Best GPUs under $500 in 2024 – our top picks

A $500 budget is not considered high, but with proper research, you can get yourself a GPU that can deliver solid performance in gaming. While you won’t be getting a GPU like the RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX in this budget, there are still some great options that are worth every penny.

You can expect to find graphics cards that offer robust performance, enabling smooth gameplay at 1440p and even dipping into 4K territory with some titles. These GPUs are not just about PC gaming; they’re also well-suited for professionals who require reliable performance for 3D rendering and video editing.

Here at PC Guide, we’ve reviewed a number of GPUs and have tested each one in different games and productivity tools to get an idea of how good they are. Based on that, we’ve selected a few options that we think are the right choice for those have a budget of less than 500 USD.

Products at a glance

How we picked

When picking the best GPUs under 500 USD, we’ve combed through publicly available benchmarks and reviews to understand the landscape. We’ve analyzed real-world performance across a variety of games and creative applications, looking for cards that offer the best balance of power, efficiency, and value.

It’s not just raw speed we’re after; we’re also considering factors such as noise levels, power consumption, and extra features like overclocking potential and software suites that enhance the user experience. Every graphics card in our buying guide has been thoroughly tested in-house, and we recommend reading about how we test components so you can get the lowdown on our decision-making.

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Zotac Gaming RTX 4060 Ti Twin Edge OC

Hands-on Review

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

• GPU: AD106
• CUDA cores: 4,352
• VRAM: 8GB / 16GB GDDR6
• Bandwidth: 288.0 GB/s
• Memory bus width: 128-bit
• Base clock speed: 2310 MHz
• Boost clock speed: 2550 MHz

What We Think

Whether you’re considering the 8GB or 16GB variants, the RTX 4060 Ti excels in 1080p and 1440p with even some light application in 4K, too. Our testing reveals that this video card offers remarkable value for money with framerates at or above the 60fps mark.

Reasons to Buy

• It has an efficient power draw
• Excellent 1080p and 1440p performance
• Versatile performance across various productivity tasks

 

Reasons to Avoid

• It only has a 128-bit memory interface
• Less VRAM than predecessor
• Not great 4K performance

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We went with Team Green’s RTX 4060 Ti for our best pick. Not only is this GPU well under the 500-dollar mark, but during our RTX 4060 Ti review, it had excellent performance at 1080p and 1440p and even managed to push 4K in several titles. 

This GPU managed 86 and 51 FPS and 109 and 80 FPS at 1080p and 1440p in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, respectively. One thing to note is that these tests were done at very high and ultra settings without AI upscaling, so this should give you an idea of how well this card performs.

Regarding its 4K performance, it managed 21, 45, and 47 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and The Finals, respectively. So, we can see that it can run games in 4K, but it’s far from its strong suit, and 1440p is the sweet spot. However, considering it is an entry-level Nvidia 4000 series GPU, it’s impressive that it can churn out 30+ FPS in 4K.

Its impressive performance is courtesy of its hardware. It features 4,352 CUDA cores,  51 TFLOPs of Ray Tracing cores, a base clock of 2.31 GHz, and a boost clock of 2.54 GHz. The CUDA cores are responsible for handling all the heavy lifting in parallel, while the Ray Tracing cores turn the in-game graphics into serene visuals. 

The RTX 4060 Ti comes in two variants, 8GB and 16GB, but both have a 128-bit memory interface. This means the information has enough lanes to travel to and from the GPU for processing, resulting in seamless in-game and professional performance. 

This GPU also makes full use of Nvidia technologies such as Nvidia DLSS, Reflex, Ansel, and more. DLSS uses AI upscaling to generate extra frames, giving your gaming session a smoother and better feel, while Reflex works to reduce the system latency between the CPU and the GPU. So, if there are some challenging titles, enabling DLSS should also allow you to enjoy them. 

According to Nvidia, this GPU has a total graphics power of 160W and a recommended system power of 550W. While these values are perfectly acceptable, the power draw can fluctuate depending on the workload and if you’ve overclocked your GPU. So, we recommend you check out our best PSU for RTX 4060 Ti to ensure your system gets the right amount of power. 

Overall, this GPU is a solid option. It should enable you to play games across various resolutions, and all this performance comes under $500. On top of that, you also get Ray Tracing performance, which is great for story-based games, so if that is something you prefer, the 4060 Ti should be a good fit for you. 

What users say

According to Amazon Reviews, the RTX 4060 Ti is fast, efficient, and works well in games and professional tasks such as machine learning. One reviewer stated: “A pure marvel of technology at a reasonable price.”

Next, we’re moving into the territory of Team Red with the RX 7700 XT. This is a solid mid-range GPU from AMD, and in our RX 7700 XT review, it has great performance at 1440p with ultra settings and even managed decent performance at 4K in some titles. 

