Best GPU Under $100 in 2023

Atif Liaqat | Last Updated On January 3rd, 2023

Looking at the present technological situation, having a standard GPU is an essential requirement for anyone who is into video editing, rendering, animation, and gaming.

The world has seen several tech improvements over the years, and there are more to come. The rule of the tech world is to keep on upgrading your PC or Laptop. And GPU is one of the integral components in your system, so no way you can compromise with that. If you want to know if you can upgrade your laptop GPU, we have prepared this write-up based on our opinions and research. We have considered their quality, features, and values when narrowing down the best GPU under $100 (see also the best GPUs under $400 here).

And there is no excuse for not having a GPU.

In our opinion, there is no need to spend hundreds of bucks to get an RTX. Instead, you can get a standard performance from a cheaper card.

There are plenty of good graphics cards available at a reasonable price.

How to Pick the Best GPU: Your Buying Guide 2023

Graphics Processing Units are of utmost importance if you are into gaming, animation, video editing, and rendering. Now that you have a budget for buying graphics cards, there are specific parameters that you need to follow. There are thousands of graphics cards available on the market at a price of $100.

You need to find out your best GPU from that long list of graphics cards without exceeding the budget. Here are some factors that you can consider when looking at the products.

Graphics Card Size

If you have a budget of $100, then the most important factor you can consider is the size of the graphics card. Graphics cards are built according to their sizing standards, such as the ATX motherboards or Low Profile casings.

Always choose the graphics card according to your case’s measurements. Because I know how it feels when you buy a unit for upgrading your setup, but then you realize it does not fit in. It feels worse than you can imagine.

So it is very important to consider the measurement and connectors. If you miss to keep note of these, your setup will throw off the idea of an upgrade.

Minimum Power Supply Requirement

Red Graphic Card with Computer Power Supply

No matter whichever card you buy, it is better to know that mostly all graphics cards have a bare minimum power supply requirement of 300 watts to 350 watts. If you think you have lower wattage, then you have to cross-check it.

If you are running your PC at a basic and lower power supply, then you might consider getting a deal for a graphics card and a power supply together. I think that is the best thing to do in case you have a lower power supply.

Graphics Card Cooling, Fans, and Noise

Most advanced graphics card with cooling fans. Side view. Close up.

One more critical factor is that how the GPU operates. You need to pay attention to whether the card produces noise while running, how efficiently it cools, and how much cooling it needs.

Many people consider a minimal amount of noise for enhancement in performance. Most graphics cards are able to cool themselves with a quiet operating fan speed around 30% – 50%.

On the other hand, there are even pickier people who cannot tolerate a minimal amount of noise. They want the fan to be absolutely quiet while operating. Some graphics cards are available at a lower price that does not come with a mounted fan but rather a heatsink. In these cases, the main thing you need to see is if there is proper ventilation. Also, you need to see what the chances of heat build-up and dust form are.

We have here best CPU cooler for Ryzen 5 2600 & 2600X that you might be interested in.

Performance of the GPU

Last but surely not least, you have to check the specifications of your ideal graphics card. Specifications such as the amount of RAM, the graphics card’s clock speed, and benchmark tests to be sure of its performance.

Now, if you run it with an older generation i3 processor with no RAM, then you will get to see a decent performance boost, even if you were planning to opt-in for an RTX.

Other Factors

  • Manufacturer or Brand
  • Check if there is a decent warranty on the selected GPU
  • Number of outputs the GPU has
  • Maximum Resolution supported by the GPU

Issues that might affect your PC

Hopefully, this buying guide can help you a lot in choosing your graphics card. In this list, we have discussed our seven best Graphics Processing Units available at a budget-friendly price of $100.

Here, we have presented some quick features, pros, and cons, only to make it way easier for you to understand and compare (if you wish).

To stay updated with the current pricing, click on the link under every product, and you will be redirected to the shopping site.

Let’s have a look at the GPUs now.

The Best GPU Under $100

Features

  • DVI, VGA, and HDMI
  • Memory Clock Speed – 1600 MHz
  • DDR3 2048MB
  • Resolution – 2560 x 1600

The MSI GeForce GT 710 is one of the best graphics cards available in the mid-range. Having a graphics card like this for under $100 is a steal. The GT 710 is a daily driver that can serve you with a 4096 x 2016 display. This is one such product that would take 4x of the value as much, just a couple of years back.

This GT 710 showcases its compact design, which makes a perfect graphic component for small custom builds. Not only that, but this GPU also showcases its Afterburner Utility. The GT 710 also has a 64-bit interface, 2GB DDR3 RAM and boasts a clock speed of 1600 MHz.

This graphics card is noise-free and provides the best environment for multimedia and gaming. It has a low-profile design that saves more space. The Afterburner utilities include support in-game recording, wireless control by handheld devices – android / iOS, and supports DX12 effect tests.

Having such specs makes it an excellent pick for designing works, playing some decent quality games, and some entry-level animations.

