Group test: what's the best budget graphics card?

The Top 5 sub-£150 graphics cards

By | PC Advisor |

PC Advisor selects and reviews the best five graphics cards available for less than £150 in the UK right now. Updated 24 April,  2012.

5. Asus Radeon HD 6670

Asus Radeon HD 6670
  • Reviewed on: 19 July 11
  • RRP: £62 inc. VAT
  • Rating: Rated 6 out of 10

The Radeon HD 6670 is AMD’s most budget-friendly GPU we’ve looked at.

4. Sapphire Radeon HD 6770

Sapphire Radeon HD 6770
  • Reviewed on: 16 May 11
  • RRP: £110 inc. VAT
  • Rating: Rated 7 out of 10

The Sapphire Radeon HD 6770 is an improvement over the 5770, but it's marginal – the differences could be gained as much from a new Bios. But that doesn't stop the Sapphire Radeon HD 6770 being a good-value graphics card offering decent performance around £100.

3. Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6790

Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6790
  • Reviewed on: 16 November 11
  • RRP: £100 inc VAT
  • Rating: Rated 8 out of 10

The Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6790 is definitely a step down from the 6850, despite having some very similar technology in certain areas. However, its price tag is also a little less; the £25 price difference still leaves it enough room to mark itself out as a high-value option. If you’re shopping for a graphics card at just below the three-figure mark, the 6790 is currently the card to buy.

2. Club 3D Radeon HD 7750

Club 3D Radeon HD 7750
  • Reviewed on: 20 March 12
  • RRP: £85 inc VAT
  • Rating: Rated 7 out of 10

At around £85, the AMD Radeon HD 7750 is a very affordable card. It's extremely light on power and, when the cooling system has been improved, will even be suitable for home media-centre use. A card like the 6790 will probably offer you slightly more gaming power for not very much more, although on a frame per pound basis, the 7750 remains the best value. Overall, it looks like being a very dependable (if hardly the most exciting) addition to the graphics card market.

1. Sapphire Radeon HD 6850

Sapphire Radeon HD 6850
  • Reviewed on: 17 December 10
  • RRP: £160 inc VAT
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

This is an outstanding card for the money. At worst, it'll cost slightly less than the GTX 460, despite being marginally faster. Should the actual price turn out to be £10-£15 cheaper again, that makes this incredible value. Performance is great, and the features set is at least on a par with that of the GTX 460, bar the 3D support, which may be compensated for by excellent Eyefinity multi-screen options). Unless you're a real game freak, you really don't need to spend more than this.

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Comments

Matt Egan - Editor said: Hi rupert, in our view the 5770 represents better value for money, but if you have the extra £40, the 5870 is a better graphics card (just not £40-worth of better graphics card). I take your point, however, it is a little confusing right now. We'll be updating this chart for November next week.

rupert said: Your headline was "what's the best budget graphics card". On reviewing the 5770, you proceeded to compare it to the 5870 and the fact it was beaten in all the tests. It's like reviewing budget cars and saying the Golf gti beat the Micra in all the tests. I can't see the relevance. As a point of interest, i purchased a Sapphire 5770 today from Dabbs for £99.99 inc of vat & del. Anyway, just my humble opinion, i'm off now to buy some of those nice furry dice to fit in the Micra . That should pi** off all those Gti owners when they're trying to pass me!!!!. All my love Rupert xx.

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