→ What graphics card do I buy? the best in the 2020 market?

The current market is riddled with numerous graphics cards to choose from, a situation that can confuse many users when buying a new card, that is why we have prepared this article in which we will talk about some of the best options among the to choose by price range. To which we answer the typical questions , which is the best at the moment? Do I have 300 euros as a budget ? Nvidia or AMD ? A graphics card or two in SLI, NVLink or CrossFire ?

For this we have divided the available options into three ranges: high- end, mid - range and low-end. Here we go!

Have you ever bought a graphics card? Maybe it was your first graphics card, maybe you didn't buy a card and decided to stick with the integrated graphics that came with your motherboard. Or maybe you upgraded to the new AMD Radeon RX Vega or Nvidia RTX. Whether you're a graphics guru or new to this market, this article is a good starting point.

With this mega guide on graphics cards we aim to give a basic understanding of the components and underlying aspects of a graphics card so that you are better informed when you go to Amazon for a graphics update.

A graphics card or a video card is an expansion card for the computer whose function is to produce an image that can be displayed on a screen. The graphics card sends the images it has in its memory to the screen, with a frequency and format that depend on the screen connected and the port to which it is connected (thanks to Plug and Play) and its internal configuration.

Index of contents

Graphics Card History

We will start by talking a bit about the history and evolution of graphics cards, until we get to today. The information is not strictly necessary to buy a graphics card, but it is worth knowing where they come from.

2D-3D cards

At the beginning of the computer age, the first graphics cards only allowed a 2D screen and were connected to an 8-bit ISA port; these were the MDA (Monochrome Display Adapter) cards.

Although called "graphics cards, " they displayed, in monochrome, only 8-bit encoded single characters, some of which were reserved for graphics; it was a direct addressing in ASCII mode (mode that is still used at startup by the BIOS of most computers).

The first graphics cards that could be directed to an individual point on the screen appeared only in 1981 for the general public, with CGA cards, or Color Graphics Adapter, which allowed addressing points in a resolution of 320 columns in 200 lines in 4 different colors.

Next, there are the cards dedicated to computer graphics, which increase the number of addressable rows and columns, as well as the number of simultaneous colors that can be displayed, further and further away; These are the graphic modes that can be used.

More and more functions provided by processors are gradually managed by the graphics card driver. As, for example, the drawing of lines, solid surfaces, circles, etc. very useful functions to accompany the birth of operating systems based on graphical interfaces and accelerate their visualization.

With the evolution of the techniques, the ISA slot is replaced by the PCI slot to increase the transfer speed between the CPU and the graphics card.

In addition to 2D graphics cards, in the 90s maps dedicated to the management and visualization of elements represented in 3 dimensions appeared, such as 3DFX cards.

Then came 2D-3D graphics cards with the advantage of occupying a single AGP or PCI slot instead of two (for the current configurations of the time, that is, before 1998). In fact, until then, 2D cards were offered separately from so-called 3D accelerator cards (like the first 3DFX), each with a specific graphics processor.

Since the launch of ATI's first integrated 2D / 3D cards in 1996, all modern graphics cards have managed 2D and 3D on a single integrated circuit.

What is a graphics card?

The graphics card is a component of the CPU that will manage everything related to the display of the system on the screen for everyday tasks as well as to manage 3D screens (video games). The main graphics card manufacturers are Nvidia and ATI.

The graphics card is there to take care of everything related to on-screen display and to lighten the load on the processor.

The screen is directly connected to this graphics card, in turn connected to the motherboard, and therefore connected to the processor, the heart of the computer. The prices of graphics cards sold alone can range from about 50 euros to more than 500 euros, depending on the power.

Most Intel processors have built-in Intel HD graphics that cater to "most" video needs. However, once you start playing the games that require the most basic video resources, you will want to have that extra piece of PC hardware that will make your gamer life much easier. Emphasize that AMD Ryzen, except for its Ryzen and Athlon series ending in -G, do not have integrated graphics cards.

The best example we can give of this is a comparison between a graphics card built into the motherboard and a dedicated graphics card. In most games you can adjust the 3D performance of the game to suit your hardware. If you only use a motherboard, chances are you have 3D performance tuned to a basic level, which requires little processing power from the motherboard.

However, doing so involves a commitment to quality. You will find that the game will be more fluid, but you will lose out on all the gorgeous scenes that graphic designers have implemented in the video game.

Of course, it is important to note that if you have a laptop, netbook, tablet or mini PC, your graphics card expansion options will be extremely limited as you cannot simply insert a new card into your system, it requires you to think more in the original purchase of the system or in acquiring an eGPU or external graphics card, which are basically boxes with everything you need to install a graphics card inside and connect it via Thunderbolt 3 port to a PC. Of course it will have to be a modern laptop.

The best advice we can give you for now without going into too much detail about the components and specifications of graphics cards, is that even if you think you have a remote chance of playing a game on your system, don't get cheap on a level card. basic. Spend a few extra euros and in the future you will not be disappointed. That's also true when it comes to choosing a system that will have a certain longevity, the better the hardware you have in it, the more likely the system will last longer.

Differences between a GPU and a CPU

You may already know that the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is essentially the brain of the computer system. The CPU monitors each of the processes that occur while the system is running Word or a game. As for its operation, it handles one process at a time, as it moves through the few CPU cores and moves on to the next.

However, the function of the GPU is more dedicated. It takes the same function that the CPU was processing and completes it in one go.

The specified function that is requested from a GPU enters the hundreds of cores of the GPU and processes everything at a single point in time, where it handles each process in parallel with the next.

The GPU has become the most powerful processing unit in the system, especially since organizations are beginning to rely more on the processing power of a GPU than a CPU, due to the fact that it can process more at a single point. in time and faster than a CPU.

GPUs are even being used to help scientists fold proteins and do more research in medicine. If you have followed the BitCoin trend, you will also know that using your GPU will help you extract more blocks and acquire more BitCoins.

