Graphics Card Death Match: Meet the Top Three Performers for Budget, Mid-Tier and Enthusiast

Mark Episkopos

Technology,

What card would pick? Here is what we went with. 

The graphics card market is as saturated as it ever was, with industry leaders Nvidia and AMD persistently trying to upend one another with a glut of new product releases and lineup refreshes over the past year. Though competition is always good, the sheer number of options can prove daunting for newcomers to the PC building space. But fear not-- we’re here to help you get the most bang for your buck with a concise buyer’s guide to graphics cards.

As with most other PC components, graphics cards are a highly personalized purchase. Whether you’re interested in photo/video editing, colorwork, or pc gaming, a bigger price tag doesn’t necessarily translate to a better experience; if you’re not taking advantage of your card’s full performance potential on a regular basis, then it’s very likely that you’ve overpaid for performance you don’t need.

The “best” graphics card is the one that offers the performance you’re looking for at a price that you’re willing to pay.  With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of top entries for a wide range of budgets.

GTX 1650 SUPER: Entry-Level Gaming and Video Editing ($160-180):

Nvidia released the GTX 1650 SUPER late last year to challenge AMD’s Radeon RX 500 series’ undisputed reign as the budget price-to-performance leader. For those looking to buy into a comfortable 1080p gaming experience without breaking the bank, the 1650 SUPER pumps out respectable performance at a price that’s hard to beat. Low maximum temperatures and efficient energy consumption also make the 1650 an attractive option for the growing subset of macbook owners using an external graphics card dock. Though the 1650 SUPER is perfectly capable as an entry-level video editing platform, creative professionals would be better served by the more premium options covered further along in this guide.

AMD Radeon RX 5700: Mid-Tier Winner ($350-400):