Don't want to spend a fortune on your new graphics card ? Wondering which graphics cards are best for under €200 ? In this article, we'll present the features, advantages, and disadvantages of the best budget graphics cards on the market.
If you have a slightly larger budget, we invite you to read our article: The best graphics cards under €300
Comparison of graphics cards under €200
Now that you know why to choose a graphics card under €200 in 2023, you may be wondering what the best low-priced graphics cards on the market are.
1. AMD Radeon RX 6600: the most powerful and latest
The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the most powerful and recent graphics card in our selection. Launched in October 2023, it belongs to the Radeon RX 6000 based on the RDNA 2 architecture. It offers high performance at a reasonable price.
| AMD Radeon RX 6600 | |
|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 2 |
| Ray tracing | Yes |
| DLSS | No |
| Memory | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Power | 10.6 TFLOPS |
| Base frequency | 2044 MHz |
| Boosted frequency | 2491 MHz |
| Consumption | 160 W |
| power supply connector | 8 pins |
| Ports | 3x DP, 1x HDMI |
| Dimensions | Dual-slot |
| Weight | NC |
| Full HD performance | Excellent |
| FPS or IPS | 79 to 175 |
| Temperature | NC |
| Cooling | Axial fan |
| Price | 210 € |
Key features:
- It offers excellent graphics power , capable of running the latest games in Full HD or QHD with high settings.
- It benefits from the advanced technologies of the RDNA 2 architecture , such as ray tracing, FidelityFX Super Resolution and Smart Access Memory.
- It consumes little energy relative to its performance, allowing it to remain cool and quiet.
User and expert reviews :
- Users are generally satisfied with the AMD Radeon RX 6600, which they consider powerful, quiet, and energy-efficient. They appreciate its ability to run the latest games with optimal graphics quality.
- Experts are also positive about the AMD Radeon RX 6600, which they consider a high-performing, well-balanced, and innovative graphics card. They highlight its computing power, its compatibility with ray tracing and FidelityFX Super Resolution, and its energy efficiency.
2. AMD Radeon RX 580: the oldest but still powerful
The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the oldest but still powerful graphics card in our selection. Released in April 2021, it belongs to the Radeon RX 500 based on the Polaris architecture. It offers decent performance at a very low price.
| Graphics card name | AMD Radeon RX 580 |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Polaris |
| Ray tracing | No |
| DLSS | No |
| Memory | 8 GB |
| Power | 6.2 TFLOPS |
| Base frequency | 1257 MHz |
| Boosted frequency | 1340 MHz |
| Consumption | 185 W |
| power supply connector | 8 pins |
| Ports | According to the models |
| Dimensions | Dual-slot |
| Weight | According to the models |
| Full HD performance | Honest |
| FPS or IPS | According to the games |
| Temperature | According to the models |
| Cooling | Axial or radial fan depending on the model |
| Price | Very low |
Key features:
- It offers respectable graphics power , capable of running games in Full HD with high settings or in QHD with medium settings.
- It has ample memory , allowing it to handle high resolutions and textures.
- It benefits from a very attractive price , making it a good deal for those on a budget.
User and expert reviews:
- Users are generally satisfied with the AMD Radeon RX 580, which they consider powerful, reliable, and affordable. They appreciate its ability to run games in Full HD or QHD with good graphics quality.
- Experts are also positive about the AMD Radeon RX 580, which they consider a solid, robust, and affordable graphics card. They highlight its computing power, generous memory, and attractive price.
3. Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super: the most balanced and versatile
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super is the most balanced and versatile graphics card in our selection. Released in November 2022, it's part of the GeForce GTX 1600 based on the Turing architecture. It offers decent performance at an affordable price.
| Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super | |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing |
| Ray tracing | No |
| DLSS | Yes |
| Memory | 4 GB GDDR6 |
| Power | 3 TFLOPS |
| Base frequency | 1530 MHz |
| Boosted frequency | 1725 MHz |
| Consumption | 100 W |
| power supply connector | 6 pins |
| Ports | According to the models |
| Dimensions | Single-slot or dual-slot depending on the model |
| Weight | According to the models |
| Full HD performance | Good |
| FPS or IPS | According to the games |
| Temperature | According to the models |
| Cooling | Axial or radial fan depending on the model |
| Price | 175 € |
Key features:
- It offers good graphics power , capable of running games in Full HD with medium or high settings.
