10 Best Budget Graphics Cards for Gaming in 2021

In 2021, the popularity of narrow PC cases has risen again, increasing the demand for low-profile graphics cards.Among the inexpensive options, one of the best is the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Low Profile gaming card. It is based on a popular and proven video chip operating at 1303 MHz in the base and 1442 MHz in turbo mode. Memory, as in most models from the range of 10,000-25,000 rubles, is only 4 GB, but it is enough to confidently launch top games at medium graphics settings. We also note that this video adapter is able to work simultaneously with four monitors, while most of the participants in the rating master only three. On the other hand, there are complaints in the reviews about possible “glitches” when working with multiple monitors at once, so this advantage is more important on paper than in practice. It is this fact that affected the final rating of the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Low Profile.

Reliable and affordable video cards for games built on AMD chips are a rarity in 2021, as this graphics accelerator manufacturer has practically stopped releasing old chips, switching to new and mid-budget ones. Therefore, only one cheap gaming video card based on the RX 560 chip, and even then from a Chinese brand, got into our rating. However, the origin of AFOX should not be particularly embarrassing, this company produces products of very high quality. AFOX Radeon RX 560 features - playing at low settings in the best AAA projects and medium settings in the top hits of two or three years ago. The memory here is 4 GB GDDR5, there is support for three monitors and 8K resolution, there is a reliable cooling system and proprietary resistance of AMD chips to heat. In general, we get a stable "middle peasant" of the budget segment for not particularly demanding gamers.

Cheap gaming graphics card from a Chinese brand with a price tag slightly over 10,000 rubles.Its capabilities are extremely limited and it is clearly not suitable for the best game projects of the last couple of years. The key problem is only 2 GB of GDDR5 video memory and a maximum operating frequency of 1085 MHz. With such a "set", even the average graphics settings have to be practically forgotten. And this is not yet about the number of rasterization and texture processing units, where everything is also very sad. At the same time, it is worth commending AFOX for choosing the component base - the card uses Samsung memory chips, which are distinguished by a high level of reliability. Cooling is also well developed, so it will be difficult to overheat the card. We add that in most network games this inexpensive video card behaves quite well, for example, World of Tanks with medium settings just flies without any hint of lag.

A very solid video card for the budget price segment. Based on the GTX 1050 Ti chip, delivering 1290 MHz of operating frequency in standard mode and 1392 MHz in boost. Yes, auto overclocking is not the most effective, but in games the card shows itself very well, allowing you to enjoy at least average graphics settings, i.e.it will be possible to assemble a quite decent and inexpensive gaming PC based on it. The use of only one “turntable” for cooling is alarming, but in general it copes with its duties, so the risk of overheating is minimal, especially since the TDP of the model is only 75 watts. Otherwise, this is a typical representative of cheap video cards with a price tag on the verge of moving into the mid-budget segment: 4 GB of GDDR5 video memory, no backlights and other chips, output to three monitors, as well as no ray tracing and other advanced technologies.

Relatively inexpensive graphics card with a good realization of the potential of the GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip. The base frequency of the model is 1316 MHz, but in boost mode, overclocking to 1455 MHz is available, i.e. This card is quite capable of medium graphics settings in games, especially since support for 8K resolution and simultaneous display of images on three PC monitors are announced.Everything is in order in terms of cooling: heating up to 97 degrees for the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC is not a problem, two “turntables” confidently manage the organization of air flow through a massive aluminum radiator. We also note that there is no need to provide additional power, which was to the liking of the owners of old computers, where extra wires on power supplies are simply not provided. The key problem of this model is that it has to be caught in stores, because it is taken apart very quickly.

A very interesting option from MSI with a factory overclocked base operating frequency to 1341 MHz and the ability to bus up to 1455 MHz, which is one of the best results in turbo mode among all the participants in the rating. The video card is originally gaming, albeit a budget one, so it runs absolutely all PC games, but the top hits of 2021 will go only at minimum or, in some cases, at medium graphics settings.We note a good study of the cooling system, the efficiency of which is supported not only by two “turntables”, but also by a well-thought-out casing design that reflects air flows in the right directions to improve the quality of the radiator blower. As a nice bonus, the manufacturer gives a three-year official warranty, plus support for 8K resolution is declared and heating up to 97 degrees is allowed.

A gaming video card with a price below 10,000 rubles is an unaffordable "luxury" for 2021. For such money, unfortunately, you can’t even count on normal performance, and therefore the lot of ASUS Phoenix GeForce GT 1030 OC is cheap PCs for old or browser games. In addition to the outdated graphics chip, which by modern standards is more prone to office software, there is also only 2 GB of video memory, and connected via a 64-bit bus.In part, the problem is leveled by the high operating frequency in the bus, but this still will not allow you to enjoy games at settings above the minimum. According to reviews, the card is very quiet, although only one “turntable” is used here. In general, a good budget option for those who need an inexpensive gaming solution for a while before buying a normal video card.

A popular video card that is in high demand on the Russian market. The price for 2021 is quite budgetary, it uses a reliable and time-tested gaming graphics chip, plus there are no frequent complaints in the reviews about problems with launching or quick failure, i.e. the card fulfills its value. Note that the Palit brand has been gaining weight in the gaming solutions segment in recent years, offering cheaper analogs to video cards from leading manufacturers, but without loss of quality and with a three-year warranty. One of the additional advantages of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti STORMX specifically is its compact dimensions: 166 mm long, 112 mm wide and 38 mm thick.At the same time, the card is equipped with a very reliable and productive cooling system, which eliminates the risk of overheating.

Only one representative of the Cerberus line of gaming video cards from ASUS in 2021 "climbed" into the budget price range. The Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC model is nothing special, but in turbo boost mode it is able to overclock the operating frequency to 1480 MHz, which is one of the best results in the segment, second only to the card from MSI. Otherwise, this is a typical hard worker with 4 GB of GDDR5 video memory, a classic set of three-year-old technologies, support for three monitors and the declared ability to work with 4K resolutions and higher. It is quite possible to assemble a solid, but cheap gaming PC based on this video card, but, of course, one cannot count on high graphics settings. It is also worth considering that the model is overall, its length reaches 203 mm, and its width is 115 mm.

Once this video card cost a little more than 10,000 rubles, but the realities of 2021 pushed its cost to the edge of the low-cost graphics adapter segment. However, the card fulfills its price in full, after all, MSI knows how to make high-quality gaming components for assembling a good gaming PC. Having squeezed the maximum out of their chip, MSI engineers raised the boost frequency to 1493 MHz, which can significantly increase performance in demanding AAA games. Yes, you won’t have to rely on the maximum graphics settings, but the card will provide an acceptable picture quality for sure. Among other things, we note the ability to work with a resolution of 8K, the presence of a modest LED backlight, a fairly low TDP of 75 W, and the need to provide additional power through a 6-pin cable.According to user reviews, this model provides the best value for money in the budget segment.