TOP 8 GRAPHIC CARDS UNDER $100 IN 2021 – Reviews & Buying Guide

Purchasing a great GPU will often set you back a few hundred dollars. It’s just a natural part of the tech world. However, you may be surprised to discover there are some top 8 graphic cards under $100 that can still get the job done. They might not have the entire latest tech jammed into them, but they can typically handle gaming very well.

The majority of them can often even compete with more expensive options when it comes to their rendering capabilities. Though a powerful GPU will help you enjoy the ultimate gaming. In addition to the budget, when choosing the graphics card, you should also consider other essential factors such as compatibility and onboard video memory.

In this column, we’ll examine this season’s best graphics cards under $100. We reviewed cards from various manufacturers, each offering various specs and abilities, so you can see just what GPUs under $100 have to offer. Let’s give those fans a spin!

Gigabyte GeForce GT 1030

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Gigabyte GeForce GT 1030 is a low-profile GPU under $100. We cannot consider it the most powerful unit, though it’s good enough for casual gamers and users who often work with 3D modeling applications. The graphics card comes with 2 GB of RAM and lets you play diverse games in high settings.

It gives an optimal performance, particularly with games that are not much graphically advanced. Yet, it still manages to play recent releases on moderate settings without overheating. To prevent excessive heating, Gigabyte GeForce GT 1030 has an included fan and a heatsink.

This combination operates silently. You can smoothly play your favorite game without hearing any unwanted buzz or sound. Further, it is equipped with AORUS that lets you overclock it with just a single click. The clock works relatively quickly and comes with a base speed of 1468Mhz.

AORUS let you overclock it to 1506Mhz. It operates at an adequate speed to perform optimally and, at the same time, rending the hottest titles. We would recommend this graphics card for relatively lighter games and more for entertainment purposes where it comes economical and as a potent performer.

This graphics card houses the GP108 die founded on the Nvidia Pascal architecture, which packs approximately 1,800 million transistors. The top-notch in-built interface lets you adjust the voltage; clock speediness, fan performance, and power board in real-time, primarily depending on your gaming needs. It perhaps clocks just a little bit slower compared to its bigger desktop-grade sibling.

MSI Gaming GeForce GT 710

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This MSI graphics card is hands down one of the best budget GPUs on this list. It uses a GeForce GT 710 chip so that you can meet the demands of the most serious gamers. Although the 710 chip is an older model and not advanced like recent units, it is still powerful enough to handle many demanding titles at reasonable graphics settings.

The speed of the processor helps this graphics card get the most out of its chip. It comes with a standard 2GB RAM configuration and is enough to play most games without a hitch. In addition to being an inexpensive option, MSI has made the most of reasonably priced components. The GT 710 is one of the best entry-level graphics cards.

Additionally, it is a secondary card to help advanced players improve their systems to a certain extent. The MSI GeForce GT 710 comes with a big leap in capacity over most integrated graphics solutions and is around 10 times faster.

Efficient performance with multiscreen capabilities for up to three HD displays. In addition to games, you can watch movies; edit photos with advanced software, and much more. In addition, it is suitable for small computer cases. I highly recommend it!

XFX RX550

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The RX 550 is the starting point for AMD’s RX series. The graphics card is midpoint on the Polaris structural design. It is specially designed for gamers on a budget. If you want to invest, say $ 300 in a gaming PC that can run games at 1080p, your dream may still come true.

At under $ 100, this card is what a game version needs. XFX RX 550 comes in two versions, which include 2 GB and 4 GB. The latter is moderately luxurious. We don’t recommend going for a 4GB version though, as you can buy a better graphics card at that price, like the RX 560. The 2GB version of this card is perfect for users who want to start gaming at 1080p.

If you don’t mind midrange settings, this GPU is the best choice. The XFX RX 550 does not come with a PCI slot and is then powered from the PCI-Ex16 slot on the motherboard. This will make your PC more efficient and reduce your expenses without requiring a heavy power supply.

You can easily use the board with an inexpensive power supply, although we recommend that you use at least a 400-watt power supply from a master or EVGA cooler. The card operates with a 128-bit memory interface and is equipped with a central clock greater than 1100 MHz. Also, it can be overclocked at higher than 1200MHz.

XFX RX 550 runs almost all recent games at medium settings at 1080p with 30-40 fps. While it is also capable of running games in medium-high settings with over 40 fps like Fortnite and GTA V.

This graphics card is not designed for graphics-intensive games like Mass Effect or The Witcher 3. Nonetheless, it does support average 1080p settings with constant fps of 30+ or ​​even higher. If you’re on a budget, you probably won’t mind playing at 40fps at medium settings.

ZOTAC GeForce GT 730

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The ZOTAC is one of the best graphics cards for gaming under $ 100, and that’s mostly due to its Nvidia chip. The GT 730 was impressive when it launched, and so is it today. It might not be able to handle the latest titles at the highest settings, but it does offer a number of advantages over many other inexpensive graphics cards.

It has 4GB of RAM, which is double the amount of all of the previous options we looked at. The extra RAM ensures that the GT 730 will outperform just about every other card on this list in terms of how quickly it can render complex models and images.

