Best Graphics Cards for the Money (Archive)

[Math Geek]

i like the 750ti as an upgrade option for low power systems. i do not however, like it as a card for a new build. there is almost always a better card for a new build for the money than the 750ti. it is great for the upgrade angle but not so good for a new build in my opinion.

 

[Anton Hunter]

To get ALL the information I desire, I would have to read both this new style of article, as-well-as the older form. Although I liked the new style, it would have been better to have some kind of price / comparison list for review at the end of the article...for me, at least. Still, I wasn't dismayed by the new layout because I know how to do the research to get the info I desire. Just a thought. ^_^

 

[scottie2d]

Hey! What are you guys doing! I have been depending on these monthly best for the money articles for over 10 years on every machine that I build. Who authorized this change in format? Bring back the old format!

 

[MasterMace]

The BftM style was a staple read for years, and helped grow the pc gaming crowd by simplifying the selection. I agree with previous posters that the BftM with the added description of target resolutions would have done much better than this new style that has spread throughout tomshardware.

Buying hardware first starts with dollars, then purpose. Builds are much easier to design when you're plugging in parts for the price point.

 

[Frankalll]

Am I the only one noticing a sharp price increase of cards, since Sept/Oct?

 

[SBMfromLA]

I recommend the MSI GTX 970 4Gb, its a monster and the best graphics card I have ever bought.

Wait.. I thought the 970 was really a 3.5GB card? Is it still being called a 4GB?

 

[ErikVinoya]

I recommend the MSI GTX 970 4Gb, its a monster and the best graphics card I have ever bought.

Wait.. I thought the 970 was really a 3.5GB card? Is it still being called a 4GB?

It has memory chips that has 4GB VRAM so...

 

[SBMfromLA]

I recommend the MSI GTX 970 4Gb, its a monster and the best graphics card I have ever bought.

Wait.. I thought the 970 was really a 3.5GB card? Is it still being called a 4GB?

It has memory chips that has 4GB VRAM so...

Yes... but at 3.5... hahaha... nevermind... you're a fanboy...

 

[ErikVinoya]

I recommend the MSI GTX 970 4Gb, its a monster and the best graphics card I have ever bought.

Wait.. I thought the 970 was really a 3.5GB card? Is it still being called a 4GB?

It has memory chips that has 4GB VRAM so...

Yes... but at 3.5... hahaha... nevermind... you're a fanboy...

Thing is, the first ones to cry "fanboy" are the fanboys. Especially when you still feel the need to take a jab at a year-old issue

 

[SvRommelvS]

I was going to lambaste the new format, focusing on resolutions, as being useless once average AAA graphical fidelity increases but the playable / maxed out method fixes that issue nicely. Also dig the graphics card by tier breakdown at the article top for quick reference. Make the lists vertical instead of horizontal (For easier scrolling, you Windows 8 monster) and we have a winner.

 

[Libero]

Maybe there should be category added for HD+ (900p)?

 

[Vorador2]

WIth VR looming in the horizon, i'm still holding onto my aging 660 Ti. I want to future-proof my purchase, specially when Pascal is already being taped out and promising orders of magnitude faster than Maxwell.

 

[Casecutter]

It just seems wonky to recommend a $300 card as "necessary" to provide enthralling 1080p. I just see in less than 8 months that level of card will be cut off at the knee's by cards costing $150. Kind of like, (though worse) than buying the GTX780 back a Oct 2013 at $650, while today it's hardly staying ahead with a $200 cards for 1440p, and that's still on the same process node. Consider after just a year, Nvidia came out with 970, and 780's were then bilked half the price of a year earlier. I think there's something more to be considered in this, as it has to work some perceive value; BfB now... and at least some of what is in the future.

Also, a gamer needs to have the understanding... Are they sticking at 1080p for the next year+, or do they see themselves being enticed to buy some 1440p if they start seeing $200 or less? If the answer is perhaps... dropping $300 might be okay, though right today and until 14/16nm FinFET hits, spending to future-proof is a losing proposition. Personally, at the point next-gen graphic hit the cost of 1440p panels start looking to reduce dramatically in price, and the new hardware to drive them will be so much more cost effective this is not the point to consider either.

Best deal for some "who must" get a 1080p card now that's nearly going to permit nearly every bit of immersion of the 970... Look at a 380X that you can OC to say 1100Mhz. Considering there's already versions for $200 -AR$10 saving 30% for the idea you might need to juggle a setting or two in a couple of titles seems like a no brainer. While offering a acceptable entry into 1440p if at some point that's considered.

