This time we have gathered the best graphics card under 200 for the people who have a limited budget to either build one or to upgrade their PC. However, this is the toughest job to get GPUs under $200 since the prices are double the actual cost due to the short supply. Another thing you will encounter is the non availability of the graphics cards frequently following the same reason, but in a matter of time they will be available too if you remain patient.
The second most important thing you need to acknowledge here is that these $200 graphics cards do not include latest GPUs i.e the AMD 6000 Series graphics cards and Nvidia Geforce 3000 Series GPUs. But are more likely to have mid range graphics cards to low profile GPUs. Nevertheless these are capable enough to pull out the right weapon which is required for gaming and multitasking without staggering.
Although these are more likely understandable as a budget graphics card, that doesn’t mean they are unable to go for 4k gaming. These are very much capable of not only 1440p gaming but also up to 4k resolution along with few limitations or exceptions in terms of frame rates or sometimes performance in case of AAA game titles. Nevertheless, things are not as simple as that, every game has a different manner of utilizing graphics which is not something we can decipher without testing including the role played by the processor too.
Consequently, these graphics cards under 200 dollars have been tested with a variety of games and intense applications with different settings bound to them. As a result we come to know these GPU’s under $200 are sufficient enough to have mainstream gaming, despite having a little more scope for popular games as well. In addition, these are VR ready graphics cards and can do a great job as a 1080p GPU instead.
Quick browsing for best graphics card under 200 in terms of…..
- Best budget VR graphics cards
- Best graphics card for video editing
- Best graphics card for gaming
- Best 1440p graphics card
- Best 1080p graphics card
- Best mid range graphics card
- Best 4k GPU
- Best low profile graphics card
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Graphics Card Under 200
A. Why do we need a graphics card?
The entire system performance which is displayed mainly on the screen of your monitor depends highly on the graphics card. Today from any ordinary business to the educational sector to commercial usage to animation or 3D modeling everything revolves around how good the content is rendered on the display. Similarly, the high graphics intensive visuals are now becoming more popular as compared to low resolution and flickering of the image. Therefore, the more powerful the GPU is, the more optimal performance and fruitful results will be.
B. What is the difference between a dedicated graphics card and integrated graphics card?
The dedicated graphics card is a separate graphic processing unit with its own RAM or VRAM, although the system does have its own GPU on the motherboard which is called the integrated GPU. Integrated GPU is the same as a dedicated GPU but with different capabilities.
Dedicated graphics cards have an upper hand in the matter of performance, since it frees up the system RAM and uses its own VRAM, this GPU is highly recommended for intensive graphics processing. This results in the smooth overall performance of the system which lacks in the case of integrated GPU. For instance, for gaming, professional level video editing and generating animation or 3D modeling, dedicated graphics will help your system to outperform.
C. Can I upgrade my laptop graphics card?
Laptops are usually not meant to be upgraded in the graphics section apart from upgrading simply its RAM and storage part. But that does not mean there is no way to do so, but if your laptop has a USB Type C or Thunderbolt 3, any external GPU has its way to go. However, it is an expensive procedure, on this we suggest to upgrade your laptop GPU only if there is an extreme need for this, otherwise, let the work done by your Intel HD integrated graphics card which your system already owns. However buying a whole new laptop combined with a dedicated graphics card instead, is a more rational decision than spending on a GPU individually which costs you more.
D. What is PCI-E?
PCIe/PCI-E or PCI Express is an abbreviation of Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. Basically it is a name given to the interface for connection of the high speed requiring devices including video cards, SSD, or wifi devices, though the host component lies within the system that is the motherboard to which it is connected. Hence, the motherboard is the one on which the PCI-E depends exclusively. In short, here the compatibility of the motherboard with the GPU you buy, is highly considerable.
E. How to check the compatibility of an external video card with the existing system or motherboard?
The procedure is very simple, if your graphics card is PCIe x1 supportive, then the motherboard slot should be more than that, that is PCIe x4, PCIe x8 or so on. Similarly, if the video card is PCIe x8 then the supportive slot will be PCIe x8 or PCIe x16. However, keep in mind when the video card with PCIe x1 connects to PCIe x16, the lane will transfer less bandwidth data back and forth, which is not at its potential. Therefore, today most of the video cards are PCIe x16 in order to work optimally.
