Introduction
It’s no secret that graphics cards have become expensive. We’ve seen a number of GPUs release from both AMD and NVIDIA at extortionate price points. NVIDIA started this pricing war with the release of their 4090 and 4080 SKUs, with AMD countering later on with the Radeon 7900 XTX and XT GPUs. The majority of these cards released for over $1000, with the 7900 XT being the only card sitting below this. These are of course, the top-end GPUs, but many of the other options that we’ve seen release in the past are equally poorly priced.
So what are your options if you’re looking for a budget GPU? Are you forced to grit your teeth and buy a pricier GPU? Or are there some worthwhile options for those on a more restrictive budget. In this buyers guide, we’ll be answering these very questions with a roundup of the best budget graphics cards to buy in 2023. We’ll be taking a look at some of the best options on the market right now, catering to a varying range of budgets and use-cases.
Best Budget Graphics Card to Buy: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
📸 View the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT gallery.
Our pick for the best budget card to buy is the Radeon RX 6700 XT. It is one of AMD’s best graphics cards on the market, and is geared towards consumers looking to play modern triple A titles at 1080p or 1440p. This card is pricier than some other options on the market right now, but despite this, it is still an incredibly competitive choice that’s likely to last you for quite a few years to come.
Features: 4.2/5
Performance: 4.7/5
Value for Money: 4.6/5
Our Verdict: 4.5/5
Skip to the full testing, gallery and where to buy the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT. ⬇️
Suggested Article: Best Budget Intel 13th-Gen Motherboards to Buy in 2023
All Budget Graphics Cards in our Roundup
1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
Best Budget
8GB
Video Memory
1.76GHz
Boost Clock
2304
CUDA Cores
550W
Recomm. PSU
NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 has been one of our top recommendations for quite some time, due to its hardy performance capability within 1080p games at high settings. The RTX 3050 was one of NVIDIA’s last budget cards to release within the RTX 3000 range. This card comes in at an MSRP of $249, but can be picked up for slightly lower than this dependent on the AIB that you’ve chosen.
Performance wise, the RTX 3050 is more than capable of handling Esports-style 1080p games, with room for some modern titles. However, the weaker VRAM capacity will hinder this GPU in some of the more modern games that demand stronger hardware from your PC.
DLSS is one of the pillar technologies that comes with NVIDIA’s ‘RTX’ graphics cards, with RTX 3000 GPUs getting access to the second revision (DLSS 2). This allows you to alleviate some of the stress on your graphics card through the use of AI.
The biggest disadvantage that this card has versus other options, is the lack of VRAM. While the 3050 will be able to handle current-gen games without any problems, modern games will pose more of an issue for this GPU, as more VRAM becomes a requirement.
Although we’re not likely to see an RTX 4000 variant of the ’50’ SKUs, NVIDIA is likely to discontinue this card in the relatively near future. This means that for those looking to pick up a budget card, you’ll want to do it fast, as stocks aren’t likely to last.
Pros
- Strong 1080p performance in Esports games.
- Solid price point.
- Able to leverage a number of NVIDIA technologies.
Cons
- Lower VRAM is not ideal for modern games.
- Stocks aren't likely to last forever.
Our Ratings:
Features: 4/5
Performance: 4.2/5
Value for Money: 4.1/5
Our Verdict: 4.1/5
Where to Buy
Buy the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 on:
2. AMD Radeon RX 7600
Best for 1080p Gaming
8GB
Video Memory
2.62GHz
Boost Clock
2048
Stream Processors
550W
Recomm. PSU
Next up is the Radeon RX 7600 from AMD. The Radeon 7600 didn’t get the greatest reception during the initial release, but I believe this card to be one of the best priced options right now. The 7600 comes in with an MSRP of $269, making it one of the cheapest cards, but also incredibly strong when looking at the performance metrics. VRAM is an issue on this card (much like the 3050), but consumers can expect solid performance in current-gen 1080p games, with decent legs at a 1440p resolution too, making this card multi-faceted.
Much like the RTX 3050, the Radeon 7600 suffers from having less VRAM. This means that this GPU isn’t likely to cope with the performance demands of modern games.
Although the 7600 has some decent legs at a higher 1440p resolution, consumers can expect to see weaker framerates. If you’re looking to hit that 144Hz sweet spot at 1440p, you’ll want to look at a stronger graphics card.
Pros
- Ideal for 1080p and 1440p gaming.
