The world has been hit by a drastic economic crisis and inflation, and there is almost no hope left for things to go back to normal in terms of their price tags.
Moreover, the chip shortages and better quality silicon issues have also rendered newer graphics cards to be made at lesser prices a tad bit harder.
This turns the situation for gamers far worse than they can consider especially when they are already on a budget and they might want to consider forgetting about their dream to play newer titles of AAA games on bigger resolution displays such as 4k and 2k.
But Fret not, we have got you covered! Because I have spent hours searching for a cheap 4k graphics card that not only won’t break the bank but also has an incredibly price-to-value ratio, I promise!
List of Cheapest 4k Graphics Cards
So here in the following list, we are going to discuss all of them one by one in detail:
1. VisionTek Radeon 7750
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Radeon 7750 Video Memory: 2GB GDDR5 Form Factor: Single Slot Factor (SFF) GPU Cores: 512 Cores Boost Clock: 800 MHz TDP: 55W Max Resolution: 4096 x 2160
Form Factor
The VisionTek Radeon 7750 is an SFF (Small Form Factor) focused graphics card with GCN architecture, specifically designed to provide gamers the best experience possible. The latest technologies ensure that you can game at maximum efficiency and be powered up for any task or application in no time.
Efficiency Level
The Radeon 7750 consumes very little power and offers the best performance with low power consumption. With PCIe Express 3.0 and DirectX 11, it enables you to get even better graphic rendering capabilities than before!
Resolution
AMD’s Radeon 7750 chip enables you to get the most out of this graphics card with AMD Eyefinity technology, which can display 4k resolution at more than two screens while performing with the highest efficiency.
Expert Opinion
This one is considered as one of the best in terms of performance and affordability.
It features advanced technologies that help gamers achieve an immersive experience with scalable geometry architecture, fast frame rates as well as noise removal among other things!
The small form factor and low-profile design mean, it can be used by young people who are on a budget but require quality visuals from their games or working applications.
2. ZOTAC GeForce GT 710 (Cheapest 4k video card)
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: GeForce GT 710 Video Memory: 2GB DDR3 Form Factor: Single Slot Factor (SFF) GPU Cores: 192 CUDA Cores Boost Clock: 1600 MHz TDP: 25W Max Resolution: 4096 x 2160 (only with HDMI)
VRAM & Bitrate
Nvidia GeForce GT 710 is a high-performance graphics card that’s designed specifically for small form factors and budget PCs. It features 2GB DDR3 memory and a 64-bit memory interface which makes it ideal for basic applications like office productivity, casual gaming, and multimedia purposes without any problems.
Resolution
The GPU has some advanced technologies such as 4K resolution support along with NVIDIA CUDA technology to help users get more life out of their system by increasing its efficiency through enhanced performance among other things!
The superior 4K resolution means you can enjoy old games at 1440p or 1080p resolutions without worrying too much about the quality of graphics displayed on your screen.
Design and Dimension
It comes with a low-profile design that helps you save space in your system and doesn’t occupy a lot of room, which is highly suitable for cases that doesn’t have much space to accommodate beefier graphics card.
Directx & OpenGL Support
The best part is that it supports both DirectX 12, and OpenGL 4.5, which means gamers can enjoy playing games with compatibility with current standards along with future updates and enjoy refined optimization.
Expert Opinion
Overall, the Nvidia GeForce GT 710 is a decent option for people who want to play their games at 1080p resolution without spending much.
It’s one of the cheapest 4k graphics card for movies that support 1080p resolution along with great features like CUDA technology, DirectX 12 compatibility, and a good heat-dissipation mechanism without a fan!
3. MSI GTX 1050 TI 2GT LP
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: GTX 1050 2G OC Video Memory: 2GB GDDR5 Form Factor: Low Profile Boost Clock: 1.40 GHz TDP: 75W Max Resolution: 4096 x 2160
The best 4k graphics cards are the ones that give you great features while staying within your budget. MSI GTX 1050 TI is one that can get it done comfortably.
Resolution Factor
It’s best for people who enjoy games at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, though not the best GPU if you game frequently at 4k resolution.
VRAM Bandwidth
The MSI GTX 1050Ti has a huge 2GB GDDR5 memory for an effective and best performance. It comes with an MSI Afterburner overclocking utility and TORX 2.0 fan technology that reduces noise levels while maintaining high airflow rates throughout the system.