F. What is thunderbolt 3?
Thunderbolt 3 is the new version of USB C and an emerging technology with high bandwidth data transfer, display port and power transmission with a single cable. You can expect up to 40Gbps data transmit, charging up to 100watt, overall double the performance of USB 3.1 and display port. As well as for external video cards, dual monitors with 4k content up to 60Hz refresh rate. This is the most versatile docking user can experience very different from standard USB ports.
G. What does overclocking of GPU mean? Or What is OC graphics cards?
The clock speed defines how quickly your GPU can perform and overclocking means to leap ahead of the performance speed set by the manufacturer. This is often needed in gaming where the fastest frame rates are required. Since this overclocking means performing ahead of its actual potential, it results in overheating and power drainage, that’s why this process needs an effective cooling mechanism and more power from the system as well.
H. Who are MSI, ASUS, Gigabyte, ZOTAC, XFX etc. that come with Nvidia or AMD graphics cards?
MSI, ASUS, ZOTAC, Biostar, XFX and many other manufacturers are the Add-In Board Partners of the original Nvidia and AMD companies. They are not the reseller but are manufacturers of the features of GPU other than the chip. These are responsible for the cooling kit, fans, boards, RGB lights which you have often seen on graphics cards. Nvidia and AMD remain the owner of the genuine graphics chip but the other add ons through which the GPU becomes more powerful and potentially active, all come from AIB manufacturers with an excessive cost.
I. Which is the best graphics card under 200 for PlayerUnknown BattleGround?
In the aforementioned list of the best graphics card under 200, you can play PUBG with XFX Radeon RX 590 Fatboy, with this GPU on high graphics settings, you can enjoy 93.3fps on 1080p. Another great option is Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500 XT, with which at ultra settings, you will get 112fps, 85fps and 51fps on 1080p, 1440p and at 4k resolution, respectively.
List of best graphics card under 200 2022
- XFX Radeon RX580 – Best graphics card for VR gaming
- MSI GeForce GTX 1650 – Best VR graphics card
- XFX RX 570 – Best AMD graphics card for video editing
- Biostar Radeon RX 550 – Best graphics card for video editing and rendering
- MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – Best graphics card for 1080p gaming
- XFX Radeon RX 590 Fatboy – Best GPU for 1440p games
- ViewMax EnigMax Radeon RX 560 – Best GPU for 1080p
- Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500 XT – Best bang for the buck GPU
- ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 – Best graphics card for 4k games
- ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition – Best low profile video card
Also see: Best Laptop for video editing & Gaming Laptop under 500
Best Graphics Card Under 200 Reviews of 2022
1. XFX Radeon RX580 – Best graphics card for VR gaming
VRAM: 8GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 256GB/s | Memory Bus: 256 bit width | Memory speed: 8Gbps | Stream processors: 2304 | Base clock: 1366MHz | Boost clock: 1386MHz | card dimension (inches): 10.63*4.88*1.57 | Display port 1.4 x 3, HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1
Almost every new graphics card in the market is a VR capable GPU, but there are costs at which you are allowed to experience virtual reality content, that could be only known once it is tested. XFX Radeon RX 580 is the best graphics card under 200 banner with ideal high performance a gamer is looking for, for virtually enhanced gaming. This GPU is one from XXX edition with an ability to be over clocked up to 1386MHz with 8GB VRAM and GDDR5 memory bandwidth. Its 4th generation Graphics Core Next (GCN) processing squeezed out every bit from the game till the last with the same incredible performance the user longed for. Its DD Fansink heat dissipation process is 40% more effective comparatively.
XFX AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition is PCIe 3.0 x 8 compatible, it requires a minimum 500watt power supply, supports 4096*2160 resolution at maximum. Now talking about the games, we have tested Fortnite at high graphics settings on 1080p resolution, the results are pretty good since it gives 155FPS, at 1440p it gives 85FPS whereas at 4k resolution and setting up the game at ultra, it gives up to 50FPS. Thus, apparently the overall performance is a “Big Thumbs Up”, at whatever settings and resolution the gamer prefers, everytime it will be virtually enhanced thanks to AMD LiquidVR Technology. Apart from this, with the same great yet impressive performance, you can even check this Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 580 which is overclocked up to 1750MHz rather with dual HDMI, though another best graphics card under 200.
