If you are a passionate hardcore gamer and looking for the best graphics card under 500 dollars budget then you have landed at the right place. These graphics cards in the 400 – 500 dollars range are known as high-end graphics cards that can easily handle the latest games at 1080p / 1440p on Ultra settings giving you around 60 fps or more. These cards are also capable of handling games at 4k but you have to trim down some of the in-game graphics settings for it. For the ultimate 4k gaming experience, you have to go with GTX 1080 which costs more than 500 dollars. Here in this post, I am going to list down the best graphics cards under 500 dollars for an enjoyable and smooth gaming experience at maximum graphics settings. If you have a bit lower budget then you can look at these graphics cards under 400 dollars.
Check out: Best High-end Graphics Cards for 1440p & 4k Gaming
Best Graphics Card under 500 dollars from Nvidia
Here are the best video cards under 500 dollars from Nvidia for gaming at 1080p and 1440p.
GeForce GTX 1070
GeForce GTX 1070 is a powerful high-end graphics card that is capable of running any latest game at 1080p on Ultra settings. It can also let you play games on 1440p at very high settings and for 4k you can play on medium-high settings. GTX 1070 is way more powerful than its younger brother GTX 1060 which is a higher mid-range graphics card under 300 dollars.
GeForce GTX 1070 is built on the latest Nvidia Pascal GPU architecture that provides you the best performance without consuming too much power. It completely supports VR, DirectX 12 and offers you the maximum performance in it. GTX 1070 is around twice as powerful as the older GTX 970 graphics card. GTX 1070 comes with 8GB GDDR5 memory having 256-bit interface that results in memory bandwidth of 256GB/s. It has 1920 CUDA Cores which is 640 more than in GTX 1060. It supports SLI, G-Sync, Multiple monitors and requires a good 500 Watt power supply for its working. The reference card does require an 8-pin PCI Express power connector. Here below are the topmost GTX 1070 graphics cards from different manufacturers.
Must Read: Best GeForce GTX 1070 Graphics Cards for 1440p Gaming
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
This is the Founders Edition of GeForce GTX 1070 from EVGA. The term Founders Edition means that this card has the same reference design from Nvidia. The card will have the same size, clock frequencies, heatsink, power consumption, and other technical aspects.
This card is a bit more expensive than the plain GTX 1070 available from different manufacturers including EVGA. EVGA GTX 1070 Founders Edition comes with default frequencies but you can overclock it using EVGA Precision XOC or MSI Afterburner. The base clock here is 1506 MHz and boost clock is 1683 MHz. Below are the major specifications of the GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition. So if you want an original GTX 1070 card then you can buy this one.
| EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 1920 |
| GPU Clock | 1506 / 1683 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 8000 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DisplayPort x 3, HDMI, DVI |
Buy EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
MSI GeForce GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G
A silent and cool GeForce GTX 1070 card from MSI with dual fans and TWIN FROZR VI cooling technology. MSI GeForce GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G is an overclocked version of GTX 1070 and comes with 8GB GDDR5 memory. It has three modes of operation that include Silent Mode, Gaming Mode, and OC mode. The silent mode offers quieter operation and consumes less power. The OC mode offers maximum performance while the gaming mode remains in the intermediate range and provides a great balance between the two. This card requires both 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe power connectors.
It can run games like Witcher 3, Fallout 4, Battlefield 4, Overwatch, DOOM, etc. on maximum settings at 1080p with more than 60 FPS. So if you are looking for the coolest GTX 1070 without compromising any performance then this card is for you.
| MSI GeForce GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 1920 |
| GPU Clock | 1607 / 1797 MHz (OC mode) |
| Memory Clock | 8108 MHz (OC mode) |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DisplayPort x 3, HDMI, DVI |
Buy MSI GeForce GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0
This is a non-reference GTX 1070 card from EVGA. It is a Superclocked (SC) Gaming version of the card that comes with a higher GPU core clock. The card comes with dual fans and ACX 3.0 cooling technology for a longer lifespan and to keep the temperature well under control. This card can kill any game at maximum settings on 1440p. The card is a beast and provides thrilling performance in games. It also priced a bit cheaper than the GTX 1070 reference model.
| EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Specifications |
|
| CUDA Cores | 1920 |
| GPU Clock | 1594 / 1784 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 8008 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DVI, DisplayPort x 3, HDMI |
Buy EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0
ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 8GB ROG STRIX OC Edition
An overclocked (OC) version of GTX 1070 from Asus. This is really a big card and it comes with triple fan design. It has the best GPU core clock frequencies of all the GTX 1070 cards mentioned here. Like all the other ROG STRIX edition graphics cards from Asus, this card too comes with features like DirectCU III with Patented Wing-Blade Fans, Auto-Extreme Technology with Super Alloy Power II, Aura RGB Lighting, etc.