Dimension Specifications
The best part about it is its low-profile design which means you don’t have to occupy as much space as other graphics cards would!
Ports
It comes with three output ports, which include 1x DVI-D, 1x HDMI 2.0, and DisplayPort 1.4 to allow you to enjoy the best UHD resolutions and connect to multiple screens without an issue.
Expert Opinion
All in all, the GTX 1050 TI falls under the best budget 4k Graphics card and has everything you need to power your monitor at such lofty resolutions along with decent framerates.
While it’s not designed for those who enjoy playing their games at 4k resolution, gamers who play games frequently at 1440p or below will find this GPU a good choice without busting their budget too!
4. ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Edition
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Video Memory: 4GB GDDR5 GPU Cores: 768 CUDA Cores Boost Clock: 1341 MHz TDP: 75W Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320
ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Edition supports 8k resolution, especially when you consider its performance-to-price ratio. It comes with a Displayport 1.4, and HDMI 2.0 along with a DVI port to support high resolutions at ease.
Architecture
The NVIDIA Pascal architecture makes it possible for gamers to enjoy top-end graphics without facing any stuttering or tearing issues in their games which means this card will last long enough to serve gamers well!
Cooling Technology
It comes with a dual-fan design that ensures quiet operation while delivering optimal airflow for effective heat dissipation.
With 4GB GDDR5 memory, it can help you play all your games on 4k 60fps resolution beautifully without any hitch or stuttering.
DirectX & OpenGL 4.5 Support
The support of DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.5 makes it even better at rendering high-quality images and graphics without any lag or stuttering issues.
Best of all, this budget graphics card for 4k gaming supports all the top games so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues.
Just plug it in and start enjoying your experience with smooth framerates at your desired resolution!
Expert Opinion
Overall, ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Edition is above average and it’s a good choice for gamers who want to enjoy their games at 4k resolution without spending much.
It’s one of the cheapest 4k graphics cards that offer great performance for gaming applications with DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.5 support!
5. AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Radeon RX 5700 XT Video Memory: 8GB GDDR5 GPU Cores: 2560 Cores Boost Clock: 1605 MHz TDP: 225 W Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320 (4 Monitors)
When it comes to graphics cards and processors, AMD is the company for you. They have great processors just like their Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 series.
Affordable Price Tag
The Radeon RX 5700 XT provides users with high performance at an affordable price point that competes directly against other industry leaders like NVidia’s RTX 2060 Super.
Frequency & Clock Speeds
The RX 5700 XT comes with a base clock speed of 1605MHz and a boost clock speed of 1905MHz. AMD has also mentioned the Radeon graphics card’s game clock speeds, 1755 MHz on both cards!
Cooling Technology
The blower design looks very cool for keeping temperatures down to help avoid overheating your device while you’re playing games at 4k resolution or watching 4k movies. This is one of the best video cards for 4k movies and games.
Aesthetics
The RX 5700 XT graphics card has an eye-catching aesthetic design that is sure to please any gamer. The shroud lines look excellent and the base of this GPU uses aluminum, giving it a nice appearance.
It also includes lighting with Radeon branding that lights up when your system powers on for increased visibility in dark.
A backplate helps lower temperatures and gives off a very stylish appearance while adding protection from dust particles or hairline scratches caused by other cards rubbing against each other during use!
Power Requirement
You’ll need a six-pin and an eight-pin power connector to get this card going. This beast needs 225 watts of juice, which is more than the average game system even!
Ports
lastly, it has 3 Display ports and 1 HDMI port, making it the best value 4k graphics card with no compromises on quality.
Expert Opinion
All in all, the price tag it is listed makes it one of the cheapest 4k video cards on the market, it has an amazing cooling system, decent performance ratio, plenty of ports, and high clock speeds to keep you busy while you play your games at 4k resolutions.
6. AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Radeon RX 6800 XT Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6 GPU Cores: 4608 Cores Boost Clock: 1825 MHz TDP: 300 W Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320 (4 Monitors)
Ray Tracing & DLSS Support
AMD’s RX 6800 XT is the first graphics card to support Ray Tracing and DLSS, while these features were only available from Nvidia’s RTX series.
This means it can handle some of those challenging game environments that would otherwise require a more expensive system with an Nvidia GPU for smooth gameplay (and 1080p 144fps gaming).