 

[Onus]

Even "medium" settings look pretty good in modern games, although "high" may offer clearly visible improvement. I don't doubt that a HD7970 / R9 280X / R9 380 will be able to play modern games on mostly "high" settings on 2K monitors for a good while yet.
If the game itself is good, and fun to play, it will remain good, and fun to play even on a $150 card.

 

[DeluXas]

I for one, as many others, got to know of Tomshardware because of GPU Hierarchy chart and best for the money articles. With both of those gone, I see no reason to stick around.
Whoever thought this was good idea should be fired on spot.

 

[Gillerer]

WIth VR looming in the horizon, i'm still holding onto my aging 660 Ti. I want to future-proof my purchase, specially when Pascal is already being taped out and promising orders of magnitude faster than Maxwell.

(emphasis mine)

They won't be ~100x more powerful... That's what "orders of magnitude" means. "Order of magnitude" would mean ~10x, and they won't even be that.

 

[Gurg]

Definitely need the hierarchy chart back. I'm not sure about old (price point) vs new (performance goal) organization, but DEFINITELY need the hierarchy chart.

Its in its own chart/article, which was released at the same time by TH.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html

 

[Gurg]

Have to admit, I liked the old format better, than this one. It was more useful, for those on a budget, and looking for what to buy. Targeting resolutions is a nice addition, but suggesting more than just a couple cards per resolution would be much more useful.

For those on a budget, try going to NewEgg, Microcenter etc and re-ording the GPUs from low to high price and finding what you can afford. Then look for reviews for those card online or go to the TH hierachy:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html

 

[Gurg]

To get ALL the information I desire, I would have to read both this new style of article, as-well-as the older form. Although I liked the new style, it would have been better to have some kind of price / comparison list for review at the end of the article...for me, at least. Still, I wasn't dismayed by the new layout because I know how to do the research to get the info I desire. Just a thought. ^_^

Did you read the article before commenting? There is a price list (Amazon) for all the products mentioned in the article. Each of the cards also had their prices listed in the tables.

 

[Gurg]

The BftM style was a staple read for years, and helped grow the pc gaming crowd by simplifying the selection. I agree with previous posters that the BftM with the added description of target resolutions would have done much better than this new style that has spread throughout tomshardware.

Buying hardware first starts with dollars, then purpose. Builds are much easier to design when you're plugging in parts for the price point.

"Buying hardware first starts with dollars, then purpose. " Corporate marketers and salesstaff on commission must absolutely love you.

 

[Gurg]

Am I the only one noticing a sharp price increase of cards, since Sept/Oct?

Did you notice that the pricing was all (except for one) from Amazon? Pricing at NewEgg and Microcenter is far lower in most cases and there are also some nice holiday discounts. There are new 980Tis for sale at NewEgg and Microcenter starting at around $600.

 

[Math Geek]

if all you are looking at is price, then you really don't need this article but rather only need the hierarchy chart. simply sort by price and select the highest card on the list for the budget. that's the "best" you can get for that money. what's the issue?

but buying toward a goal needs this type of info more than dollar amounts. if you can't afford the card for the goal you have, then you can save for it or lower your expectations based on what you can afford. all the information is still there just reorganized in line with the way folks ask in the forums for the info. i guess i just know the chart and basic recommendations for different uses so well it is hard for me to see why this article is not useful to some. i did not use the old format much anyway since the questions are generally goal based that i am asked here and with my business. i adjusted the info in my mind for the resolution and settings each card can handle and the basic cost for each level of performance more than a specific price range.

 

[Onus]

If you want to save money, buying for a goal, for purpose, is the way to go. If you have already decided to spend a lot of money, knowing that high-priced cards are unlikely to be ill-suited to most any purpose (assuming you know you don't need a professional-quality 2D card), you can just look at "best for the money."
When I'm looking at gaming cards, I'll limit the memory type to GDDR5, perhaps the minimum amount desired (typically 2GB) then browse by price, looking for deals.

 

[GodCorleone]

Toms here is a suggestion for you... Why don't you try setting up a poll to determine if users are open to any new format or new ideas you're considering? Could save both parties frustration. Please try to listen to your readers and act accordingly, thank you.

 

[dennphill]

I weigh in with those who've commented that this new method of presentation is pretty poor. And this article - all AMDs??? I don't think of myself as an NVidia 'fanboy' but for my purposes I am glad I got my 750Ti for my last build (Mar 15!) and am very happy with it. What's in the 'hole between' the low $100s and the mid $250s? Truth be told, I generally only look in the "Best of..." articles in the price point where I would spend my money and pretty much ignore budget and high performance/high $$ selections. The past few GPU articles have had little of interest.