The Best Budget Graphics Card in 2022 – Our Top Cheap GPUs
Graphics cards for gamers on a strict budget
Some gamers out there may believe they need the latest high-end components to play their favorite AAA titles to full effect. While this point may stand true for some games, the best budget graphics card can also give you a fantastic gaming experience.
Let’s get one thing straight, if you can afford the best graphics cards available and wish to play games in 4K without compromise, then you absolutely should. However, for the rest of us on a tight budget, the selections we will run through in this article are going to give you some reassurances that you don’t have to break the bank.
Let’s take a look.
Our Top Picks
The Best Budget Graphics Card
In-depth Review
ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming
ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming
ASUS has released several different SKUs for the RTX 3070, with our favorite being the ROG Strix – a model with high-end performance, aesthetics, and cooling.
This GPU comes equipped with sublime out the box cooling, characterized by efficiency and its flagship design language. In addition to the ROG’s hefty cooling solution, ASUS has also equipped it with a very hand 1755MHz boost clock frequency that, if deemed necessary, can be overclocked further with relative ease.
The RTX 3070 is going to be the perfect GPU to fit into PC builds around the $1000 mark, giving gamers a budget 4K performance without having to compromise on graphical settings.
ASUS GeForce RTX 3060 TI ROG Strix Gaming OC
ASUS GeForce RTX 3060 TI ROG Strix Gaming OC
While the RTX 3060 Ti misses out to the RTX 3070, it is still a brilliant modern GPU and our runner-up goers to the Asus ROG Strix variant.
The ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3060 Ti offers great cooling, excellent aesthetics, and great 1080p and 1440p gaming right out of the box. Coming in at a much more affordable price than our top selection, this card is going to save some of your budget for other components.
This card comes with a boost clock frequency of 1890MHz (1860MHz Gaming Mode), making the ROG Strix one of the fastest 3060 Ti models.
This card now directly replaces the RTX 2060, ushering in a new era of budget performance.
ASUS TUF GAMING Radeon RX 6800 OC 16GB
ASUS TUF GAMING Radeon RX 6800 OC 16GB
The Asus TUF RX 6800 may not be as desirable as the RTX 3070l but it brings excellent value into the roundup while delivering similar performance.
This OC version brings a base clock speed of 1925MHz and a boost speed of 2155MHz. This card offers similar speeds to others that are priced closely but when paired with the impressive cooling solution, you are getting a high-end gaming experience here on a budget.
This GPU will smash games in 1080p and 1440p, while also providing some results in 4K. All-in-all this is a brilliant budget graphics card.
MSI GTX 1660 Super VENTUS XS OC
MSI GTX 1660 Super VENTUS XS OC
The GTX 1660 Super is some way off our top three selections but it is widely considered a budget king in the world of graphics cards. This GPU enables the masses to enjoy big gaming titles without having to spend a fortune.
The performance on this card is no joke but it is worth noting that its power is only noticed while gaming in 1080p. With a boost clock speed of 1815MHz and 6GB of memory, this will handle any game at 1080p. This GPU particularly makes sense if you are a hardcore competitive gamer, giving you more than the fabled 144FPS across most esports titles.
The GTX 1660 Super will make a great addition to any mid-tier gaming PC.
XFX RX 580 GTS Black Edition
XFX RX 580 GTS Black Edition
The RX 580 is a worthy upgrade to its smaller sibling – the 570 and is considered an excellent choice for the budget builder. This is a great card for gamers that operate with 1080p resolutions and gives builders the chance to create a special gaming rig at very low prices. This GPU surpasses the likes of Nvidia’s GTX 1050 Ti, 1060, and even has a small amount of 1440p potential.
Of course, the price is the most attractive feature of the card with it offering some great value for an 8GB GPU. The card features a boost overclock of 1386MHz and really will tackle most games you throw at it.
So, complete your first gaming PC, with this incredible entry-level option.
Final Word
There you go, our guide to the best budget cards, although in this day and age it might be hard to come by anything in the second hard market. The best options in this roundup can perform like flagship GPUs of yesteryear, with 4K performance in some AAA games, often in the highest settings too. Other cards in this roundup smash games in 1080p and 1440p with ease, so whatever you choose, you are in for some decent FPS counts.