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Finding a good graphics card for gaming on a budget can be challenging, especially in the Indian market where prices and availability vary significantly. However, with a bit of research, there are still solid options that offer good performance without breaking the bank. Whether you're building a new gaming PC or looking to upgrade, these budget-friendly cards provide the balance of affordability and capability. In this article, we’ve shortlisted some of the best budget graphics cards available in India from NVIDIA and AMD while highlighting what they're are great for along with key specifications, gaming performance, and price-to-performance ratio.
- 1.
The AMD RX 6600 is an excellent mid-range graphics card that offers a robust gaming experience for those on a budget. Built on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, this GPU delivers strong 1080p performance in most modern AAA titles. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and a boost clock of up to 2491 MHz, it strikes a good balance between power consumption and performance. Its 32 compute units and ray tracing capabilities allow gamers to enjoy visually rich titles with acceptable frame rates. While it may struggle with 1440p in the most demanding games, at 1080p, it is more than capable of delivering a smooth experience at high or even ultra settings. The RX 6600 also supports AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution, which can further improve frame rates in supported titles. For gamers on a budget who want a future-proof card, the RX 6600 is an appealing option.
- 2.
The NVIDIA RTX 3050 is a solid choice for gamers looking for affordable entry into the world of ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). Sporting 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, the RTX 3050 can handle modern games at 1080p with respectable performance. With a boost clock of up to 1777 MHz and support for real-time ray tracing, this card brings an impressive level of visual fidelity to budget builds. Its 2560 CUDA cores enable decent rendering performance, and the card benefits from NVIDIA’s suite of optimisations, including DLSS, which can boost frame rates in supported titles without sacrificing image quality. Although it’s not designed for 1440p or 4K gaming, the RTX 3050 is a capable 1080p card that can comfortably run most games at medium to high settings. Its power efficiency and DLSS support make it a good value option for budget-conscious gamers.
- 3.
The AMD RX 6500 XT is a cost-effective graphics card that caters to gamers who want reliable 1080p performance on a tight budget. Featuring 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and built on the RDNA 2 architecture, this GPU provides a good performance uplift compared to older entry-level cards. With a base clock of 2610 MHz and a boost clock of up to 2815 MHz, the RX 6500 XT can handle a variety of modern titles at 1080p with medium to high settings. It does, however, lack certain features, such as hardware video encoding and decoding, and has a limited memory bus of 64-bit, which can affect performance in some demanding titles. That said, for its price point, the RX 6500 XT remains a viable option for casual gamers looking for a no-frills card that can deliver decent performance in popular eSports and single-player games.
- 4.
The NVIDIA GTX 1650 is a popular budget card for gamers seeking affordable 1080p gaming performance. With 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, the GTX 1650 is built on NVIDIA’s Turing architecture and delivers solid performance in eSports titles and older AAA games. While it lacks support for ray tracing and DLSS, its power consumption is very low, making it an excellent choice for smaller builds or systems with limited power supply. The GTX 1650 offers decent performance at medium settings in most modern games, although it may struggle with higher settings in more demanding titles. For budget-conscious gamers who prioritise power efficiency and stable performance at 1080p, the GTX 1650 remains a reliable choice.
- 5.
The NVIDIA GTX 1630 is an entry-level graphics card designed for basic gaming and lightweight workloads. Featuring 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, this card is built on the Turing architecture and offers a modest upgrade over integrated graphics or older low-end GPUs. While it’s not suited for demanding AAA games, it can handle less intensive titles like eSports games and indie titles at 1080p with reasonable frame rates. The GTX 1630 does not support ray tracing or DLSS, but its low power consumption and small form factor make it ideal for compact or older systems. This card is best suited for gamers who primarily play lighter games and don’t require the high performance of mid-range or high-end GPUs.
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The NVIDIA GT 730 is a very basic graphics card meant for users with minimal gaming requirements. With 2GB of GDDR5 memory and a low power draw, this card is aimed at those who need better-than-integrated graphics for tasks like HD video playback, light gaming, or simple photo editing. It is not designed for modern AAA games and will struggle with anything more demanding than casual or older titles. However, its affordability and compatibility with many older systems make it a good option for users upgrading from integrated graphics for non-gaming purposes. The GT 730 also performs well in HTPC setups where low power consumption is a priority.
- 7.
The NVIDIA GT 710 is an ultra-budget graphics card, primarily aimed at users who require basic functionality beyond integrated graphics. With 2GB of DDR3 memory, it is suitable for tasks such as video playback and very light gaming. It lacks the power for modern games but can handle older and less demanding titles at low resolutions. The GT 710’s main selling points are its low cost and low power consumption, making it suitable for older systems that need a minor boost in graphical capability without upgrading other components. This card is ideal for users who don’t game heavily but need better performance than what integrated graphics provide.
