Looking for a new GPU, but don’t know where to start? So many options on the table, but not enough money in your pocket? Or perhaps you just want the best, you just don’t know the best is. Not to worry, we got you covered across multiple price points, with several options that will do the job and then some.
If you’re looking for a deal this holiday, we’re sure you’ll find something on this list that works for you. Finally, if you’re wondering how we arrived at these recommendations, they were placed due to three factors; price, performance, and availability. However, it is the shopping season, so they will be in and out of stock constantly.
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Best of the best – Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
There’s no denying that Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti is a monster of a video. While Ray Tracing is the main reason to pick up this video card, it still packs more than enough punch to run pretty much every game available at high framerates. It doesn’t matter if it’s 1080p, 1440p and even 4K, the RTX 2080 Ti can run it. But of course, when you’re looking for the best, you’ll often see a high price tag. And this card is no different. Starting at $1200 and being sold for as much as $1600, from various manufacturers. Still, if money is no object then this is the card for you.
It also warrants to caution on picking up an RTX 2080 Ti, as there have been reports of the cards burning up as of recent. Nvidia is aware of this and has been reaching out to those affected. That said, I’d definitely look at picking up a card from a company who stands behind their warranty, such as EVGA. As such, I’d suggest looking at EVGA cards as they have an excellent reputation for taking care of their consumers. This also comes from the experience of having several cards RMA’d in the past with zero issues.
Lastly, since the RTX 2080 Ti is so damned expensive, I really can’t recommend any of them. Telling something to fork over $1200 or more for GPU isn’t something I do often. But if you do want a recommendation, check out these cards.
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti FTW3 ULTRA GAMING – $1349.99 at EVGA.com
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti BLACK EDITION GAMING – $999 at EVGA.com
Still powerful but not as expensive – Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
Oddly enough, when people ask for suggestions for a video card and they don’t want to pay more than $700, the RTX 2070 comes to mind. Undercutting the pricer RTX 2080, the RTX 2070 is still more than capable of producing the visuals that PC gamers love to see. Comparing to the RTX 2018, you’re getting a slower clock speed, fewer GPU cores and less Giga Rays per second (8 vs 6). Despite that, it comes with the same amount of memory (8GB), the same bus/bandwidth and can be easily overclocked to get closer to the RTX 2080 results for $200 dollars less. Prices for the RTX 2070’s start at $499.99, all the way up to $800 for fancier models. Still powerful, but it won’t break the back (as much).
Recommended GeForce RTX 2070 cards:
EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 XC Ultra Gaming – $569.99 at Amazon
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2080 GAMING OC 8G – $549.99 at Amazon
MSI GeForce RTX 2070 “DUKE 8G” OC – $589.99 at Amazon
Not as up to date but still a workhorse – Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti
Ah, Nvidia’s previous generation of top of the line video card, the GTX 1070 Ti. Sure it doesn’t pack Ray Tracing, it does, however, get the job done at 1080p, 1440p and 4K. All while still costing less than my previous recommendations. Normally I’d recommend a GTX 1080 ti at this price point, however, since Nvidia announced they were discounting the card, the prices for that card have skyrocketed. Upwards to $700 or more, while the GTX 1070 Ti can be found at under $500. While some of more fancier models will still cost upwards of $600.
Recommended GeForce GTX 1070 Ti cards:
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti FTW ULTRA SILENT GAMING – $490 at Amazon (Limited Time)
MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1070 Ti – $455 at Amazon
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070 Ti Advanced Edition – $549.99 at Amazon
We haven’t forgotten about Team Red – AMD RX Vega 64
Sure, this list is popular with Nvidia cards, but that doesn’t mean we forgot about AMD’s offerings. As such, let me present you with the AMD RX Vega 64. Initially released to go up against the GTX 1080, this offering from AMD didn’t quite live up to its expectations. That’s not to discount the card as it still trades blows with the GTX 1080. For the asking price, it’s a worthwhile card if you’re looking to game at 1080p or 1440p while getting decent framerates. While we’re at it, let’s talk about the RX Vega 56, which is the sibling to this card. Sure, you can find that for a bit cheaper and overclock it. However, you can also overclock the RX Vega 64 as well, so adding that variable is a moot point. Let’s also not forget that not everyone likes to overlock their GPU’s.
Just keep in mind that the RX Vega 64 is very power hungry and tend to run hot. Also for some reason, the price of these cards have been going up, instead of down. Which is going to make finding one under $600 a bit harder.
Recommended AMD RX Vega 64 cards:
SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega 64 – $399.99 at Newegg
ASUS Radeon RX Vega 64 8GB Overclocked Edition – $649.99 at Amazon
SAPPHIRE NITRO+ Radeon RX Vega 64 – $690 at Newegg
Honorable mention – AMD RX 590
AMD’s latest card, the RX 590, was rumored for some time. Now that it’s out and readily available, this card is not only cheap but is faster than both the RX 580 and GTX 1060. AMD’s first 12nm gaming GPU packs 7.1 Teraflops, and a higher base clock, this card isn’t too shabby. Needless to point out, this is a budget card that does well at 1080p but does start to suffer at 1440p, depending on the game. Still for being priced under $300 and including three titles that are set to be released in 2019 for free. This makes the card standout really brightly this holiday season. Of course, if you can’t find one on shelves, the RX 580 ain’t a bad alternative.
Recommended AMD RX 590 cards:
XFX RX 590 Fatboy 8GB OC+ – $279.99 at Amazon
Sapphire Radeon RX 590 Nitro+ Special Edition 8 GB – $279.99 at Amazon
