Key Takeaways:
- Used RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6800 XT offer tremendous value under $400
- New RTX 4060 and RX 7600 decent for latest features and architecture
- Intel Arc A770 stands out with 16GB VRAM
- Target smooth 1080p, playable 1440p gaming
When building or upgrading your gaming PC, picking the right graphics card can be tricky, especially if you’re on a budget. Getting the best bang for your buck is key to stretch those hard-earned dollars. I’ve built my fair share of rigs over the years, so let me walk you through some of the top options to consider in the $350-$400 price range as of 2024.
Used Cards Offer Excellent Value
If you don’t mind going the used route, you can score some serious horsepower for under 400 bucks. Nvidia’s RTX 3060 Ti and AMD’s Radeon RX 6800 regularly pop up on the secondhand market, sometimes even with warranty intact.
I managed to grab an EVGA RTX 3060 Ti off eBay for $380 recently. It had barely been used and worked like a charm. The 8GB of GDDR6 memory and beefy GPU encore provide killer 1080p performance and very playable 1440p frames too.
Scoring an RX 6800 for around $400 would be hitting the jackpot. This bad boy rivals the RTX 3070 with its 12GB VRAM buffer. Expect buttery smooth gaming, even in demanding titles. The best part is these used cards totally crush newer budget cards that cost more.
Just be sure to vet seller feedback and details carefully when buying used. But landing one of these gems will give your rig some serious muscle for less.
Latest Gen Cards – Middling Value
If you wanna rep team red or green with the latest RDNA 3 or Ada Lovelace graphics cards, the RX 7600 and RTX 4060 are around the $400 mark for brand new units.
AMD’s 7600 packs a respectable punch for 1080p gaming with its 8GB memory and revved up clock speeds from the new architecture. It’ll run laps around the previous gen 6600 XT. Plus it sips way less power – handy if you’re still rocking a 550W power supply.
Nvidia’s RTX 4060 may seem a bit light on VRAM at just 8GB, but features like DLSS 3.0, 5th gen Tensor and RT cores offset this. You’ll fly through 1080p and many 1440p titles thanks to frame generation and upscaling tech. The 4060 also brings AV1 encoding for streaming and efficiency gains from Ada Lovelace cores.
Ultimately though, these new-gen cards can’t quite match the absurd value that used flagships like the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6800 provide. But if buying new for the latest architectures and features, they’re certainly not bad options.
The 16GB Intel Arc Contender
Finally, Intel crashing the dedicated GPU party with their Arc graphics cards has made things interesting in this price bracket. The Arc A770 is a standout here, packing a whopping 16GB of GDDR6 memory. This trounces Nvidia and AMD cards with only 8GB buffers.
Having that huge frame buffer allows the A770 to punch above its weight class for high resolution gaming. We’re talking smooth 4K potential if you don’t mind tweaking some settings. The card also chews through creative workloads like video editing and 3D modeling.
Now Arc and its drivers are still kinda fresh off the press, so some more optimization wouldn’t hurt. But assuming the drivers mature nicely, scoring an A770 under $400 would make for a productivity and rendering beast thanks to Intel cramming it full of encoding hardware.
Ideal Resolution Targets
Given their specs and pricing, used flagship cards like the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6800 are best suited for flawless 1080p gaming and very playable 1440p. You’ll enjoy buttery smooth frame rates even in demanding titles with graphics maxed out. Makes me drool just thinking about it!
Newer budget cards like the 4060 and 7600 do admirably at 1080p, but can struggle a bit more driving higher 1440p resolutions in the latest games. Their 8GB buffers see them tapping out quicker compared to 12GB used flagships when textures and assets get dense.
Meanwhile the 16GB A770 has the VRAM muscle for solid 1440p and entry-level 4K provided the drivers and optimization is up to snuff. Fingers crossed Intel gets Arc to its full potential sooner than later!
Features to Keep in Mind
I’ll be upfront in saying raw performance for your dollar is paramount in this budget category. But that doesn’t mean features don’t matter! Having support for technologies like raytracing and upscaling helps boost visuals and FPS.
Nvidia’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR 2.0 give your chosen card a nice performance kick in supported titles – handy when chasing higher resolutions. These machine-learning algorithms smooth out frame rates without the big resource hit of brute-force rendering.
Meanwhile, real-time raytracing creates more realistic and immersive lighting, shadows and reflections by simulating the physical behaviour of light. Performance takes a sizable hit though, so lean on upscaling tech to counter this.
Encoder hardware found in NVENC and AMD AMF is beneficial too for streaming your slick game sessions to adoring fans. Intel’s media engine in Arc has tonnes of hardware for encoding/decoding also.
And don’t gloss over the card’s size, noise or outputs either. You’ll want sufficient ports for your monitor setup, plus the card being a thicc boi could limit your case options. Research thoroughly if going pre-owned!
Avoid Old Gen Cards
It can be tempting to save a few more bucks by looking at previous generation cards like the GTX 1060 6GB or RX 590. But unless you find an absolute steal under $300, I suggest avoiding older gen cards these days.
Modern titles demand more graphical horsepower, and new architectures like Ampere and RDNA 2 leave old Pascal and GCN in the dust efficiency-wise. Plus you’ll miss out on the latest rendering, lighting and upscaling tech that really elevates gaming visuals. Simply put, today’s games favor today’s GPU architectures.
Wrapping Up
Whew, that ended up being way more info than planned! But when that upgrade itch strikes, arm yourself with knowledge before swiping the credit card. There are fantastic options under $400 in 2024 – you just need to weigh up new vs used, raw performance vs features, etc.
I’m hopeful this overview helps you narrow down what’s best for your particular rig and usage. Let me know which card you end up going with or if you have any other questions down below!
Happy gaming 🙂
FAQ
What is the best used graphics card for under $400?
The RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6800 (XT) offer tremendous performance for under $400 on the used market. When bought secondhand, these cards often outpace newer budget cards that cost more. Just be sure to vet details carefully when buying used.
Should I buy a new budget card like the RTX 4060 or RX 7600?
The 4060 and 7600 are good mainstream options if you want the latest architecture and features. Performance is solid for 1080p gaming, but can struggle at higher 1440p resolutions compared to used flagships. They also sip less power and tend to run quieter than previous gen cards.
Is Intel Arc worth considering in this budget range?
The Arc A770 is notable for packing 16GB of VRAM for under $400 which helps significantly with high resolution gaming. Performance is competitive with Nvidia and AMD too. Just keep in mind Arc drivers are still maturing so optimization has room for improvement.
What resolution should I target with a sub-$400 card?
Used flagship cards like the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6800 are great for smooth 1080p and very playable 1440p gaming. Newer budget cards excel at 1080p but can struggle to maintain high fps at 1440p in demanding titles. The 16GB A770 has potential for entry level 4K if drivers improve.
Should I consider older generation cards to save money?
Avoid older gen cards unless you find an exceptional discount under $300. Previous architectures like Pascal and GCN are much less efficient than today’s GPUs. Modern games also leverage new tech for better visuals that old cards lack, so best to stick to current or last gen.