Resolution
It also supports 1440p144Hz or 4K 60FPS so you don’t need to sacrifice on either end! And just under 500 bucks as opposed to its competitor which starts at around 870 bucks this might be just what your budget was looking for.
Price-To-Value Ratio
Despite the price difference, it gives some meaningful competition to Nvidia graphics cards for the same price. While RTX 3080 has many advantages over this card, at its current pricing it cannot compete with other competitors that are in a similar bracket and targeting 4K gaming.
Expert Opinion
Usually, Nvidia graphics cards are out of stock, and their prices are getting too high, but this one is the cheapest 4K Nvidia graphics card we can find right now.
Founder Edition is the vendor I would recommend for this graphics card because it’s much better than any aftermarket model because of the cooling solution used, which allows very little overclocking.
While there are a few other options as well, such as from Sapphire or XFX, you can consider them according to your needs. There is 16 GB of VRAM on this graphics card, which is plenty for today’s games and those in the future, so get it for your build and enjoy 4K gaming.
7. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 (Cheapest 4k gaming GPU)
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: RTX 3070 Video Memory: 8GB GDDR6 Form Factor: Dual Slot GPU Cores: 5888 Cores Boost Clock: 1500 MHz TDP: 220 W Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320 (4 Monitors)
Price-To-Value Ratio
The NVidia RTX 3070 is a great fit for your 4k gaming build. Not only does this graphics card provide enough power to run the latest games at their highest settings, but it’s also significantly cheaper than any other option on the market right now.
Unique Cooling System
The MSI brand offers excellent thermal performance and its sleek design will add some pizazz to your rig! But, these graphics cards are unavailable due to a shortage and their prices are too high.
MSI’s new Torx 4.0 design for cooling is applied in the 3 fans of MSI GeForce RTX 3070, and their coolness will be outstanding!
With its graphene composite backplate that was already used in the previous 2080 series card production; these 2nd generation graphics cards are designed with 2 fans spinning on one side while 1 fan spins alternately at a different speed to maximize airflow between them.
Base Clock and Frequencies
This graphics card is great for people looking to play 4K games. With a base clock of 1725MHz, this card can be overclocked up to 1830MHz and will give you the highest possible performance available on the market.
You’ll also get some sweet extra features like MSI’s best gaming design with a black-and-grey plastic shroud that just looks awesome!
Expert Opinion
The RTX 3070 is an excellent graphics card for 4K gaming. It’s one of the best budget 4k 60fps GPU out there that can handle some games on high settings, and it has a long life span with plenty of room to grow into more demanding titles as they come out in the future years.
If you’re looking for something cheaper but still powerful enough to play most games at medium or low quality while maintaining a steady frame rate, this may be your next purchase!
8. MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: GeForce RTX 2070 Super Video Memory: 8GB GDDR6 GPU Cores: 2560 Cores Boost Clock: 1785 MHz TDP: 215 W Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320 (4 Monitors)
If you are looking for a graphics card that won’t break the bank, but still offers impressive performance and excellent features at an affordable price point, look no further than NVidia’s RTX 2070 Super.
This GPU is very similar in power to AMD’s Radeon RX 5700 XT; however, it does sport some improvements on top of those benefits such as better heat management with its vapor chamber cooling system.
Resolution Output
MSI’s RTX 2070 Super has beautiful RGB lighting that really makes it stand out, and its performance is quite impressive! At 1080p and 1440p resolutions, the MSI GTX performs well while at 4K resolution, you can easily play games with an average framerate of 60.
Frequencies and Clock Speeds
The RTX 2070S’ base clock speed is 1605MHz which means in most cases it will run just as fast or faster than other cards on the market including its own flagship card (the RTX 2080).
Plus this beauty comes equipped with some nifty RGB lights for anyone who loves to show off their tech gear!
Cooling System
The MSI RTX 2070 Super is a beast of its own. I mean, this thing features the Twin Frozr 7 cooling design which means you’ll be able to enjoy hours and hours without feeling that your graphics card will overheat.
Proprietary Software
You can control the RGB lighting system from within the software too!
This GPU provides one with plenty of choices for fan speed settings as well so if it’s not enough in terms of airflow there are more options available at your fingertips just waiting to cool those parts down on demand.