Reasons to buy
- Advanced Polaris Architecture
- Great for 1440p and 4k gaming
- True virtual reality content
- Incredible DirectX 12 and Vulkan gaming
Reasons to avoid
- Power hungary under the load
Also See: Best Graphics Card for Video editing
2. MSI GeForce GTX 1650 – Best VR graphics card
VRAM: 4GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 128GB/s | Memory Bus: 128 bit width | Memory speed: 8Gbps | CUDA Cores: 896 | Base clock: 1485MHz | Boost clock: 1860MHz | card dimension (inches): 10.2*4.4*1.7 | Display port 1.4 x 2, HDMI 2.0b x 1
When it comes to virtually enhanced graphics, Nvidia has again leading features which guarantee the gaming of another level. Being one of the best graphics card under 200 that is virtually enhanced and less costly, perfectly a punch in the guts of many expensive graphics cards revolving in the market today. Though AMD which always has the upper hand when it comes to the budget GPUs, there are many including GTX 1650, with the great ability to render the perfect content on your screen remaining under the budget constraint. You will get 4GB memory with 128GB memory bandwidth, which is overclocked up to 1860MHz that is indeed a matter to ogle upon. It’s worth noting, its cooling mechanism is superb, with MSI TORX Fan 3.0, the next generation level of MSI Twin FROZR 7 thermal design ensures this cheapest VR ready GPU pushes the gaming experience beyond just mainstream gaming.
Further down the specs, MSI GeForce GTX 1650 supports up to 3 display with a maximum resolution of 7680*4320, maximum PSU 300watt, and consist PCIe 3.0x 16 and 6 pin power connector. Whereas moving towards the gaming sector, we have tested Fortnite and Apex Legend, at 1080p resolution on high graphics settings, you can expect solid 63FPS and 67FS respectively. Though at 1440p, this VR ready GPU brings 35.13FPS and 47.8FPS for both the games. Unfortunately, this graphics card is not designed to perform on a 4k gaming platform, at max graphics settings, MSI GeForce GTX 1650 can only fetch up to 10.83FPS on Fortnite and 26.5FPS on Apex Legend. Despite this, we leave you with another great option with the same level of performance with high bandwidth of GDDR6, check MSI GeForce GTX 1650 Super Gaming X.
Reasons to buy
- Supports 3D API DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.5
- Maximum 3 display
- Supports HDCP 2.2
- OC Scanner and Nvidia GPU Boost 4.0 results incredible overclocking
Reasons to avoid
- Not for 4k gaming
3. XFX RX 570 – Best AMD graphics card for video editing
VRAM: 8GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 256GB/s | Memory Bus: 256 bit width | Memory speed: 8Gbps | Stream processors: 2048 | Base clock: 1168MHz | Boost clock: 1286MHz | card dimension (inches): 9.57*4.88*1.5 | Display port 1.4 x 3, HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1
XFX Radeon RX 570 RS XXX Edition is one step down to RX 580 in terms of overclocking but seems perfect for not only gaming but an excellent collaboration for animating and editing work. It supports real time content rendering with efficacy and brilliant textures and shaders, at the price tag it comes along this is the best entry level graphics card for video editing and rendering. Being an editor or an animator, if you are frequently being plunged with a dagger of delay response timing while generating your best portfolio, you must need to give a chance to RX 570 8GB, you wouldn’t regret it we promise you. This photo editing graphics card is built for strenuous editing tasks and works great with most editing software. Further, it has PCIe 3.0 x 8 and wants a minimum 450Watt PSU, though the maximum resolution this video card supports is up to 4096*2160.
