At the back, you can see 4 video outputs, three of which are DisplayPort, and another is HDMI. The graphics card uses Micron’s memory clocked at 1750 MHz. The adapter is very quiet even at maximum fan speeds. The cooling system, in turn, copes perfectly with high load, does not allow temperatures to get even to 80 degrees, not to mention overheating.
Advantages:
- A well-known line with an updated design.
- Optimal cost (from 320 USD).
- Very efficient cooling system.
- Small dimensions.
- The most affordable way to try RTX.
Disadvantages:
- Some simplifications to save money.
2. MSI GeForce RTX 2070
And again MSI, but already a more advanced solution. The RTX 2070 is an excellent graphics card for heavy gaming with high graphics settings in Full HD or Quad HD resolution. Of course, the video card will perform well in 4K. But in most new games, when choosing the maximum settings, the FPS counter will be in the range of 30-45 frames. And at 1080p, you can see the benefits of a 144Hz monitor if you have one.
According to the reviews about the video card, we can conclude that it works very quietly even after a long time of active use. Under normal conditions, like watching a video or surfing the Internet, the adapter is completely cooled in passive mode. When the fans are turned on under load, they remain almost silent. But the temperature readings are always at a comfortable level and the frequencies of the video processor are not reset.
Advantages:
- Great card design.
- Neat and beautiful lighting.
- Performance and future headroom.
- Excellent quality parts and workmanship.
- Quiet and efficient cooling system.
- Three DisplayPort, HDMI, and Type-C video output.
Disadvantages:
- The price against the background of the imminent appearance of the RTX Super.
Pro Tip:
At the back, the video card is covered with a metal plate with the manufacturer’s logo and slots for exhausting hot air in places with the greatest heating. At the front is a two-tone plastic shroud with 4 small RGB lighting zones.
1. GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2080
The best gaming graphics card is hardly a surprise. Yes, NVIDIA is still on top, and in recent presentations, the “reds” did not even try to compare their new products with the top-end chip of a competitor, comparing them only with the RTX 2070. However, this is not only the most powerful model in the rating of the best gaming graphics adapters but and the most expensive. Pay for AORUS XTREME from GIGABYTE will have about 700$.
The card is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, distributed over 8 chips manufactured by Micron. It is designed for a frequency of 3500/14000 MHz (physical and effective, respectively). The graphics processor in this model operates at a maximum frequency of 2010 MHz, when the FE values are 100 MHz lower, and for the reference as much as 250 MHz. The card’s power supply unit is reinforced and contains 12 + 2 phases. The video adapter requires two 8 pin pins, so make sure they are provided by your computer’s power supply.
Advantages:
- Increased frequencies in OC mode.
- Excellent appearance.
- Original lighting system.
- Noiselessness and productivity of CO.
- Three HDMI and DP, as well as a USB-C port.
Disadvantages:
- The high cost of the video card.
Which video card to choose for games
If you do not play very often, and first of all, the gameplay with a story is important to you, and not amazing graphics, then you can take the RX 570/580. The GTX 1060 and RX 590 are at a higher level, which at medium-minimum settings will last you for a few more years. If you want to set everything to ultra in Full HD, buy a GTX 1660 or 1660 Ti. But you can enjoy the rays and other new technologies from NVIDIA in the 20 series cards. And here it all depends on your budget and monitor since the 2060 is not enough for 4K, but the price of the RTX 2080 can hit your pocket hard. But whatever your requirements, we hope that the rating compiled by our editors will help you choose the best gaming graphics card.