- It benefits from Turing architecture technologies , such as DLSS, NVENC or G-SYNC.
- It consumes little energy relative to its performance, allowing it to remain cool and quiet.
User and expert reviews:
- Users are generally satisfied with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super, which they consider powerful, quiet, and economical. They appreciate its ability to run games in Full HD with good graphics quality.
- Experts are also positive about the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super, which they consider a well-balanced, versatile, and affordable graphics card. They highlight its computing power, compatibility with DLSS and NVENC, and energy efficiency.
4. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660: the best for small budgets
The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 is the best budget-friendly graphics card in our selection. Released in March 2022, it's part of the GeForce GTX 1600 based on the Turing architecture. It offers modest performance at a very low price.
| Graphics card name | ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing |
| Ray tracing | No |
| DLSS | No |
| Memory | 6 GB GDDR5 |
| Power | 5 TFLOPS |
| Base frequency | 1530 MHz |
| Boosted frequency | 1785 MHz |
| Consumption | 120 W |
| power supply connector | 8 pins |
| Ports | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DP |
| Dimensions | Dual-slot |
| Weight | NC |
| Full HD performance | Modest |
| FPS or IPS | According to the games |
| Temperature | According to the models |
| Cooling | Axial fan |
| Price | Very low |
Key features:
- It offers sufficient graphics power , capable of running games in Full HD with medium settings.
- It has decent memory , which allows it to handle medium resolutions and textures.
- It benefits from a very low price , making it a good option for users on a tight budget.
User and expert reviews:
- Users are generally satisfied with the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660, which they consider powerful, compact, and affordable. They appreciate its ability to run games in Full HD with acceptable graphics quality.
- Experts are also positive about the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660, which they consider a modest, simple, and affordable graphics card. They highlight its processing power, decent memory, and low price.
5. XFX Radeon RX 6500 XT: AMD's latest offering, but with some drawbacks
The XFX Radeon RX 6500 XT is AMD's latest graphics card, but it has some drawbacks in our selection. Launched in September 2023, it's part of the Radeon RX 6000 based on the RDNA 2 architecture. It offers average performance at an average price.
| Graphics card name | XFX Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 2 |
| Ray tracing | Yes |
| DLSS | No |
| Memory | 4 GB GDDR6 |
| Power | 7.4 TFLOPS |
| Base frequency | 2310 MHz |
| Boosted frequency | 2815 MHz |
| Consumption | 130 W |
| power supply connector | 6 pins |
| Ports | 1x DP, 1x HDMI |
| Dimensions | Dual-slot |
| Weight | NC |
| Full HD performance | Average |
| FPS or IPS | According to the games |
| Temperature | According to the models |
| Cooling | Axial fan |
| Price | AVERAGE |
Key features:
- It offers decent graphics power , capable of running games in Full HD with high settings or in QHD with medium settings.
- It benefits from the advanced technologies of the RDNA 2 architecture , such as ray tracing, FidelityFX Super Resolution and Smart Access Memory.
- It consumes little energy relative to its performance, allowing it to remain cool and quiet.
User and expert reviews:
- Users have mixed feelings about the XFX Radeon RX 6500 XT, which they consider powerful, quiet, and energy-efficient, but also limited, expensive, and hard to find. They appreciate its ability to run games in Full HD or QHD with good graphics quality, but they regret its lack of memory, high price, and limited availability.
- Experts are also divided on the XFX Radeon RX 6500 XT, which they consider an average graphics card—innovative and efficient, but also disappointing, expensive, and unavailable. They highlight its computing power, compatibility with ray tracing and FidelityFX Super Resolution, and its energy efficiency, but they criticize its limited memory, poor price-to-performance ratio, and chronic shortage.