- Extremely cheap.
- Utilises modern architecture.
Cons
- Only offers 8GB of VRAM.
- Weaker performance at a 1440p resolution.
Our Ratings:
Design: 4.4/5
Performance: 4.4/5
Value for Money: 4.5/5
Our Verdict: 4.4/5
Where to Buy
Buy the AMD Radeon RX 7600 on:
3. AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT
Best Value
8GB
Video Memory
2.64GHz
Boost Clock
240mm
GPU Length
500W
Recomm. PSU
For our third selection we’ve picked out one of AMD’s best cards from the Radeon 6000 range – the RX 6650 XT. During the initial launch of this card we were disappointed about the performance metrics of this GPU versus the competition. However, after some driver updates and optimisations, the 6650 XT became one of the best budget/mid-range graphics cards from the Radeon 6000 line-up. This card is pretty cheap as well, sitting around the $250 mark dependent on where you buy it from, and is more than capable in games at both 1080p and 1440p.
The 6650 XT is somewhat of an underdog when it comes to performance. The driver improvements and optimisations make this GPU incredibly strong at both a 1080p and 1440p resolution.
AMD’s 6650 XT is an extremely well priced card right now, with many AIBs coming in with a price point under the new Radeon RX 7600. If you’re looking for a cheap 1440p capable GPU this card is well worth picking up.
A consistent problem with budget GPUs is the use of 8GB of VRAM. If you’re the kind of consumer that plays triple A titles on the regular, you’ll want to consider looking at stronger alternatives that can meet the performance demands of modern games.
If you plan on playing the majority of your games at 1440p, it could be worth using FSR. But keep in mind that this tech won’t give you the returns that DLSS does when it comes to reducing performance overhead at a higher resolution.
Pros
- Great 1080p and 1440p performance.
- Very competitive pricing.
- Perfect for a budget or mid-range system.
Cons
- Only offers 8GB of VRAM, not great for modern games.
- FSR is comparably weaker than DLSS.
Our Ratings:
Features: 4.2/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Value for Money: 3.8/5
Our Verdict: 4.2/5
Where to Buy
Buy the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT on:
4. AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
Best for 1440p Gaming
12GB
Video Memory
2.58GHz
Boost Clock
267mm
GPU Length
650W
Recomm. PSU
For our last selection, we’ve picked out the 6700 XT, an old card that has been revitalised in the market. The 6700 XT has faced a mass of price drops in the past few months, placing it around the $350 mark, with many AIB options sitting well below this price point. Looking at performance, the 6700 XT is one of the most capable budget/mid-range cards that you can pick up right now. Consumers can expect excellent performance both at 1080p and 1440p without any problems, making this GPU ideal for those with a high refresh rate display. The Radeon RX 6700 XT is more expensive than most other budget cards, but it sits at a more than reasonable price point considering the available performance metrics.
If you plan on playing any games at 4K, the Radeon 6700 XT is unfortunately not quite strong enough. You’ll want to take a look at some stronger options if you’re playing games at a 4K resolution.
Although this card is pretty cheap in comparison to the alternatives on the market right now, but it is still a $300 card, which might be too much to spend on a GPU for the majority of consumers.
Pros
- Strong performance at 1080p and 1440p.
- Perfect for modern games due to higher VRAM.
- Well priced versus other 1440p cards.
Cons
- Pricier than other budget cards.
- Not ideal for 4K.
Our Ratings:
Features: 4.2/5
Performance: 4.7/5
Value for Money: 4.6/5
Our Verdict: 4.5/5
Where to Buy
Buy the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT on:
How We Tested the Best Budget Graphics Cards
In order to test and evaluate the best budget graphics cards, there are a number of factors that we take into account, these are:
- Performance
- Architecture
- Thermals
- Aesthetic
- Value for Money
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Good Graphics Card for 4K Gaming?
Yes you do. While there are some lower-end GPUs that can cope with a 4K resolution, you are likely to need a strong (and expensive) GPU to handle this higher resolution.
Which is Better, DLSS or FSR?
DLSS on the whole is better when it comes to upscaling. There’s fewer latency problems, and DLSS also offers more of a performance bonus in comparison to FSR.
Will My GPU Affect 1080p Gaming?
Not as much as your CPU. 1080p is a low resolution for gaming, and therefore has less pixels in comparison to higher settings. Your CPU will make more of an impact on 1080p gaming than your GPU will.
