This is currently an exciting but altogether terrible time to be shopping around for a new graphics card. The shortages of the vaunted RTX 3080 and its AMD counterpart have caused PC builders and scalpers alike to gobble up nearly all available stock of graphics cards. Those that are actually available are subject to massive price hikes. If you absolutely need new graphics cards we’ve collected a handful of models you can still grab through online retailers.
If you’re looking for more ways to get the most out of your new graphics card, make sure to take a look at our desktop video card buyers guide as well as our roundup of the best graphics cards to make sure you’re making the right choice when it comes to your new investment.
ASUS GeForce GTX 1660 Super ($460)
If you’re in the market for uncompromising 1080p performance from your graphics card, look no further than the 1660 Super. This Modestly sized version from PNY is perfect for any small form factor build with its single fan design, while still retaining decent thermal performance.
The 1660 Super features a total of 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a maximum boost clock speed of 1785MHz making it ideal for providing excellent framerates at lower resolutions. While it will struggle to render at higher resolutions, the 1660 Super is easily the star of Nvidia’’s 16-series, and arguably superior to the 5500 XT from AMD.
AMD RX 580 ($300)
If you’re content dialing down some of your settings while playing at 1080p and you’re looking for a GPU that’s slightly more budget-friendly, the AMD RX 580 has the right stuff. This graphics card uses older GDDR5 VRAM but still brings 8GB to the table which is more than sufficient for gaming at 1080p with the majority of modern titles at 60 FPS. This older generation card refuses to quit and at just under $200, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a graphics card that performs better at this price point.
Gigabyte GeForce 1660 Ti ($600)
It may offer only marginal performance improvements over the 1660 Super, but this model of the 1660 Ti only runs about $30 more than the Super. If you’re willing to shell out a few extra bucks, the substantial price decrease this GPU has seen since it’s release has made it much easier to recommend. The 1660 Ti offers the same 6GB of DDR6 VRAM as its super counterpart but manages to just barely edge it out in terms of performance. The gains you get over the super aren’t massive, but if you’re already shopping in this price bracket, an extra $30 isn’t going to break the bank, especially if you take advantage of the included $30 mail-in rebate.
AMD 5600 XT ($550)
The AMD 5600XT is easily the most cost-effective option for gaming at 60 FPS in 1440p. While this GPU may struggle to push beyond that, with its 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a boosted clock speed of 162 MHz, this card remains a strong contender for mid-range gaming PCs. The 5600 XT punches well above its weight at $300 and remains an excellent value. This is the card that showed us that AMD has what it takes to compete with team greens GTX series GPUs, with plenty of potential a year after release.
Nvidia RTX 2070 Super ($800)
If you’re getting into UHD gaming, there’s really only one option unless you somehow manage to gets your mits on an elusive RTX 3080, and that’s the Nvidia RTX 2070 Super. This GPU was easily the star of the 20-series with a whopping 8GB of VRAM and a blazing fast 1800 MHz boost clock speed. All this equates to a card that is more than capable of handling games at max settings while playing at 1440p and maintaining well over the 60 FPS ideal. This is by far the most expensive option on our list, but for anyone looking to make 1440 gaming a reality on their gaming setup, the 2070 Super is easily your best option.