The 730 is essentially an upgrade to the MSI 710, but it costs a bit more than the MSI. If you’re a gamer who isn’t afraid to spend a little extra cash, this is one of the best cards you can get at this price, and it sure won’t let you down.

EVGA GeForce GT 740

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EVGA GeForce GT 740 is an improved and advanced version of the GeForce GT 730 graphics card. This graphics card works quite efficiently than the GT 730. This graphics card is equipped with 384 Cuda cores and offers reasonable performance.

The GT 740’s GDDR5 memory comes with a 128-bit memory interface. This results in higher memory bandwidth and possibly improved performance. EVGA GeForce GT 740 focuses on Nvidia’s Kepler architecture, which is a bit older considering the recently released Maxwell and Pascal architectures.

The only downside to this graphics card is that it consumes a little more power compared to the previous version, the GT 720, and requires a 400W power supply. In addition, this graphics card comes with 2 GB and 4 GB of GDDR5 RAM. Again, the 2GB version will cost you less than $ 100 while the 4GB version is relatively expensive.

EVGA GeForce GT 740 comes with a high GPU core and high memory frequencies compared to an average design. It allows you to play games like CS Go or GTA5 in medium or medium-high settings at higher resolutions.

Additionally, the graphics card includes dual DVI and HDMI ports as display connectivity options. In general, if you’re expecting a better performing GPU than the GT 730, you might want to go with the EVGA 740.

ASUS R5230 graphics cards

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The R5230 isn’t a gaming graphics card. While that might put gamers off, that doesn’t mean people looking to create a home theater can’t get a lot of it. It has 1GB of V-RAM and runs quietly, allowing it to play HD video files for long periods of time without overheating or making annoying noise.

It is the perfect card for a computer that will primarily stream videos or play movies. It is also a discrete graphics card. This makes it a viable option for use in a home theater computer, as it can be placed in more discreet cases and you don’t have to clutter your entertainment center with a large PC.

To help you fine-tune its performance for 4K videos and other demanding tasks, the R5230 also comes with Tweak II installed. We don’t recommend this card to gamers at all, but it’s great for setting up a PC for movies, streaming, and other entertainment tasks.

If you are looking for a powerful graphics card to help you enjoy your favorite movies well, this is the card to buy.

ViewMax GeForce GT 740

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When it comes to gaming, the ViewMax GeForce GT 740 is definitely one of the best graphics cards under $ 100. It is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR3 RAM and has a memory clock that runs at 1600Mhz.

It won’t be supplemented with an Nvidia Titan, but it is suitable for beginners who can save money without being limited to older games. ViewMax GeForce GT 740 is equipped with a high-performance multi-core GPU.

Fans are relatively advanced for something that costs even less than $ 100. Plus, it only requires 65 watts of power to run the GPU and cooling system. This means that you will need a 400-watt power supply.

To make the package even more appealing, it comes with all of Nvidia’s performance software as well as lossless audio. The performance software makes it compete with high-end models, making this device a great budget option.

You should definitely trust the ViewMax GeForce GT 740 for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons for its high-quality performance is its NVIDIA chipset which enables exceptional lag-free performance to serve you in the long run.

The admirable 4 GB of RAM is fully compatible with the latest OpenGL and DirectX. In addition, it supports 4K Full Quad HD resolution. In general, the popular graphics card comes with advanced specs, which means the hardware won’t be obsolete anytime soon.

ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition

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The ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition is among the best gaming graphics cards under $ 100, and that is mainly due to the Nvidia chip. The GT 730 is pretty impressive right from the start. It might not be able to handle the latest titles at the highest settings, but it offers several advantages over other cheap graphics cards.

In addition, this graphics card is equipped with 4 GB of RAM, and that is twice as much as the previous models. The extra RAM ensures that the GT 730 outperforms almost all other graphics cards in terms of high speed and reproduction of complex models and images. The ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition is generally an upgrade to the MSI 710 and costs a bit more.

If you don’t mind investing a little more money, this is the best card you can get at this price. You will not be disappointed! With ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition, you can easily get drivers and optimize game settings with just one click using the GeForce experience.

With a selection of NVIDIA innovations such as adaptive vertical sync and FXAA anti-aliasing mode, it’s sure to deliver an experience that will elevate your gaming. Now enjoy all your photos and HD videos with this great graphics card.

Equipped with 2GB of DDR3 RAM, the model offers faster video editing, photo editing, and web browsing than other built-in graphics. The graphics card comes with a low-profile design and is configured with a comprehensive set of features.

The package includes two low-profile brackets for quick integration into HTPC and a small form factor system. Finally, the passive cooling solution enables a quiet computing experience.

How to Choose the Best Graphics Card under $ 100 for Your Needs

In short, cards in this price range may not give you great performance at 1080p, but they should give you decent performance at 900p or 720p. Of course, its performance is highly dependent on the type of game you play, the specific graphics settings you use, and, perhaps more importantly, the specific card you end up buying.