We haven’t forgotten game enthusiasts, neither we want you to. XFX RX 570 is no less than a saviour for budget gaming GPU seekers. At ultra graphics settings for 1080p resolution, you can get 43.3FPS on Grand Theft Auto V, 61.8FPS on Hitman 2, 71.5FPS on Far Cry 5, 92.1FPS on Wolfenstein II. At 1440p at high setting 59.2FPS, 42FPS, 56.8FPS, 65.1FPS for these games respectively. Make a note here, if you want the latest AAA title games on 1440p for average frame rates, then pull the settings down to medium, this will give you 50-60 FPS. Whereas at 4k, you will get 26FPS on Far Cry 5, 29.5FPS on Battlefield V and Battlefield I gives 36.8FPS. Therefore it’s pretty much clear that XFX RX 570 is a nice performer at 1440p and 1080p resolution instead of 4k gaming which would be a disappointment for professional gamers.
Reasons to buy
- Supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5, OpenCL 2.5 and Vulkan API
- Stutter free performance
- Smoothest editing
- Effective heat dissipation
Reasons to avoid
- Thumb down for 4k gaming
- Power hungary, 120W TDP
Also see: Best Portable Monitor
4. Biostar Radeon RX 550 – Best graphics card for video editing and rendering
VRAM: 4GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 112GB/s | Memory Bus: 128 bit width | Memory speed: 7Gbps | Stream processors: 512 | Base clock: 1100MHz | Boost clock: 1183MHz | card dimension (inches): 6.25*4*1.5 | Display port 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1
In correspondence to video editing tasks, 4GB is the minimum requirement for a video card, which fulfills and inclines to the editing softwares used today. Biostar Radeon RX 550 got your back with 4GB VRAM and GDDR5 memory bandwidth, its 128 memory width may not be enough for outrageous editing in real time but its memory speed that is 7Gbps is quite enough to perform in real. We have tested this card with most editing softwares and perform encoding and decoding as well, not only this but at the price is under $100 and you really don’t need to pull out much effort nor cash, this video card is pretty enough for simple editing to complex animations. With Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro, Radeon RX 550 renders 4.6x and 12.8x faster respectively in real time as compared to RX 530.
Moreover, it has PCIe 3.0x 8 interface, to run this video card 300Watt PSU is recommended and the suggested resolution is 1600*900. Moving ahead, RX 550 by Biostar is the best compact graphics card who could align with multiple video cards in a PC tower or even in mini gaming PCs which are nowadays so much in trend. However, this video card faces a hard time delivering its best for most demanding titles even not when settings are sloped down to its lowest. Although if you are more interested to shuffle up for the reasonable frame rates in case of gaming, then at ultra settings on 1080p you will get 31.3FPS on Just Cause 4 and 45.2FPS on Battlefield V. On the 1440p resolution you will get 8.3FPS while loading your guns for Borderlands 3.
Reasons to buy
- Supports Vulkan, DriectX 12.0, OpenGL 4.5 and OpenCL 2.1
- Good for 1080p gaming
- Most compatible for mini pc due to compact size
- Low power consumption and low TDP
Reasons to avoid
- Not VR ready
Also see: Best portable monitor for laptop
5. MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – Best budget gaming graphics card
VRAM: 4GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 112GB/s | Memory Bus: 128 bit width | Memory speed: 7.11Gbps | CUDA Cores: 768 | Base clock: 1290MHz | Boost clock: 1379MHz | card dimension (inches): 9.01*5.16*1.54 | Display port 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1
The prime focus of Nvidia for the past few years is the eSports, from there it has placed its paw with so much strength on the competitors and has been one so near to monopoly. As in case of budget gaming GPUs, there are plenty with great features and are quite powerful too, yet calling for the best graphics card under 200, we have picked MSI GeForce GTX 1050Ti. Although we have an option of GTX 1050 as well, but since the power is the most attending spec, GTX 1050Ti has beat the GTX 1050 not only in the ground of strength but it is budgetary as well. MSI GeForce GTX 1050Ti has more refined features comparatively, there are more CUDA cores and the level of overclocking which is more than enough to beat mainstream gaming. However, it is a mid range graphics card with superior yet smoothest gaming performance, its cooling mechanism is identical to GTX 1080, even GTX 2080 has the same twin Frozr heat dissipation which comes under $1000 graphics cards usually.