Expert Opinion
For gamers who want their rig to be future-proofed so they can enjoy cutting-edge gaming visuals while also being able to play games like Apex Legends without any issues whatsoever – this will undoubtedly be one of your best bets!
In other words, it is perfect for those who want to play in 4k 60fps with a budget graphics card. It includes three Display Ports and one HDMI port, so you can hook up all your monitors as well as that VR headset of yours.
Plus, this is the first graphics card from NVidia in their new RTX lineup which supports VR gaming out of the box!
9. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: GeForce RTX 3080 Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6 GPU Cores: 8704 Cores Boost Clock: 1710 MHz TDP: 320 W Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320 (4 Monitors)
RTX 3080 is a great graphics card built for 4K gaming with Real-Time Ray Tracing enabled. It’s about 50% more powerful than its predecessor and can run modern titles at 4K resolution with ray tracing, but it costs almost half as much!
The RTX3080 came out just recently and was an instant hit: I heard that the complete stock of this GPU sold within weeks after the launch date–now they’re all gone from everywhere.
Refresh Rate Performance
Gaming at 1440p at 144Hz isn’t a problem with this graphics card, and you can nearly max out any latest title.
AMD’s competitor for this graphics card is the RX 6800 XT, whose performance and specifications are nearly identical, but that card does not support RTX features.
Ray Tracing & DLSS Technology
While NVidia graphics cards have the advantage of supporting RTX features such as real-time ray tracing and DLSS, AMD graphics cards will also adopt this technology in the future. Cyberpunk will also support AMD cards, as we expect.
Expert Opinion
A cheap 4k video card like this one has 10 GB of GDDR6X memory, which is plenty for 4K gaming now and, certainly, for the future, as modern games only use 8 GB of VRAM.
You may want to consider the founder edition of this graphics card since it is a good purchase these days and is available while aftermarket models are having crashes. Right now, I recommend you get it from a no-questions-asked shop.
Which One Is Better: AMD or Nvidia?
Each of these manufacturers has its strengths, and both are found on the market. Therefore:
NVIDIA wants to be the historical leader in the industry. Serious and professional. The manufacturer makes high-end graphics cards with high-quality standards. They conduct a lot of research and practice to improve their products and take graphics to the next level.
When compared to AMD, it is the master of value for money. Although the manufacturer focuses mainly on entry and mid-range models, it occasionally releases high-end models, but they cannot compete with Nvidia’s performance. The Radeon VII and the RX 5700 XT, for example, are perfect for WQHD but will be unable to match the RTX 2080 Ti on 4K.
Simply put, the choice between these two manufacturers depends mainly on what you are looking for: for performance, choose NVIDIA, but for value for money, choose AMD.
Ray-Tracing – What’s the Deal?
Ray tracing is the most outstanding achievement in the computer industry. The light is traced from the object and reflected from object to object according to viewing angles to create a more realistic scene.
Ray Tracing is just being introduced, so it is still in its infancy and needs improvement. We don’t know how many future games will have this feature, but this is the future of gaming.
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will support ray tracing, so we can expect to see more games and improvements in the future. Ray-tracing GPUs are more expensive, but the price is likely to decrease over time. We recommend that you buy an RTX GPU if you can afford it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Let’s look at some of the faqs that people also ask for.
Which Graphics Cards Can Run 4k?
This article gives you a detailed list of graphics cards that can run any game at 4k with maximum graphics quality.
MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super is the most powerful GPU capable of rendering 4K video games. ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER will be the best choice if you’re looking for the cheapest 4K graphics card.
Is The RTX Series GPU Worth It?
RTX technology is worth buying, but this is a new technology, so there will be more improvements in the future.
You can also get the lower-priced RTX models if you’re on a budget. The Asus ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the cheapest RTX 4K GPU you can buy for your gaming setup.
Should I Change My Power Supply?
Well, that depends on the graphics card you’re buying. On the box of your graphics card, it says how much power it will consume.
Check your power supply to see if it can supply enough power to your GPU. If not, replace the power supply.
Is It Possible to Play AAA with a Cheaper Graphics Card?
If you want to play a game shortly after it is released, then we recommend you get a high-end future-proof graphics card that will be able to run all games for most of the coming years.
Alternatively, these cards can also run AAA games, but you’ll have to compromise on visuals.