Graphics Card also known as GPU is one of the most important components be it for a gaming pc or a production pc. Whether you game, stream, edit videos, or use it for VFX or 3D model designing a graphics card is a very vital component of your pc that you are going to use for most of your time. You should never rush while choosing a graphics card for your pc and should carefully consider your processor as having an older processor and a powerful GPU may cause it to bottleneck(where the processor is incapable of handling all the information sent by the graphics card). It ultimately comes down to you to decide which graphics card you are going to buy within your budget but if you require assistance in choosing which one and improving your knowledge then we are here for you. Down below we have prepared a guide through hard research and perseverance of the best Graphics cards a.k.a GPU under $300 and $400. The GPUs we are going to talk about below are Nvidia RTX 2060 and Nvidia GTX 1660 with different variations as made by the manufacturers among which Gigabyte’s 2060 takes the top spot on the list.
Look at these best graphics cards under $300 and $400
Gigabyte Geforce RTX 2060 OC 6 GB DDR6
Gigabyte Geforce RTX 2060 OC has taken the top spot on our list and it has done so with ease. With the release of the new Nvidia 30 series graphic cards lineup, people expected the prices of the 20 series cards to go down but it didn’t happen as the 20 series cards can hold their own against the rivals. The 2060 card has a DDR5 6 Gb worth of Vram. Its base clock speed is 1680 MHz and its max boost clock speed is 1755 MHz. This card is capable of handling gaming up to Ultra 2K resolution with ease and at 1080p resolution, it is capable of live streaming without causing any lags. The 2060 graphics card is rated for a 500W PSU or Power Supply Unit but we recommend you to have a 550W PSU as it has tendencies to pull in more power when under a heavy workload.
- Base Clock Speed – 1680 MHz
- Max Boost Clock Speed – 1755 MHz
- Graphics Processor – RTX 2060
- Memory Size – 6 GB
- Memory Type – 256-Bit GDDR6
- Graphics Capability – Ray Tracing, DirectX 12 API Feature Level 12_1, 4.5 OpenGL
- Rated Power Supply – 500W
- Recommended Power Supply – 550W
- Cooling System – Windforce 2X cooling System with dual 90mm unique blade cooling fans
- Display 1.4 Port – 3
- HDMI 2.0 Port – 1
- Warranty – 3 years from the date of purchase
- 4K Capable – No
- 2K Capable – Yes
ZOTAC Gaming Geforce RTX 2060 AMP 6 GB GDDR6
Next up on our list is the Geforce RTX 2060 AMP edition from ZOTAC. They are known for manufacturing efficient graphics cards at affordable prices and their Gaming Geforce RTX 2060 AMP 6 GB GDDR6 has taken up second place in our list. As you have already guessed from the name it comes with 6 GB of GDDR6 VRAM. It comes with a base clock of 1680 MHz and can get a max boost clock of 1800 MHz. It can handle games running at 4K but not produce a constant 60 FPS average whereas in ultra full HD gaming and 2K gaming, it is capable of doing so. The main reason we did not put the ZOTAC Gaming Geforce RTX 2060 on the top list is that the only thing that this has going for it against Gigabyte’s Geforce RTX 2060 OC is that it is capable of running games at 4K but that too not even at an average 60 FPS. It has got the ZOTAC exclusive Ice Storm 2.0 cooling but it’s not very efficient in the long run whereas this does not occur with Gigabyte’s card. The only advantage it has going for it is that it can fit most systems as it is an 8.3-inch super compact card.
- Base Clock Speed – 1680 MHz
- Max Boost Clock Speed – 1755 MHz
- Graphics Processor – RTX 2060
- Memory Size – 6 GB
- Memory Type – 256-Bit GDDR6
- Graphics Capability – Ray Tracing, DirectX 12 API Feature Level 12_1, 4.5 OpenGL
- Rated Power Supply – 500W
- Recommended Power Supply – 550W
- Cooling System – Ice Storm cooling 2.0
- Display 1.4 Port – 3
- HDMI 2.0 Port – 1
- Warranty – 2 years from the date of purchase
- 4K Capable – Yes
- 2K Capable – Yes
MSI Gaming Geforce GTX 1660 Super 6 GB GDDR6 OC
We have come down to the 10 series of graphics cards for those of you who are willing to spend the amount of $300 and $400 on the graphics card but are running an older-gen processor which u are not currently able to upgrade or a low-wattage PSU. Whichever may be the case may be among the 10 series cards while staying within our budget the MSI Gaming Geforce GTX 1660 Super 6 GB OC steals the spotlight. It has a base clock of 1530 MHz and can be boosted to obtain a max clock speed of 1815 MHz. As you have come to know it is a 10 series card it has Turing architecture but is not capable of ray tracing. It can handle 2K gaming but is not capable of giving a 60 FPS average on the go but it is capable of handling VR games as it is VR-ready.
- Base Clock Speed – 1530 MHz
- Max Boost Clock Speed – 1815 MHz
- Graphics Processor – GTX 1660
- Memory Size – 6 GB
- Memory Type – 192-Bit GDDR6
- Graphics Capability – DirectX 12 API Feature Level 12_1, 4.5 OpenGL
- Rated Power Supply – 450W
- Recommended Power Supply – 500W
- Cooling System – Afterburner Fans
- Display 1.4 Port – 3
- HDMI 2.0 Port – 1
- Warranty – 3 years from the date of purchase
- 4K Capable – No
- 2K Capable – Yes
We conclude that the best GPU in this price bracket is the Gigabyte Geforce RTX 2060 OC 6 GB DDR6 but if you are looking for getting a little bit of a taste of how 4K gaming feels then go for the ZOTAC Gaming Geforce RTX 2060 AMP 6 GB GDDR6. If you have an older setup with an old-generation processor or low-wattage PSU then we recommend you the MSI Gaming Geforce GTX 1660 Super 6 GB GDDR6 OC as it is a 10 series graphics card. Hope we were able to help you choose the GPU that caters to your need also as always don’t forget to comment if you think something should be changed or included.
