GPUs have gone crazy over the past year, the Silicone shortage, Covid and crypto mining all contributed to insane GPU prices. Nowadays, it’s very hard for entry level gamers to start building their own PCs because of these issues.
Although things have been predicted to die down, we won’t see much of a difference in these exorbitant prices until the end of 2023. Even then, nothing is certain as we have no control over the pandemic and the current state of crypto.
I know most gamers can’t wait to get a hold of a good GPU as they want to build their gaming rigs as soon as possible. Although in these circumstances, being patient and holding on might seem like a good option, as we never know what the future might entail. However, things could get much worse and therefore, it might be a better course of action to get a good GPU, while you can.
Most high-end GPUs are now very expensive, so because of this, entry-level gamers are willing to lower their standards so they could, at least, get started with their first build.
If that is the case, then you might benefit from this list where I’ve collected nine GPUs that have their MSRP under $500. Some may have their actual price less than $500 but some may not. The market is very unstable these days and from the time you’re reading this, the prices might have deviated even further.
And from these nine entries I’ve picked out the most suitable one that makes more sense in these current conditions, but any of these GPUs are good enough to keep you engaged during these trying times. Ignorance is bliss, and with a stable enough GPU, you could enjoy most games without ever having the urge to go outside and punch a bitcoin miner.
Without further ado, let’s hope for the best and prepare for the worst, with our best GPU under $500.
| Award | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Best High-End GPU Under $500 |
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
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| High-End Alternative 1 GPU Under $500 |
AMD RX 5700-XT
|
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| High-End Alternative 2 GPU Under $500 |
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070
|
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| Mid Range 1 GPU Under $500 |
Gigabyte Radeon RX Vega 56 Gaming OC
|
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| Mid Range 2 GPU Under $500 |
MSI Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT
|
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| Low End Alternative GPU Under $500 |
EVGA GeForce GTX 960
|
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| Least Expensive GPU Under $500 |
Nvidia GeForce GTX 770
|
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| Best GPU Under $500 |
MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super
|
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| Best GPU Under $500 Runner Up |
Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500 XT OC
|
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the 200 series was NVIDIA’s first line of GPUs that included Ray Tracing. So, if you want to survive these difficult times and don’t mind shelling out a bit more cash, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 might be right up your alley.
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The RTX 2070 used to be a game-changer back in the day, not because of it’s revolutionary Ray Tracing feature, but because of it’s lower price tag. This is also one of the best GPUs for Ryzen 5 3400G. The MSRP of this GPU is well under $500 and the performance is not that bad, especially considering these modern titles.
The vanilla 2070 has an adequate clock speed with about a 10% decrease in performance with respect to it’s “Super” counterpart. In this vanilla 2070 you could easily run AAA video games with mid-high graphic settings at 1080p (see here for the best GPUs for 1080p 144hz gaming) with no issue, along with some slight forays into 4K territory.
The power consumption on this bad boy isn’t half bad either. It’s not too power consuming as most of the other consecutive high-end entries. So you might have a chance to keep using your old PSU instead of opting for a new one.
It’s also going to be a good opportunity to get started with the Ray Tracing on some of the supported games, although I wouldn’t recommend this for a high-end build, it is a good mid-range alternative that’s cheap enough for a backup build.
Despite being considered an expensive GPU during the time of its release, it is now looking a lot more attractive than most newer GPUs.
Want to join team Red in defeating NVIDIA but, as a more cost-effective rebel? The AMD RX 5700-XT has got you covered. It looks fancy, feels fancy and runs fancy without ever burning a hole in your wallet. A good fit for mid-range gamers and a worthwhile investment for budget builders.
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Slightly slower than the RTX 2070 but more affordable, the RX 5700-XT is a viable option for most mid-range PC builders.
The specs are quite impressive: the clock speed is up to par with most mid-range GPUs, there’s bridgeless Crossfire 2-way support, VR support, a healthy dose of VRAM along with a moderate speed rating on the user benchmarks’ list. This makes it one of the top contenders for an affordable 1440p gaming experience.
