Best GPU under $250 in 2024 – Top graphics cards under 250 dollars

The Intel Arc A750 takes the top spot as the best GPU under $250 and that’s for a number of crucial reasons. Chiefly, the inclusion of 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and a 256-bit memory bus being significantly more than what we typically see from video cards in this price bracket. There’s a total of 3,584 cores built upon the GD2-512 die meaning it’s ideal for 1080p gaming and can perform well enough in 1440p. It’s available for $249 but you can frequently find it around the $200 mark depending on the variant.

Depending on the game in question, you can expect around 60fps or above in 1080p when maxed out. This is the case in titles such as Days Gone, Spider-Man Remastered, Elden Ring, and Red Dead Redemption II according to prominent benchmarking YouTube channel ShadowSeven. However, things greatly improve when factoring in Esports games like Rainbow Six Siege, Apex Legends, and Fortnite, with upwards of 100fps if you are smart with your settings sliders. 8GB VRAM may not excel in 1440p, but it should be possible when utilizing XeSS AI upscaling where possible.

The one thing to be aware of is the performance improvements that you can get by enabling resizable bar (ReBAR) and to do so you’ll need at least a 10th Gen Intel CPU. We’re currently on the 14th Gen, so if you’re running a considerably older chipset then it may be time for an upgrade to one of the best CPUs for gaming.

Just because you’re working with a tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the RTX on action. You may be missing out on Ada architecture, but there’s still a fair amount of life left in the RTX 3050 as it features 8GB GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit memory bus. It’s forged on the GA106 silicon and comes running a total of 2,560 CUDA cores. Make no mistake, it’s geared entirely around 1080p, as it doesn’t quite have enough under the hood for 1440p gaming, but you are benefitting from DLSS and ray tracing here.

That’s right, a sub-$250 GPU is capable of ray tracing, and thanks to DLSS 3.5’s ray reconstruction, you should notice improved performance even on the lowest-end of RTX hardware in 2024. The GPU achieves 1080p60 in many popular games such as God of War, Elden Ring, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 according to ShadowSeven on YouTube. You can expect anywhere from 30-45fps in more demanding software such as Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, and Red Dead Redemption II. Intelligent utilization of DLSS means you may be able to bump these figures, but considering the asking price, this GPU does enough to warrant its place here.

While there’s unfortunately no mainstream RDNA 3 GPU available under $250, this doesn’t apply to the previous-generation hardware. That’s where we find ourselves with the RX 6600, which, despite its age, still holds up well in 1080p. It’s armed with 8GB GDDR6 and a 128-bit memory bus able to play titles targeting 60fps and above. You can find this GPU frequently under the $250 mark, even as low as $200 in 2024, and it’s well worth considering if you want a Team Red card in your rig for less.

According to YouTube benchmarker GameGangsta, the RX 6600 achieves around 1080p 60fps in popular titles such as Grand Theft Auto V, PUBG, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, Red Dead Redemption II, and God of War at ultra settings. Through smart utilization of FSR, however, you can maximize your framerates as is evidenced in games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Dead Space (2023), and The Last of Us: Part 1. What we have is an older video card that’s still able to keep up with today’s games so much as you aren’t concerned with ray tracing.

Even many years after its original introduction, the GTX 1660 Ti continues to be one of the most popular GPUs of all time. This version features 6GB GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit memory bus with a total of 1,536 CUDA cores, which should be enough for 1080p gaming in today’s titles. However, it’s important to remember that you will not have access to DLSS AI upscaling or ray tracing of any kind, so if you’re after this functionality then we recommend opting for the RTX 3050 instead.

You can commonly find the GTX 1660 Ti available under $200 which make it a solid value buy even in 2024. According to ShadowSeven on YouTube, the GPU is able to play the likes of Forza Horizon 5, Elden Ring, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, and Fortnite at 60fps or above in max settings. Things get particularly exciting in Valorant, Overwatch 2, and CS2 with figures pushing upwards of 100fps in Full HD. If you just want a GPU that’s good enough for competitive gaming and aren’t concerned with peak performance then this one is a solid buy all told.