PC Gamer Reader Awards - tell us about the graphics cards you love!

PCG Dave

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Apr 1, 2020
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What's the PC gaming gear that you've fallen in love with? It doesn't matter whether it's the latest Nvidia graphics card, a 2000-series AMD CPU, or that grinty gaming mouse you picked up a few years back but now can't bear to be without. Whatever it is, we want to know about it.

And we're not necessarily talking about what you think your most powerful superstar component is, or your most expensive purchase, we'd like you to tell us about the different parts of your gaming setup that mean the most to you. If you're regularly gaming with it today, and it sparks joy, then we want you to tell us just why that particular slice of PC gaming has found a place in your heart.

Over the next two weeks we're going to find out just what our PC Gamer readers are gaming with and why you love the kit you do. So each day there will be a new category of gear and we'd love you to get involved and tell us which products speak to you and why. Then we will gather all the entries together, come up with a shortlist for each of the following categories, and you will then have the chance to vote on which products should get the coveted PC Gamer Readers' Award.
  • Graphics card
  • Processor
  • Laptop
  • Monitor
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Headset
  • Microphone
  • Wildcard entry!
Today we're asking about what graphics card you love. Still rocking a GTX 1050 in a pint-sized PC that nails League of Legends, is that 8GB RX 5500 XT really doing it for you, or have you no regrets about spending big on a top-end Turing? Tell us in the thread below, without quoting the original post, first with the name of the GPU in question, and then just a line or two about why it means so much to you.

And who knows... you might even find yourself featured on the site in our Readers' Awards coverage too.
 
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Jan 14, 2020
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I've got my RX 580 8 GB graphics card, that was an upgrade about a year and a half ago after I finally got around to playing some newer games and my GTX 650 could barely run anything above low settings. The RX 580 has performed fairly well for me, but I'll be looking to upgrade to something more robust once the next round rolls in. I don't think I'll ever be someone who pays more than $300 for a graphics card.
 
Jan 14, 2020
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I upgraded from a 970 to a 2070 a couple of months ago (coupled with a Ryzen 5 2600X). Have to say, I'm underwhelmed. Nearly every game I've tried to max out (at 1080p no less) has run poorly. RDR2, Origins and Odyssey, Control with ray tracing enabled have all been in the low 50s, often dipping into the low 40s.

I was expecting this card to smash everything, certainly at 1080p. Poo.

Edit: Don't think I'm going to win any prizes here!
 
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I'm still using a GTX1060 6GB. I remember trying to order it when it was first released and they were like gold dust. It took 2 months for me to get it.

Still using it now and I've upgraded to a 4k monitor. Forza Horizon 4 looks lovely and runs without a glitch. Ok I wouldn't be able to play the latest AAA games at 4k but that might be changing later in the year...
 
Apr 28, 2020
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What's the PC gaming gear that you've fallen in love with? It doesn't matter whether it's the latest Nvidia graphics card, a 2000-series AMD CPU, or that grinty gaming mouse you picked up a few years back but now can't bear to be without. Whatever it is, we want to know about it.

And we're not necessarily talking about what you think your most powerful superstar component is, or your most expensive purchase, we'd like you to tell us about the different parts of your gaming setup that mean the most to you. If you're regularly gaming with it today, and it sparks joy, then we want you to tell us just why that particular slice of PC gaming has found a place in your heart.

Over the next two weeks we're going to find out just what our PC Gamer readers are gaming with and why you love the kit you do. So each day there will be a new category of gear and we'd love you to get involved and tell us which products speak to you and why. Then we will gather all the entries together, come up with a shortlist for each of the following categories, and you will then have the chance to vote on which products should get the coveted PC Gamer Readers' Award.
  • Graphics card
  • Processor
  • Laptop
  • Monitor
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Headset
  • Microphone
  • Wildcard entry!
Today we're asking about what graphics card you love. Still rocking a GTX 1050 in a pint-sized PC that nails League of Legends, is that 8GB RX 5500 XT really doing it for you, or have you no regrets about spending big on a top-end Turing? Tell us in the thread below, without quoting the original post, first with the name of the GPU in question, and then just a line or two about why it means so much to you.

And who knows... you might even find yourself featured on the site in our Readers' Awards coverage too.
 
Apr 28, 2020
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I've got a GTX 1060 3gb that I bought 3 years ago. It was the best GPU I could afford at the time. Was looking at GTX 750ti or GTX 950, but got a pre paid visa card for £150 $200 ish) when I changed ISP, so splashed out a bit.
 
May 9, 2020
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If i could choose without money getting in the way I would choose Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 TI dual configuration but if i am going to pay for it then i would go for a GTX 1050 TI with passive heatsink one less fan in my computer is always welcome.
 
Mar 11, 2020
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I got my 1070 back when Nvidia launched the 10 series, and this GPU was easily one of the best purchases I made as far as PC components go.

I just recently upgraded to a 1440p 144Hz monitor from 1080p 60Hz, and I was really surprised by the performance this GPU has in the games I've been playing since upgrading. Even at 1440p, most games sit around 100 fps or so.
 
May 9, 2020
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I used to have a GTX 1070 great card would work on almost any game perfect not dropping frames
Until i opened my pc case and moved a cable out the way caught the GPU fan and that was the end of that graphics card
The card still worked ok I ended up removing the fan assembly from the heatsink and cable tying two 120 mm noctua fans to it
it ran cold ugly but cold
 
Feb 14, 2020
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I have an RX580 from Sapphire, I bought it really cheap adding over my GTX770, secondhand with little mining done but it is such a cool and stable card. I am finally able to play a title with high settings and 50-60fps.
 