Another feature of the GPU, which is very similar to an Intel CPU, is the acceleration speed. As long as the GPU is below a power and temperature threshold, similar to Intel's Turbo Boost, the GPU can go into a temporary overclocked state, which would increase the graphics processing capacity of the graphics card.

The various uses of a graphics card

Show Windows on the screen

The first use of a graphics card is to convert the digital information of the computer into a screen that can be understood by man: buttons, icons, windows, in short, everything that Windows shows us. This is why, in most cases, a small graphics card is more than enough for most of us.

Some computers do not have a graphics card as such, but they do have a "chipset", a weak chip that manages the screen. In many cases, this is more than enough.

Scientific field

Since the 2000s, the computing power of graphics cards has become so important for such a low cost that more and more scientists want to exploit their potential in other fields. This may involve performing simulations of meteorological and financial models or any parallel operation that requires a large amount of calculations such as Artificial Intelligence.

NVIDIA and ATI / AMD, the two leading manufacturers of high-performance consumer graphics cards, offer proprietary solutions for using their products in scientific computing; in the case of NVIDIA, you can refer to the CUDA project; and in the case of AMD, the ATI Stream project.

Watch movies

Back in 1996, graphics cards started integrating video decompression functions, as in the case of ATI's Rage-Pro, which already integrated some MPEG2 stream decompression functions in 1996. In various circumstances, technologies have been developed since then. which relieved the processor from the burden of unzipping an image 25 (PAL / SECAM) or 30 (NTSC) times per second at increasingly higher definitions.

Partial or full GPU compatibility with video streams enables high definition movies to be viewed on hardware platforms with relatively modest CPU resources, which would be impossible without them given the amount of information being processed almost simultaneously.

Video edition

The graphics card can be very useful when you are editing video. Editing a video is a very time consuming activity in terms of computing resources and the graphics card can help in this task. Once the montage is finished, the video must be "encoded", that is, the computer will generate the movie file thus edited. This is a very heavy operation that requires a fairly powerful processor and a good graphics card.

In Windows we can find Windows Movie Maker for free. Adobe Premiere elements are available in easy-to-use software. Professional software includes Adobe Premiere, After Effect, etc.

Video game

Interest in graphics cards is growing if you want to play video games on your computer: being larger and more realistic, games consume a lot of energy.

Unlike a console like Xbox or Playstation, which have a fixed hardware configuration until the next generation, computer game publishers are not limited, so each new game will require more power than the previous one, hence the fact that that you can finish with an outdated hardware configuration in less than a year.

The GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) has become a very complex, highly specialized and almost insurmountable component in its category (3D image rendering). Except in the case of video games or some uses of computer graphics, the possibilities of graphics cards are only exploited in practice on rare occasions. Therefore, it is mainly gamers who buy and use increasingly powerful GPUs.

Creation and 3D architecture

In the professional world, graphics cards are very important: architects, engineers who create mechanical parts, car designers, animators (like the Disney and Pixar movies), video game creators, and many more. Everyone needs powerful cards to create more and more detailed and complex things.

What does the graphics card need memory for?

When you think of computer memory, you could be referring to two different types: volatile or nonvolatile. Nonvolatile memory does not require the system to be powered on to preserve the data it contains. Where volatile memory only contains data while the computer is on. An example of volatile memory in the computer would be RAM, and nonvolatile would be an SSD.

When we dig deeper, other components also have a very small aspect of volatile memory, which is used to temporarily store data while it is being classified or prepared for use. A graphics card uses it to temporarily store graphics functions and, in turn, help generate higher quality graphics. More specifically, VRAM is a necessity for storing textures and for post-processing. The memory of a graphics card plays a key role in producing a single frame on the monitor.

There are two buffers in most current graphics cards. While the second buffer produces the next frame rate, the first buffer ejects the single frame before the monitor. Once the process has finished, the buffer functions change and the process repeats. Buffers do this to keep memory running consistently, and there is no lag since a buffer produces that single frame and then pushes it to the monitor.

VRAM is also one of the main players when it comes to antialiasing. Anti-aliasing helps eliminate toothed corners or stair-like pits, so the graphics are improved and look smoother. This is done by providing a rough graph of where the jagged corners are meeting.

Amount of video memory

The amount of video memory required to store the image to be displayed depends on the resolution displayed. The number of colors depends on the number of bits used for encoding.

Example: 2⁸ = 256

Number of bits	Number of colors
one	two
4	16
8	256
fifteen	32768
16	65 536
24	16 777 216
32	4 294 967 296

The amount of memory is simply the number of useful pixels multiplied by the number of bits per pixel. We divide everything by 8 to pass in bytes (1 byte = 8 bits).

The video memory of a graphics card is used for many purposes. It allows, among other things, to make the viewing of videos more fluid or to store the information necessary for the synthesis of 3D images.

Modern operating systems like Windows 8, Windows 10, MacOS or GNU / Linux require a large amount of video memory to optimize its display. As for the latest video games, they work even better when the amount of video memory is large. Today, it is common to find graphics cards equipped with 4, 8 and 12 GB of memory.

Components of a graphics card

The graphics processor

The graphics processor (GPU) is used to free the microprocessor from the motherboard by supporting specific calculations for displaying and coordinating 3D graphics or converting YCbCr to RGB color spaces; when not vector functions that allow the reconstruction of compressed images of certain video sequences such as H.264.

This division of tasks between the two processors frees the central processor of the computer and increases its apparent power accordingly.

The graphics processor is usually equipped with its own radiator or fan to dissipate the heat it produces.

Video memory

The video memory stores digital data that must be converted into images by the graphics processor and images processed by the graphics processor before being displayed.

All graphics cards support two methods to access its memory. One is used to receive information from the rest of the system; the other is requested for display on the screen.

The first method is a conventional direct access (RAM) as for the central memories, while the second method is usually a sequential access to the memory area that contains the information to be displayed on the screen.

