A gamer is always on the lookout for good gaming graphics cards. While choosing a graphics card there are few parameters that are needed to be taken care of. One is of course your budget and the second one is, which type of game you prefer to play. The third parameter is the resolution you want to play the game on. Choosing a graphics card that suit your needs is sure a cumbersome task. All the new cards support the new technologies that are prevalent today.
There are plenty of graphics cards available in the market. Choosing the right one is a really vexing task unless you are sure about the parameters, you don’t need to work too hard. Among the various graphics cards available in the market, only a few stand to the level of AMD and Nvidia.
If you are planning to buy a new graphics card, upgrade the existing one, or just want to sharpen your knowledge about gaming cards, the following list will surely help you. Take a look and choose the best one.
The Review
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is an upgraded version of the existing GTX 1080. Ultimate GPU for a 4K gaming experience. More cooling is provided as this card runs a bit hotter than 1080. The power consumption is high because of TDP rating of 250W.
It uses a chip GP 102 which is largest in this architecture. 1080 Ti is a performance master. At 2K resolution and max settings the frames per second can easily reach up to 100. At this moment there is no competition to 1080 Ti. It will cost around USD 700.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080
One of the cheapest options for experiencing 4K gaming. This card works with the Pascal architecture of Nvidia. Ready to experience more assured virtual reality and 4K gaming. With the new architecture the space has reduced, whereas the performance has increased. The TDP rating is 80W.
With the GDDR5X memory used is much faster, and a higher clock speed of 1600 MHz, higher performance is expected. A good choice if you want to experience virtual reality right now. It will cost around USD 550.
AMD Radeon RX 580
Another cheap option of great value, the AMD Radeon RX 580 is the latest addition to the AMD series. Get ready to experience the full HD experience on decent 1440p resolution. A minor update to the RX 480 has improved clock speed. This improvement in the clock speed brings it closer to the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060.
It is paired up with either 4GB or 8GB GDDR5 memory. A genuine upgrade over the RX 480 series, this GPU card is super impressive. It will cost around USD 350.
AMD Radeon RX 570
It comes with a slight improvement in the RX 470. It is capable of full HD performance. The memory configuration will be 4 GB of RAM, however, it is expected to be upgraded to 8 GB RAM also.
Another important thing is, the RX 570 possesses over the RX 580 memory speed bump. There is a 6% increase in the memory bandwidth. The TDP rating is 150W, and it consumes less power. It will cost around USD 280.
MSI GeForce GTX 1050
A new, cheaper option to the game lovers and also to the Nvidia’s budget GeForce GTX 1050 card. With this graphics card, you no longer have to pay a higher price for 1080p games. It has 2GB RAM and 128 bit memory interface.
This card is perfect for those who want a decent gaming experience on a low budget. This card is mildly overclocked so you can expect up to 20% gain in performance. It will cost around USD 150.
Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Mini
It comes with high-end graphics performance, but has a drawback related to its size. Its size is too large for small PC cases. It has the same GP104 chip as the standard GTX 1080. This card requires a good cooling system.
With slightly improved clock speed, the Mini has improved performance, as compared to the founder edition. It’s a better version in every aspect. The GTX 1080 Mini comes with a modest price, and can deliver the same performance as high end cards. The price is around USD 550.
There are few parameters on which these graphics cards are measured. Let us have a comparative analysis of the different parameters so that you can choose the best one that suits your needs.
| Name | Nvidia GTX 1080Ti | Nvidia GTX 1080 | AMD RX 580 | AMD RX 570 | MSI GTX 1050 | Zotac GTX 1080 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clock speed | 1600 MHz | 1600 MHz | 1256 MHz | 1168 MHz | 1417 MHz | 1620 MHz |
| Graphics Memory | 11 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Card Length | 10.5 inch | 10.5 inch | 10.5 inch | 10.5 inch | – | 8.3 inch |
| Ports | HDMI, Display port | HDMI, 4K DL-DVI | HDMI, 4K | HDMI, 4K, HEVC | HDMI, Display port | HDMI, Display port |
| Graphics Possessor | GDD R5X | GDD R5X | GDD R5 | GDD R5 | GDD R5 | GDD R5X |