Of course, you are not going to rack up at 60fps with the Battlefield setting it on Ultra settings. However, if you get adequate RAM, an SSD, and a fair CPU, you will be all set to upgrade your setup to the next level.

The GT 710 is a well-rounded and simple graphics card that is not going to disappoint you. At this range, you are going to have the best 2GB graphics card.

What We Like
4k Resolution
Overclockable
1 PCI slot
Know Before Buying
Requires 300 Watts PSU
Check Latest Price

Features

  • DVI, VGA, and HDMI output
  • DDR3 2048MB
  • Resolution 1080

The GeForce GT730 is another great product from MSI that is available in a mid-price range. This graphics card may look tiny, but it will not compromise when it comes to performance. It is a great deal for you, and for your PC.

The GeForce GT 730 has some truly unique features that a person might want to see in a modern-day card. Due to this reason, this graphics card is one of our favorite picks. Like the GT 710, the GT730 also showcases its Afterburner Overclocking Utilities, 1080p resolution, DDR3 RAM and offers you a plethora of options when it comes to optimization and tweaking. And it boasts about its DX12 effect tests.

The GT730 requires comparatively little power, and if you have a PSU of 300w to 350w, this card will run more than efficiently. This graphics card maintains a low profile in appearance that allows it to save space and fit itself into any casing.

If you are looking for a great graphics card under $100, no wonder this product can be one of the best. Of course, it is not made for intense gaming, but you can easily play general games with decent quality.

What We Like
1080p Resolution
Very easy to install
Noise-free operation
Know Before Buying
No dual-HDMI support
Check Latest Price

Features

  • DVI, VGA, and HDMI Outputs
  • Maximum Resolution – 2560 x 1600
  • DDR3 1024MB

ZOTAC’s GeForce GT 710 is one of our best picks for a budget of $100. This graphics card is primarily made for animation processes; as you can see, it makes the most out of the RAM, a processor.

It has a tiny form factor, and most of it’s made up of a heatsink. It is crucial to note that there is no fan mounted on it, so you have to make sure that the casing has sufficient cooling before you actually end up setting it.

This graphics card has a lot of surprising features that make it up for the deficiency of performance when compared to similar and newer GPUs available on the market.

Some of the astounding features include triple-display, requires 25 watts of power, and supporting 2k full HD resolution.

There are a few things that you need to consider before you actually purchase this graphics card from ZOTAC.

As this graphics card is 1 GB, the memory and processor of this card will be comparatively slow compared to a 2GB GDDR5 graphics card. There is more to this. This GT710 graphics card is a bit outdated and is slowly reaching a point of outdated and entry-level performance.

But, if your system has no graphics card, or has one with lower performance and handling, then you might consider upgrading your system’s animation rig with the ZOTAC GeForce GT 710.

What We Like
Supports 2k resolution
Triple-Display
Low-profile
Know Before Buying
Some may find the Clockspeed and RAM too slow
Inconsistency in handling games
Check Latest Price

Features

  • DDR3 1024MB
  • HDMI, DVI, and VGA
  • NVIDIA chipset
  • Base Clockspeed – 520MHz
  • Price – $ 81.50

The Evga GeForce 1GB 8400 GS manufactured by EVGA is unimaginably a great graphics card, and even if it is towards the higher end of your budget, you will not find a better 1GB card at this range.

The Evga GeForce 1GB 8400 GS showcases itself with a fair bit of faster memory and a comparatively decent clock speed, as well as it provides you with a lot of NVIDIA features.

It has a 64-bit memory width. This graphics card introduces itself with 1GB of high-speed RAM. The GeForce 8400 GS offers you a base clock speed of 520 MHz and a pretty effective memory clock speed of 1200 MHz. To provide you with extra flexibility, it comes DVI, VGA, and HDMI outputs.

Also, it is better for you to consider that this graphics card from EVGA is definitely not the strongest of all the products available at this range. Now, if you have set your hopes high and arranged for some intense gaming and action, then chances are you should not opt-in for this graphics card.

This card can cope up with games that need 4k resolution but can easily give you a decent gaming experience. Yes, this card is better for standard gaming and entry or basic level animation.

Also, this card can contribute to your video editing and rendering works when you combine it with a CPU that has good power. Read this article if you are interested on our recommendations for CPU GPU combination.

Overall, this card is pretty outdated, basic, and yet very reasonably priced. This card from EVGA is such a card that it is into everything, be it gaming, video editing or rendering, etc.

And not to mention, this 8400 GS can boost your PC’s overall performance.

What We Like
VGA, DVI, and HDMI
NVIDIA chipset
It comes with loads of NVIDIA Features
Know Before Buying
Low Profile and High Profile Brackets take a bit of fiddling to swap out.
Check Latest Price

Features

  • 102MB DDR5 SDRAM
  • Supports DX12 effect test
  • Max Resolution – 2560 x 1600

To start, let me tell you that this graphics card, ASUS NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, is not anything special. Yes, there is nothing special or new about it, but this does not determine that it is not good.