RAMDAC

RAMDAC (Random Access Memory Digital-to-Analog Converter) converts the images stored in the video memory into analog signals to be sent to the computer screen. It has become useless with DVI (digital) outputs.

Video BIOS

The video BIOS is to the graphics card what the BIOS is to the motherboard. It is a small program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) that contains some information about the graphics card (for example, the graphics modes supported by the card) and is used to start the graphics card.

Connection between graphics card and motherboard

Gaming riser

The connection to the motherboard is made through a port connected to a bus.

Over the years, various technologies have succeeded each other to meet the growing transfer speed needs of graphics cards:

• The first technology used was ISA technology, used since 1984 to add cards with more video memory than standard cards provided by computer manufacturers or cards that use instruction sets to speed up the display of windows. Some machines (in mostly IBM) used the VLB (Vesa Local Bus) bus, but this type of bus was quickly abandoned due to its high specificity. With the arrival of the first Pentium processors in 1994, the PCI interface was then used. The AGP bus, which appeared in May 1997, was replaced by the PCI Express bus, which appeared in 2004. PCI Express, which provides the bidirectional data rate for PCI-Express 2.0 (500 MB / s), is intended to replace all slots in Internal expansion of a PC, including PCI and AGP. With the USB bus, new external graphics cards are being commercialized that take advantage of the high speed offered by the USB bus. version 2; They will only reach their full maturity with USB version 3, allowing a sufficient number of images per second to be viewed so that the videos can be viewed in full screen mode. It is also the interface that is being used to connect the Virtual Reality glasses on the graphics card itself.

There are other types of connections in other computer architectures, such as the VME bus, but they are not widely used and are reserved for the world of professional computing and industry.

Graphics card connectivity

The interfaces are divided into two classes:

Analog interfaces

• Standard VGA interface: graphics cards are usually equipped with a 15-pin VGA connector (Mini Sub-D, consisting of 3 series of 5-pin), usually blue in color, which allows the connection of a CRT screen. This type of interface allows 3 analog signals corresponding to the red, blue and green components of the image to be sent to the screen. Composite video interface: for output to a simple TV or VCR. S-Video interface: More and more cards are equipped with an S-Video connector to display this signal on a television or video projector that allows it. This analog output is often delivered with an S-Video to Composite Video adapter, which is why it is often called a "TV jack." TV-Out interface: in the form of a 6-pin mini-DIN connector (such as the PS / 2 port), it transmits video and audio information and was used by Nvidia and Winfast (for example, Winfast Geforce 2 TI).

Digital interfaces

• DVI (Digital Video Interface), present in some graphics cards, allows sending digital data to compatible displays. This prevents unnecessary digital-to-analog and then digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversions. An HDMI interface that allows connecting the card to a high definition screen and at the same time transmitting the audio part (versatile, this format is the substitute for SCART). The signal is purely digital. A DisplayPort interface, which is a new generation digital audio / video interconnect, without rights or licenses. USB 3.0, for connection with our devices such as virtual reality glasses.

Current models generally combine two types of interfaces: a television interface (S-Video or HDMI) with a computer monitor interface (VGA or DVI).

In the case of analog interfaces, some signal lines are used to transmit information about specific data on the screen used. The monitor can transmit information such as the optimal definition and its refresh rate limits. This enables the operating system to be intelligently informed about the best definition to display, for example.

In the case of digital interfaces, the monitor and the graphics card exchange information to perform the same functions as in the analog ones; At the same time, some information about additional functionality, such as copy protection or digital sound transport capabilities, is transmitted with them.

The main manufacturers of graphics cards

There are two major graphics card manufacturers competing on the market. On the one hand, Nvidia with its flagship product: Geforce, and AMD, with its Radeon card.

Nvidia "The King of the Graphics Card"

Nvidia is one of the world's largest providers of PC graphics cards, from chipset cards to gaming graphics cards.

The company was founded in 1993 in Santa Clara and hundreds of millions of graphics cards for PCs and consoles have been sold worldwide today. The cards are becoming so powerful that they are small computers on their own.

Current architectures of Nvidia Graphics cards

Turing architecture

Its name in the market will be under the term "RTX". Any graphics card that carries in its name RTX, will be Turing technology, and is the most innovative technology of the brand and that offers us the highest performance graphics cards today.

If we want to play the latest, in the best quality, at the highest resolution and with virtual reality, we will need one of them. The Turing architecture manufactures processors with 12nm transistors and optimized for Ray Tracing, or Real-time Ray Tracing, Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence. We are interested in the first two. Real-time ray tracing means that, in next-gen games and latest titles, we're going to get superior graphics quality than anything we've seen before. Greater realism in shadows, reflections in water and soil, dynamic adaptation particle density, to provide a final result that is as realistic as possible. The same can be applied to virtual reality.

Pascal architecture

Pascal is the architecture of the previous generation of Nvidia graphics cards. Still today they are very good graphics cards and located in both low, medium and high range. In general, they have a lower cost than the new ones, and if we get good offers they will be very interesting as well.

We will easily identify them if the word “GTX” appears in the model and figures of 1000, for example 1050, 1060, 1070 and 1080. They also work with all kinds of games at 1080p, 2K and 4K resolutions.

ATI - AMD "Fighting to regain the lost throne"

It is Nvidia's main competitor. Founded in 1985 in Canada, ATI was acquired by the giant AMD in 2006, a manufacturer of computer equipment, including processors.

This is the everlasting war between AMD and Nvidia, which brings new technologies and ever more powerful graphics cards to light each year, further fueling realism. It should be noted that the design of AMD graphics cards is very elaborate (although they are located in a central unit, so they are not usually seen).

Current AMD graphics card architectures

Radeon Navi

This is the latest AMD technology, and the novelty AMD brings to these graphics cards is their architecture, one in which it claims to have completely redesigned the way it handles instructions and the processing of these by the graphics cores.. Its name is RDNA and there are two key characteristics for the user: the first, an improvement in the graphic processor's IPC (operations per cycle) of up to 25% compared to the previous generation, and the second, an increase in overall performance per watt up to 50%. A RDNA GPU should offer up to 44% better performance than an identical GPU, but under GCN. This opens many doors for AMD to create more powerful and efficient cards.

