Best graphics cards up to 1700 PLN

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 GAMING OC LHR 12G is an extremely popular mid-range graphics card from the NVIDIA Ampere family, replacing the entry-level hits GeForce RTX 1660 and 2060. The accelerator is based on the high-flow Rate GA106 graphics processor with 3584 stream processors, factory overclocking to 1837 MHz and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate.

Unlike most standard RTX 3060 modifications, this model has an expanded memory subsystem - 12 GB of GDDR6 is installed instead of 8 GB, and a 192-bat bus is used for data exchange, which is quite important given how much VRAM requirements have increased in modern games. In fact, in terms of memory, our test RTX 3060 is ahead of even the older GeForce RTX 3080 model, which has 10 GB on board. This allows it to feel much more confident when increasing the gaming resolution from 1080p to 1440p. Although the number of frames per second in the corner Cyberpunk 2077 and RDR2 will drop somewhere from 70 to 45 FPS, the gaming will not crash, and the gameplay will remain relatively smooth and comfortable. If it drops more, you can always turn on DLSS.

The increase in memory volumes has led to an increase in the printed circuit board, so instead of a standard cooling system with a pair of fans, we have an advanced version of the Windforce cooling system with three fans, a massive radiator and a pack of heat-conducting pipes, which is more common to see in older modifications of Gigabyte video cards. The video card looks monumental - a cast casing, a strong frame and a wide backplate give it the necessary rigidity - but its length is almost 30 cm, so some free space will be required in the case.

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4060 WINDFORCE OC 8G is an optimal (note: according to NVIDIA) mid-range graphics card for owners of 2K monitors. It is a direct replacement for previous generation GPUs such as the GTX 1660, RTX 2060 and RTX 3060 with a more modern GPU and memory, as well as a pumped-up auxiliary unit for ray tracing and the DLSS 3.0 artificial scaling system. NVIDIA places special emphasis on the latter, since DLSS can now not only dynamically change the resolution, increasing FPS, but also generate full-fledged gaming frames, which sounds impressive, to say the least.

The RTX 4060 demonstrates excellent flow Rate in most modern AAA games released in 2020-2023, delivering 70 to 100 FPS at high/maximum graphics settings in Elden Ring, GOW Ragnarok, Baldur's Gate 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty. The increase in gaming flow Rate compared to its predecessor, the RTX 3060, ranges from 15% to 20% depending on the resolution. Add DLSS to this and you get a very interesting option for gaming at 1440p. It's a pity that the video memory is only 8 GB. At the same time, the power consumption of the Ada Lovelace GPU has decreased significantly: the RTX 4060 consumes about 115-120 W at peak load, so the user will not need to overpay for an expensive and powerful power supply, a completely ordinary model with a power of 450-500 W will suffice.

As for the Gigabyte version, it is a model quite typical for the Windforce series with a pair of active fans, a fairly large radiator, composite copper heat pipes and a minimum of attachments like the Aorus series cards. The core is slightly overclocked to 2475 MHz, which gives a very small increase in speed compared to the reference sample. At the same time, the length of the card is a limited 19 cm, taking up 2 slots on the motherboard, which makes it an interesting option for installation in compact gaming and work PCs.

The INNO3D GeForce RTX 4060 TWIN X2 OC graphics card supports modern technologies for processing and improving video sequences. It is built on the basis of the RTX 4060 GPU from NVidia with the Ada Lovelace architecture, which uses fourth-generation tensor cores. They allow the implementation of self-learning algorithms for optimizing graphics directly during gaming. The user can get a significant increase in FPS in games, render videos faster, create colorful streams of their playthroughs and enjoy the possibilities of virtual reality. Another advantage is the third-generation RT cores, with the help of which ray tracing mechanisms are implemented. This allows you to display three-dimensional objects with increased realism due to an innovative approach to creating lighting, reflections, shadows and borders. Most modern games will run without problems in 1440p resolution.

The graphics processor stands out with its low 5 nm process technology, which makes it not only efficient but also energy-saving. On average, the model consumes about 120 W, so powerful systems are not required for cooling. There are 2 fans spinning here, and a full-size radiator and two heat pipes are used to transfer heat. The result is a more compact size, quiet operation and the ability to operate in silent mode when there is no load. INNO3D GeForce RTX 4060 TWIN X2 OC requires a 550 W PSU with an additional 8-pin line.

The ASRock Radeon RX 6750 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC graphics card offers optimal flow Rate that can be obtained with a budget of up to PLN 1,700. Despite using the previous generation architecture (RDNA 2), the model is capable of providing comfortable gaming in Full HD and 1440p resolution with maximum quality of effects and detail. It also supports popular technologies - increasing the frequency, upscaling, dynamic lighting improvement. For this, the arsenal includes 12 GB of memory with a frequency of 18000 MHz, a bus with a bandwidth of 192 bits and a good GPU flow Rate of 2623 MHz. The graphics adapter demonstrates good results in tests and confidently outperforms its competitors from NVidia in this price range. You can get a significant increase in flow Rate using CrossFire technology if you have compatible equipment.

The appearance of the ASRock Radeon RX 6750 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC can highlight the design of any gaming build. The top and bottom plates are complemented by branded logos and luminous elements. The central cooler with polychrome LEDs allows you to choose the color of the lighting and synchronize it with other components of the build that support Polychrome SYNC. The board also has a connector for connecting ARGB strips and a separate switch for controlling the backlight.

The graphics card requires a fairly powerful 700W power supply with two additional 8-pin lines and generates a lot of heat under load. To eliminate overheating problems, the Phantom Gaming 3X cooling system has been implemented. It includes 3 fans with a well-thought-out blade geometry, which have special fins and diffusers. They form a vortex flow of directional action. The radiator with a V-shaped fin structure helps to concentrate the air mass in the necessary areas, and the nickel-plated copper plate for contact with the GPU effectively transfers and dissipates heat. In case of idle time, a silent mode of 0 dB is activated. The printed circuit board is made of fiberglass with a special weaving structure and leaves no chance for moisture and short circuits.

The 6000th line of video accelerators from Radeon brought the reds back into the gaming and did not let them drown under the onslaught of "green" ray tracing technologies and DLSS with a built-in frame generation system. In order not to disappear from the gamers' radar in 2022, Radeon released an updated version of the popular RX 6700 XT video accelerator called 6750 XT. The new product is based on the same Navi 22 chip (7 nm, RDNA 2 microarchitecture) and is equipped with the same 12 GB of GDDR6 memory (192-bat bus).

However, due to the acceleration of the core and memory (2638 MHz and 18000 MHz, respectively), the Radeon RX 6750 XT outperforms its predecessor in games by an average of 4 - 5%. In modern games, it is much faster than the previous generation of video cards and can be a good option for upgrading the video subsystem. If we compare it with competitors from the green camp, the first one that comes to mind is the GeForce RTX 3070. Both devices are capable of providing comfortable gameplay in 2023 blockbusters at maximum graphics quality settings and resolutions up to QHD. At the same time, the RTX 3070 costs a little more due to the auxiliary cores for hardware ray tracing. And the Radeon has more video memory according to the classics - 12 GB versus 8 GB.

The Radeon RX 6750 XT is designed for owners of 2K monitors who would like to enjoy maximum graphics settings, while being able to enable ray tracing without being horrified by the number of frames per second dropping to zero. It is also quite possible to play in 4K with it, but here, most likely, you will have to use FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technologies, which is a free analogue of NVIDIA DLSS. If you plan to play in 1080p, then in our opinion its flow Rate is excessive and for these tasks, younger models such as the RX 6600 or RX 6700 will be more than enough.