The best video cards of 2020

In this price category you can get a video card for games, but, to put it mildly, not on Ultra. However, on medium-high settings you can count on 40-60 fps in all modern AAA games. Representatives of this segment have an optimal price / performance ratio in the range from 10 to 20 000 rubles. We tried to collect the most worthy solutions, taking into account the financial capabilities of different users who want to get the most out of the games, having the indicated amounts of finance for buying a video card for their PC.

Our video card rating is opened by the MSI GeForce GTX 1650 GAMING X model, built on the TU117 GPU (12-nm process technology). Unlike standard revisions, this model received an improved cooling system and overclocking potential. The device has 4 gigabytes of video memory with frequencies of 1860 MHz. For cooling, a Twin Frozr 7 cooler is used, equipped with a large radiator with a heat pipe. Even with overclocking to 1930-1950 MHz, the temperature of the card does not exceed the mark of 65 degrees. Against the background of budget counterparts, this video card looks pretty serious. Comparing the overclocked version with the base GTX 1650, experts note an increase in performance by 15-20%.

In the segment of budget gaming video cards lj 15 000 rubles, the GIGABYTE Radeon RX 5500 model looks very worthy, with which you can run medium and demanding games in FullHD. The advantages of the model include the presence of 3 outputs DisplayPort 1.4 and 1 port HDMI 2.0b. The product has a fairly efficient cooling system and 8 gigabytes of memory type GDDR6. The frequency of the GPU is 1845 MHz. In this class, this is definitely one of the best models considering the price / performance ratio. In addition, the manufacturer took care of the good build quality and service life of the device. Speaking of shortcomings, it is possible to allocate only a 128-bit memory bus.

It should be said right away that this is not a new model, but to date, the MSI GeForce GTX 1070 is one of the best in the segment of low-cost gaming solutions. This solution from NVIDIA is based on the 16-nm process technology. The frequency of the GPU is 1531 MHz, but with Boost it accelerates to 1721 MHz. It has 8 gigabytes of memory type GDDR5. The bus width of this model is 256 bits. However, the device consumes only 150 watts. It has compact dimensions: the video card is only 184 cm long. It is worth noting that the manufacturer took care of an extensive set of interfaces: there are 2 HDMI ports and 2 DisplayPort ports.

This is one of the most balanced gaming graphics cards with a relatively affordable price, running on the Nvidia TU116-300-A1 GPU. The gadget is built on the progressive Turing microarchitecture. Thanks to its advanced architecture, this gaming video card is superior to the GTX 1060 (6 GB) and AMD Radeon RX580 / 590. Rather, it stands along with the GTX 1070. Accordingly, users can count on a stable, high frame rate in the most popular games in FullHD resolution. At the same time, this model supports a small factory overclocking + 4.2% to the GPU boost-frequency. The high level of energy efficiency is due to the support of the proprietary Twin Frozr 7 cooling system with two low-profile axial fans MSI Torx 3.0. The power supply is only 130 watts.

Another good gaming graphics card with an affordable price, featuring chic RGB-backlit, factory overclocking and an additional power connector. Available mode switching. There is a convenient cooler that is easy to clean. Recommended power supply capacity is 500 watts. At the same time, the gadget has an effective cooling system based on two large 90-mm fans and durable heat pipes with aluminum fins. A full-fledged AMD Polaris 20 graphics processor is installed, which includes 2304 universal stream processors, as well as 144 block overlays. The amount of memory type GDDR5 delivers 8 GB with a clock frequency of 8000 MHz. Cope with all AAA games with FullHD resolution.

The best budget gaming video card of 2020 is the MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GAMING, whose performance is along with the RTX 2060, due to the presence of factory overclocking. In addition, the manufacturer took care of a quiet and efficient cooling system for power elements and high-quality lighting. The model is based on the Nvidia TU116 GPU. If we compare the model with the previous GTX 1060, then the performance in terms of the number of functional blocks increased by 25% minimum. Productivity, up to 50%. Unlike other budget counterparts, this video card copes with popular games not only in 1920x1080 resolution, but also at 2560x1440 pixels. Special attention deserves the cooling system of the 7th generation Twin Frozr.

