There are many different graphics cards for sale under $150, but the question is which one is the best in terms of performance and value. This article will compare a few of the most popular graphics cards to help you decide which one is right for you.
The best graphics card under $150 is a topic that has been discussed for years. In 2021, there are still many great graphics cards to choose from. Read more in detail here: best graphics card under $150 2021.
There are a handful of graphics cards that may provide a good gaming experience for less than $150. Furthermore, 1080p gaming does not need the use of a high-end graphics card.
In reality, there are a slew of low-cost graphics cards that can readily handle 1080p gaming at high to extreme settings. These graphics cards are ideal for budget gamers, since they provide the greatest value for money.
If you want to play GTA V, Witcher 3, or Fallout 4 at high settings (1080p), any of these graphics cards can easily provide 40+ frames per second. These are the finest options for $400-$600 gaming builds.
MSI Gaming RX 560 AERO ITX OC 2GB MSI Gaming RX 560 AERO ITX OC 2GB MSI Gaming RX 560
The AMD Rx 560 is a cutting-edge graphics card that is fully compatible with DirectX 12 and Vulkan. This card is an entry-level card priced slightly around $150, and it replaces all prior AMD and Nvidia cards in this price range. It outperforms the previous-gen RX series card, the RX 460, and is almost as fast as Nvidia’s GTX 1050.
The RX series cards, like this one, provide a significant performance increase in titles like Hitman and Doom. The greatest part about this card is that it has a TDP of just 60 watts, which means it will take all of its power from the PCI-E X 16 slot, eliminating the need for a high-wattage power supply. It’s comparable to the previous version RX 460, which didn’t need this additional power source, but it still operates without an external power connection and performs better than the RX 460 after the update.
The card features an MSI heat sink that is simple but effective, and it is the AERO OC version, which not only looks good with grey and white accents but also comes factory overclocked. It features 2GB of RAM and a 128-bit memory interface, making it an excellent entry-level cheap graphics card for 1080p high-resolution gaming. Almost all games will run at least at 40 frames per second on high settings, while titles like CSGO and Overwatch will run at 60 frames per second on extreme settings.
Specs:-
Memory | 2GB Gddr5 |
---|---|
Memory Access Interface | 128-bit |
Clock in the Core | 1196Mhz |
Processors of Streams | 1024 |
Architecture | Polaris |
CrossfireX | No |
DirectX | 12 |
Outputs | 1 × HDMI, 1 x DVI, 1 x DP |
Radeon RX 560 ASUS ROG Strix
Although the RX 560 2GB is an excellent card for the money, it falls short when it comes to memory, since the recommended memory capacity for 1080p is 4GB. Many games need 4GB of RAM to fully use textures and shadows; the 2GB version will not be able to do so. Although this card cannot support 1080p at full resolution, the 4GB of VRAM is sufficient for titles like GTA V and Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor.
The clocks and other specifications remain the same in this Asus ROG Edition, with the exception of the VRAM, which has been enhanced. As a consequence, by spending a little extra, you may buy a very excellent entry-level graphics card that can not only play some of the most recent games at high settings, but also provides some future-proofing since newer games require more RAM.
Specs:-
Memory | 4GB Gddr5 |
---|---|
Memory Access Interface | 128-bit |
Clock in the Core | The frequency is 1285 MHz (OC Mode) |
Clock with Memory | 7000Mhz |
Architecture | Polaris |
CrossfireX | Yes |
DirectX | 12 |
Outputs | 1 HDMI port, 1 DVI-D port, and 1 DP port |
Nvidia’s latest product, the GTX 1050 2GB, is based on the Pascal architecture GP107. This is Nvidia’s most power-efficient graphics card, with a TDP of 75 watts and no 6-pin power connector, comparable to the RX 560. This indicates that there is no space for overclocking on this GPU. However, at the moment, EVGA is the only brand that is the lowest of all; it’s a fantastic bargain.
You’ll still get a performance increase with GPU Boost, but it won’t be huge. I agree that these cards don’t need additional power connections for overclocking since they’re entry-level cards that won’t move you from 40fps to 50fps.
If you recall, this card features 2GB of GDDR5 RAM and 640 Cuda cores, which are the same as the GTX 750 Ti Maxwell family graphics card. When comparing the performance of the GTX 1050 to that of the GTX 750 ti, it not only outperforms it by up to 40%, but it even outperforms the previous generation 900 series card, the GTX 950, which cost about $200.