You can also check out our best graphics cards under $ 200 in our guide here. Even though we present our top picks to you, you may still have a lot of questions. So before you “take money out and regret it later,” here are some of the most important things to keep in mind when buying a graphics card under $ 100.

Size

Graphics cards in this price range are fine in most cases. But if you are planning to build a very small computer, go with the smaller ones we have on the list. Specifically, whether it’s the EVGA GeForce GT 1030 or the MSI AMD Radeon R7 240. These cards are small enough to fit into small boxes, even a mini-ITX motherboard.

Cooling

Graphics cards have different cooling solutions. It goes without saying that more fans are more efficient at keeping temperatures down, and because they distribute the exercise evenly, they don’t work as hard.

Well, at least usually. It depends on the capacity of the card, especially its TDP. For reference, TDP is the maximum amount of power the board needs to keep temperatures below the maximum temperature.

On the other hand, single fan cards are noisier because they need more power to keep the temperature low. And even with the fan curve adjusted, it still won’t be as efficient as 2 or 3 fan cards.

Ideally, you’ll want to avoid graphics cards with a fan. But given that this is a graphics card under $ 100, it’s unlikely that you can pick up a card with 3 fans without sacrificing performance.

Required power

The new cards are designed to consume less energy than the old ones. However, that doesn’t change the fact that high-end cards consume more power than mid-range cards. Either way, the graphics card should be paired with a reliable power supply.

Otherwise, you will end up charging today and regret it later. To find out how many watts your card needs, check the card’s TDP (Thermal Design Power), which can be easily found by going to the card’s website.

There are online resources such as PCPARTPICKER that allow you to check both compatibility and theoretical power consumption. While not 100% accurate, it’s worth checking out.

Performance

Take a look at the specifications of the card. It is a general rule that you do your research before purchasing any computer components, not just graphics cards. For graphics cards, you’ll want to check the clock speed, increase the speed, amount, and type of VRAM you have, and compare the results online.

Ideally, you’ll want to choose based on the processor you have available to eliminate bottlenecks. The bottleneck occurs when you pair an older processor with a newer, high-end graphics card (or vice versa). However, if you’re planning to upgrade to a more powerful processor soon, buying the most powerful graphics card you can get in this price range is a no-brainer.

I / O Connectors

Graphics cards have different I / O ports; some support legacy ports, such as VGA, but others do not. As such, it’s critical that you first check the I / O ports on the back of the monitor to make sure you’re getting a card that supports it.

Most graphics cards these days support DP and HDMI ports, so it’s important that you choose a monitor that supports these display inputs if you don’t already have one. Although there are conversion ports for those of you who already have a monitor but don’t have these inputs. And that’s it, the best graphics cards under $ 100 from our own internal testing.

Profile

The enclosures are specially designed to hold a graphics card that fits a certain size range. Be sure to consider the cause before purchasing a graphics card. Some cards are designed to be discreet and will only fit into cases designed to securely hold your small frame.

Note that large graphics cards do not fit into cases designed for low-profile cards. Take the time to measure the graphics card in your case before purchasing a certain card. You can also check the listed dimensions of a card to see if it fits well.

Whatever you do, don’t accidentally drop your graphics card into its case just because you bought one that doesn’t fit properly into the graphics card slot. Besides, it will result in the loss of your precious money.

Motherboard

When you plan to install the graphics card in your system, make sure that the computer’s motherboard has an accessible PCIe x16 slot. If you need multiple GPUs, your PC motherboard should have the essential PCIe slots.

Clock speeds

Clock speed usually comes in two variations. Memory clock speed is the speed at which VRAM can transfer information. On the other hand, the GPU clock speed determines how fast the graphics card cores can process information.

Better to go with the fast clock speeds for the graphics card to work properly. A reliable graphics card below 100 should have a clock that runs at least around 1200Mhz. It’s usually fast enough to process game information. Also, it’s more than enough if you want to watch your favorite Netflix seasons and movies.

V-RAM

VRAM is the specific memory that differs from the main system RAM and is only dedicated to providing the power required by graphics. Each GPU has a dedicated VRAM that is commonly found in today’s graphics cards ranging from 1GB to 16GB.

If you want to play games at higher settings at 1080p, you need to have around 3-4 GB of VRAM on your graphics card. If you go below that, you may need to lower some settings in your games to get good frames per second.

On the other hand, if you are looking for anti-aliasing, a maximum of textures, shadows, etc. for AAA games, you will need at least 6 GB of VRAM for high-end graphics cards. It will cost you over $ 100, however. Currently, no game uses it anymore, except in the case of high resolution like 4K.

Final words

Building a gaming PC to play the latest and greatest games shouldn’t cost you an arm or a leg. We’ve just proven that we’ve found the best graphics cards under 100 years old. While looking for the best graphics card under 100, we made sure to consider compatibility and VRAM.

If you are unsure about choosing the best GPUs without ending up wasting your hard-earned money, you may want to consider our top picks. Also, to make a better decision, you need to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of GPUs.

Remember to break down the above factors and budget GPUs and head towards building the best budget gaming PC.

Originally posted 2021-09-30 13:42:23.