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7 best graphic cards under 100
Looking for an affordable graphic card that won’t break the bank? Check out our list of the 7 best graphic cards under 100. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a hardcore enthusiast, we’ve got you covered.
The desire to buy a very expensive graphics card is very tempting when it comes to graphics cards. A budget-friendly graphics card can have many of the same great specifications as a high-end graphics card. In this article, we’ll take a look at the best graphics cards under 100.
A graphics card is an important component to consider when choosing a gaming PC. No matter what budget you are working with, you want to make sure that you are choosing a GPU that is of high quality, made by a reputable manufacturer.
Our list of the top graphics cards under $100 has been compiled in this article. This list is based on extensive testing and research, so you can choose from the best options available. The GPU’s architecture, its VRAM, and its brand are all important factors to take into account. Read more on best GPU for gaming laptops
How to Pick the Best Graphics Card Under $100 for Your Needs
In summary, you shouldn’t expect outstanding performance from cards in this price range at 1080p, but you should get decent quality at 900p or 720p. Obviously, the performance of the card is going to depend on the kind of game you’re playing, the graphics settings you’re using, and this is crucially important, as it depends on the actual card you decide to buy. The best graphic cards under $200 can also be found in our guide, which you can find here. Read more on best graphics for gaming PC.
You might still have a lot of questions even though we provided you with our top picks. I would like to take a moment to say that before you hurry out and buy a graphics card under $100 for your PC, here are some things you should keep in mind so that you don’t regret it later. Also related: Best Graphics Cards for 1080p Gaming
Size
These graphics cards fit perfectly into most cases at this price point. We have a list of the smallest computers you can build if you need a really small PC. Specifically, the MSI AMD Radeon R7 240 or the EVGA GeForce GT 1030. There is no problem with these cards fitting into small cases, even mini-ITX motherboards.
Cooling
Various cooling solutions are available for graphics cards. The more fans on a system, the more efficiently they keep the temperature down, because more work is spread out evenly, so they don’t have to work as hard. The downside is that they are noisier… and more expensive.
At least, that’s the case most of the time. The card’s capability, specifically its TDP, will determine the answer. Keeping the card below its maximum temperature requires the maximum amount of power.
A single fan card, on the other hand, uses more energy to keep the temperature low, so it is louder. In the end, even adjusting the fan curve can’t make the card as efficient as one or two fans.
A graphics card with one fan is ideally not something you should buy. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to buy a graphics card with 3 fans without sacrificing performance since this is a roundup of graphics cards under $100.
Read more on best graphics for PC.
Power Requirements
Power consumption on newer cards is lower than on older ones. In spite of this, the fact remains that high-end graphics cards consume a greater amount of power than cards of mid-range specifications.
Irrespective of which graphics card you choose, you must ensure that you have a reliable power supply paired with it. In other words, if you decide to cash out today, you will end up regretting it a year from now. Check the TDP (thermal design power) of your card on the card’s website to find out how much wattage your card needs, so that you will know exactly how much wattage it will need.
It is possible to check a device’s compatibility as well as its theoretical power consumption through online resources such as PCPARTPICKER. The accuracy of this is not 100 percent, but it’s still a good idea to check if you can.
Also related: Best gpu with ryzen 9 5950x
Performance
Check out the specifications of the card. When buying any computer component, regardless of whether it’s a graphics card or not, it’s a good idea to do your homework. You will want to make sure your graphics card has a high clock speed, an incredible turbo speed, a lot of VRAM, and a variety of benchmarks. This is especially important when it comes to graphics cards.
The ideal situation would be to choose a processor that works well with what you already have in order to eliminate bottlenecks. An older processor can be bottlenecked when it is paired with a newer, faster graphics card (or vice versa) which has a higher end. In any case, if you’re going to upgrade to a higher-end processor in the near future, then it would make sense to invest in the most powerful graphics card that you can get your hands on in this price range. Read more on best graphics cards for gaming laptop
I/O Connectors
It varies from graphic card to graphic card whether there are legacy I/O ports, like VGA, or not. In order to make sure the card you get supports the I/O ports at the back of your monitor, you should check them first.
DP and HDMI ports are commonly available on today’s graphics cards, so if you don’t yet have one, you should opt for one that does. For those without these inputs on their monitors, converter ports are available.
So there you have it, our own in-house testing revealed the top graphics cards under 100. Check out our buyer’s guide here for a list of the best graphics cards. Read more on Best 1440p graphics cards
The best best graphic cards under 100
MSI Gaming GeForce GT 710
MSI Gaming GeForce GT 710 Specs
GeForce GT 710 graphics chip from NVidia
The DirectX 12 technology is supported
A 2GB DDR3 video memory
A GPU with a clock rate of 954 MHz is used
800 MHz is the memory clock
The following video formats are available: DVI-D Dual Link, HDMI, and GA
An PCIe 2.0 x16 slot is available
Here is some information about the GT 710 chip
Its Thermal Design Power (TDP) is 19W, so additional power is not required.