This is the card for you if you want to play all of your games on high settings at 1080p with 40-50 frames per second. If you want 60 frames per second, you may reduce the settings to medium instead of high and still get excellent visuals and a buttery smooth 60+ frames per second.
Associated: $400 gaming setup
Specs:-
Memory | 2GB Gddr5 |
---|---|
Memory Access Interface | 128-bit |
Clock in the Core | Boost clock of 1354Mhz/1455Mhz |
Cores of Cuda | 640 |
Architecture | Pascal |
SLI | No |
DirectX | 12 |
Outputs | 1 HDMI port, 1 DVI-I port, and 1 display port |
Before you purchase a graphics card, there are a few things you should know.
Price and Requirements are the first two factors to consider.
Price
Make sure you know your budget before purchasing a graphics card. You can spend $100 or even $500 on a GPU, but if you’re building a new PC, identifying and dividing the costs among the other components is a bit more complicated. If you’re purchasing a new computer, be sure you don’t choose a graphics card that’s too powerful for your CPU. The RTX 2080 or GTX 1080 Ti cannot be run on a Pentium CPU. A GT 1030 is also too sluggish for an i7 9700K.
Requirements
It’s also critical to establish your needs. You may either overpay or underspend on your graphics card if you don’t know what you want. If you’re just getting started and want to play some eSports or casual games, a low-cost graphics card will suffice. However, if you want to play games with extreme textures at 1080p or greater resolution, you’ll need to invest in higher-end graphics cards such as the GTX 1070 or RTX 2080.
2. VRAM
VRAM is a kind of memory that is separate from the regular system RAM and is only devoted to delivering the graphics processing power you need. Every dedicated graphics card has some dedicated VRAM, which may range from 1GB to 16GB in current GPUs.
You’ll need at least 3-4GB VRAM on your graphics card to play games at higher settings at 1080p. If you go lower than that, you may have to adjust some of your game’s settings to achieve decent frames per second.
In order to get the most out of textures, anti-aliasing, foliage, shadows, and other features in a AAA game, you’ll need at least 6GB of VRAM, which is found in GTX 1060 and higher-end Graphics cards. I’m not aware of any game that uses more than that at the moment, especially in the case of higher resolutions such as 4K.
3. Refreshment
Low-profile graphics cards have smaller heatsinks and are less effective at maintaining good temperatures when overclocked, whereas graphics cards with larger aluminum heatsinks, copper heat pipes, and two or more fans are much more effective at maintaining good temperatures even when overclocked to their maximum potential. Even if you are not overclocking, you should ensure that your PC chassis has enough ventilation for appropriate air intake and exhaust.
4. Electricity
The TDP of graphics cards varies, as does their power consumption. As a result, you should verify the graphics card’s TDP before purchasing it. Make sure your power source has adequate wattage capacity to keep your whole system running smoothly.
A system with low-cost or budget components may get by with a 400-watt power supply, but if you want to run a GTX 2080 Ti, an i7 9700K, several fans, AIO coolers, and multiple storage devices, you’ll need a higher-wattage power supply. Check the TDP of all of your components, and make sure your PSU has adequate wattage capacity to run your graphics card.
Another item to keep in mind is the graphics card’s power connectors. Ensure that your power supply has the necessary power connections for your graphics card. The power supply will utilize a 6-pin power connection for a GPU with a 6-pin port.
Almost all cheap power supplies in today’s market include a 6-pin power connection as a bare minimum. If your graphics card has two 8-pin power connectors, your power supply must also have two 8-pin power ports in order to operate the graphics card reliably.
I/O Connectors (number 5)
Occasionally, a graphics card from a different manufacturer may lack the I/O connections that your monitor needs to display the display. Examine the I/O ports on the back of your display, as well as the I/O ports on the graphics card you’re considering purchasing.
If your display is a 144Hz gaming monitor, you’ll need a DVI or DP connection on your monitor/GPU to enjoy the smoothness of the 144Hz refresh rate. To prevent mishaps, make sure your graphics card and monitor both have these ports.
The best graphics card under $100 is a topic that has been discussed by many people. There are a lot of graphics cards available for a price under $150, but the best option is the AMD Radeon RX 560.
Tech expert fresh from the Australian Coast. Been in the tech industry more than 9 years, as part of a Business Growth Group. His out of office days are 100% for freestyle surfing and waves chasing.