The only thing you should be careful about buying this card is that you should have a big enough cabinet to fit this card in. The performance of this card is no doubt amazing and you can enjoy almost all games on Ultra settings at 1440p @ 60+ fps. This card requires one 8-pin PCI-E power connector for working.
| ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 8GB ROG STRIX OC Edition Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 1920 |
| GPU Clock | 1657 / 1860 MHz (OC) |
| Memory Clock | 8008 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DVI, HDMI x 2, DisplayPort x 2 |
Buy ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 8GB ROG STRIX OC Edition
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming 8GB GDDR5
A high-performance GeForce GTX 1070 from Gigabyte. It has triple fan design and WINDFORCE 3X cooling system keeps the card temperature well in check even at full load. The card is decently overclocked by the Gigabyte and you can play all the games at maximum settings on 2k resolution. It supports up to 8K display @60Hz and fancy RGB lighting. It is a bit expensive than the other GTX 1070 card mentioned here but it does make up for that by delivering breathtaking performance.
| Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 1920 |
| GPU Clock | 1620 / 1822 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 8008 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort x 3 |
Buy Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming
Zotac GeForce GTX 1070 AMP Extreme 8GB GDDR5
A highly overclocked version of the GTX 1070 graphics card from Zotac. Zotac GeForce GTX 1070 AMP Extreme comes with 8GB GDDR5 memory and three fans cooling design. This is really a big card and you should have a big enough case for accommodating it. It requires a minimum 500 Watt power supply for its working.
The performance of this card is top-notch and can run all the latest gaming titles at 1440p @ 60fps on maximum graphics settings. The only downside of this card is its size. It is non-arguably one of the best GTX 1070 cards around.
| Zotac GeForce GTX 1070 AMP Extreme Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 1920 |
| GPU Clock | 1632 / 1835 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 8208 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DisplayPort x 3, HDMI, DVI |
Buy Zotac GeForce GTX 1070 AMP Extreme
MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Ti DUKE 8G
GeForce GTX 1070 Ti is the newest member of the GeForce 10 series graphics cards. The card is based on the Pascal GPU architecture and comes with 2432 CUDA Cores and 8GB GDDR5 Video Memory. This is a more powerful graphics card compared to GeForce GTX 1070 and has performance closer to that of GeForce GTX 1080. On GTX 1070 Ti, you can play the latest AAA games on very high / ultra graphics settings at 1440p and 4K. For 4K resolution, you may have to lower down some advanced graphics settings depending on how resource-hungry or optimized the game is.
Here we have MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Ti DUKE 8G that comes with triple fans for excellent cooling performance. The heatsink of this card consists of copper heatpipes for greater dissipation of heat and thus increasing the cooling performance further. The card also comes with ZeroFrozr technology that completely stops the fans from spinning when the temperature of the card is under 60°C. This makes the card completely silent in operation during low load situations and the fans start again in action when the load rises or the temperature reaches above 60°C. The card also features a metal backplate (for rigidity) and has got Mystic RGB LED lighting. This VR Ready card has got good overclocking potential and you can overclock this card for extra performance using the MSI Afterburner overclocking software. This graphics card requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe power connector and a good 500W PSU for its working. Overall it is a great card that can match the performance of a GTX 1080 at a relatively lower price. Highly Recommended by me.
Must Read: Best GeForce GTX 1070 Ti Graphics Cards for Gaming
| MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Ti DUKE 8G Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 2432 |
| GPU Clock | 1603 / 1683 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 8008 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DisplayPort x 3, HDMI, DVI |
Buy MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Ti DUKE 8G
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 WINDFORCE 8G
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 WINDFORCE 8G is the second most powerful graphics card that you can get at 500 dollars. RTX 2070 is a higher-end graphics card and the third graphics card in the RTX 20 series lineup. The card is built on the Turing GPU architecture and comes with 2304 CUDA cores and 8GB GDDR6 memory with 256-bit interface. Along with CUDA Cores, it also has RT Cores for Real Time Ray Tracing and Tensor Cores for AI / Deep Learning. The card is capable of running the latest games on maximum graphics settings at 1440p and even at 4K with some toned-down graphics settings. It is around 30% faster than GTX 1070 and 7% to 10% faster than GTX 1080 in gaming.
This Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 WINDFORCE 8G card comes with WINDFORCE 3X Cooling System that consists of Heatsink with copper heatpipes and three 80mm unique blade fans, in which the middle fan is an alternate spinning fan to reduce turbulent airflow for achieving better cooling performance. Other features include RGB lighting and metal backplate to give the card extra rigidity and protection.
This is a dual slot card and comes with reference RTX 2070 GPU clock speeds, which is 1410 MHz for Base and 1620 MHz for Boost. However, you can overclock this card to higher frequencies using Gigabyte AORUS Engine overclocking utility and extract more performance out of it. The card requires one 8-pin and 6-pin PCI-E external power connectors and it includes three DisplayPort, one HDMI port and USB Type-C port for display connectivity. A good 550W PSU is recommended for this card.
Read also: Best RTX 2070 cards for 1440p and 4K Gaming
| Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 WINDFORCE 8G Specifications | |
| CUDA Cores | 2304 |
| GPU Clock | 1410 / 1620 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 14000 MHz |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DisplayPort x 3, HDMI x 1, USB Type-C |
Buy Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 WINDFORCE 8G
Best Graphics Card under 500 dollars from AMD
Here are the best graphics cards under 500 dollars from AMD for gaming at 1440p.
Gigabyte Radeon RX VEGA 56 8G
Radeon RX Vega 56 is a mid to high-end graphics card from AMD that is based on the latest Vega GPU architecture from AMD. The card comes with 3584 Stream Processors and 8GB HBM2 memory having 2048-bit interface. This is a very powerful graphics card for 1440p gaming, VR and is one of the best graphics cards for cryptocurrency mining. The main competitors of this card are GeForce GTX 1070 and Geforce GTX 1070 Ti. Radeon RX Vega 56 might be a little faster then the GTX 1070 but falls a bit short on performance if we compare it to GTX 1070 Ti. You can check the comparisons by going to the links given below.
Check out:
- GeForce GTX 1070 vs Radeon RX Vega 56 Comparison
- GeForce GTX 1070 Ti vs Radeon RX Vega 56 Comparison
Here we have got Radeon RX Vega 56 from Gigabyte which comes with the traditional Radeon heatsink with a blower type fan. It supports FreeSync 2 and CrossFire / mGPU multi-GPU setup. The card has relatively greater power consumption as it requires two 8-pin PCIe power connectors and a 650W PSU for its working.
| Gigabyte Radeon RX VEGA 56 8G Specifications | |
| Stream Processors | 3584 |
| GPU Clock | 1156 / 1471 MHz |
| Memory Clock | 1.6 Gbps |
| Memory Size | 8GB HBM2 |
| Memory Interface | 2048-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 3.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 |
| Output Ports | DP x 3, HDMI x 2 |
Buy Gigabyte Radeon RX VEGA 56 8G
XFX Radeon RX 5700 XT
[Best Performance in this Price range]
Radeon RX 5700 XT is the most powerful card in this list and is probably the best sub 500-dollar graphics card that you can get for gaming or professional work. This is the top-end card in the Radeon RX 5000 series from AMD. The card is built using the Navi and RDNA GPU architecture on 7nm FinFET manufacturing process. It comes with 2506 Stream Processors and 8GB GDDR6 memory with 256-bit bus width. This card is faster than the RTX 2070, and it also costs significantly lesser than it. This card is great for 1440p gaming and you can also play modern-day titles AAA at 4K comfortably by slightly lowering down some of the graphics settings, depending upon the game.
Some of the salient features of this card include FreeSync 2, Radeon Image Sharpening, AMD FidelityFX, PCI-E Express 4.0 support and Radeon VR Ready Premium. The card is cooled down by a blower fan style cooler that is a bit on the louder side. The card has power consumption of 225W and requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe connectors. You will need a decent 600W PSU to run this card. Display connectivity options at the rear include three DisplayPort and one HDMI port.
| XFX Radeon RX 5700 XT Specifications | |
| Stream Processors | 2506 |
| GPU Clock | 1755 MHz Boost |
| Memory Clock | 14 Gbps |
| Memory Size | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Interface | 256-bit |
| Bus Interface | PCI Express 4.0 |
| DirectX | 12 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 |
| Output Ports | DisplayPort x 3, HDMI x 1 |
Final Words
Well, here I have listed down the best graphics cards under 500 dollars for exceptional gaming performance at 1440p resolution on maximum settings. These are very powerful graphics cards and offer the best gaming performance for the money. If you have any queries regarding this then you can ask me by leaving a comment below.
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