For those competitive online multiplayer games that you’ve always played, it will help you transition into a much smoother 144Hz 1080p experience without any issue. It won’t get you into 4K territory but, it will help you rot in your budget setup, a little while longer (at least until things return back to normal).
A reliable old-timer. We are moving down from the 200 series and into the 100 series. For most high-end builders; this GPU might not mean much, but for budget users; this entry is going to be a most welcome respite. Depending on your requirement, the EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 can get the job done, and it can get it done fast. Most of the general gamer-populace doesn’t need fancy reflections and artificially intelligent GPUs when they are going through a pandemic, so this one will be a good choice for them.
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A clean, mean, lean machine; The EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 has the power to keep you going. Although released in the second quarter of 2016, this GPU is still a well received powerhouse. Due to the recent market demand, these GPUs are very highly sought after, just because of their raw performance.
Along with EVGA’s signature ACX 3.0 cooling capabilities, the GTX 1070 has the power to thrive under most common situations with ease, while still allowing some breathing room whenever it runs into a more intense demand.
The low power requirement is a staple of the GPUs during that time and this would help conserve some power in your new PSU. But if you want to push your PSU to it’s limits, then there’s the option for a multi-GPU setup as well. This GPU fully supports NVIDIA SLI with HB bridge support. So, if you happen to run across two of these, win-win-win. (The important difference is, we all win, me too)
Another intermediate entry, The GIGABYTE Radeon RX Vega 56 Gaming OC is a contemporary high-end GPU released in the second quarter of 2017. During that time, it was considered the ‘weakest’ of all the Vega series GPUs; but it’s not the weakest link in this list. A good recommendation for the mid-range builders of today and the budget-range builders of tomorrow.
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Another good recommendation to the list, especially if you’re one of the rebels on team Red. The RX Vega 56 is a worthwhile contender to the GTX 1070. Released alongside it’s more powerful cousin the RX Vega 64, (which is ~15% more powerful) this GPU could be better, but it was more than enough for video games released in 2017 and 2018.
The card was built to compete against the GTX 1070, the specs to attempt this, was a 1471 MHz boost clock, VR support and AMD FreeSync Technology. This card could barely make it up to 4K and that’s about the limits on this GPU.
The HBM2 memory interface was a welcome change though. AMD introduced this new VRAM interface along with these Vega 56 and Vega 64 cards. Although it wasn’t able to take over GDDR6, it was a welcome addition and AMD touted this feature as something that would provide a significant difference. For the most part it did, but NVIDIA’s GTX 1070 was still stealing the show.
This GPU is a cheaper alternative to it’s RX Vega 64, with only a slight decrease in performance. However, the Vega 56 will easily get the job done on 1440p in a much affordable manner. For most gamers, it will be enough.
The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is a powerful mid-range GPU that's capable of delivering a reasonable 1080p experience. It’s a pretty recent entry, and although it doesn’t have the high capability of keeping up with it’s competitor at the time, the RTX 3080-Ti, this GPU will get you through most of your gaming sessions in a much more power-efficient manner.
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More fuel to the mid-range fire. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT by MSI is a good mid-range option for most gamers. The new RDNA 2 architecture was one of it’s key selling points despite falling on deaf ears.
The design is very compact and it’s hard to believe that such a small housing consists of a powerful mid-range GPU that’s capable of going toe-to-toe against the RTX 3060.
Although the RTX 3060 managed to maintain a higher market share before and after the release of this GPU, it is slightly slower than the RX 6600XT. (by only 5%)
Because of it’s more recent release, the RX 6600XT had more graphical processing features than its competitor. It’s only been released three months ago and we have yet to see this GPU fully mature.
The performance so far has been amazing. This card was built for 1080p gaming and most online multiplayer games like: Rainbow six siege, Valorant and CS:GO could easily reach 144Hz at 1080p. (Even 244Hz, depending on the graphics) Therefore, this GPU could easily help you get that extra edge you’ve always needed.
An unlikely budget entry, the GTX 960 is what many gamers would consider to be a true budget GPU. It doesn’t have the most amazing specs but it does the best it can, especially in these times of great distress. A true budget option for a more desperate crowd of entry-level gamers.