This graphics card churned out 255, 210, and 94 FPS in 1080p, 1440p, and 4K in Doom Eternal at Ultra Nightmare without Ray Tracing on, respectively. By enabling Ray Tracing, we saw a drop in FPS, but that is expected. However, in less optimized titles like Cyberpunk 2077, it resulted in 122, 79, and 36 FPS in the same resolutions as above. 

So, this card is capable of pushing 4K, but its performance depends on the optimization of the title, meaning you won’t get consistent results. However, 1080p and 1440p seem to be the sweet spot for this GPU. 

Regarding its specifications, the RX 7700 XT has 3,456 stream processors, 54 Ray accelerators, a game frequency of 2171 MHz, and a boost frequency of 2544 MHz. This means that this hardware is responsible for its impressive mid-range performance. 

You can also overclock the GPU for faster processing, but that comes at the cost of increased thermal output. According to AMD, this GPU’s typical board power is 245W, which will most likely increase due to overclocking. In this case, we recommend using a PC case with good airflow and swapping the case fans for more powerful ones. If you want to explore some options, check out our best airflow PC case and fan guides. 

The RX 7700 XT has 12GB of GDDR6 memory with a 192-bit memory interface. This means that it has enough VRAM to handle demanding games and professional applications without a hitch. You should be able to take your in-game settings to the max without experiencing frame drops. However, remember that turning on Ray Tracing will bring the performance down by a significant bit. 

Overall, this GPU is an excellent option, and AMD itself claims that it is able to deliver great performance at 1440p max settings in various titles like the following:

• Overwatch 2: 208 FPS
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales: 80 FPS (RT Very High)

So, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money but want the latest GPU capable of handling a variety of tasks, the RX 7700 XT shouldn’t disappoint. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this GPU is praised for its ease of installation, great performance, and quiet operation. One reviewer stated: “This card has worked beautifully for everything I’ve tried.” While a negative review claimed that it couldn’t manage 1080p at max settings, we didn’t find anything like that during our testing.

Intel has been a runner in the GPU industry, and while their GPUs might not be as influential as Nvidia’s or AMD’s, they are still worth considering, especially if you’re operating on a budget. In our Intel Arc A770 review, we saw that it has decent performance for the price point, but options from the competition overtake it in some scenarios. 

We compared it to Nvidia’s RTX 4060 Ti and AMD’s RX 7600 XT. It had a relatively low performance at 1080p in Cyberpunk, with 77 FPS compared to the 86 FPS of the other two GPUs. However, in 1440p, it had the lead, with 54 FPS compared to 4060 Ti’s 53 and 7600 XT’s 51 FPS. 

Regarding its 4K performance, the results were below the playable range for all three GPUs, so the Arc A770 wasn’t a special exception. We can see from these tests that 1080p and 1440p resolutions are the targets of this GPU. 

As for its specifications, it has 32 X^e-cores and Ray Tracing units, a graphics clock of 2100 MHz, and a TDP of 225W. The X^e-cores are like Stream Processors or CUDA cores from AMD and Nvidia, respectively, and are designed to handle graphical computations. On top of that, it has a decent TDP of 225W, which should keep its thermal output relatively manageable. 

The Arc A770 has 16GB of GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit memory interface. This is more than the RTX 4060 Ti and should enable you to make use of the additional VRAM across various titles. 

According to Intel, this GPU can support a maximum resolution of 4096 x 2160 at 60Hz, but during our testing, we saw that it had a difficult time pushing above QHD. So, if you have a 4K monitor and are hoping to play 4K games, this GPU might not be the best option. 

Overall, considering that Intel still has a ways to go before competing with long-standing industry giants, this GPU has decent performance, but you can get other options with better performance for a little price hike. 

What users say

At the time of writing, this GPU has a rating of 4.1 out of 5.0, and its reviews praise it for its low thermal output, ease of installation, and great value. One user said: “It punches well above its weight class.” Another reviewer stated: “Overall, for the price it is a good card, and happy with it.”

Our last pick is the RX 7600 XT from AMD. We went with this GPU because, during our RX 7600 XT review, it has top-notch performance at 1080p and even managed to crunch numbers at 1440p in some titles. 

This GPU managed 91 and 67 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Mirage at 1080p and 1440p, respectively. However, in Cyberpunk 2077, the FPS dropped to 86 and 53 and saw an even more dramatic decrease by 24 and 14 FPS with RT turned on at Ultra settings. Looking at these results, we can see that 4K isn’t the domain for this card, and understandably so because it’s an entry-level GPU.   

That said, it managed 221 and 158 FPS at 1080p and 1440p in more optimized titles like Doom Eternal. This means the likelihood of this GPU performing well increases with well-optimized games. 

Regarding its specifications, the RX 7700 XT has 2,048 stream processors, 32 Ray accelerators, a game frequency of 2470 MHz, and a boost frequency of 2755 MHz. What this means is that it has enough hardware to back its entry-level status and should be able to handle some demanding titles as well.  