A total of 192 shading units are provided
Units for texturing 16
Featuring 2GB GDDR3 GPUs , this GeForce GT 710 2GD3 LP graphics card supports DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.5.
Listed at the end of this post is an easy-to-understand buying guide for those who are unfamiliar with these technical terms.
Its low price bracket makes the MSI GT 710 an excellent option. There are only 2GB of RAM on this device, so you will not be able to play high-end games at a reasonable frame rate with it, because it contains only 2GB of DDR3 RAM. Regardless of this, this should work just fine with games like ‘Life is Beautiful’, Steam titles, and other games that are not graphically intensive. There are a variety of creative tasks that can be carried out with the GT 710. I have tested this software in a few Adobe programs including Illustrator, Animate, Dimensions and then I was pleasantly surprised with how smooth the performance was.
A number of things can be accomplished with this graphics card thanks to MSI’s Afterburner technology. By using this application, you can easily overclock your GPU to its highest speed (read my handy buying guide below for more information on clock speed). The result is a smoother gaming experience since your card can render graphics faster. In addition to monitoring and tweaking the graphics card’s temperature, Afterburner lets you monitor the frame rate and record in-game footage through the Predator add-on. Read more on Best Graphics Cards for Ray Tracing
Pros
Suitable for overclocking
The device comes with heart-monitoring capabilities
Powered by one PCIe slot; no external power supply required
Cons
The 4K resolution is not supported
There is also an option from MSI available with a GeForce GT 710 GPU and 1GB VRAM. In addition, it has a low profile design and is compatible with HDMI output. Compared to the 2GB version, it doesn’t have the same gaming capabilities, but it is ideal for those on a tight budget and who plan to use software like Photoshop and Illustrator.
Read more on Best GPU for esports
Gigabyte GT 1030
There are 1800 stream processors with a core speed of 1265 MHz ( 1290 MHz boost) and 2GB of RAM with a memory speed of 6 Gbps. There are no power connectors on the board and only two outputs – HDMI 2.0b and SL-DVI-D.
With a TDP of 30W, it’s impressively low
The ability to perform better in eSports
Form factor with one slot/low profile
Games using Vulkan perform unsatisfactorily
In addition to its 2GB GDDR5 64-bit memory interface, the Gigabyte GT 1030 provides a lot of performance for $100. Video playback in 4K at 60Hz is supported by HDMI 4K at 60Hz and HTML5 web browsing is supported.
Additionally, it comes with an 80mm fan to ensure adequate cooling when required. Also, the performance at low temperatures is greatly improved by the aluminum base. A gold-plated HDMI port and a DVI-D port let you watch movies in 4K resolution.
XFX RX 550
We always recommend AMD as one of the top 3 gaming hardware manufacturers when it comes to premium quality gaming hardware on a small budget. When it comes to premium performance under $100, they have made some amazing gaming hardware in the past.
A unique feature of the XFX RX 550 is that it is equipped with a AMD RX 550 chipset, which provides outstanding performance. It is not only ideal for building HTPCs (Home Theater PCs), but it is also an exceptional gaming hardware for exceptional performance.
XFX RX 550: PROS
Enhanced performance is ensured by AMD’s RX 550 chipset
DisplayPort, DVI-D Dual Link, and HDMI are included
The ability to play games reliably
XFX RX 550: CONS
Supports only low to mid-profile games
Loud cooling system (fan)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 730
In the world of computer hardware, NVIDIA is always considered to be one of the best computer hardware brands in the world as one of the most recognized brands on the market. It is widely trusted that Nvidia is one of the most reliable names in gaming hardware, from its high-end models to more affordable options.
In spite of the fact that the GT 730 belongs to the older generation of graphics cards introduced by NVIDIA, its performance is still unmatched in the gaming world. Whether you are a pro gamer or a beginner, the NVIDIA GT 730 promises a smooth performance and is ideal for any gamer who is interested in a reliable graphics card that can run large games.
There is no doubt that the NVIDIA GT 730 is capable of running high-end games, but there may be a performance compromise in doing so. Consequently, if you are looking to play mid-range games on this graphics card, it is a good choice.
NVIDIA GEFORCE GT 730: PROS
Ensures DirectX 12 compatibility
This display features a DisplayPort connector, an HDMI connector, and a DVI connector
Four gigabytes of RAM and 384 cores
Resolutions up to FHD are supported
NVIDIA GEFORCE GT 730: CONS
A mid-range game is recommended
The temperature rises quickly
EVGA GeForce GT 740 (Best Premium)
The GeForce GT 740 graphics card from EVGA is an upgraded version of the GeForce GT 730. There is no comparison between GT 730 and this graphics card in terms of performance. 384 Cuda cores are included in this graphics card, which delivers a reasonable performance.