But we still have major absences, like real-time ray tracing or deep learning technology like DLSS on Nvidia. Although we do not doubt that soon there will be AMD cards with this technology, although implemented differently than Nvidia.

Radeon VEGA

This is the latest AMD technology, and any graphics card bearing the name "VEGA" in its name will be part of this technology. In this case, the manufacturing process for transistors is 14 nm. This technology does not implement Ray Tracing like Nvidia, but has models that are interesting for high and medium range. From these GPUs we must know the Computation Units, the Flow Processors and their frequency. Of course, the more the better too.

Currently the brand has created the first graphics card on the 7nm architecture market, called Radeon VII, which will be the beginning of the manufacturer's new range.

These graphics cards will also have good performance in VR and in games at 2K and 4K resolutions, and we will be able to play the latest firms available on the market.

Polaris RX

This is the previous generation of AMD graphics cards, although currently they are widely used as low- end and mainly low- end components. They are graphics cards with a good performance at resolutions of 1080p and 2K at a really reduced price.

We will quickly distinguish them by the distinctive "RX" in their name, and we will always have to pay attention to manufacturers with custom models like Asus, since the series models are quite mediocre and with poor cooling.

Graphics card connectors

We now turn to connectivity in terms of multimedia ports, which is becoming increasingly important for high resolution monitors and virtual reality glasses. We will then review what connectors we can find on a card and which ones we will need depending on what monitor we have.

HDMI connector

High-Definition Multimedia Interface is a communication standard for uncompressed sound and image multimedia devices. It is an elongated connector with two grinders at the ends. We have various sizes, HDMI, Mini HDMI and Micro HDMI. We are interested in it being an HDMI connector and much more the version of HDMI that it brings.

The HDMI version will influence the image capacity that we can get from the graphics card. The latest version is HDMI 2.1, which will allow us to connect monitors with resolutions up to 10K and reproduce 4K at 120Hz and 8K at 60Hz.

Most cards have HDMI 2.0b, which allows us to connect 4K monitors at 60 Hz, and dynamic synchronization. A self-respecting graphics card must bring at least one of these if we have a monitor with this type of interface.

DisplayPort connector

It is a very similar connector to HDMI, but with only a grin on one side. As before, the version of this port will be very important, and we will need it to be at least 1.4, since this version has support to play content in 8K at 60 Hz and in 4K at 120 Hz.

If we have a high-performance monitor, it will surely have a connector of this type, and you will need the graphics to have it to make the most of our equipment.

DVI connector

This interface is already unlikely to be found on current monitors, although graphics such as the RTX 1060 still bring one. There are different versions of the DVI connector, although the most widespread currently is DVI-D. This one features a 24-pin connector and a horizontal flat board that makes ground. It supports resolutions up to 4K, but it is not recommended if we have any of the previous connectors.

USB Type-C connector

This is one of the new additions to the connectivity of new generation graphics cards. This connector is going to be very important from now on, especially for laptops and virtual reality devices.

This USB has DisplayPort Alternate Mode, which is nothing more than the functionality of DisplayPort 1.3, with support for displaying images at 4K resolution at 60 Hz. This port, then, will be very interesting for ultrathin laptops that do not have DisplayPort connector and we want to get an external monitor with this interface.

But this does not stop here, another of the great utilities of this port is that of providing connection for virtual reality glasses, since these normally bring this type of connectivity currently. Especially those of Nvidia with VirtualLink. So, if we plan to use the graphics card for VR, it will be best to have this port.

Multiscreen

Graphics cards with multiple connections, such as 2 DVI or one DVI and one VGA, offer the possibility to connect 2 screens to the same computer to expand the Windows workspace, which can be very convenient for those who work with many open windows.

How to choose a graphics card?

Have you already tried to buy a card, have you searched the internet and in stores and found that it is more confusing than you thought?

We are going to explain what we think are the main components that you should take into account when you go to buy a graphics card. This guide can be used whether you are purchasing your first expansion card or updating your current graphics card to adapt it to your system hardware, taking your current games to the games of the future.

Manufacturers

The first thing to keep in mind is the manufacturer difference: the two big names are NVIDIA and AMD.

NVIDIA was founded in 1993 and released its first GPU in 1999 with the NVIDIA GeForce 256. Currently, NVIDIA not only manufactures GPUs, but has also entered the handheld device market with NVIDIA Shield, as well as the tablet market with Tegra Note 7.

AMD and its graphics sub-brand Radeon, originally started in 1985 under the name Array Technologies Inc. (ATI), began producing integrated graphics cards. They even made the integrated graphics unit that powered Nintendo's innovative Wii console. In 2006 ATI was acquired by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Although AMD continues to focus on the CPU market, it has now branched out to another GPU semiconductor market.

The difference between the two is ultimately personal preference. The performance between the two can be compared to the limit and you will notice that, in general terms, both offer excellent quality in their graphics cards. But today Nvidia surpasses AMD when it comes to graphics power and performance.

You can ask many different people what their preference is when it comes to choosing a manufacturer, but there isn't a significant difference.

Also, there are different sub-manufacturers that use the NVIDIA or AMD GPU in their graphics cards. Again, your choice here ultimately comes down to personal preference and budget.

The only thing to keep in mind when buying a graphics card is that bigger is not always better. When it comes to graphics cards, the performance of a 2GB graphics card with old firmware can be roughly the same as that of a 512MB graphics card with new firmware. So if you don't like doing homework and reading the card details in depth, try to focus on a card that has been released recently.

Memory type

Currently, the different architectures we have seen mainly use three types of graphic memories, which we will have to know and know how to evaluate their properties.

GDDR6 memory

This is the fastest memory currently in existence, but also the most expensive to produce. It is implemented by Nvidia's Turing architecture graphics cards, and is one of the main reasons why products have become more expensive than the previous generation.