Jan 31, 2020
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I am using the Palit 2070 Super Jetstream. I was going to get the Powercolor 5700XT Red Devil, but found this for £40 more, so I made the jump and haven't looked back. It is great for 1440p.
 
May 29, 2020
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My favorite GPU so far is AMD's Vega 64. At first I hated the powerhungry beast, but after gettign a better PSU that could handle it, and putting it on a liquid cooler, it became literally the best graphics card I have ever had the displeasure of beating the kinks out of.
 
Jul 14, 2020
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1080Ti 11GB version. I have 3 different kinds actually (technically 4 total as 2 cards are identical, but 3 different manufacturer models of it):

The crown jewel in my opinion is my lone EVGA Hybrid SC 2 AIO model (with upgraded fans - Noctua iPPC 3K RPM in push/pull) I have in my well, what used to be, my LAN PC, for Rocket League and other tournaments, prior to COVID.

I also have twin ASUS OC air-cooled versions in SLI configuration for my Living Room Setup. That PC runs a significantly older CPU so I had to pump some new life into it with those. It works really well, considering I run 1080P on my TV (for lowest input lag plus 120Hz - 4K gaming on my albeit, early adopter 4K TV, provides no gaming benefits and too many disadvantages to make sense). I know soon that CPU will become a major bottleneck, as on some new AAA titles it shows it's age, but it will be a costly upgrade that in these unsure COVID-times, I can't afford anytime soon.

The 3rd one I have is a Zotac 1080Ti Mini in my 1080P Plasma TV Bedroom PC Setup, which is totally overkill, as I designed that PC primarily for streaming movies + general computing needs for me and my girlfriend, but has proven useful when she wants to play some new-ish games like Watch Dogs 2, Tekken 7, OverCooked 2, among others. Again, another CPU that while not old, isn't particularly tailored for a high-level gaming experience, but functions for exactly what we could ever need from it, because the GPU is so powerful.

Bottom line is Nvidia's 1080Ti, in my opinion, (ALSO AT THE PRE-Mining Craze MSRP I PURCHASED THEM ALL AT [that's a major caveat considering what they cost post]) was/still is the best price/performance ratio card they ever released.

These cards are still not showing their age going into what soon will be 3000-series cards, provided you game at 1080P/1440P and don't have HDR-enabled monitors or care for RTX. They also function well in multiple monitor environments and WQHD monitors. I powered an Alienware 3418DW on my lone AIO card and it ran spectacularly at 80-120HZ, depending on the game. When that monitor broke in a move, I opted for 3 Dell S24DG17s + 1 S27DG19 (as AUX) and it runs all of them well in Surround mode (the 3 S24's for gaming purposes) and when I run them all individually (for work purposes). I literally have nothing negative to say about those cards. At an average of $750-$800 I believe it was at the time, it was considered high but I'm so glad I got them when I did, because as much as I love those cards, they are not worth the $1,200+ they started costing after the Mining craze destroyed our beloved industry. Even in 2020, in the scenarios I listed above for 1080P/1440P G-Sync enabled gaming, I would recommend someone buy a second hand (but try to ensure it wasn't used for mining) 1080Ti rather than a 20-whatever. I don't think those 20__ cards offer a particularly good bang for your buck. Again, especially when you consider that in these COVID times money isn't as easy to come by as it was even 7 months ago and with the world in flux, big expensive unnecessary purchases aren't exactly atop anyone's shopping list.
 
Jan 13, 2020
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I upgraded from a 970 to a 2070 a couple of months ago (coupled with a Ryzen 5 2600X). Have to say, I'm underwhelmed. Nearly every game I've tried to max out (at 1080p no less) has run poorly. RDR2, Origins and Odyssey, Control with ray tracing enabled have all been in the low 50s, often dipping into the low 40s.

I was expecting this card to smash everything, certainly at 1080p. Poo.

Edit: Don't think I'm going to win any prizes here!
Theres something wrong there. I have a 2060 and it rocks. I have a 3600 but you should be crushing games at 1080p.
 
Jan 13, 2020
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I built a new rig last year and got a MSI RTX 2060 with a Ryzen 3600 setup for RDR2 and I love it. I had a 1070TI before that with A 1st gen Ryzen 1600 Went from a B350 to a X570 chipset and I love all of it But, my 2060 is the one piece I love. It's my retirement present to myself!
 
I'll answer the question in another post, but as an aside if it's permitted:

Nearly every game I've tried to max out (at 1080p no less) has run poorly. RDR2, Origins and Odyssey, Control with ray tracing enabled have all been in the low 50s, often dipping into the low 40s.
I think part of your problem here might be the 'maxing out' part.

A lot of modern games have a few graphics settings that are brutally demanding (or badly optimised, take your pick). Maxing out settings is a good way of tanking performance.

Think Deus Ex Mankind Divided, which needed a GTX 1080 to hit 60fps average (nevermind fps drops) at 1080p max settings. But adjusting a few settings down meant it ran constant 60fps on my GTX 970 at 1080p.

I think AC:OD has Volumetric Clouds as a similar culprit.

See:

I recently played Odyssey on my RTX 2060 at 1440p with settings mixed high-ultra and performance was generally 50-70fps, though with some sharp drops in some areas. FPS also limited by my rather old CPU on occasion (as was the case in Origins)

Also RDR2 is a brute:

Look at the performance differences between High and Ultra.

Basically if you play a game on "max" settings, performance is going to suck, and it's not really the poor old GPU's fault! :)

You need to adjust the settings - the freedom to do so being a part of what PC Gaming is all about I suppose.
 
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