This graphics card from ASUS of 1GB, pretty basic yet powerful. Not only that, this card will give you every possible support required for modern gaming and animation works.

However, this graphics card is not the most powerful card available at a rate of $100. Still, this little graphics card from ASUS is pretty reliable and is of great quality.

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 manufactured by ASUS showcases a DDR5 RAM of 1GB and does support a 2k resolution with DirectX 12. This little card uses a PCIe 2.0 connector, has a low-profile form factor that ensures that it will fit instead of slipping into the minor cases. This ASUS graphics card has a memory clock speed of 5012MHz.

Now, what if I tell you that this card has the capability of supporting three monitors? Yes, it has the capability to provide the support and up to three running monitors and can support a 4k resolution at 30Hz when connected with the DVI port. The controller app should be a must download to accompany it.

This will give you better and enhanced control over the resolution and graphics settings for your desktop and allow hassle-free troubleshooting.

Now, do you think it is not a decent GPU? Overall, this GeForce GT 710 by ASUS is a very simple and straightforward graphics card. And this can be one of the best picks for you if you are looking for a solid and robust graphics card under $100.

It has a good build quality and can serve you with enough performance, and indeed it can handle all your daily pieces of stuff. Be it editing, rendering, or gaming.

What We Like
Supports 2k resolution
Runs non-AAA titles easily
A decent all-rounder for a slight upgrade
Know Before Buying
If compared in terms of performance, the price is observed to be a bit high
Check Latest Price

Features

  • GDDR3 / 1024MB
  • HDMI, Dual-link DVI, and VGA ports
  • Low Profile Design
  • Max resolution 2560 × 1660

Let us add one more product to this list: The Diamond AMD Radeon HD 5450. This product got the attention because of its simple and slim design, PCIe 2.0 connector, and 1 x 16 bus interface.

The Diamond AMD Radeon HD 5450 has got an average amount of RAM and a faster core. Yes, the core is decently fast, and it will not struggle with playing basic or entry-level games. Now, if you rack it up with Sniper Elite or Far Cry, you may have serious problems playing it.

This graphics card and so the above-mentioned graphics cards are primarily built for standard basic or entry-level gaming and some basic level animation. According to some reviews, many people have stated this graphics card to be great for video editing and some animation or rendering.

This graphics card is backed up with the Terascale 2 unified processing and with CrossFireX Multi-GPU technology. This allows you to run two GPUs at once.

Now, if you wish to get two of these and run them together in the crossfire, you are likely to exceed your budget. Also, you have to do your part of the research in order to optimize these cards as perfectly as possible so that it does not hamper the performance.

Generally, the crossfire and SLI are slowly fading away from the industry, yet they supply ceratin benefits that people will not find in a singular GPU.

Overall, this graphics card is a great card if you are looking for high flexibility and versatility.

What We Like
Crossfire support for running two cards in tandem
1×16 Bus interface
667 MHz memory clock speed
Know Before Buying
Not the best performance at this price range
Check Latest Price

Features

  • 1GB GDDR5
  • Dual-link DVI-I and HDMI
  • PCIe 2.0 x 8 bus interface
  • Core clock 954MHz

The Gigabyte GeForce GT 710 is slightly outdated and downgraded if compared to the graphics cards mentioned above in the article. Also, it is available at the mid-end of your budget.

I know what you are thinking about. Yes, it comes with 1GB of RAM. However, this graphics card got some features that can outperform most of the graphics cards available at this price range. It is an excellent purchase for the price you pay, and it does allow you to squeeze some extra ounces of performance out of it.

The GeForce GT 710 from Gigabyte showcases a memory clock speed of 954MHz when on a 64-bit interface system. And, it comes with 1 GB of GDDR5 RAM that clocks at1024MB.

This Graphics Processing Unit has a single fan design that promotes easy cooling, especially in cases that do not have sufficient airflow. Moreover, the interface allows you to tune or optimize the clock speeds, voltage, power target, and performance. These are only allowed by a quality graphics card.

After reading about it here, do you think it is worth the money? Yes, it is! This card is into everything, be it animation, edition, rendering, or gaming. It was built for playing basic and to help you with a bit of basic animation.

It is a classic deal for you if you want to stick to your budget. You get this graphics card at a rough price of $68, and if you wish, you spend the singles on making your PC better.

What We Like
GDDR5 1GB
Integrated fan design
Remarkable overclocking abilities
Know Before Buying
It can only support 60 fps on 720p
Check Latest Price

Conclusion

Best Mid-Range GPU Under $100
Best Mid-Price Range GPU Under $100
Best Picks GPU Under $100

You are now pretty well-equipped with the information that you got just now! So, which graphics card is it that you are buying? We are optimistic that you have already found one from this list.

GPU plays a very important role when you are into gaming, editing, or animation. Now that we have provided you with our best picks, installing anyone these will undoubtedly enhance your visual experience.

We have selected the MSI GeForce GT710 as our best pick. I hope you have found yours too.

Good luck!

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