Here is Tech Loot’s list of the top graphics cards in 2017 for die-hard gamers who demand only the best in every category:
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
- AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080
How to Choose the Right Graphics Cards
Before we look at the individual graphics cards it’s important to remember something. It’s going to be different for everyone depending on their needs, which is why we’re going to look at a range of them. It will eventually boil down to a couple of things:
You should have a price in mind – If you have the money available feel free to spend anything you want on a graphics card, but the opposite is true too. If you’re struggling financially at the moment, aim for the minimum one you’ll be able to get away with.
The kind of games you want to play – If you want to experience games at the highest level of performance possible you’ll be forced to spend big bucks. For most gamers, they’ll get away with much less. It comes down to the games you want to play along with what other equipment you have.
The Best Graphics Cards of 2017
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Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 – Best ‘Overall’ Winner
The overall winner for the best graphics card has to be awarded to the Nvidia GeForce GTX 170. This is mainly because it’s a perfect blend of performance and price, which is not always easy to find out there.
You do have the GTX 1060 available for less, but it will give you nowhere near the gaming pleasure. The overclocking you can take advantage of takes everything up to the next level.
It can outperform graphics cards released before it at double the price, plus it will work away extremely quietly and efficiently. Ultra HD games with high frame rates won’t be able to stop it at all.
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AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB – Best ‘Budget’ Winner
While the Radeon RX 470 isn’t the cheapest graphics card on the market, its price is low enough to crown it the best choice for anyone on a budget. You’ll still get great graphics playing Ultra HD games.
There is a 4GB and 8GB option, but if you’re going to choose the latter you’re maybe better buying the RX 480. When it comes to DX patches, which we’ve seen in a few games, it’s going to outperform similar graphics cards like the Nvidia 1060 3GB.
If you’re used to cheaper options you’ll get around a 40 percent increase in performance versus what you would have gotten months ago. The only bad thing you could say about it is that the power efficiency is a bit weak.
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Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 – Best ‘Quality’ Winner
When it comes to overall quality you can’t find anything better than the GTX 1080 at the moment. Right now it’s got the quickest GPU, but we’re not counting the Titan X because it’s more expensive than your computer (and maybe your car).
The only bad thing about this graphics card is the price, which surely says a lot. It’s more efficient than all others and will never let you down. Throw anything at it and you won’t notice any lag time.
Overclocking is possible even if it’s not needed, which will increase performance by roughly 15 percent. It’s been tested in games and in every single one of them the frame rate has increased by around 70 percent.
Honorable Graphics Card Mentions
We’ve picked a winner in each category, but it would be wrong not to include a few honorable mentions. These will improve your gaming experience too.
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Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is one of the cheapest you’ll find if you want to upgrade an old computer without spending much. You’ll get fast frame rates on low-end computers.
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Asus ROG Strix RX 470
Asus ROG Strix RX 470 is good enough to use on any decent game and doesn’t cost a lot. You won’t hear it making much noise, it’s been factory overclocked, and has some unique features.
There is a Lot More Out There
The trouble with graphics cards is trying to distinguish between each one. If they’re at the same price point they usually have only minor differences between them. You’ll be happy with any one you choose, but it would still be wise to pick one of the winners we’ve selected from a large group.