This GDDR6 memory is capable of speeds of no less than 14 Gbps. In almost all the occasions we usually find this nomenclature instead of the traditional GHz to define memory speed.

HBM2 memory

This memory is the main novelty of AMD's Vega architecture, and although it does not have speeds as high as GDDR, it does have a much greater bus width or interface, reaching up to 2048 bits. Its speed is approximately 1.9 Gbps.

Let's say they supply the gross speed by bus width and transfer capacity. For practical purposes they have a bandwidth similar to GDDR6 memories

GDDR5 and GDDR5X memory

The GDDR5X memory is an evolution of the normal GDDR5 that only Nvidia's high-end GTX models of the previous architecture implement, being the GTX 1080 and 1080 Ti. The speed of this memory reaches up to 10 Gbps.

GDDR5 memory is present in both the Pascal generation cards and the AMD Polaris RX, and we can find it with speeds ranging from 6 Gbps to 8 Gbps, of course the more the better.

Memory bus width

The other aspect that you should take into account is the bus width and the clock speed of the graphics card.

The memory bus width represents the number of bits that can be transmitted and is measured in bits. It is called a word, the instruction that is sent from memory to the processor, the longer the word that we can send, the wider the bus will be, and therefore the greater the capacity to process instructions we will have. Currently graphics cards have a bus width between 192 bits and 2048 bits that we have seen in HBM2 memories . The greater the bus width, the better, but always taking into account the bandwidth that we will finally obtain.

For its part, the clock speed is basically the number of operations that the graphics processor can do in a given time. The higher this frequency, the faster the operations will be and the more of them. Currently speeds are between 1500 MHz and 2000 MHz.

The last component to consider when comparing prices is the type of monitor you are using. If you've just bought a 4K monitor, you'll probably need a pair (or more) of graphics cards to achieve the resolution you want on that monitor. Larger monitors and higher resolutions will require more RAM to properly reach their full capabilities.

Power consumption and power connector

The amount of power consumed by a graphics card will influence the power supply that we need for the entire system. In general, we can find several types or, rather, quantities of connectors. Fortunately, all graphics cards will work at the same input voltage, so in this sense we will not have problems with the connectors of our power supply. Types that we can find:

• 6-pin connector: it is the basic connector and every mid / high range graphics card will have at least one of these. It is simply a cable with two rows of 3 pins. All sources have at least one. 6 + 2 pins: in addition to the previous 6, there will be two more, form two rows of 4 connectors. Similarly, any self-respecting power supply will bring these two pins together with the other 6 in a detachable way. 8 + 6: we now turn to cards that have a TDP of more than 160W. In addition to the 8-pin connector (6 + 2), we will find another one, with another 6 pins. 8 + 8: Finally, the cards with the highest consumption and more than 200W will bring the complete set, which will be two 8-pin connectors. Current sources over 500W should carry two of these connectors, preferably separately on separate cables.

Cooling on graphics cards

When it comes to refrigeration, there is an easy to remember and stick to relationship: more is always better. Realistically, if you can't decide between two graphics cards, one of which has a single fan and the other of which has two fans (both of the same size and quality), the choice is easy.

There are three main types of cooling mechanisms that you will find with graphics cards.

Passive Dissipation

The first is the simple transfer of heat from the component to a small heat sink, which is also called passive cooling. A common place to find passive cooling is in RAM modules.

Active dissipation

The second type of cooling mechanism is through active cooling. A platform sits on top of the graphics card component, like the GPU, and transfers heat to a large area. Also, a fan, or two or three, will help move that heat away from the expanded surface to allow for more heat transfer. This is one of the most common, if not the most common, method of cooling graphics cards. In addition, we have two basic types:

• Custom or vertical flow heatsink : These heatsinks are by far the best performing. They are composed of a base constructed of copper that is in contact with the GPU and the power phases. Some heat pipes integrated into this base, are responsible for capturing all the heat from it and distributing it between a finned exchanger that is installed in the entire extension of the PCB of the card, and even exceeding this measure and extending beyond it. This block will be made of aluminum or copper, and will be bathed by a vertical air flow generated by one, two, or up to three fans installed on a deck above this block. Blower type heatsink The design of these heatsinks is older and it is rare to see it in current models, since the air flow is poorer and the dissipation much less optimal. These heatsinks have a copper core to capture the heat and distribute it to the upper area where there will be a finned block. Well, this block will be bathed by an axial flow of air coming from a centrifugal fan (it captures the air vertically and expels it horizontally). All this will be covered with an outer cover to prevent the air flow from dispersing before going through the fins.

Liquid refrigeration

The third method of cooling a graphics card is through liquid cooling. Like the previous method, a platform connects directly to the graphics card's main heat-producing component (yes, the GPU again). However, instead of the heat radiating through a larger surface area, the liquid inside the cooling mechanism increases in temperature as it is transferred from that platform to the liquid, and the liquid is taken to a radiator that generally counts with a fan that will further remove heat from the liquid. This method is more common for high-end graphics cards and for custom modifications.

It is highly recommended that you take a quick look at the dimensions of the card and measure your equipment. A simple step that could save you hours of headache and a few extra euros. When it comes to choosing a cooling mechanism, just keep in mind how the card will be used: watch a movie every now and then on the 24-inch monitor, or play Overwatch on a 4K monitor with 3D settings at maximum.

GPU overclocking

You can definitely change the clock on your graphics card for better performance, however does it need to be worth it? That is the best question.

Simply put, overclocking is the process of increasing the clock speed of a processor above what is established by the manufacturer, which can result in higher performance.

A processing unit, such as a CPU or GPU, will have an ideal and optimal range in which overclocking provides higher performance. If the clock speed is increased too much, the processor will become unstable and possibly damaged. There are other variables that come into play when overclocking, but one of the most important is the cooling.

The only true test to find out if overclocking is worth it or not, is to really overclock the card, and test it with the games you are used to playing.

