Best graphics cards | TOP-10 Rating+Reviews

The video card directly affects the performance of personal computers, it is she who is responsible for converting digital information into graphics. To solve office tasks and watch movies, the graphics module built into the processor is quite enough. However, it will not "pull" the requirements of modern games, rendering or work with 3D software. For these purposes, a discrete graphics card is required. Let's figure out how to choose the right video card, make a rating of the most popular models of 2020.

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Ranking table

* Prices are valid for September 2020

Manufacturer

Video chips for cards are produced by only two companies AMD and NVidia. It is they who make reference video cards, that is, with a reference configuration, a standard clock frequency. After that, various brands release them into mass production, creating a design, adding their own cooling system, and in some cases overclocking. Such goods are called custom.

Disputes between adherents of AMD and NVidia do not subside. Video adapters based on NVidia chipsets are considered more powerful, they provide better performance. The main disadvantage is the price, they are usually higher. The AMD lineup has a greater variety of budget options, but they also release models with high performance. However, some users claim that their cooling system is far from perfect.

When choosing a custom video card, everything is much more complicated. There are a lot of brands here. At the same time, the vendor can use in its lineup, both chips from only one manufacturer, or both at once. For example, Palit with its subsidiary brand Gainward and Galaxy with sub-brands Zotac, KFA2, EVGA prefer video chips from NVidia. Powercolor, HIS and Sapphire are AMD's choice. Brands Asus, MSI and Gigabyte work with two manufacturers at once.

Type and amount of video memory

When choosing video cards, many buyers first of all pay attention to the amount of memory of the device. It is used to store and transfer data. However, this is not the only criterion. So, the memory may be quite enough, but the graphics chip may simply not be able to cope with the task. When buying a budget card or a model of the middle price segment, the option with more than 4 GB of memory is considered optimal. In top-end graphics cards, the more memory, the better.

Bus bit width

It is believed that the higher the bus width, the greater the performance of the video card. This indicator affects the throughput of information processed in one clock cycle.That is, among two video cards based on the same chip with the same amount of memory and clock speed, the one with the higher bit depth will be more productive. In practice, a video card with a faster core and a 192-bit bus can be more powerful than a card with a 256-bit bus.

Noise and ergonomics

The noise of operation and the heating of the video card are important parameters that directly affect the usability. Despite the fact that AMD and NVidia are trying to improve the energy efficiency of their cards, the turbine coolers installed on the references are very noisy. Coolers on custom versions tend to be significantly quieter.

When choosing, pay attention to the test results of video cards. In this case, it is worth considering the conditions under which the measurement was made. In some cases, the noise level is measured 30 cm from the map, in others at a distance of one meter. On average, if the card at a distance of a meter produces noise at the level of 30-40 dB, it will be quite comfortable for operation. At 40-45 dB, the noise level will be tolerable. If this figure exceeds 45-50 dB, it is worth looking for a quieter option.

Compatibility

Usually, incompatibility with existing hardware comes down to a lack of power, the inability to connect to a power supply or monitor. In addition, the card simply may not fit into a PC case due to its dimensions.

Manufacturers are trying to reduce the consumption of cards. Indicating the recommended power of the power supply, manufacturers are reinsured by entering inflated values. So, for the GTX1060 6Gb, a 400W PSU is recommended. However, the video card itself in standard mode consumes only 120 watts, and even at maximum overclocking - 140 watts. You can find out the real level of consumption only in independent reviews. You should also make sure that the power supply has the right connector for additional power to the video card. It can be six- or eight-pin. In the absence of the desired connector, you will have to use an adapter.

Some video cards will not require additional power. However, for the most part, they are not very productive.

Video cards are connected to the motherboard via a PCI-express connector. Modern models are equipped with version 3.0. Many PCs use the 2.0 interface. This raises the question of compatibility. In practice, video cards with PCI 3.0 work fine in slots with version 2.0. At the same time, there are no losses when installing a video card on motherboards with an old interface.

Before buying, be sure to measure the free distance from the basket to the back wall. If the video card is too long, it will not fit without appropriate modification.

Connector types

Video cards are equipped with video outputs of the following types:

• VGA is an interface capable of transmitting only an analog signal. Considered obsolete.
• DVI - there are two types: DVI-I (combined connector that outputs digital and analog signals) and DVI-D (digital interface, incompatible with VGA connectors).
• HDMI is a digital interface for transmitting audio and video in high resolution. Available in full-length and reduced mini-HDMI version.
• DisplayPort is a progressive standard, but it is not as common.

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Video card rating

When compiling the list, not only the technical characteristics of video cards were taken into account, but also the results of independent tests, their cost, and customer reviews.

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Rating of budget video cards

The list includes video cards worth up to 10,000 rubles.

Specifications:

• Price - 4,734 - 6,859 rubles.
• User rating - 4.6;
• Video chip - AMD Radeon RX 550;
• Video Memory – 2 GB GDDR5;
• Core and memory frequency - 1203/6000 MHz;
• Connectors - DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 3 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.5, DirectX12, Vulkan.

The model will work without failures. It operates on the basis of the AMD Radeon RX 550 chip. Support for Vulkan 1.0, DirectX 12, OpenCL 2.0 and OpenGL 4.5 is provided. The card does not require additional power, it allows you to connect up to 3 monitors.

