How to Buy the Right Graphics Card

[islandwalker]

Picking the right graphics card for your gaming desires can be daunting. We’ll walk you through the basics, so you can find the right card for your rig and without spending more than you need to.

How to Buy the Right Graphics Card : Read more

 

[abryant]

Archived comments are found here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3801286/buy-graphics-card.html

 

[drawingpin]

I still can't believe you're recommending the 1050 when you can pick up the 570 up for the same price. Just plain old crazy.

 

[shmoochie]

I still can't believe you're recommending the 1050 when you can pick up the 570 up for the same price. Just plain old crazy.

Same price AND two free new games. This buying guide is soooo bad. It's clearly still outdated.

 

[Dantte]

You sure thats right... you have the RTX2060 listed as high-end (same as the 2080), but the 2070 is not listed? I would think the 2060 should be midrange and the 2070 take its place on the highend list.

 

[Gurg]

Local MC: EVGA Black Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Dual-Fan 11GB GDDR6 PCIe Video Card for $1019.

2080 ti prices are finally becoming more reasonable.

 

[Krakadoom]

This guide is ridiculous. How much did nVidia pay you to recommend the 20 series cards? For most people that's not a good buy, as the value for money is terrible and there are better options, be it radeon or 10 series cards.

 

[West996]

Why no mention of the 2080. It is skipping right over. 2070 is best for VR and 2080 ti is best, no mention of the 2080 being a nice mid point?

 

[Krazie_Ivan]

absolutely NOBODY should be buying a 1050 or even 1050ti over the RX570. the performance gap is massive in favor of the RX570, despite being sold at the same price. the very definition of "no-brainer" here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6_Dj-TedSU

 

[justin.m.beauvais]

I have to say I was utterly shocked to not see the RX 570 on your list. It is nearly as capable as the RX 580 and available for a LOT less. Also, why the 1050 3GB? The 4 GB of the 1050 Ti makes a lot more sense for 1080p gaming, of course then you are talking about it costing significantly more than some of the sales we are seeing on the RX 570, which makes it all the more confusing why ANY GTX 1050 is being recommended. In most cases the RX 570 is well over 70% faster than the 1050. That is not a small number. That is a big number. $20 more for 70% better performance... HOW CAN YOU RECOMMEND THE 1050!? I can't work it out in ANY way inside my head!

Also, don't buy the GT 1030 or RX 550? What about those people who's old computers would benefit from upgrading their GT 710 or GTX 550? Those people with older systems would be wasting money on anything more than a 1030. Are we just assuming everyone has at least a Haswell i5?

The article started off so well, then TANKED when talking about graphics card recommendations. Take out EVERYTHING recommending cards and this is somewhere between a good and a great "Things to consider when buying a graphics card" article.

 

[cryoburner]

Recently, examples of the 3GB card began showing up for sale at about $10 higher than Radeon RX 560. Consistently better frame rates mean we’re willing to spend a bit more money for the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB card over AMD’s alternative option.

AMD's alternative to the 1050 3GB is the RX 570, a card that is more than 50% faster and has more VRAM. They are not even in the same "performance class" according to this guide, yet they are roughly the same price. Going by current US pricing on PCPartPicker, there are just two 1050 3GB cards listed there, both $140. Meanwhile, RX 570s start at around the same price, with one actually $10 less after rebate, and as has been mentioned, they are not only much more powerful, but also can be picked up bundled with a couple big new and upcoming game releases. And for $10 more, you can get a card with 8GB of VRAM, which might hold up even better in future games.

Now, I would say that a 1050 or 1050 Ti might be a reasonable choice for upgrading a prebuilt system with a low-end, 300 watt PSU that couldn't cope with anything more, since the cost of replacing the power supply could increase the total cost of moving up to a mid-range card. Otherwise, no, there is no comparison in terms of value here, and AMD's alternative blows the competition out of the water. Who cares what the RX 560 is doing when the much more capable RX 570 costs just a little more. If the category were called something like "Best for Low-Power Systems" a 1050 or 1050 Ti could be a decent pick, but they are far from the "Best Budget Pick" for anyone not working around a low-end power supply. The RX 570 should definitely be given a mention at least.

As for the rest of the lineup, it seems fine enough to me , and I would generally agree with it. The 20-series cards might only offer mediocre performance gains over the previous generation, but they do bring some new tech to the table, and their prices are coming down to somewhat more reasonable, if still underwhelming levels. AMD isn't exactly offering better value for the money in the $300+ range right now. The Vega cards can be considered decent, but due to their more expensive design, AMD doesn't have as much room to undercut Nvidia with them. And I suspect the same will apply to Radeon VII, while the eventual Volta cards will likely be coming to the sub-$300 range, at least initially.