If you have timed your card safely and correctly, then you will notice a slight increase in performance, and the card will continue to operate safely at moderate temperatures. A couple of things to keep in mind before overclocking: This process can quickly decrease the life of your graphics card if you're not careful. Second, keep a close eye on the temperature of your graphics card while testing.

A valid tip is to go to a service center and buy a laser thermometer. Although you may notice that the temperature of the graphics card listed in a benchmark is within an acceptable range, the actual temperature of the PCB (PCB) and the underlying capacitors could far exceed normal operating temperatures.

The overclocking process is pretty easy, using a tool like MSI Afterburner, you slowly turn up the clock frequency from 10 to 25 MHz until you start to see graphic flaws or crash. If you really want to increase the performance of the card, you can experiment by decreasing the memory clock speed in the same way. Going a step further, you can even increase the core voltage in 8mV increments to get a few more FPS.

On the flip side of the coin, why don't you pay attention to updating your card? Of course, if money is not what is left overclocking it is an excellent option to give new life to your card, however, that new life that you are giving to the card, is only the life that the graphics card has saved for the future. In fact, it could save you time and money updating your card to a new edition, and selling your older card.

What are SLI, NVLink and Crossfire

SLI, NVvid from the manufacturer Nvidia and Crossfire from the manufacturer AMD, are a way to double the graphics performance of the system by adding another card to the computer. However, there is a main component: the GPU of both cards must be identical, both in the manufacturer and in the model. Which means if you are using a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 and another GTX 1050 then you are fine.

You can even mix sub-brands, for example an MSI GeForce GTX 680 card with a Zotac GeForce GTX 680. However, manufacturers cannot be mixed. Putting an AMD Radeon R7 370 with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z would not work.

With SLI, NVLink and Crossfire, you simply connect your graphics cards to the PCI Express port. Then, with the help of a simple connector, or jumper, which should have come with the motherboard, the two cards are connected together.

You may even have noticed that your motherboard came with two other bridges, depending on the motherboard: a three-way bridge and a SLI or Crossfire four-way bridge. This would allow you to connect three or four graphics cards simultaneously and theoretically achieve three to four times the graphics output.

Currently, the new range of Nvida RTX cards have replaced the SLI bridge with NVLink, which implements a higher connection speed.

What is PhysX engine and Ray Tracing

Have you ever played a game where you looked at objects and wondered why they move like this? You looked at the leaves that fell off a tree and thought they fell differently than they would on a real tree. That is the physics of the game or PhysX. To make the game more realistic, NVIDIA has developed a real-time engine that emulates realistic game physics that can be found in real life. In this way, 3D games reach a whole new level.

For its part, Ray Tracing is a system through which the graphics card simulates in the best possible way how our eyes see reality. In real life, what we see and the color we see is thanks to photons and how they impact objects. Well, ray tracing consists of a series of computer algorithms that aim to simulate the behavior of light in games according to the properties of the objects represented and the origin of the light. In addition, the new RTX can do this processing in real time, showing very successful and impressive results.

Recommended graphics card models

We already know very well almost everything about graphics cards and what we should take into account when buying them. Now it's time to see the models that we find in the market. That is why we are going to divide them according to prices, so it will be easier for you to find one that fits your budget.

Graphics cards for less than 100 euros

We are going to start this list with a series of graphics cards that we can acquire for less than 100 euros. With these cards we will not be able to play the new titles that have come onto the market, and if we can play it will be with low resolution and graphics to a minimum. This is why they are mainly aimed at lower-middle-range multimedia equipment, since almost all of them can play 4K content like movies.

They can also be used for old games, Prince of Persia style or GTX San Andreas, so retro lovers can come in handy at a ridiculous price. For a price like this you could also consider buying a higher-end graphics card, but second-hand. There are many users who want to get rid of their old high or mid-range cards and they are really good prices on the Internet.

Card	Core frequency	Memory frequency	Amount of memory	Memory interface	Memory bandwidth	Custom heatsink	Buy link
Asus GT 710	954 MHz	1800 MHz	1 GB GDDR3	64 bit	14.4 GB / s	passive	54.71 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1030 OC	1518MHz / 1544 MHz	60000 MHz	2 GB GDDR5	64 bit	48 GB / s	Gigabyte 1 fan	81.99 EUR Buy on Amazon
EVGA GT 1030	1290/1544 MHz	6000 MHz	2 GB GDDR4	64 bit	48 GB / s	passive	Price not available Buy on Amazon
AMD Radeon RX 550	1183 MHz	7000 MHz	2 GB GDDR5	128 bit	112 GB / s	Asus 1 fan	108.00 EURBuy on Amazon

In this section we have chosen as the cheapest of all an Asus GT 710 that is not oriented to gaming, only to multimedia for 2K content.

Then we have introduced a pair of GT 1030, which are the lowest in the Nvidia Pascal range, and yes we can play old games and even play 4K content with them. They perform quite well despite their price, it could still bring you a few surprises.

Finally we have introduced the RX 550 which is the best performing on this list. This card is on Amazon a little more expensive than PCComponentes for example, so investigate if you find it at a better price somewhere other than these, which could be. With it we can already play relatively new games, although in graphics at a minimum and 1080p.

Graphics cards for less than 200 euros

Now we go to see cards and something more interesting and that, in addition to playing 4K content without any problem, we can also play video games with acceptable graphic quality and 1080p resolution. These graphics cards do not cost more than 200 euros and we will get a gaming experience at the level of consoles such as the PS4 or the Xbox One, which is not bad at all.