Moreover, this GPU is based on the latest Pascal architecture, its recommended resolution is 7680*4320, PCIe 3.0 x 16 compatible, wants 6 pin power connector and requires 300Watt power supply and has 75w TDP. being a mid range GPU, when setting it to ultra, you will get 35.8FPS for Just cause 4, 45.8FPS on Far Cry, 51.5FPS on Battlefield V on 1080p resolution. Although on 1440p or 4k resolution, the matters are not in its own favor and could bring less than 20FPS on the latest game titles. Thus, MSI GeForce GTX 1050Ti is good for 1080p gaming, plus it is also great for video editing and animating visuals.
Reasons to buy
- Coolest and very silent graphics card under intense load
- Support Vulkan, DirectX, OpenGL and OpenCL
- Best mid range GPU
- VR ready
Reasons to avoid
- Not any
Also see: Best Gaming Headset under 100
6. XFX Radeon RX 590 Fatboy – Best graphics card for 1440p 144Hz
VRAM: 8GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 256GB/s | Memory Bus: 256 bit width | Memory speed: 8Gbps | Stream processor: 2304 | Base clock: 1469Hz | Boost clock: 1580MHz | card dimension (inches): 10.63*2.09*4.88 | Display port 1.4 x 3, HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1
For the best 1440p graphics card you can even consider the XFX Radeon RX 580 given above as the best VR graphics card which can perform outstandingly for 1440p 144Hz. However, with more reasonable price tag XFX Radeon RX 590 with the same specifications but with more memory boost clock comparatively, can bring the level of top performance gamers to die to have. This 1440p gaming GPU is a true rescue for broken pixel, stutter full images and performance lag gaming, RX 590 Fatboy is the biggest deal for today with which the smoothest game play is guaranteed. It is the fastest GPU for the gaming at 2560*1440 resolution with the highest frame rates you haven’t experienced before. The quality of the display is rich with HDR and SDR, stunning visual effects for which you ought to trust at once.
Further, this Fatboy takes maximum power up to 235watt and recommended PSU is 500watt, it is PCIe 3.0 x 16 requires 1 x6pin and 1x 8pin power connector. Being one of the best graphics card under 200, this is nominated as a budget gaming GPU as well. Moving towards the games, this VR ready graphics card is totally a master for AAA game titles. On ultra settings for 1080p, 60.4FPS, 60.5FPS, 63.6FPS, 70.1FPS, 90.2FPS, 93.3FPS, 105 FPS while playing Just Cause 4, The Division 2, The Witcher III, Assassins Creed, Far Cry 5, PlayersUnknown BattleGround and Battlefield 1, respectively. With ultra settings on 1440p, you will get 49.3FPS, 53FPS, 60.5FPS, 61.5FPS, 70.6FPS and 79.6FPS, while playing, Hitman 2, The Witcher III, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry 5, GTA V and Battlefield 1, respectively. In addition, at 4k you can enjoy 30FPS to 40FPS on the latest games as well.
Reasons to buy
- Supports DirectX 12.0, Shader 6.0, OpenGL 4.6
- A great performer at 1440p 144Hz
- Lag free gaming
- Soundless beast
Reasons to avoid
- Not found any
Also see: Best Gaming Monitor under 200
7. ViewMax EnigMax Radeon RX 560 – Best GPU for 1080p gaming
VRAM: 4GB GDDR5 | Memory Bandwidth: 96GB/s | Memory Bus: 128 bit width | Memory speed: 6Gbps | Stream processor: 896 | Base clock: 1175Hz | Boost clock: 1275MHz | card dimension (inches): 7.25*2.0*4.0 | Display port 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1
Being one of the best graphics card under 200, Biostar Radeon RX 560 is bliss for content creators and editors. It brings fairly quiet for moderate frame rates for games of today. It has 4th generation GCN Polaris Architecture and 14nm FinFet processor, enabling the user to hit the game for another level. Although it has low memory speed comparatively to others, still this 1080p graphics card meets the latest challenges placed in the way of gaming and content generating in real time. We don’t call this GPU the most powerful and latest one in your list, but if you are more interested in smooth stutter free performance for less popular game titles with great visual effects and tear free performance, then Radeon RX 560 wouldn’t let you down in this matter.