This category contains the best models in the price / performance ratio. With their help, playing almost any game is quite comfortable in 2K quality with medium and in some cases high settings. At the same time, thanks to the optimal power reserve, we can expect that the models described below will be relevant for more than one year.

In the category of gaming graphics cards compiled taking into account the price-quality ratio, it is difficult to disregard the MSI GeForce RTX 2060 model. It is worth saying right away that the device turned out to be quiet, the case fans do not make noise at all. There is a backplate, albeit a plastic one. However, video cards look good. Based on the tests, even at maximum load, the temperature does not rise above 73 degrees. It is worth saying that the factory overclocking is not significant, but there is proprietary software to improve performance. I am glad that the manufacturer has equipped the device with 3 ports 3xDisplayPort. I do not like that lack of backlight. The frequency of the GPU is 1710MHz. The amount of memory is 6 gigabytes of type GDDR6.

One of the most productive video cards for games in the middle class is the model Radeon RX 5700 from Gigabyte, powered by an AMD Navi 10 graphics chip. The latter was built on 7nm technology. The manufacturer positions the model as a top-end solution for gaming configurations in conjunction with FullHD and WQHD-resolution monitors.For the first time, the RDNA microarchitecture has reached such a level: it guarantees performance in any modern games. In addition, the manufacturer took care of a small factory overclock + 2.3% to the boost mode frequency. A high frame rate does not drop at the maximum graphics settings in games at a resolution of 1920x1080. Quite often, the frame rate can be maintained at 2560x1440 pixels. Quiet operation is due to the presence of a 3-slot WindForce 3X cooling system.

Based on customer reviews, if you are thinking between the 2060 and the SUPER version, it’s better to save and buy the latest version of a powerful gaming video card. Perhaps the only serious flaw in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is driver compatibility. Otherwise, for such a price, there can be no complaints. With this version you can forget about the settings in the games. In any case, in Full HD for sure. The gadget will receive 3 DisplayPort ports and 1 HDMI input. Therefore, up to 4 monitors can be connected. Implemented support for DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan technologies. Up to 8 gigabytes of GDDR6 memory are implemented at a core / memory frequency of 1695/14000 MHz.

Another smart graphics card, but you need to pay attention to specific models, as it is quite “hot” and requires a good cooling system. It is also easy to install under the Hackintosh system, for which it is most often chosen. Given these circumstances, we recommend paying attention to the GIGABYTE Radeon RX 5700 GAMING OC with fairly efficient cooling. The core / memory frequency of this device is 1650/14000 MHz with a video memory capacity of 8 GB type GDDR6. Support for 4 monitors is provided: there are 3 DisplayPort ports and 1 HDMI interface. The gadget supports useful technologies such as DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan. It is worth saying that even this model heats up quite strongly, but the best solution is available, in our opinion.

It is worth saying right away that this model is dispersed from the factory. For “true connoisseurs of overlocking,” this is convenient. With this powerful video card, you can simply run any modern games on ultra-settings without worrying about quality loss. In this case, you get 60 fps +. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 has 8 gigabytes of memory type GDDR6. The gadget is warming within the normal range, but noisy. Supports connecting 4 monitors thanks to the presence of 3 DisplayPort interfaces, and 1 HDMI port. In addition there is a USB Type-C. The advantages of this model should also include a 256-bit bus width and a stylish appearance.

The best video card of 2020 for games in the price / performance ratio is the Palit GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER model with a three-slot cooling system. In fact, this video card is an upgraded version of the RTX 2070 JS. The improvement in this case concerns the directly improved GPU TU104 graphics chip, which has become much more powerful than the previous Nvidia TU106. The change contributed to an 11% increase in productivity. The current forces are enough for comfortable gameplay in recent games with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. In this financial field, it is extremely difficult to find a more worthy card for monitors with WQHD resolution. In addition, the manufacturer took care of a good level of cooling. This is confirmed by quiet fans with an impeller diameter of up to 9.6 centimeters.

In the last segment, top models for games in 4K at high settings are presented. The flagships that close our list support ray tracing without fps subsidence in games. This implies that your PC will remain relevant for the next several years.It goes without saying that such video cards can be used to work with 3D-graphics in any modern / complex applications.