Card	Core frequency	Memory frequency	Amount of memory	Memory interface	Memory bandwidth	Custom heatsink	Buy link
Nvidia GTX 1650 SUPER	1725 MHz	12000 MHz	4 GB GDDR6	128 bit	192 GB / s	Double fan	148.90 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte GTX 1050 OC	1379/1493 MHz	7000 MHz	2 GB GDDR5	128 bit	112 GB / s	Gigabyte 1 fan	141.27 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti D5	1290/1392 MHz	7000 MHz	4 GB GDDR5	128 bit	112 GB / s	Gigabyte 1 fan	159.73 EUR Buy on Amazon
AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT	1685/1845 MHz	14000 MHz	4 GB GDDR6 / 8 GB GDDR6	128 bit	224 GB / s	Double fan	194.90 EUR Buy on Amazon

We recommend you see performance tests of these graphics in the games you are interested in playing, to get an idea of ​​what you are going to find. We already have reviews of for example the 1050 Ti, in which we subject it to all kinds of tests with games and benchmarks.

Nvidia GTX cards are highly recommended in this range of processes, as they perform well at fairly low prices. We recommend the GTX 1650 Ti Super and the GTX 1050, since, although they are the most expensive, you will notice the difference with the others. They really are good graphics cards that are going to give you a good gaming experience, despite not being loved by the most enthusiastic gamers. But to play 1920 x 1080 there is plenty.

They are not demanding graphics cards in terms of power, and with a 400 or 500W power supply we will be more than enough for them. We have also used to fit ITX configuration models for small chassis or multimedia equipment, thus saving the largest possible space.

Graphics cards for less than 300 euros

We raise the bar a little to place ourselves in a lower-middle range. These cards will offer us a fairly good gaming experience, where we can run the latest video games at Full HD resolution and medium-high graphics whenever there is any problem. In general, it will offer us a gaming experience superior to the latest consoles on the market for a cost of around 250 or 300 euros. If you can afford to extend your budget of 200 euros a little more, we recommend one of these much more, since both performance and quality are better.

Card	Core frequency	Memory frequency	Amount of memory	Memory interface	Memory bandwidth	Custom heatsink	Buy link
MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Gaming X 6GB GDDR5	1530/1830 MHz	8 Gbps	6 GB GDDR5	192 bit	192 GB / s	MSI Frozr 2x	262.90 EUR Buy on Amazon
Asus GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER OC Dual	1530/1830 MHz	14 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bit	336 GB / s	Double fan	PC Components
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER OC	1530/1860 MHz	14 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bit	336GB / s	WindForce 3x	PC Components
Sapphire Pulse RX 570 8 GB	1284 MHz	7 Gbps	8GB GDDR5	256 bit	225 GB / s	Sapphire 2 fans	Price not available Buy on Amazon
Zotac GTX 1060 3 GB	1506/1708 MHz	8 Gbps	3GB GDDR5	192 bit	192 GB / s	Zotac 2 fans	357.09 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte RX 570 4 GB	1244/1255 MHz	7 Gbps	4 GB GDDR5	256 bit	225 GB / s	Gigabyte 2 fans	201.59 EUR Buy on Amazon
EVGA GTX 1060 6 GB SC	1607/1835 MHz	8 Gbps	6 GB GDDR5	192 bit	192 GB / s	EVGA 1 fan	313.00 EUR Buy on Amazon
Sapphire Nitro + RX 580 4GB	1411 MHz	7 Gbps	4 GB GDDR5	256 bit	225 GB / s	Sapphire 2 fans	154.88 EUR Buy on Amazon
Sapphire Nitro + RX 590 8GB	1560 MHz	8 Gbps	8GB GDDR5	256 bit	256 GB / s	Sapphire 2 fans	212, 88 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Ti OC	1500/1800 MHz	12 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bits	288 GB / s	WINDFORCE double fan	283.49 EUR Buy on Amazon

As you can see, this list is covered by cards of the previous generation, in the case of Nvidia we see the GTX 1060 model with Pascal architecture that gave us such good performance. The problem with this architecture is that manufacturers no longer produce it, and the available models are close to being sold out. It is possible that thanks to this you get very good offers.

On the other hand, we also have AMD's previous Polaris architecture with beautifully designed Sapphire models and LED-lit fans. The interesting thing about these cards is the performance they offer us for a low price, generally lower than that of the Nvidia. In addition, the stock is more complete and will be a good claim when the GTX runs out.

All these cards offer us a performance equal to or better than the old GTX 980 or the Radeon R9 Fury, so it is not bad. With all of them we can play without problems in 1080p resolution and also 2K if we lower the graphic quality and filters of the games.

Graphics cards for less than 500 euros

For a price higher than 300 euros, we will begin to see only new generation models. Best of all, we will be closer to 300 euros, than 500, as is the case with the RTX 2060 in its base model. These with graphics cards that undoubtedly outperform consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. With them we can play without problems in 1080p resolution with graphics at the maximum or almost to the maximum and in 2K resolutions without problems. Also in 4K in the case of the RX Vega 56 and RTX 2060. The new GTX 1660 Ti also come ready to position itself as one of the best options in terms of mid-range players and a tight budget.

Card	Core frequency	Memory frequency	Amount of memory	Memory interface	Memory bandwidth	Custom heatsink	Buy link
MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Gaming X 6G	1500/1875 MHz	12 Gbps	6 Gb GDDR6	192 bits	288 GB / s	Twin FROZR	339.90 EUR Buy on Amazon
AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT	1650/1750 MHz	14 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bit	288 GB / s	Double heatsink	339.70 EUR Buy on Amazon
EVGA RTX 2060 XC Ultra	1830 MHz (boost)	14 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bit	336 GB / s	EVGA 2 fans	474.00 EUR Buy on Amazon
MSI RTX 2060 Ventus OC	1710 MHz (boost)	14 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bit	336 GB / s	MSI 2 fans	350, 00 EURBuy on Amazon
Asus ROG Strix RTX 2060 Super OC	1470/1830 MHz	14 Gbps	6 GB GDDR6	192 bit	336 GB / s	ROG Strix	EUR 461.87 Buy on Amazon
PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 5700	1465/1750 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	448 GB / s	Triple Fan	419.99 EUR Buy on Amazon
MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Evoke OC	1605/1975 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	448 GB / s	Double Fan	487.65 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming OC	1605/1905 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	448 GB / s	Blower	464.55 EUR Buy on Amazon

They are models that in all cases have a last generation memory in quantities greater than 4 GB. This means that we will have no problem setting the depth of field to the maximum in games like GTA 5 and in general in the latest generation MMOs. Memories such as the high-speed GDDR6 and the high-bandwidth HBM2, will allow us transfer speeds above 300 GB / s, only the high-end ones exceed these benefits.

