Best Graphics Cards For The Money: February '10

Best Graphics Cards For The Money: February '10

 Best PCIe Card For ~$100

Radeon HD 4850 512MB

Exceptional 1680x1050 performance in most games, 1920x1200 in most games with lowered detail

Radeon HD 4850 512MB
Codename	RV770
Process	55nm
Universal Shaders	800
Texture Units	40
ROPs	16
Memory Bus	256bit
Core Speed MHz	625
Memory Speed MHZ	993
DirectX	DX10.1

  The Radeon HD 4850 is returning to the ~$100 price point after a brief hiatus, and we hope it lasts. If you're considering this graphics card, buy it while you still can, because nothing in the $100 range can touch it. Availability is waning, and these products probably won't be around much longer now that the Radeon HD 5750 has arrived. On the other hand, bear in mind that the Radeon HD 5750 supports DirectX 11, Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming, and three monitor outputs. Its value might very well be a viable alternative if gaming isn't your exclusive concern.

 

Best PCIe Card For ~$130

Radeon HD 5750 1GB

Great 1920x1200 performance in most games

The price of the 1GB Radeon HD 5750 continues to fall, and this month it's enough to take the recommendation from the 1GB versions of the Radeon HD 4850 and GeForce GTS 250. Although it costs a few dollars more, the 5750 is more appealing due to DirectX 11 hardware capabilities. There are other benefits, such as Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD Master Audio and Eyefinity triple-output support, making this card an easy choice on all fronts.

Radeon HD 5750 1GB
Codename	RV840
Process	40nm
Universal Shaders	720
Texture Units	40
ROPs	36
Memory Bus	128bit
Core Speed MHz	700
Memory Speed MHZ	1150
DirectX	DX11