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I’m very tempted to recommend this as the best GPU. It’s MSRP and the current prices are well below $500, making it the perfect fit for an entry level gamer that’s caught in the middle of this GPU shortage. I’d buy this GPU in a heartbeat, if I was in a similar situation.
Most gamers wouldn’t refer to this as a budget GPU, the bar is set so low for this GPU, that most won’t even consider it as a viable option as you won’t be able to game at resolutions higher than 1080p with high settings.
These cards are almost obsolete and there is no VR support, no 4K resolution and no multi-GPU configurations from this card. It’s overall performance is very low than the other GPUs on the 900 series line such as the GTX 970 and 980. However, this 960 has a really low price, which offers a substantial price to performance ratio. For a quick fix: I’d recommend it.
It’s the end of the line Carl, aw shucks! Here we go again. We are going back to 2013, where we played GTA V and Farcry 3. A peaceful time, before the world started descending into chaos, a time where people used to go outside to parties and restaurants without a mask and a time where Ubisoft and Rockstar games made art, instead of money grabbing programs.
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An age-old classic, it is still very reliable and would get you through most video games at 1080p. (Cyberpunk 2077 runs 40+ FPS at 720p low and 30+ FPS at 1080p low) If you are truly desperate to start playing video games, then I guess there’s no harm done in getting a GTX 770, especially until things die down.
The specs are pretty low by today’s standards and you won’t get a lot of difference in clock speeds even after overclocking. The 2GB VRAM is such a meagre amount and you could hardly categorize this GPU as a “budget” option. If you already have one of these, I’d highly suggest upgrading to an RX 5500 XT or better, just like my friend did.
A cool GPU for a not-so-cool circumstance. The GeForce GTX 1660 Super is a good low-mid range option that’s guaranteed to get your feet wet with PC building. It will keep you hooked long enough, until you get a more high-end option or until you retire from the land of the living. So, for budget gamers going through the hardships of the pandemic: I highly recommend this GPU.
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The GeForce GTX 1660 Super by MSI is an option that makes sense, it just feels right and the math speaks for itself. This is a fairly recent GPU that’s been able to hold on to a significant chunk of the market. It provides a good value for money (which is a very rare trait to find, especially during these days) and this is a perfect fit for most budget gamers.
Performance specs aside, I want to take a second to talk about the overall aesthetic of the MSI GTX 1660 Super. It’s dual fan design is amazing and spurs along very silently. This MSI rendition is very silent and very cool. Cool as in both looks and thermal performance.
The 1660 Super is much faster than the vanilla version, (by almost 20%) and this super comes close to the 1660-Ti as well. The lower VRAM might not be very tempting to most workstation applications, but it is very reliable for raw gaming at 1080p, along with some brief skirmishes into 4K territory. Unfortunately, no Ray Tracing and mention of SLI. (most consumers of this card won’t worry about that anyway)
Looking for a cheap GPU that’s under team Red? The Gigabyte Radeon RX 5500 XT is a great addition to your budget gaming build. The specs are decent enough to run most AAA games at 1080p, but the performance is 25% lower than the GTX 1660 Super. If you’ve exhausted your options or just want to showcase your dedication to AMD, this is a GPU that you should consider.
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The RX 5500 XT was released as a competitor for the GTX 1650 Super, making it another viable budget option for gamers of team red. For a smooth 1080p experience, this card will be more than enough.
The specs are not too bad: with a 1845 MHz boost clock and 4GB of VRAM, (with an option to get the 8GB version as well) you could play AAA games like Horizon Zero Dawn at 60+ FPS at 1080p low settings. One of my friends recently upgraded to this card from his old GTX 770 and he has “no ragrets”. So for budget gamers in that exact situation, this sort of an upgrade would make a lot of sense, especially if you are short on coins.
It’s been harder than ever to find a good GPU. The pandemic, silicone shortage and crypto mining situation has created a deficiency in the market causing GPU prices to skyrocket. We’ve gone through a wide range of GPUs, starting from the RTX 2070 to the GTX 770, and with no deviation from the status quo, it seems like most budget level gamers would have to resort to GPUs that are almost half a decade old in order to get started building their first PC. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
You might also be interested in this article that we have about best CPU GPU combination.
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