If any model we must highlight in this list is the Nvidia RTX 2060, a graphics card that inherits the ability of Ray tracing in real time with its Tensor and RT cores to obtain a performance equal to or superior to the old GTX 1070 Ti. Nvidia RTX 2060 SUPER . If you want a higher step, render it like an old RTX 2070 and we have more VRAM.

Another extremely interesting model is the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which is also tied for performance to the RTX 2060, albeit with no real-time Ray Tracing possibility. Price is also very close to the two, although the custom models of the RTX have a priori a higher cost. And if you want to go to a higher performance we also have the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and the already mentioned RTX 2060 SUPER.

Finally, we also wanted to put a graphics card specially designed to play at maximum performance, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the current top of the range. A model that we recommend purchasing with a custom heatsink to avoid problems. And we cannot include any more NVIDIA, because it already goes to the next price step.

Graphics cards for less than 700 euros

Before moving on to cards with a higher cost of around 900 or 1, 000 euros, we wanted to introduce the Nvidia RTX 2070 in this category , and those that may come soon from AMD. The performance will be that of a GTX 1080, so we can play at 4K resolution with good graphics and moderate filters. In both 2K and 1080p, this limitation disappears in most video games and we will have no problem putting them to the maximum.

Card	Core frequency	Memory frequency	Amount of memory	Memory interface	Memory bandwidth	Custom heatsink	Buy link
Zotac Gaming RTX 2070 Mini (ITX)	1620 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	448 GB / s	Zotac 2 fans	PC Components
MSI RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio	1605/1800 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	448 GB / s	TRI FROZR	609.90 EUR Buy on Amazon

Turing's technology is clearly more expensive than the rest, mainly due to the high cost of GDDR6 memory. Although it is true that, today, they are the only ones capable of performing ray tracing in real time. The RTX 2070 is a graphics card located, so to speak, in no man's land, in terms of cost, the upper tier far exceeds it and the lower tier is considerably cheaper.

In terms of performance, it equates to a GTX 1080 and an outstanding RX Vega 64, which you will remember is at a lower cost. We are confident that, with the appearance of new models from both brands, this 2070 will drop in price to more competitive ones, because today, it is not the best performance / price ratio, but here it is, of course.

Graphics cards with no budget limit

Here we already have the best of the best, graphics cards with a performance as extremely high as the price they have. We have not introduced any GTX, mainly because it is very close to being sold out and the links that we provide for purchase will disappear in a matter of days. With these cards we will have no problem playing everything we want in ultra quality. We will enjoy Ray Tracing in real time at 4K resolutions. Of course the gaming experience doubles or triples the capacity of a game console.

Card	Core frequency	Memory frequency	Amount of memory	Memory interface	Memory bandwidth	Custom heatsink	Buy link
MSI RTX 2080 Ti Duke 11 G	1350/1755 MHz	14 Gbps	11 GB GDDR6	352 bit	616 GB / s	Tri-Frozr 3 fans	Price not available Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming OC	1650/1845 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	416.1 GB / s	WindForce 3x	765.45 EUR Buy on Amazon
Gigabyte RTX 2080 Aorus Xtreme Waterforce	1710/1890 MHz	14 Gbps	8 GB GDDR6	256 bit	448 GB / s	Liquid cooling 240 mm	988.99 EUR Buy on Amazon
Aorus RTX 2080 Ti Strix	1545/1695 MHz	14 Gbps	11 GB GDDR6	352 bit	616 GB / s	Windforce 3 fans	PC Components
MSI RTX 2080 Ti Sea Hawk EK X	1350/1755 MHz	14 Gbps	11 GB GDDR6	352 bit	616 GB / s	Liquid cooling 120mm	Price not available Buy on Amazon
Nvidia Titan RTX 24 GB	1350/1770 MHz	14 Gbps	24GB GDDR6	384 bit	672 GB / s	Nvidia 2 fans	PC Components

This range is only reserved for enthusiasts, people who do not need to take 1500 euros out of their pocket to buy the best that is available. Performance is TOP and designs and finishes are Premium. We even have several liquid-cooled blocks, waiting for the incredible Asus ROG 2080 Ti Matrix that is coming soon.

As if the RTX 2080 Ti was not already an extreme card with 11 GB GDDR6 352 bit bus width, a model has appeared that surpasses it in absolutely everything. This is the Titan RTX of no less than 24 GB of GDDR6 memory and a case of more than 2, 500 euros. Without a doubt it will be the only option available to play the minesweeper with the graphics to the maximum. Outside jokes, it is the most we can find in this generation, now and in a long time, but with that price it is only reserved for a few on this planet.

Final words on the best boxes on the market

The world of graphics cards is one of the most complex to scrutinize to get to choose the right models. There are many, many manufacturers and similar features and it is difficult to find the best of them. In most cases we will choose the cheapest manufacturer model in the same range, since the difference, for example, between an Asus 2080 and a Gigabyte 2080 is minimal.

We believe this model list covers most player needs across the price range well. In general, they are very good graphics cards with excellent features that will allow us to play practically anything today. Of course keeping in mind the limitations of models that do not exceed 200 or 300 euros. For each player there will be one that comes least in their possibilities, in general it is a high cost product as we see, and that is why there is a world called gaming. Would you put any other model in this list that has caught your attention?

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We would appreciate it if you shared it on social networks so that this information reaches more people. It would also be interesting if you leave a comment with your impressions and if it helped you. Which graphics card is the one that best suits your needs? You can ask us in the comment box below or in our hardware forum! You will find a healthy community ready to help in any way.