The graphics card market is having a hard time due to mining. Despite the hardware limitations of cryptocurrency mining in recent map reviews, they are relatively easy to bypass. Thus, the demand for cards is only growing, which has led to an increase in the cost of budget and office models. However, we have prepared an assessment of the best graphics cards of 2021, compiled taking into account the specifics of the current market development. Below is a summary table of the advantages and disadvantages of video cards from AMD and NVIDia
| Parameter | NVIDIA | AMD |
| Price | + | |
| Performance | + | |
| A set of technologies to create the best image quality | + | |
| Operating temperatures | + | |
| Optimized for gaming | + | |
| Reliability | + | + |
| Driver Support | + |
The table shows that Nvidia produces more technically advanced products with cooler temperatures and a higher degree of reliability. AMD is focusing on a friendlier approach to optimizing their gaming solutions. A big plus is the long-term driver support even for older products, so they gradually start to outperform their Nvidia counterparts.
Best Inexpensive Graphics Cards
This section contains cheap (in modern reality) video cards for office tasks and undemanding games.
GIGABYTE GeForce GT 1030OC 2G
The office model opens the upper video cards if a work computer is used when working with photos and videos. A narrow 64-bit memory bus and a clock speed of 6008 MHz minimize the performance of the card in games, despite the 2 GB buffer. Please note that more and more games are starting to require 2 GB of VRAM, and this figure is growing every year. At the same time, the manufacturer did not skimp on a high-quality cooling radiator and a fan in a stylish case, which we consider unnecessary. The card has a minimum number of ports: one HDMI and one DVI-D, VGA and PS2 are completely excluded. The device can work with 2 monitors with a resolution of 4K, which makes it beneficial for working in graphic editors.
Advantages:
- elegant design;
- support for two monitors;
- effective cooling;
- work with 2 monitors.
Flaws:
- design fee.
AFOX Radeon RX 560
AMD fans have a good opportunity to get a cheap gaming card with 4GB of RAM. The model was conceived as a competitor to the GTX 1050 Ti and has similar characteristics. 7000 MHz memory frequency, 128-bit bus and 4 GB capacity allow you to extract the image to the 8K monitor. 30% more stream processors (1024) and texture units (64), which makes the card more attractive than the GTX 1050 Ti. However, this will require a 6-pin auxiliary power supply and a power supply of at least 450W. The main “pain” of these cards is related to the high temperatures of the chips; the user will need to regularly monitor the sensors and change the thermal interface. Therefore, this card will be of great help in games with Full HD resolution in games of 2012-2016 at maximum settings.
Advantages:
- low price;
- increase in the number of stream processors and texture units;
- the presence of 3 modern monitor ports.
Flaws:
- hot chips;
- increased energy consumption.
Palit GeForce GTX 1050 Ti StormX 4GB
We consider the Palit GeForce GTX 1050 in Ti version to be a minimal transition into the gaming world. Despite the budget base and modest features, the miners got there, which led to a significant rise in price. The card is made in a minimalist style and can work with monitors up to 4K resolution. Memory frequency 7000 MHz, bus 128 bits, buffer 4 GB. In terms of performance, it is far behind the GTX 1650 due to the GDDR5 memory. Fewer stream processors (768) and texture units (48). At the same time, the 75W thermal package is easily dissipated by a stock fan. This relatively inexpensive, but high-quality video card does not require additional power, works great in combination with 4-core processors, providing comfortable work in modern Free-to-Play projects.
Advantages:
- excellent reliability;
- does not need additional nutrition;
- spare fan;
- small heat pack.
Flaws:
- margin over 100%;
- Memory GDDR5.
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1650 D6OC 4G
The most productive budget video card, in our opinion, is the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1650 D6 OC 4G model. Thanks to its compact size, this gadget will easily fit into any compact case. The fan, like the case, turned out to be fragile, the cooling is mediocre due to the very small radiator. 4 GB of video memory with 896 stream processors and 56 texture units are installed on board. The memory bus width is 128 MB, which is the minimum standard for gaming graphics cards. Works with monitors up to 8K resolution. To get started, you will need a 300W power supply or more, no additional power is required, it works through the PCI-E port. Equipped with a minimum of modern ports: DVI-D, Display Port and HDMI. There is no backlight. Suitable for entry-level gaming builds in combination with Ryzen 3100, 3400, Intel Core 10105F and 10400F.