On account of this mid range graphics card, it has PCIe 3.0x 8 interface which requires 1x 8 pin power connector, the recommended PSU is 350watt and has 80watt TDP. As far as the heat dissipation process is concerned, the cooling fans work fine under the load generated by the softwares, they are not noiseless yet they are energy efficient and didn’t drain too much of the power when boosted the performance. With low VRAM of 4GB and memory bandwidth that is quite not suitable for 4k gaming not even stand alone for 1440p gaming, this much of memory speed and the boost clock is enough for 1080p gaming. On ultra settings, you will get 43FPS on Battlefield V and 54FPS on Far Cry: New Dawn.
Reasons to buy
- Best entry level graphics card
- Perfect for mainstream gaming on 1080p
- Support DirectX, Vulkan, OpenGL and OpenCL
- Lag free performance
Reasons to avoid
- Not for latest game titles
- Not for 1440p or 4k gaming
Also See: Best Portable Gaming Monitor
8. Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500 XT – Best bang for the buck GPU
VRAM: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 224GB/s | Memory Bus: 128 bit width | Memory speed: 6Gbps | Stream processors: 1408 | Base clock: 1733MHz | Boost clock: 1845MHz | card dimension (inches): 8.86*1.57*4.69 | Display port 1.4 x 3, HDMI 2.0b x 1
Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500 XT has truly made its way to the heart of game enthusiasts, this is indeed what a serious gamer is looking for though remaining in its budget. With minimum cost, RX 5500XT delivers its maximum which you couldn’t find in the rest of the best graphics card under 200 list here. The fastest processing and overclocking, the bigger VRAM and memory bandwidth, the silent killer with the perfect cooling fans, all in one. Its Navi architecture, 7nm processor, and highest GDDR6 memory bandwidth, along with FreeSync 2HDR Technology pulls all the strings to bring the high fidelity gaming experience. It has next generation interface PCIe 4.0 x 16 requires 1 x 8 pin power connector with 450Watt recommended PSU , backward compatible with your motherboard.
Whereas, talking about the games it could play, RX 550XT worth to buy, it is beyond the mainstream gaming. At ultra settings for 1080p, you will get 67.8FPS, 72.8FPS, 76.3FPS, 78.6FPS, 79.8FPS, 112FPS, when playing Hitman 2, F1 2019, The Witcher III, GTA V, Battlefield V, Far Cry V and PlayersUnknown Battlegrounds respectively. Similarly, with high settings at 1440p, you will be able to squeeze out 46.5FPS, 50.5FPS, 66.7FPS, 75.8FPS, 57.6FPS and 85FPS for these games, respectively. Then we have the opportunity to play at 4k on high settings, at this you can have 41.4FPS on Battlefield I, 32.9FPS on Battlefield V, 29.3FPS on Far Cry 5 and 51FPS on PlayerUnknown BattleGround. Therefore, the picture is very much transparent if you understand these frame rates, hence Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500XT clearly makes sense for 1080p and 1440p games, though you can test your wits on 4k gaming as well at the cost of low frame rates.
Reasons to buy
- Supports up to 4 display
- Supports PCI-E 4.0 x 16
- Perfect for 1080p and 1440p gaming
- Most effective cooling via alternate spinning of dual windforce fans
Reasons to avoid
- Not found any
9. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 – Best graphics card for 4k gaming
VRAM: 6GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 192GB/s | Memory Bus: 192 bit width | Memory speed: 8Gbps | CUDA Cores: 1408 | Base clock: 1530MHz | Boost clock: 1785MHz | card dimension (inches): 8.5*1.37*4.3 | Display port 1.4 x 3, HDMI 2.0b x 1
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 has all the necessary weapons to dig the grave of the enemy, the powerful Nvidia Turing Architecture and the limit of boost processing set this perfectly on the dice of the best value 4k graphics card. It not only seems a nice punch for gaming purposes but also a great budget graphics card for video editing and encoding with real time efficiency. This might not be the prettiest deal but the features it tags along are powerful enough to trigger the intensive visuals and pull the beast to its limit. The G-Sync compatibility is nice which could accelerate the performance where tearing of the image set to zero on high settings. In addition, the Nvidia GPU Boost 4.0 gives the processing speed accumulation just the way a competitive gaming requires.