Specifications:

• Price - 6,495 - 8,978 rubles.
• User rating - 4.6;
• Video chip - AMD Radeon RX 550;
• Video Memory – 4 GB GDDR5;
• Core and memory frequency - 1206/7000 MHz;
• Connectors - DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 3 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.5, DirectX12, Vulkan.

4 GB of GDDR-5 memory together with the Radeon RX 550 processor allow you to play video in any resolution. At low workloads, a silent passive cooling system functions. Under increased loads, the cooling system works with several fans with a precision control system.

Specifications:

• Price - 9 451 - 12 170 rubles.
• User rating - 4.7;
• Video chip - NVidia GTX 1050 Ti;
• Video Memory – 4 GB GDDR5;
• Core and memory frequency - 1290/7000 MHz;
• Connectors - DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 3 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.5, DirectX12, Vulkan.

It features high performance. There is support for DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.5. An axial fan is provided for cooling. The card is capable of playing video in 4K mode.

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Rating of video cards of the middle price category

The rating includes models costing from 10,000 to 35,000 rubles.

Specifications:

• Price - 16,390 - 22,158 rubles.
• User rating - 4.5;
• Video chip - AMD Sapphire Radeon 580 Pulse;
• Video Memory – 8 GB GDDR5;
• Core and memory frequency - 1366/8000 MHz;
• Connectors - DVI, HDMI, DisplayPortx2;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 5 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.5, DirectX12, Vulkan.

It is possible to connect up to 5 monitors at the same time. The model implements CrossFire X technology. The video card is based on the AMD Radeon 580 Pulse chip. Onboard memory - 8 GB type GDDR 5 with a clock frequency of 8,000 GB. The video card is cooled by two coolers.

Specifications:

• Price - 20,057 - 23,416 rubles.
• User rating - 4.8;
• Video chip - NVidia GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER;
• Video Memory – 6 GB GDDR6;
• Core and memory frequency - 1860/14000 MHz;
• Connectors - DVI, HDMI, DisplayPortx3;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 4 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.6, DirectX12, Vulkan.

It operates on the basis of the NVidia GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER core with a frequency of 1860 MHz. Onboard memory model 6 GB GDDR6 type allows you to realize the full power of the chip. The card is connected to the motherboard using a PCI-E 3.0 connector. The device requires additional power. An 8-pin connector is provided.

Specifications:

• Price - 24,656 - 30,996 rubles.
• User rating - 4.5;
• Video chip - AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT;
• Video Memory – 6 GB GDDR6;
• Core and memory frequency - 1560/12000 MHz;
• Connectors -HDMI, DisplayPortx3;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 4 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.6, DirectX12, Vulkan.

Powered by an AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT chip with a core clock speed of 1560 MHz. Support for SLI and CrossFire is provided. It is possible to work in parallel with 4 monitors.

Specifications:

• Price - 31,050 - 43,090 rubles.
• User rating - 4.9;
• Video chip - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER;
• Video Memory – 8 GB GDDR6;
• Core and memory frequency - 1695/14000 MHz;
• Connectors -HDMI, DisplayPortx3;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 4 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.6, DirectX12, Vulkan.

On-board memory of 8 GB GDDR6 type with a bandwidth of 448 GB / s allows you to realize all the capabilities of the GeForce RTX 2060 Super processor. The model requires additional power, an 8-pin connector is installed for this. The cooling system is implemented in the form of 2 fans.

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Rating of premium video cards

The TOP 3 video cards included models costing from 35,000 rubles.

Specifications:

• Price - 36,500 - 38,990 rubles.
• User rating - 4.4;
• Video chip - AMD Radeon RX 5700;
• Video Memory – 8 GB GDDR6;
• Core and memory frequency - 1565/14000 MHz;
• Connectors -HDMI, DisplayPortx3;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 4 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.6, DirectX12, Vulkan.

Memory 8 GB GDDR6 type allows you to realize all the capabilities of the core. There is support for the PCIe 4.0 interface

Specifications:

• Price - 43,392 - 52,500 rubles.
• User rating - 4.9;
• Video chip - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER;
• Video Memory – 8 GB GDDR6;
• Core and memory frequency - 1800/14000 MHz;
• Connectors -HDMI, DisplayPortx3;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 4 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.6, DirectX12, Vulkan and NVLink.

The device runs on an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER chip with a frequency of 1800 MHz. The cooling system consists of three axial fans. There is 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 448 GB / s.

Specifications:

• Price - 90,169 - 107,600 rubles.
• User rating - 4.5;
• Video chip - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti;
• Video Memory – 11 GB GDDR6;
• Core and memory frequency - 1350/14000 MHz;
• Connectors -HDMI, DisplayPortx3;
• Additional features: the ability to connect up to 4 monitors, support for OpenGL 4.6, DirectX12, Vulkan and NVLink.

It connects to the motherboard PCI-E 16x 3.0. The maximum resolution is 7680×4320. The model has 11 GB of GDDR6 video memory. The device supports DirectX12, Vulkan, OpenGL 4.6.

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Conclusion

Before buying a video card, you should decide on the purpose of its use. It should be chosen based on the purpose of use. For games with "heavy" graphics, you should choose models of the top price segment. If ultra settings are not important for you, and the gameplay and story play the main role, give preference to options from the middle price segment. For office tasks and classic games, a low-end graphics card and integrated solutions are suitable.