Advantages:
- low thermal package;
- compact size;
- good power;
- availability for sale.
Flaws:
- mediocre cooling;
- fan noise.
MSI GeForce GTX 1650 D6 VENTUS
The best low-cost graphics card of 2021 is the MSI GeForce GTX 1650 D6 VENTUS series model, which is no different from the previous card in its internal structure. All the same 4 GB of video memory with 896 stream processors, 56 texture units and a memory bus width of 128 MB. It has an improved cooling system, consisting of a massive aluminum heatsink with a double fan shroud. The increase in power consumption has led to the placement of an additional power port in the form of a 6-pin connector. Unlike older cards (series 900, 1000), this model does not overheat due to the better quality of the fans and the optimal arrangement of aluminum plates on the heatsink. However, at maximum speed, a slight hum is still heard. The backlight is completely absent.
Advantages:
- good cooling;
- good dynamic acceleration;
- sufficiently large power;
- universal size.
Flaws:
- hum at high speeds.
The best video cards in terms of price and quality
Mid-range graphics cards for comfortable games in Full HD and 2K resolution.
Sapphire Radeon RX 6600 PULSE
The Sapphire Radeon RX 6600 model replenishes the rating of video cards, which, in fact, opens up the segment of mid-range solutions. The bus width is only 128 bits, which partially limits the capabilities of the model. Thanks to the GDDR6 memory, we were able to increase its frequency to 14000 MHz, and the frequency of the GPU itself to 2491 MHz, the memory capacity is 8 GB. The thermal package has been reduced by switching to the 7 nm process technology. The 1792 stream processors provide high-quality images in all modern designs in Full HD format through the PCI-E 4.0 interface, but at 2K and 4K resolutions the card starts to fail. To get started, you’ll need a 500W power supply and an 8-pin plug for additional power. A feature of the model is the rejection of DVI-D and the placement of only Display Port and HDMI.
Advantages:
- affordable paper in the middle segment;
- new technical process;
- new memory;
- many exits.
Flaws:
- bus 128 bit;
- the presence of only modern connection ports.
Palit GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Dual
Palit engineers are successfully working on one of the cheapest GTX 1660 Ti graphics cards on the market. The lack of backlighting, strict design and minimalism allowed the company to focus on technical specifications. Unlike the regular 1660, this card has 1536 stream processors and 96 texture units with 6 GB of VRAM and a 192-bit extended bus. Equipped with a good heatsink and heat pipes to improve heat dissipation. Cooling is enhanced by two 90mm fans with a medium noise level. Thanks to the new GPU microarchitecture and high clock speeds, the graphics card is fast enough to provide smooth gaming experience in all popular games of 2015-2019 at 1920×1080 resolution at maximum graphics settings. However, you can play at high 2K settings, but not everywhere. Equipped with three interface ports (HDMI 2.0b, DVI-D, DisplayPort 1.4) and supports the connection of displays up to 8K.
Advantages:
- low price compared to other suppliers;
- connect up to 3 8K monitors;
- low operating temperatures.
Flaws:
Palit GeForce RTX 3060 Dual V1 LHR
Finally got to boards with RT support. One of the most affordable mid-range high-performance gaming graphics cards of the current year, as you can imagine, is based on the Nvidia GA106 GPU. The possibilities of mining cryptocurrencies, especially Ethereum, are limited at the hardware level. The cooling system is represented by three heat pipes and two reinforced fans. At idle or minimal loads, the fans are completely turned off, which increases comfort of use and reduces noise levels. The amount of video memory has been increased to 12 GB, the frequency is 15000 MHz with a 192-bit bus. A prerequisite for running the board is a 550W power supply with 10% power headroom and an additional 8-pin power supply. The card is designed for use in mid-range gaming setups for FullHD or WQHD monitors.
Advantages:
- increased video memory;
- 80% more general-purpose processors;
- limitation of mining opportunities.
Flaws;
- fewer RT cores and texture units than RTX.
ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2060 GAMING
Particularly noteworthy in our list of good video cards is the solution from ZOTAC, which has 1920 universal processors and 120 texture units. To implement RT technology, the compute unit contains 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, which allows you to enable ray tracing in Full HD resolution without significant performance degradation. The amount of video memory, its frequency and bus are similar to those of the GTX 1660 Ti and we will not dwell on them. The new technology has increased heat dissipation to 160W and now requires a 500W drive with 10-15% headroom to run the system. For additional protection of the card, a massive rear plate is provided in the back, made in the corporate style of the company.
Advantages:
- the presence of OT nuclei;
- better heat dissipation;
- low cost in comparison with other suppliers;
- simple and nice design.
Flaws:
- fan quality.
Asus GeForce RTX 3060 TUF Gaming V2 OC LHR
The best graphics card in terms of price / quality ratio is Asus GeForce RTX 3060 TUF Gaming V2 OC LHR. A great choice if you’re on a budget and want to overclock your schedule. The model is clearly not the cheapest three-fan video card, but it ignores all analogues in terms of reliability and silent operation. Based on PCI-E Gen4 x16, it is fully compatible with its predecessor PCI-E Gen3 and can be used to upgrade existing gaming PCs. Provides a comfortable frame rate in any modern project at maximum graphics settings and Full HD resolution. The video card is based on the Nvidia GA106 GPU, created using the 8nm process technology and working together with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. Powerful cooling is provided by a huge heatsink, three FDB fans and a large heat pipe system.
Advantages:
- excellent cooling;
- low noise level;
- beautiful backlight;
- strong back plate.
Flaws:
- a little more expensive.
The best gaming graphics cards
The best products for creating productive gaming systems with a margin of several years.
Asus Radeon RX 6800 XT TUF GAMING OC
Another pre-top video card from ASUS with proprietary three-section cooling. The power supply requires 2 x 8 + 8 pin connectors and a 750-800W power supply. 16 GB of VRAM at 16000 MHz is enough for any project that can be played on 4 monitors at 8K resolution. The end plate houses only modern HDMI and DisplayPort ports. Thanks to a powerful cooling system, the video card occupies three slots and does not fit into many standard boxes. Multiple heatpipes paired with three fans ensure efficient heat dissipation. Its heavy weight can be a problem during installation, it is recommended to purchase special clamps or supports.
Advantages:
- powerful cooling;
- 16 GB video memory;
- beautiful minimalistic lighting.
Flaws:
- massive model.
Asus GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua OC
ASUS has worked closely with Noctua to develop a truly powerful graphics card with multiple features. The look features an owl-eye design in a distinctive creamy brown color scheme. There are only two large fans on a thick radiator, but what! Noctua’s turntables are low noise and easy to handle, on par with three conventional fans. The metal back panel has an air vent at the back. As for the card itself, everything is standard here – 8 GB of video memory with a frequency of 14000 MHz with a bus width of 256 bits. Recommended PSU 750W with optional 8+8pin PSU.
Advantages:
- very quiet model;
- massive radiator;
- compact size;
- unusual design.
Flaws:
- possible installation problems;
- hard to find for sale.
ASRock Radeon RX 6900 XT OC Formula 16GB
This is a premium AMD graphics card from ASRock. It has more modest specs than Nvidia’s competitors, but is also more affordable. Built on the 7 nm process technology. Despite the large amount of video memory of 16 GB, the bus is only 256 bits at a memory frequency of 16000 MHz, and the video processor frequency of 2125 MHz is one of the highest on the market. To get started, you’ll need a 24-pin auxiliary power supply and a power supply of at least 1000W. It also has RT cores. There are 80 of them, and they are enough to reproduce realistic images on the monitor. There are 3 DisplayPort ports and 1 HDMI port for connectivity. Unlike Nvidia, it uses G-sync, Physics and Hairworks technologies, which will increase the performance of this model in the future.
Advantages:
- good overclocking of the video core;
- large amount of video memory;
- good quality.
Flaws:
- lack of DLSS and ray tracing.