A 128-bit memory interface is present in the GT 740’s GDDR5 memory. Therefore, memory bandwidth will increase and performance will be enhanced. In comparison to the Maxwell and Pascal Architectures which have recently been released, EVGA GeForce GT 740 is based on Nvidia’s Kepler Architecture.
Specifications
There are 384 CUDA cores
The GPU runs at a speed of 1085 MHz
Clock frequency of the memory: 5000 MHz
Two or four gigabytes of GDDR5 memory are available
One hundred eighteen-bit memory interface
Interfaces for buses
3D graphics, DirectX12, OpenGL 4.4, PCI Express 3.0
There are three output ports: DVI-I, DVI-D, and Mini-HDMI
4192 x 2160 is the screen resolution
Advantages:
The quality of the construction is durable
A minimum amount of heat is generated
Consumption of power at an optimal level
This product is very cost-effective
– Drawbacks:
High-end games should not be played on this device
A 128-bit memory interface is present in the GT 740’s GDDR5 memory. Therefore, memory bandwidth will increase and performance will be enhanced. In comparison to the Maxwell and Pascal Architectures which have recently been released, EVGA GeForce GT 740 is based on Nvidia’s Kepler Architecture.
This graphics card has only one slight drawback, which is that it consumes a bit more power than its predecessor, the GT 720, and requires a 400W power supply. Aside from that, this graphics card comes with two types of RAM, 2GB and 4GB GDDR5. Both versions are reasonably priced for the 2GB version, while the 4GB version is somewhat pricey for the 4GB version.
– How It Made To The List?
With a GPU core and memory frequency that are both higher than an average design, the EVGA GeForce GT 740 offers a greater level of performance. This lets you play games like CSGO and GTA5 at higher resolutions on medium or medium-high settings.
Moreover, the graphics card provides dual DVI and HDMI ports, which can be used to connect a display device to the card. As a whole, if you are looking for a GPU that will perform better than GT 730, you could choose EVGA 740, since it has significantly better performance than GT 730.
ZOTAC GeForce GT 1030
This low-profile GPU from ZOTAC is an excellent example of one of many budget-friendly GPUs that fit even the smallest PC cases. Even the smallest ITX case can play some games with the GeForce GT 1030 since only one PCI expansion slot is required on the chassis.
REASONS TO BUY
This is an incredible deal
A single PCI slot is available
RAM with GDDR6 capacity of 2GB
1080p gaming at its best
There isn’t much heat generated by it
REASONS TO AVOID
A high-detail gaming experience is not possible
There is no way you can expect an A-grade performance from a GPU that costs less than $100. The display will even struggle to handle some games at high settings when you use 1080p as your display resolution. A large part of this is due to the low amount of physical processing components and the two gigs of GDDR6 RAM that are included, in comparison to GPUs with more premium components.
As a result of this lack of performance, there is a flipside to that, as well, which is a GPU that runs cooler. The ZOTAC GT 1030 has a little heatsink and fan on the back that do not produce quite a bit of noise, so if you want a quiet PC, this is a great option for you.
ASUS NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 1GB Review
SDRAM with 102MB DDR5
Provides support for DirectX 12
There is a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600
It’s not anything special, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. The one GB card from Asus isn’t anything special. A simple but powerful device for its size, it supports a good range of modern gaming and animation applications. Despite not being the most powerful card on the market for under $100, this is one of the most reliable and high-quality cards you can find.
NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 graphics card from ASUS supports 2K resolution and DirectX 12 with 1GB of DDR5 RAM. The memory card has a PCI-e 2.0 connector, a low-profile form factor, and runs at 5012MHz. It uses a PCI-e 2.0 connector and fits into the smallest of cases.
Three monitors can be connected to this card, and it supports 4K resolution at a maximum speed of 30Hz on the DVI port. You should also download the NVIDIA control app when prompted to do so. You’ll be able to set up your graphics settings and resolutions more easily this way, which will make troubleshooting much easier.
With no frills, strong build quality, and enough performance to handle day-to-day tasks and basic creative tasks, this is the right upgrade for those looking for a basic, solid upgrade.
Pros
Compatibility with 2K
Has a decent track record of running titles that aren’t AAA
For a small price increase, this is a decent all-rounder
Cons
In terms of performance, the price is a bit steep.
Final thoughts on best graphic cards under 100
Now that you know how to pick a graphics card for less than $100, you are well equipped to do so. Your upgraded system will boost your speed, visuals, and (hopefully) productivity, so we’re confident you’ll find at least one that’s perfect for you.
Do let us know if we left out any graphics cards under $100 that you think are absolutely killer, and do let us know if we missed any. We would like to hear if we missed any graphics cards that you think are absolutely killer and that we did not include in this list, as well as if we left anything out.