According to AMD, this GPU’s typical board power is 190W. This power draw is relatively efficient compared to higher-end GPUs, especially considering this is a next-gen GPU. This should also keep its temperature under control. However, if you’re living in a hot region, the ambient temperature will be high, and in that case, we recommend using powerful 140mm PC case fans and the best thermal paste.  

The RX 7600 XT has 16GB of GDDR6 memory with a 128-bit memory interface. It has more VRAM than the 7700XT and the RTX 4060 Ti. With this additional VRAM, you should be able to turn up the in-game settings without worrying about memory limitations. It also has a memory speed of up to 18 Gbps, which should work well with the 128-bit interface to deliver smooth processing in games and productivity tasks. 

Overall, this GPU is an excellent option, and AMD itself claims that it is able to deliver great performance at 1080p max settings with FSR 2 or 3 Quality mode in various titles like the following:

• Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name: 279 FPS
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales: 176 FPS (RT Very High)
• Starfield: 118 (High settings)

So, if you’re on a strict budget but still want to play the latest titles in good quality, the RX 7600 XT should be a good fit, combined with its AI upscaling technologies. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, the RX 7600 XT provides great value and performance and has a good thermal design. One reviewer said: “This card seems to be able to run anything. Great piece of hardware,” while another stated: “I went from having glitches and computer hang ups error only running medium Graphics to now being able to run ultra high quality without any issues.”

While you won’t be able to get a mid-range card under $500 from the latest-gen lineup, you can opt for one from the previous-gen. We’re talking about the RTX 3070, a GPU still going strong despite being around four years old. In our RTX 3070 review, we found it to be a great option for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

To begin with, the RTX 3070 comes with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, which is also found in the RTX 4060 Ti. This much VRAM is enough for most games, but only if you’re playing them at 1080p. For 1440p, you may not be able to hit Ultra settings in some games. Aside from that, there are 5,888 CUDA Cores inside the 3070, paired with a bandwidth of 448 GB/s and a memory bus width of 256-bit.

To learn how capable the RTX 3070 is, we decided to test it in Cyberpunk 2077. This is one of the most demanding games out there, as it requires a powerful GPU to run smoothly. At 1080p, with everything set to Ultra, the card delivered 98 FPS.

We then switched the resolution to 1440p, and the card was still able to achieve more than playable FPS, 62. However, the number dropped to 29 at 4K. However, we were disappointed, considering the card isn’t meant for 4K gaming. For reference, the 4070, RTX 3070’s successor, gave us 108 and 74 FPS at 1080p and 1440p, respectively.

Overall, for an old-gen card, the RTX 3070 still delivers great performance. If there’s a sale going on, you can pick it up for way less than $500.

What users say

According to the reviews on Amazon, the RTX 3070 can run some of the latest titles smoothly at Ultra settings. On top of that, some users are also happy with how cool it stays during gaming.

How to pick the best GPU under $500

Here’s what you need to consider before buying a GPU for under $500. We’ve broken things down based on their performance, compatibility, motherboard clearance, and more to help you make an informed purchasing decision.

Performance

To start with, you need to decide on a resolution – 1080p, 1440p, or 4K and then determine your target framerate. With a $500 budget, you can expect to find GPUs that support 1080p and 1440p resolutions with decent framerates. If you are lucky, you might even find a card that handles entry-level 4K games well.

You can even research GPUs based on games. For instance, you can look for the best GPUs for AAA games or FPS games and then select the ones that meet your requirements the best.

Compatibility

Another important factor that you should consider is compatibility with the processor and the rest of your setup. To avoid bottlenecks, you need to make sure that your CPU works well with the GPU. Plus, the system should also have enough RAM to reach the GPU’s full potential and ensure smooth performance. And you’d also need a compatible PSU that supplies enough power to avoid any disruptions.

GPU clearance

Now, to actually use your GPU, you will need to fit it into the PC case. Most older GPUs are small, but the newer ones, like the NVIDIA RTX 40-series, are bulkier. So, your PC case should be big enough to fit in those cards. Further, the exact dimensions of a graphics card vary. For instance, the original RTX 4060 Ti card is different in size than the Gigabyte one.

Other features

While getting yourself a new GPU, you should also look for the extra features that a GPU offers. For instance, NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace cards offer advanced ray tracing and DLSS. Or AMD offers Smart Access Memory and FSR. These features can significantly boost your gaming performance – so they’re worth looking into.

What can I expect from a GPU under $500?

A GPU under $500 will be best suited to gaming in 1080p and 1440p, and you’ll want to utilize AI upscaling to ensure you are using either Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, or Intel XeSS for higher framerates, but 60fps and above is more than possible natively.

Can I game in 4K on a GPU under $500?

Generally speaking, GPUs under $500 aren’t really able to do 4K to a playable standard even with AI upscaling, at least speaking to newer titles, as older games should have no problem upscaling to 2160p.