MSI GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING Z TRIO 10G LHR
Another powerful gaming graphics card with 10 GB of VRAM. The model is equipped with a hardware lock system for mining Ethereum cryptocurrency and other algorithms used for mining altcoins. Designed for demanding gamers, e-sports enthusiasts and enthusiasts who need comfortable high frame rates in any project with years in mind. It is based on the high-performance Nvidia GA102 GPU, which works in conjunction with graphics memory. Hardware-accelerated RTX effects and DLSS intelligent scaling based on machine learning algorithms help to create a realistic picture. The high heat dissipation of 370 W led to the installation of a powerful three-section air cooling system.
Advantages:
- cold GPU;
- powerful cooling;
- high performance;
- two types of BIOS.
Flaws:
MSI GeForce RTX 3090 VENTUS 3X
Best MSI Gaming Graphics Card 2021 – GeForce RTX 3090 VENTUS 3X. This is the most balanced of these models. Factory overclocking eliminates the need to do it yourself. The proprietary cooling system consists of several heat pipes, an aluminum heatsink and three fans. The Nvidia GA102 graphics chip features second-generation RT cores capable of rendering images using real-time ray tracing for realistic reflection and light rendering. Also noteworthy is the intelligent DLSS resizing technology, which provides excellent image quality when using ML technologies. The amount of video memory is 24 GB. The design uses the fastest memory to date – GDDR6X with a frequency of 19500 MHz, bus width – 384 bits.
Advantages:
- record the amount of video memory;
- best GDDR6X memory;
- Core RT second generation.
Flaws:
How to choose a good graphics card for your computer?
First, I would like to highlight a few basic tips for those who do not know how to choose a video card for a PC, after which we will try to answer the most common questions:
- Price. If there is a question about savings, take the cheapest card available in your store. Prices will not drop for the foreseeable future, and while many recommend waiting, we recommend buying, playing and mining if you wish.
- cooling type. Avoid graphics cards with 1 fan. The exceptions are the GT 1030, GTX 1050 Ti and their counterparts from AMD. Attempts to “pack” the RTX 2060 or 3060 into a compact size lead to periodic overheating and rapid fan wear. Of the top models, we recommend three-fan as the most reliable. Turbine and steam chamber options will hum and retain heat. If we consider models with water blocks, then the quality of the circuits themselves and the coolant assembly leaves much to be desired.
- You can sacrifice a video card with backlight, but no cooling. Buy graphics cards with good cooling to avoid overheating and burns. Change the thermal interface and thermal pads regularly.
- Compatibility. Before buying a video card, make sure that the power supply meets the listed requirements. If you are just thinking about buying a power supply, then you should start from the total consumption of the system with a margin of 30-40% in case of an upgrade or problems with electricity.
Should You Buy an RTX 3090? If you’re on a budget, why not, but we’d go with an overclocked 3080 Ti or even a 2080 Ti. Models with the xx90 designation are more of marketing products that do not justify the cost in themselves. 3000 turned out to be hot and unreasonably expensive, but mining is better. Does it make sense to buy AMD graphics cards? Definitely yes. AMD has long supported their cards with new drivers without slowing them down. Although their performance is slightly worse than the “green” ones, users may not have to worry about the stable operation of graphics accelerators. What about the GTX 1000 series? These cards can be rented in the secondary market, checked and guaranteed. We recommend the GTX 1080 and 1070. How are the RX 570, 580 and 590? These are still great cards for cheap games, but they are not for sale, and if you look, only in the “secondary market”. How often should a graphics card be serviced? You can replace the thermal paste and thermal pads once a year. This will increase the life of the crystal and other modules.
What is the best graphics card to buy in 2021?
Taking into account the current trends, we have divided our rating into two classes of models. If you don’t know which graphics card to buy, start with the targets:
- Best Premium Gaming Graphics Card: Gigabyte Geforce RTX 3060 Ti
- Budget model with good power – Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1650 D6 OC 4G;
- Best Budget Gaming Graphics Card – MSI GeForce GTX 1650 D6 VENTUS
- A good model in terms of price-quality ratio: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming X.
Of course, there are more powerful video cards for gamers, but their cost is too high and, in our opinion, is unprofitable in a number of ways, given the increased cost of components of this type of PC.