 

[eye4bear]

A point not addressed here about buying a 1050ti 4GB DDR5 (EVGA brand) is that they do not need additional power, drawing all they need from the PCIe slot. This could be a meaningful consideration for people with older systems and power supplies who do not have the 6 pin power cable available.

 

[Onus]

A point not addressed here about buying a 1050ti 4GB DDR5 (EVGA brand) is that they do not need additional power, drawing all they need from the PCIe slot. This could be a meaningful consideration for people with older systems and power supplies who do not have the 6 pin power cable available.

This. It isn't just a matter of being obsessed with lower power consumption, but sometimes that is a very definite consideration. AMD used to win in that department, up through the HD7750. Since nVidia released the GTX750Ti though, it has regularly given AMD a thorough spanking in this department.

 

[shmoochie]

A point not addressed here about buying a 1050ti 4GB DDR5 (EVGA brand) is that they do not need additional power, drawing all they need from the PCIe slot. This could be a meaningful consideration for people with older systems and power supplies who do not have the 6 pin power cable available.

This. It isn't just a matter of being obsessed with lower power consumption, but sometimes that is a very definite consideration. AMD used to win in that department, up through the HD7750. Since nVidia released the GTX750Ti though, it has regularly given AMD a thorough spanking in this department.

Yeah, but they could literally buy a rx570 and a new PSU with the money they saved from not buying a 1050ti.

 

[2Be_or_Not2Be]

Yeah, but they could literally buy a rx570 and a new PSU with the money they saved from not buying a 1050ti.

Well, the RX570 is definitely better performance-wise, but you can't say you can get a new RX570 & PSU for the same price as a 1050ti.

Right now on Newegg, they have a sale on a 1050ti for $116, and a regularly-priced 4GB one for $140. The cheapest 4GB RX570 is $140.

So really, you can't buy the RX570 and a new (decent) PSU for less than the 1050ti at $116.

 

[shmoochie]

Yeah, but they could literally buy a rx570 and a new PSU with the money they saved from not buying a 1050ti.

Well, the RX570 is definitely better performance-wise, but you can't say you can get a new RX570 & PSU for the same price as a 1050ti.

Right now on Newegg, they have a sale on a 1050ti for $116, and a regularly-priced 4GB one for $140. The cheapest 4GB RX570 is $140.

So really, you can't buy the RX570 and a new (decent) PSU for less than the 1050ti at $116.

I don't see a sale like that available where I am at. In fact, the equivalent version of each card is $20+ cheaper for the 570, especially the quality cards. So yes, I can definitely say that. You also seem to be forgetting that the 570s come with 2 games that you can sell - recouping like half the value of the card.

 

[2Be_or_Not2Be]

Yeah, but they could literally buy a rx570 and a new PSU with the money they saved from not buying a 1050ti.

Well, the RX570 is definitely better performance-wise, but you can't say you can get a new RX570 & PSU for the same price as a 1050ti.

Right now on Newegg, they have a sale on a 1050ti for $116, and a regularly-priced 4GB one for $140. The cheapest 4GB RX570 is $140.

So really, you can't buy the RX570 and a new (decent) PSU for less than the 1050ti at $116.

I don't see a sale like that available where I am at. In fact, the equivalent version of each card is $20+ cheaper for the 570, especially the quality cards. So yes, I can definitely say that. You also seem to be forgetting that the 570s come with 2 games that you can sell - recouping like half the value of the card.

Well, then, the same is true for what you said - you can't claim your local buying situation is the same for everyone else's buying situation. Plus, not all RX570's come with games that you may or may not be able to sell.

The only thing we can say for sure is that the RX570 is a better performer & a better purchase when it's priced the same as the 1050ti.

 

[shmoochie]

Yeah, but they could literally buy a rx570 and a new PSU with the money they saved from not buying a 1050ti.

Well, the RX570 is definitely better performance-wise, but you can't say you can get a new RX570 & PSU for the same price as a 1050ti.

Right now on Newegg, they have a sale on a 1050ti for $116, and a regularly-priced 4GB one for $140. The cheapest 4GB RX570 is $140.

So really, you can't buy the RX570 and a new (decent) PSU for less than the 1050ti at $116.

