Upgrading your gaming PC can be expensive, but if you’re willing to take the time to look around, you can find some of the best budget GPUs, without taking too much of a hit on performance. Because buying one of the best graphics cards doesn’t have to be expensive, if you know where to look.
TL;DR - These are the Best Budget GPUs
- ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition
- Acer Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770
- Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC
- MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X
- XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT
As AAA games start to become more advanced, partly thanks to the incredible capabilities of Unreal Engine 5, it quickly becomes a good time to buy a new graphics card. But, with GPUs costing so much these days, it can be hard to find a good GPU on a budget.
Thankfully there are plenty of budget options out there, ranging from lower-end GPUs for the more casual gamers, to the more affordable high-end GPUs.
The Best Budget GPUs:
1. ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition
The best budget graphics card
Pros:
- Dual-BIOS switch
- Impressive 1440p Performance
Cons:
- Limited 4K potential
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition is a little more expensive than the other cards on this list, but for good reason. Not only is it capable of running most modern games at 1440p, but it’s also a great choice for those starting out in esports on a budget.
With its built-in dual-BIOS support, the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition can quickly and easily switch between quiet mode, or for those that need to push the card further, performance mode.
2. Acer Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770
Best budget Intel GPU
Pros:
- 16GB VRAM
- Solid ray tracing performance
Cons:
- Some compatibility issues
Intel is a relative newcomer to discrete GPUs, and while it offers incredible value and impressive performance vs AMD and Nvidia GPUs, its graphics cards aren’t perfect yet.
Intel Arc graphics cards were first released in 2022, providing much-needed competition to Nvidia. But being a newcomer to producing graphics cards, there have been some concerns around compatibility. But, if you’re looking for a capable GPU on a budget, the Intel Arc A770 offers some of the best value for money on the market today.
As the Intel Arc range progresses, hopefully, we can expect to see future driver updates patch up any compatibility issues, which would make them a serious contender.
3. Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC
Best budget AMD GPU
Pros:
- Solid 1080p performance
- Competitively priced
Cons:
- Underwhelming ray tracing performance
Much like the Intel Arc A770, the Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC offers a more affordable option over overpriced Nvidia graphics cards.
In benchmarks, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 performs similarly to the Intel Arc A770. However, thanks to AMD’s longstanding history with graphics cards, it performs well without the same compatibility ‘teething problems’ you get from Intel's first generation of discrete GPUs.
Thanks to its mid-range specs, the Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC shines brightest in 1080p gaming. If you’re considering investing in an AMD Radeon RX 7600 take a look at IGN’s hands-on review first.
4. MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X
Cheapest budget GPU
Pros:
- Impressive dual fan cooling
- Great value
Cons:
- Only 6GB VRAM
The MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers the best price possible, without ditching ray tracing and other features that help make your game look more immersive. While there are older cards on the market, the GeForce RTX 3050 offers the best value for money.
Although the GeForce RTX 3050 is a budget card, it’s perfect for casual gamers looking to keep their costs down, and not go overkill for simple casual or indie gaming.
5. XFX Speedster MERC310 Radeon RX 7900XT
Best high performance GPU on a "budget"
Pros:
- Great 4K performance
- Plenty of VRAM
Cons:
- A little pricey for a budget card
The XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT might be the most expensive GPU on the list, but it offers incredible value compared to its Nvidia counterpart. This makes it one of the top choices for anyone looking for a high-end graphics card on a budget.
It’s a large graphics card with effective triple fan cooling, impressive base clock speeds, and a whopping 20GB of GDDR6 VRAM. As you can see from our RX 7900 XT review, in benchmarks, it sits around the same level of performance you would see from the RTX 4080 Founders Edition, but at a much more reasonable price.
How We Picked the Best Budget GPUs
While it’s important to save money when looking for a budget GPU, we also have to ensure the products we choose are high-quality, as future-proof as possible, and designed to provide the best possible performance for the price.
Choosing a graphics card that is known to run cool, even under heavy loads is important as not only will it help ensure your new GPU lasts longer, but it will also make sure you get the best performance possible.
We also use bench test data to help us choose the best possible budget GPUs, so you can save as much money as possible, without needing to worry too much about sacrificing on performance.
FAQs
Are GTX GPUs cheaper than RTX GPUs?
In most cases, GTX graphics cards are cheaper than most low-end RTX cards, but not by enough to worry about buying one. Low and mid-range RTX cards are becoming more affordable, making them the clear choice over a GTX graphics card.
Is AMD or Nvidia better?
In terms of hardware, both companies have comparable offerings, making them each as good as the other. However, in terms of software, Nvidia takes the crown with its DLSS 3 offering, which has superior results to AMD’s FSR 3 in both visual quality and performance uplift.
Kegan is an avid gamer who has been playing games since his Atari days. From a young age Kegan was tinkering with PCs and now has a passion for building custom gaming computers.
