High-end graphics cards are among the most expensive PC components. With prices starting at just under 1,000 euros, they can put a big hole in your budget. But you can get cheaper ones too. The performance for games starts at around 250 euros. Top image quality is available for as little as 500 euros. Only those who want to play on large screens with the highest image quality really need more.
Before we get to the specific recommendations, a little about the technical background. The choice of graphics card (GPU, Graphics Processing Unit) should be based on the resolution and refresh rate of the monitor. A GPU that delivers more image quality than your monitor can display will at best create reserves that you cannot currently use.
Tipp: Installing a GPU is actually easy. When replacing it, you only need to Uninstall the old GPU driver (if available). Then shut down the PC, insert the new GPU into the corresponding expansion slot on the PC motherboard, connect the power supply and turn the PC back on. More about preparation read here.
Graphics card technology: Resolution
The resolution determines how many pixels are displayed on the screen. The higher the resolution, the sharper and more detailed the images are. There are three common resolutions that you should know:
- Full HD (1,920 x 1,080): This resolution is the standard for most games and videos. It offers a good compromise between image quality and performance. FullHD is ideal for monitors that are not too large and ensures a clear image without excessive demands on the GPU.
- WQHD (2,560 x 1,440): This higher resolution delivers sharper images than FullHD and is ideal for larger monitors of around 27 inches or more. If you have a monitor with this resolution, you will need a more powerful GPU to ensure smooth gameplay.
- UHD/4K (3840 x 2160): UHD offers the best image quality and is the highest resolution in our comparison. However, it requires the most powerful GPUs and more memory. A 4K monitor shows amazingly detailed images, but the GPU must be able to support this resolution at a high refresh rate.
GPU technology: refresh rate (FPS)
The refresh rate, measured in frames per second (FPS), indicates how many images the graphics card can generate per second. More FPS ensure smoother gameplay, especially in fast-paced games:
- 30 FPS: This is the minimum for a playable experience, but may result in stuttering.
- 60 FPS: Provides a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience, especially for action games.
- 120 FPS and more: Preferred by ambitious gamers and requires monitors with high refresh rates (e.g. 144 Hz or 240 Hz).
GPU technology: RAM (VRAM)
Your GPU’s VRAM is critical for processing high-resolution textures and maintaining high FPS rates. The higher the resolution and desired FPS, the more VRAM is required:
- 4 – 8GB of VRAM: A good basis for FullHD. Most games should run smoothly and look good.
- 10 – 12 GB of VRAM: Ideal for FullHD and WQHD gaming. Enables higher texture quality even in more demanding games.
- More than 12 GB VRAM: Necessary for 4K gaming, high-end VR and maximum graphics settings in demanding games.
If your GPU does not have enough VRAM, it cannot process the required data quickly enough, resulting in lower FPS and, in the worst case, image stuttering.
GPU-Technik: PCIe-Lanes
You connect the GPU to the motherboard in the PC via the PCIe interface (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express). This has a significant influence on the speed of data transfer between the two components. It is important that both the GPU and the motherboard support the same PCIe standard in order to achieve maximum speed.
PCIe standards and compatibility:
- PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0: PCIe 4.0 is the current generation and offers twice as much bandwidth per lane as PCIe 3.0. This means that a PCIe 4.0 GPU can theoretically transfer data much faster than a PCIe 3.0 GPU.
- Lanes: PCIe lanes are the “data highways” that the graphics processor uses to communicate with the rest of the system. Each lane consists of two pairs of wires, one for sending and one for receiving data. More lanes mean more bandwidth and therefore faster data transfer. The number of lanes (x1, x4, x8, x16) together make up the PCIe connector that is present on the motherboard and the graphics processor.
- Backward compatibility: A PCIe 3.0 GPU can be operated in a PCIe 4.0 slot, but only at the speed of PCIe 3.0. Likewise, a PCIe 4.0 GPU can be operated in a PCIe 3.0 slot, but again only at the speed of PCIe 3.0.
If you are using an older motherboard with PCIe 3.0, a PCIe 3.0 GPU with 16 lanes is often a better choice than a PCIe 4.0 GPU with 8 lanes. After all, the lanes of the actually more powerful PCIe 4.0 GPU in the older system only work at the speed of PCIe 3.0. However, if the older GPU has more lanes, then it is even faster than the newer device.
GPU-Technik: Raytracing
Ray tracing is an advanced graphics technology that enables realistic lighting and shadow effects in games. The GPU simulates how light rays are reflected, refracted and scattered in the real world. This method produces impressive visual effects such as natural reflections and precise shadows.
Ray tracing is a promising technology, but it is not particularly relevant in the price range up to 500 euros. Ray tracing is so computationally intensive that the technology tends to overwhelm cheaper GPUs. Then you have to reduce the resolution and the frame rate drops. Both of these things significantly reduce the display quality. In any case, only around 200 games currently support ray tracing. If your favorite titles are not among them, the complex technology is of no use to you.
For more information on the technical properties of GPUs, see our article “The right graphics card: What do you need to consider?“.
FullHD and WQHD: AMD RX 7600 XT from 320 euros
FullHD with 60 frames per second at maximum details and even WQHD up to about 30 FPS – for this we recommend the AMD RX 7600 XT. Like all RX 7000s, the 7600 XT is a PCIe 4.0 compatible device. Starting at around 320 euros, you get a GPU with a whopping 16 gigabytes of VRAM. An alternative for PCIe 3.0 systems is the slightly more expensive AMD RX 6750 XTwhile it is still available. Its slightly smaller VRAM of 12 gigabytes is more than compensated for by the double number of PCIe lanes in PCIe 3.0 PCs.
WQHD and UHD: AMD RX 7800 XT from 500 euros
UHD/4K gaming starts at almost exactly 500 euros. For this, the best option is currently the AMD RX 7800 XT with 16 gigabytes of VRAM. The RTX 4070 is the closest competitor model from NVIDIA in terms of price, but at 520 euros it exceeds our price range. In addition, it offers a significantly worse price/performance ratio than the – albeit more expensive – RTX 4070 Super (from about 570 euros).
If WQHD with 60 FPS is enough for you, you can save 100 euros and choose the AMD RX 7700 XT with 12 gigabytes. NVIDIA’s alternative is the RTX 4060 TiBe sure to get the version with 16 gigabytes of VRAM, which starts at 430 euros.
Source: www.connect.de