6. XFX Speedster SWFT105 Radeon RX 6400: the best price/performance ratio from AMD
The XFX Speedster SWFT105 Radeon RX 6400 is the best value AMD graphics card in our selection. Released in August 2023, it's part of the Radeon RX 6000 based on the RDNA 2 architecture. It offers high performance at a mid-range price.
| Graphics card name | XFX Speedster SWFT105 Radeon RX 6400 |
|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 2 |
| Ray tracing | Yes |
| DLSS | No |
| Memory | 6 GB GDDR6 |
| Power | 9.4 TFLOPS |
| Base frequency | 1923 MHz |
| Boosted frequency | 2321 MHz |
| Consumption | 150 W |
| power supply connector | 8 pins |
| Ports | 1x DP, 1x HDMI |
| Dimensions | Dual-slot |
| Weight | NC |
| Full HD performance | Excellent |
| FPS or IPS | According to the games |
| Temperature | According to the models |
| Cooling | Axial fan |
| Price | AVERAGE |
Key features:
- It offers excellent graphics power , capable of running games in QHD with high settings or in 4K with medium settings.
- It benefits from the advanced technologies of the RDNA 2 architecture, such as ray tracing, FidelityFX Super Resolution and Smart Access Memory.
- It offers good value for money , as it is cheaper than other, more powerful or newer graphics cards.
User and expert reviews:
- Users are generally satisfied with the XFX Speedster SWFT105 Radeon RX 6400, which they consider powerful, quiet, and affordable. They appreciate its ability to run games in QHD or 4K with excellent graphics quality.
- Experts are also positive about the XFX Speedster SWFT105 Radeon RX 6400, which they consider a high-performance, innovative, and affordable graphics card. They highlight its computing power, compatibility with ray tracing and FidelityFX Super Resolution, and its attractive price-to-performance ratio.
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The different types of graphics cards
There are different types of graphics cards:
- Integrated graphics cards : These are integrated directly into the central processing unit (CPU) or motherboard of your computer. They are inexpensive , but also offer limited performance . They are suitable for basic tasks such as web browsing, watching videos, or office applications.
- Dedicated graphics cards : These are independent of your computer's central processing unit (CPU) or motherboard. They are more expensive , but also more powerful . They are suitable for more demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, or 3D modeling.
- External graphics cards : These are connected to your computer via a cable or an external enclosure . They are very expensive , but also very powerful . They are suitable for users who want to transform their laptop into a workstation or a gaming machine.
Criteria to consider
To choose a graphics card, several criteria must be taken into account:
- Processing power : This is measured in teraflops (TFLOPS), which represent the number of floating-point operations the card can perform per second. The higher the power, the smoother and more detailed the images the card can display.
- Memory : This is measured in gigabytes (GB), which represent the amount of data the card can temporarily store. The more memory the card has, the higher the resolutions and textures it can handle.
- Power consumption : This is measured in watts (W), which represent the amount of energy the card consumes. The higher the power consumption, the more the card heats up and the more it requires a good cooling system.
- Cooling : This is measured in decibels (dB), which represent the noise level of the fan or heatsink cooling the card. The quieter the cooling, the more pleasant the card is to use.
- Compatibility : This is determined by the PCI Express port, the card's form factor, and its connectors. You must verify that the card is compatible with your motherboard, case, and power supply .
Why choose a graphics card under €200?
You might be wondering why you should choose a graphics card under €200 in 2023, when there are more powerful and newer models on the market. Here are a few reasons that might convince you:
- The advantages :
- You save money : you don't need to spend a fortune to get a good graphics card. You can find models that offer good value for money and meet your needs.
- You are versatile : you can use your graphics card for several types of activities, such as gaming, office work, or multimedia. You are not limited to a single area.
- You have upgrade potential : you can easily change your graphics card if you want to improve your computer's performance. You're not limited by a large investment or planned obsolescence.
- The disadvantages :
- Resolution limitations : a graphics card under €200 won't allow you to play at very high resolutions , such as 4K or 8K. You'll have to settle for a more modest resolution , such as Full HD or QHD, or even compromise on graphics quality to maintain a good refresh rate.
- Limitations in terms of ray tracing : A graphics card under €200 will not allow you to fully enjoy ray tracing, unless you have an Nvidia card compatible with DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), which is an optimization technique that uses artificial intelligence to improve image quality without significantly impacting performance.
- Limitations in terms of VR : A graphics card under €200 will not allow you to fully enjoy VR, unless you have a headset compatible with Oculus Link, which is a feature that allows you to connect your Oculus Quest headset to your PC via a USB-C cable and thus enjoy PC VR games.