I don't see a sale like that available where I am at. In fact, the equivalent version of each card is $20+ cheaper for the 570, especially the quality cards. So yes, I can definitely say that. You also seem to be forgetting that the 570s come with 2 games that you can sell - recouping like half the value of the card.

Well, then, the same is true for what you said - you can't claim your local buying situation is the same for everyone else's buying situation. Plus, not all RX570's come with games that you may or may not be able to sell.

The only thing we can say for sure is that the RX570 is a better performer & a better purchase when it's priced the same as the 1050ti.

You linked a one-off sale from what looks to be a sketchy vendor given the reviews. I was talking about a long running sale that is advertised on AMD's own website. Don't act like they are the same or even comparable in relation to this argument. The average 570 is going to be cheaper than the average 1050ti. No question. If you think otherwise, then I encourage you to compare comparable models and sales. I agree with your final statement as we are both arguing the same point. I am just taking it farther than you.

 

[maddogfargo]

Honestly, you guys should reconsider picking the GTX 2070.

You've been able to get the Sapphire Vega 64 Nitro+, arguably one of the best AIB Vega 64 cards, for $399-$420 US for several months now. It beats or ties the 2070 in most games/VR. And when UV-OCd it is as fast/efficient as my 2GHz GTX 1080 under full load, and MORE efficient under light load. IF you really can't get the 2070 for less than $479, Then VEGA is a no-brainer.

 

[junksyougetcheap]

looks that price is somekind measure from gpu,well i think too much,but im sure moust of buyers dont looks that.


preice?.. i think 100$ or even 125$ price different between average and best quality gpu
are not not change that wich gpu you buy. so here..



well, moust of as use PC same long time, isay 2-4 years and then plan to buy new PC ot update hardware.


so i take 6 points to choose right gpu for MY gaming PC,and this case i use 27" monitor

so moust important things to choose gpu for that are:

1. gpu can run moust of games smooth fps, so its at least 40-60 fps

2. gpu is efficiency,gpu job is make games run,not heat room so efficiency is imporant, importantthese days and more futuree.

3. gpu MUST be silent,bcoz you cant joy games playing if gp,u after 30min game session start get noise, must be under 35db

4. price and value,yes 2 things, truth is that you cant buy good gpu cheap,there is not that kind model,
usually if it sell cheap,it have reason. noise, low peformance,heat, or anythg else.

then gpu value,also,if and when you plan change gpu and buy new one, its nice that you get good price when you sell it, thats call value.
usuall cheap and low quality gpu value is zero,even bran new, but after few month its zero.
so, no1 want it,when you wantsell it, but good buy,good gpu is always wanted,some1 buy it and you get little cash for next gpu.

5. drivers support, if thouse are not good,you cant use your gpu anything and cant play.
usually good drivers are usually when they released WHQL serticated, meaning they have license to run example 3Dmarks official score
meaning you can send them 3Damarks site and maybe HOF table, without WHQL serificate ,it not happen.


6. when bying gpu,its must work with any modification, just open packet, install it you PC ,turn PC on and start playing,
thats it. no oc'ing,voltage or anything like that idiots thing must do, if so, telling example internet,something is wrong.its tell kausy engineering and cheap gpu.

thats it, i have myf avorite gpus, and they do just like i tell, and ever get dissapoinment me or my frends.

i can say only that they all been green.


sure ,ppl cant be feel different,but thats not change facts.

 

[logainofhades]

Power supply wattage is useless if the quality of said PSU is trash. Quality is far more important, than wattage. A PSU shaped object can say 750w, and still be totally inadequate for your hardware.

 

[Exia00]

For buying a GPU i would say it is depending on the game because some games could run smoother and better on AMD over Nvidia and vise versa because as an example for Destiny 2 (which more and more are playing now cause it is free to play) i was able to get more than 60 fps with a 1050 Ti but when using the RX 570 i was getting 55 to 58 fps with the same settings and the 570 is supposed to be better but because the game has better support for Nvidia cards people would use Nvidia and same said for other titles like The Division 2 which i got an average of 70 fps maxed out with a 570 but only 80 fps with a 1660 and the 1660 for any other game would get a lot higher frames but since that game has more support for Nvidia the 570 would be the better choice so really it depends on the game played and what would said person play that would make the better choice for a GPU and since most of the games i play has better support for Nvidia that is why i bought myself the 1660 (this was also about 3 months before the super as well)

 

[JarredWaltonGPU]

FYI, Matt and I have overhauled this guide, again, updating it with pertinent information on the latest GPUs.