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Best Graphics Cards For The Money: September 2014

Best Graphics Cards For The Money: September 2014
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August gives you price reductions across the Radeon and GeForce line-ups. We also take a close look at AMD's Mantle graphics API, test PowerColor's new dual Radeon R9 290X and AMD's FirePro W8100, and talk about Nvidia's upcoming Maxwell-based cards.

Detailed graphics card specifications and reviews are great, assuming you have the time to do the research. But at the end of the day, a gamer needs to know what the best graphics card is for their money. So, if you don’t have the time to research the benchmarks, or if you don’t feel confident enough in your ability to pick the right card, then fear not. We've compiled a simple list of the best gaming cards offered in any given price range.

September Updates:

The graphics card introduced since our previous monthly update is AMD'sRadeon R9 285. While memory bandwidth has dropped from 240 GB/s in the Radeon R9 280 to 176 GB/s in the Radeon R9 285 thanks to a reduction to a 256-bit memory interface, there's a lot more to the story. Thanks to another revision of the GCN architecture, the freshly minted Tonga GPU in the Radeon R9 285 has even more tricks up its sleeve than the Hawaii GPU in the Radeon R9 290X, and a new color compression scheme helps the new card make up for what it lacks in raw memory bandwidth. At the end of the day it performs on par with the Radeon R9 280 it's poised to replace, beating it slightly in some benchmarks and losing slightly in others, but it does offer features its predecessor does not: lower power usage, AMD TrueAudio, a revamped 4K-compatible video engine, and bridgeless CrossFire. Then again, from a pure performance standpoint the end-of-lifed Radeon R9 280 offers slightly better bang for the buck at the moment thanks to inventory-clearing prices, so it currently takes our lone recommendation at the £170 price point. You can read more about the new card in our launch article, AMD Radeon R9 285 Review: Tonga and GCN Update 3.0. By the way, that Tonga chip is a bit handicapped in the Radeon R9 285, so we might expect an unleashed version in the future. Radeon R9 285X, anyone?

We have no other cards to announce yet, but unless you've been living under a rock you're sure to have noticed the torrent of rumors regarding Nvidia's next-generation Maxwell-based flagship graphics cards. We recently reported that MSI showed some pictures of its upcoming GeForce GTX 970 from the company's facebook account, and e-tailer PCHub.com has leveraged social media to plainly announce that the GeForce GTX 970 and 980 are coming soon. We'll bring you more info on that story as soon as we can.

The rumor mill has also involved AMD of late, with the possibility of an upcoming Raderon R9 380X card that may come liquid cooled from the factory. Of course, none of these rumors are confirmed, but it does make us look forward to new hardware from the two graphics card giants even more than usual.

On the pricing end of things, we saw high-end Radeon graphics cards get cheaper this month. Most notably there has been a huge drop on the Radeon R9 295X2, bringing it down to around £700 and making this dual-GPU card a particularly compelling buy. Currently priced the same as two separate Radeon R9 290X cards, the 295X2 comes with liquid cooling and takes up only two PCIe slots. The bad news is that AMD suggests this is a temporary reduction, but the company didn't specify how long it will last. Aside from that, the Radeons R9 290X, 280 and 280X all fell slightly in price, too.

The Nvidia lineup has had its share of adjustments, too. The GeForce GTX 780 Ti has gotten cheaper, and at £450 this single-GPU performance crown holder a bit more attractive vs. the cheaper Radeon R9 290X. The GeForce GTX 780 also got cheaper, as did the GeForce GTX 760, and the GeForce GT 750, 740 GDDR5, and 730 DDR3 all dropped by small amounts in the USA.

That's all the news we have on pricing adjustments. You might also be interested in our review of Sapphire's Dual-X Radeon R9 280, which remains a solid product even if it is making its way out of the marketplace. In addition, our power expert Igor Wallossek investigated Dual AMD Radeon R9 295X2 Graphics Cards On A 1000W PSU, with some interesting results.

Some Notes About Our Recommendations

A few simple guidelines to keep in mind when reading this list:

  • This list is for gamers who want to get the most for their money. If you don’t play games, the cards on this list are more expensive than what you really need. We've added a reference page at the end of the column covering integrated graphics processors, which is likely more apropos for home, office, and basic multimedia usage models.
  • Recommendations for multiple video cards, such as two Radeon cards in CrossFire mode or two GeForce cards in SLI, typically require a motherboard that supports CrossFire/SLI and possibly a chassis with plenty of space to install multiple graphics cards. These setups also usually call for a beefier power supply than what a single card needs, and will almost certainly produce more heat than a single card. Keep these factors in mind when making your purchasing decision. In most cases, if we have recommended a multiple-card solution, we try to recommend a single-card honorable mention at a comparable price point for those who find multi-card setups undesirable.
  • Prices and availability change on a daily basis. We can’t base our decisions on always-changing pricing information, but we can list some good cards that you probably won’t regret buying at the price ranges we suggest, along with real-time prices for your reference.
  • The list is based on some of the best U.S./UK prices from online retailers. In other countries or at retail stores, your mileage will almost certainly vary.
  • These are new card prices. No used or open-box cards are in the list. While these offers might represent a good deal, it’s simply outside the scope of what we’re trying to do.
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  • 1 Hide
    James Frost , 18 September 2014 14:10
    While these lists are appreciated, how in hell can Amazon be charging £201.40 for a GeForce GTX 750 Ti? That is an insane rip-off of the first order. That's around £90 too much. Please check your price links!
  • 0 Hide
    dave85uk , 19 September 2014 12:42
    Clicked this link within .co.uk where has the UK version gone and

    New formart is awful is OK, but what really lets it down is I have to read the text to beeline to a grade of GPUs within my budget.

    R9 280X price is not listed either. In the UK anway your splitting hairs between the 770 and the 280X basically the same cost and performance.
  • 0 Hide
    dave85uk , 19 September 2014 12:44
    Clicked this link within .co.uk where has the UK version gone.

    New formart is OK, but what really lets it down is I have to read the text to beeline to a grade of GPUs within my budget, can oyu not put headings again show "Best GPU for £x" again?

    R9 280X price is not listed either. In the UK anway your splitting hairs between the 770 and the 280X basically the same cost and performance.
  • 0 Hide
    DUBMAN , 20 September 2014 02:01
    Haha.. WTF...?

    201.00 GBP Link to Amazon for a REF EVGA GTX 750 ti that costs 126.34 EURO on Amazon.de (Germany)

    http://www.amazon.de/Evga-Geforce-GTX750-TI-Grafikkarte/dp/B00J4UYNNW/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1411173495&sr=8-12&keywords=gtx+750+ti

    NOTE: GBP vs EURO Currency difference means 201 GBP = 255+ euro

    I think you need to change the link to this one for UK = 115 GBP = 146+ euro

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/EVGA-1020MHz-1085MHz-5400MHz-Graphics/dp/B00IGQ4ZHY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BT4Y970MNBT3E6K2CX6

    Pay more than 150 euro inc shipping etc. for this card and you're a fool.

    GL&HF..

    :p 
  • 0 Hide
    DUBMAN , 20 September 2014 02:04
    Haha.. WTF...?

    201.00 GBP Link to Amazon for a REF EVGA GTX 750 ti that costs 126.34 EURO on Amazon.de (Germany)

    http://www.amazon.de/Evga-Geforce-GTX750-TI-Grafikkarte/dp/B00J4UYNNW/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1411173495&sr=8-12&keywords=gtx+750+ti

    NOTE: GBP vs EURO Currency difference means 201 GBP = 255+ euro

    I think you need to change the link to this one for UK = 115 GBP = 146+ euro

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/EVGA-1020MHz-1085MHz-5400MHz-Graphics/dp/B00IGQ4ZHY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BT4Y970MNBT3E6K2CX6

    Pay more than 150 euro inc shipping etc. for this card and you're a fool.

    GL&HF..

    :p 
  • 0 Hide
    DUBMAN , 20 September 2014 02:12
    Haha.. WTF...?

    201.00 GBP Link to Amazon for a REF EVGA GTX 750 ti that costs 126.34 EURO on Amazon.de (Germany)

    http://www.amazon.de/Evga-Geforce-GTX750-TI-Grafikkarte/dp/B00J4UYNNW/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1411173495&sr=8-12&keywords=gtx+750+ti

    NOTE: GBP vs EURO Currency difference means 201 GBP = 255+ euro

    I think you need to change the link to this one for UK = 115 GBP = 146+ euro

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/EVGA-1020MHz-1085MHz-5400MHz-Graphics/dp/B00IGQ4ZHY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BT4Y970MNBT3E6K2CX6

    Pay more than 150 euro inc shipping etc. for this card and you're a fool.

    GL&HF..

    :p 
  • 0 Hide
    DUBMAN , 20 September 2014 02:26
    IDK how that last comment was duplicated 2 extra times..

    I hit back in the browser after registration and refresh but not "Add Your Coment" and I can't delete which is a shame, maybe the forum is bugged?

  • 0 Hide
    lorribot , 21 September 2014 16:50
    Any chance you could add seperate columns for Mobile and integrated solutions and also add a few more of the recent chips in as they seem to be quite a few missing, not least all the current integrated AMD stuff.
  • 0 Hide
    tsuneo6 , 22 September 2014 01:08
    waw, should have waite with this list for a bit with the 970/980 comming out, there wouldnt be a 780ti and 290x in the list!
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