Models of the Gaming Trio series are real monsters among the other most powerful video cards for games. The GeForce RTX 20 uses a powerful graphics processor and an appropriate cooling system with three coolers. By the aggressive design of the device, you can immediately understand what it is capable of. Actually, the design also corresponds to the pricing policy of the brand. With the help of a proprietary application and built-in backlight, each user can choose the style for themselves. On the back of the device there is an amplification plate that gives the gadget a more severe appearance and strength. Double row bearings are also responsible for the long service life. The model has 11 GB of video memory type GDDR6.

The MSI GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GAMING X TRIO model equipped with the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GPU is adding to the rating of video cards of the current year. In Boost mode, the frequency of this flagship solution can be 1845 MHz. At the same time, the high-performance card covered 8 gigabytes of GDDR6 video memory with a 256-bit bus at a frequency of 15500 MHz. Naturally, the manufacturer did not spare enthusiasts and the number of interfaces for the target audience. There is 1 HDMI 2.0b port, 3 DisplayPort slots, as well as a USB Type-C. The cooling system is represented by an aluminum radiator with copper heat pipes and three coolers. To connect, you will have to use a unit with 650 watts of power, this is a minimum.

The most powerful gaming graphics card for 2020 is the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti from ASUS ROG. This is a real overlocker model designed to equip top-end gaming systems of a premium class. Suitable for UltraHD / 4K resolution monitors. Judging by the reviews of real enthusiasts, there are currently no applications and games that could make this gadget weaken itself. It is worth adding that the device is equipped with the most innovative graphic technologies, including Real-Time Ray Tracing, as well as Deep Learning Super Sampling. The model received 11 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 352 bit bus. I would like to add that the video card is equipped with three Axial-tech type dustproof fans with IP5X protection class.

If we talk only about home PCs, only two companies are currently developing graphics chips: AMD and Nvidia. Of course, there is also Intel, but their graphics cards are an integral part of the central processors. Accordingly, if you bought the processor of the latest brand, you automatically made a choice in favor of the integrated video card of the same manufacturer.

Further, I would like to talk about the important characteristics and misconceptions faced by users who do not know how to choose a video card for games.

1. The amount of video memory - it’s worth saying right away that memory does not directly affect the performance of a video card, as many users mistakenly believe. Yes, the higher the graphic parameters in the game, the more textures are stored in memory. However, the memory may be with a margin, but the graphics chip can not cope with its tasks. A striking example is the results of texts of many video cards, where one model with less memory produces more fps than another;
2. Clock frequency - the performance of the video chip directly depends on this characteristic. The higher the value of MHz, the more the video processor will be able to make the video processor work in one second;
3. The clock speed of the video memory affects the bandwidth, and this, in turn, increases the fps. In simple words, this parameter is responsible for the performance of the video card when working with 3D graphics;
4. Connectors - HDMI is considered the standard and Second is cheaper because the company does not have to pay tax. Other video outputs are considered obsolete. It is also important to note that how many monitors you can connect depend on the number of ports;
5. Memory bus - with the same values ​​of key characteristics, the final performance of two equivalent video cards would probably depend on the width of the data transfer interface between the memory and the chip, but ... This is an unimportant parameter. It is only necessary that a certain balance is maintained between the amount of memory and the bus. Otherwise, you can overpay for marketing, focusing on the sky-high performance of this parameter.

In conclusion, I would like to note that there is no ideal video card, however, like the manufacturer of this equipment. For the same reason, different situations are observed in different price segments: there are both suitable and not the most successful solutions. If you do not know what kind of video card to buy for a gaming computer, of course, you need to come from a budget that you are willing to spend and compare what different brands offer for this amount of money. In case the characteristics in the descriptions of the various components look like hieroglyphs for you and no more, focus on the tests, which today are huge on YouTube. We, in turn, will summarize our rating:

1. The best graphics card up to 15,000 rubles - GIGABYTE Radeon RX 5500;
2. Model for games up to 20 000 rubles - MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GAMING;
3. Gaming graphics card in price and quality - Palit GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER;
4. The most powerful video card for gaming is the ASUS ROG GeForce RTX 2080 Ti.