Further, moving ahead, it has PCIe 3.0 x16 interface which requires one 8 pin power connector, with a recommended PSU of 450watt. Whereas, getting into the gaming, you can enjoy 58.9FPS in Assassins Creed, 60FPS with Grand Theft Auto V, 67FPS with Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 72.8FPS on Hitman 2, 76.4FPS on Far Cry 5, 76.7FPS on Battlefield V, 77.1FPS on Rise of the Tomb Raider, 96.8FPS on Doom Eternal and 110.3FPS on Wolfenstein II. likewise, testing these games at 1440p you will get 40.8FPS, 58.7FPS, 51.1FPS, 41.8FPS, 59.8FPS, 55FPS, 72.5FPS, 71.3FPS and 88.9FPS, respectively. Though on high graphics settings on 4k, you will get 30FPS to 40FPS on AAA game titles. Despite this, if you are ready to pull a few more dollars for 4k gaming, then must check out Asus GeForce GTX 1660 Super with more power and latest specs.
Reasons to buy
- Low latency
- Compatible with most of the VR headsets
- Introduces to the new heights of virtual reality
- A nice blow for 4k content
Reasons to avoid
- A bit noisy under the intense load
10. ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition – Best low profile video card
VRAM: 4GB GDDR3 | Memory Bandwidth: 17.1GB/s | Memory Bus: 64 bit width | Memory speed: 1.8Gbps | CUDA Cores: 384 | Base clock: 902MHz | Boost clock: 1600MHz | card dimension (inches): 10.24*2.24*6.29| HDMI 2.0b x 1, DL-DVI-D x1, VGA
Low profile graphics cards typically retained the feature of compactness and are single slot instead. In this guide called the best graphics card under 200, we have a few low profile GPUs and more mid range graphics card. Among these, Biostar Radeon RX 550 is the best compact design GPU, similarly, ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition falls into this category as well. This video card is less costly compared to Biostar RX 550 and is a single slot with less power consumption. This is an ideal choice for small form factor PCs where there are more devices in the line with less space to get connected to the motherboard.
Being the best budget low profile graphics card, you don’t have to crack into the features much, since it is less powerful as compared to dual slot graphics cards and bears low memory and bandwidth, ZOTAC GT 730 is purely made for very basic entry level computing tasks. Particularly, this video card is absolutely not for gaming, and if you are looking for a gaming GPU, then this graphics card is not for you. Its 4GB RAM and GDDR3 memory bandwidth including the 1.8Gbps memory speed does not allow you to even think for AAA game titles. The only favorable feature is its size and the price it comes along, which might somehow fill the requirement of a mini PC by replacing the integrated GPU.
Reasons to buy
- Good for streaming
- Low power consumption and compact size
- Noise less cooling system
- Good for 1366*768p resolution
Reasons to avoid
- Not for gaming
- PCIe 2.0 x 16
- Low profile bracket
How to buy the best graphics card under 200? – Everything you need to know about the best budget GPU [Buyers Guide]
Graphics cards are mainly the essential component when it comes to rebuilding or upgrading your PC, the system is highly dependable on the external GPU since it brings its own VRAM and lets the system work alone freely without taking much of a load. Here we are thriving for the best graphics card under 200 dollars, but this guide is helpful in buying any GPU with a different price range as well.
Focus on your budget:
Budget is always being the one around which our decisions revolve, stepping out may bring more efficiency but then it’s again about the more money you have to let go. If you are ready to throw more cash then it’s perfectly fine otherwise think again.
Nevertheless, other than the budget, the other main concern is the use for the new graphics card. There are many high graphics intensive tasks that could never be done or could be mediocre in terms of results at the end by the integrated graphics card or by low profile GPUs. For instance, professionally working on video and photo editing, gaming or 3D modeling requires not just any powerful graphics card but also be able to deal with the latest high end applications too. In this case, you have to increase your budget, as well as need to push the limits of your overall system too, including the space in the chassis, power consumption of the system, fans and so on.
However, things in your favor will only go when you are upgrading your GPU only for light gaming, for more RAM, streaming and video editing on low terms, then you will be faced with a number of choices for GPUs.
Resolution of the screen:
Don’t ever forget the effect of display resolution on your decision for a graphics card. There are plenty of video cards in the market who are perfectly fine to collaborate with your monitor resolution, particularly 1080p monitors, they are capable of rendering the ideal refresh rate and FPS on many AA game titles without making a fuss. That’s the reason you will find 1080p graphics cards at low cost and are easily available from a number of manufacturers. Whereas, coming to the video cards for 1440p or 4k resolution, the case is not that easy as it may seem. They are expensive, if not then it comes with many limitations and compromises like low frame rates and low graphics settings, as well as these may not be able to run latest games but very few, which you will witness in the list of best graphics card under 200 given above, particularly in 4k gaming GPU and 1440p graphics card.
Memory of the video card:
Now another important feature that needs great attention of the buyer is its RAM, memory speed and memory bandwidth. All these are inter connected with each other so do the required resolution. Firstly, the RAM or VRAM of the graphics card will define the ability of whether it will run demanding games of today or can only be good for games launched years back. Then there is the speed of the memory measured in Gbps and the memory bandwidth in GB per sec that is composed in GDDR5 or either GDDR6, both should be high for high end games but for low profile games this feature is less authoritative. Although for the latest AAA game titles, GDDR6 is ideal to run the games smoothly.
Thermal Design Power:
Thermal design power or TDP is a measurement of heat generated by the chip, CPU or GPU for the system and its dissipation. It also tells you the power consumption of the device. It refers to the heat which results from heavy workload a PC, laptop or even your phone is dealing with. Here while buying a graphics card, make sure you choose the one with lower TDP value, if not then have an effective heat dissipation system that is the fans in the system, so that the cooling process starts when the heat reaches its certain point. In this way, the cooling mechanism ensures the GPU performs optimally irrespective of the heavy workload it is facing during that.
Ports/connections and interface:
Check out your monitor port compatibility, what type of port your monitor supports. Whether it has a display port, DVI, HDMI or even the older one called VGA, after knowing this, buy a video card with this compatibility. In case, you put this behind and buy one, then there is a probability you will mismatch the port factor then the only way is to buy an adapter instead.
On the other side, don’t forget to note down how many slots your motherboard has. Try to buy a video card that leaves enough space on the PCIe slot for other devices interconnected along with it. Fortunately, almost all the graphics cards support PCI-E x16, which is compatible with the motherboard, but the only thing to consider is its width, which is the number of slots.
Nvidia or AMD?
It’s clearly a matter of preferences. And your preferences lie in your budget and level of performance that is required. If you need a graphics card for the system which did not tear up your wallet, then AMD GPUs should be the one to choose. On the other side, if you are ready to pay for high end performance regardless of price tags, then Nvidia seems perfect for you. AMD graphics card has stream processors and Nvidia has Cuda Cores to explain their processing capability, both are represented numerically but are not meant to compare because of the pattern of performance they follow. Though, Cuda Cores are comparable to CUDA Cores of Nvidia and stream processors to the other AMD GPU.
AMD graphics cards use FreeSync Technology and Nvidia GPUs to use G-Sync Technology, both have the purpose to eliminate the possibility of tearing and flickering of the image while gaming or streaming. Again both the cards are non comparable, each of them has upper hand on the other in different aspects. However, in the list of reviewed best graphics card under 200, we have recruited from both the companies, leaving the decision based on performance and price tag for you.
Base clock and boost clock:
Clock speed is the speed of the performance at which the frame of the image is rendered, it is measured in megahertz (Mhz). the base clock is the actual speed of the GPU to render the image in normal settings, whereas the boost clock is the speed of performance on high graphics settings. However, the higher the clock speed (base/boost) the faster the GPU will work, thus making sure to check this feature too when buying one of the best graphics card under 200.
Conclusion
To be honest, in the given top ten best graphics card under 200, we have a pure assortment of mid range GPUs which might not be fancier for professional gamers, but they are better suitable for those who are tight on budget. Keep in mind, although they are inexpensive graphics cards, all those which are VR ready and are capable of rendering good FPS on 180p, 1440p and 4k resolution, all of them are gaming GPUs, as well they are good for editing videos and photos. As far as low profile graphics cards are concerned, they are good for basic computation and video streaming. However, before spending on any of these GPUs, make sure to fully acknowledge their specifications first, though you can take much of the help from the guide as well about the basic elements you need to look for while upgrading your system.
