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Are you planning to upgrade your system and add/replace the graphic card? But unfortunately, your system needs to afford for higher power supply. You can opt for a complete system upgrade or power supply upgrade if you have a budget.
But for budget-restricted pals, finding the best low power GPUs can be a problem. But don’t worry; we did all the legwork to come up with the six best lower-power GPUs for you!
- XFX Radeon RX 560 1295MHz
- AMD Radeon RX 6400
- EVGA GeForce GT 1030 SC 2GB GDDR5
- Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 128 Bit
- MSI GeForce GTX 1650 4GT LP OC
- GeForce RTX 3050
Quick Comparison Chart of Low Power GPU
| Graphics Cards | Power Consumption | Ram | CUDA | Video Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XFX Radeon RX 560 1295MHz | 70 Watt | 4GB DDR5 | 896 Cores | DisplayPort |
| AMD Radeon RX 6400 | 53 Watt | 4GB GDDR6 | 768 cores | 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| MSI GeForce GTX 1650 4GT LP OC | 75 Watt | 4GB DDR5 | 896 Cores | 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI 2.0b |
| EVGA GeForce GT 1030 SC 2GB GDDR5 | 30 Watt | 2GB DDR5 | 384 Cores | 1 x Dual-Link DVI-D 1 x HDMI 2.0b |
| Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 128 Bit | 70 Watt | 4GB DDR5 | 768 Cores | DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI |
| GeForce RTX 3050 | 115 Watt | 8GB DDR6 | 2,560 cores | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
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Our Picks for Best Lower Power GPU
After reviewing several different lower-power GPUs, we came up with the following six. So let’s see why these graphic cards suit your existing system power supply.
1. XFX Radeon RX 560 1295MHz
Features:
- Ram: 4GB DDR5
- CUDA: 896 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1326 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1221 MHz
- Bandwidth: 122 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 128-bit
- Power consumption: 70 watt
Reasons to Consider:
XFX Radeon RX 560 is one of the lower power GPUs with decent features. Its 4 GB DDR5 and a boost clock of 1326 MHz work seamlessly. Moreover, it uses a liquid cooling system that makes for super-cool gameplay. Since this card draws 70-watt power, it might be a good option for mid-level power supply PCs.
If you don’t have much to spend on a graphic card but still want a good one, then the Radeon RX 560 is a good choice. With its cool and quiet performance, you can play most of your games and do light rendering.
Moreover, it does not need a hefty power wattage since it works on 70-watt power. While this is not a powerful need for GPU, it might only work with some systems.
In addition, this graphic card offers decent FPS with 1920 x 1080 resolution. However, if you tweak the in-game graphics, you can achieve higher frame rates. All in all, it is a good pick for you if you need a lower-power GPU.
2. AMD Radeon RX 6400
Features:
- Ram: 4GB GDDR6
- Video Output: 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a
- CUDA: 768 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 2321 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 2039 MHz
- Bandwidth: 128 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 64-bit
- Power consumption: 53 watt
Reasons to Consider:
The Radeon RX 6400 is a newly launched GPU that comes with low power wattage and compact design. This GPU is suited for gamers since it has a good boost clock speed of 2321 MHz. Although its 4GB VRAM might not seem enough, you can achieve good frame rates for a decent resolution for around 100 dollars. And yes it does not need an external power connector as well.
The AMD Radeon RX 6400 will go head to head with your PC case if you don’t have much space to spare for a bigger GPU. Since this GPU comes fitted with a single fan and does not need an external power connector it doesn’t need any supplemental PSU.
Many users agree that it can be a great addition to your Core i5 CPU or equivalent AMD CPUs and you can achieve decent frame rates with it. Moreover, it is an amazing replacement card for most outdated and obsolete cards considering its price range.
In addition, you will also be happy with its mere 53-watt power consumption as it has only one fan. And yes that fan also runs on 0db so you get nearly noiseless working even during intense sessions. Moreover, it performs fat better than other equivalent GPUs like the GTX 1630 while also costing much less.
On top of all you get seamless performance owing to its AMD RDNA 2 architecture and ultra-high bandwidth AMD Infinity Cache. So if you are a gamer who doesn’t have much bucks to spend on GPU you can hit good FPS with this GPU in 1080p.
So on the whole, if you have a minimum budget, low PSU supply, and less space this GPU is the way to go. However, for top-end gaming, we recommend looking for other expensive alternatives.
3. MSI GeForce GTX 1650 4GT LP OC
Features:
- Ram: 4GB DDR5
- Video Output: 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI 2.0b
- CUDA: 896 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1695 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1695 MHz
- Bandwidth: 128 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 128-bit
- Power Consumption: 75 watt
Reasons to Consider:
If you don’t have much to spend on a premium graphic card like Ryzen 5 2600 yet want a high-performing graphic card, look no further than Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 Ti OC. You can get smooth gameplay with MSI GeForce GTX 1650 4GT LP OC. Moreover, you can also achieve higher frame rates to get lag-free gameplay.
Another great graphic card from MSI is GeForce GTX 1650 4GT OC LP. This graphic card, like Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC, also entails a narrow and small form factor of 168mm x 69mm x 37mm. However, this one performs much better than Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC.
It is one of the fastest graphics cards with 4GB RAM and a boost clock speed of 1695 MHz. So with little settings adjustment of in-game graphics, you can achieve 1080p on graphci0ntense titles.
Although the small form factor makes it best for compact CPUs, you can not get multi-display support since it has an HDMI or Dual-Link DVI with no DisplayPort onboard. Moreover, the MSI GeForce GTX 1650 4GT is a 75-watt graphic card making it one of the best low power graphics cards. This might be your best choice for the card for limited space and light rendering.
4. EVGA GeForce GT 1030 SC 2GB GDDR5
Features:
- Ram: 2GB DDR5
- Video Output: 1 x Dual-Link DVI-D 1 x HDMI 2.0b
- CUDA: 384 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1506 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1252 MHz
- Bandwidth: 122 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 128-bit
- Power consumption: 30 watt
Reasons to Consider:
If you are looking for the lowest power GPU that goes hand in hand with your existing power supply, look no further than EVGA GeForce GT 1030 SC. It can fit most PCs with a minimum power requirement of 30 watts. Moreover, it also has a small form factor. Although it does not offer much processing power considering it is 2 GB, you can still get most of your work done.
EVGA GeForce GT 1030 SC is another great pick for low power GPUs. Since it only needs a 30-watt power supply, it will work fine with most systems. In addition, this GPU does not have a fan for cooling; instead, it has a super-efficient heatsink. So you can use your systems without any fan noises.
You might assume that lacking a fan for cooling will make the system overheat, but that is not the case. You will not encounter any throttling. However, note that the system temperature can sometimes reach as high as 83 degree-celsius, but if your system has good airflow, it will not bother you!
Another great thing is that it is a dual-slot graphic card, but that does not mean it will require more CPU space.
On the whole, this is an excellent entry-level GPU that can let you do heavy internet browsing and most office work.
5. Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 128 Bit
Features:
- Ram: 4GB DDR5
- Video Output: DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI
- CUDA: 768 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1328 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1442 MHz
- Bandwidth: 112 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 128-bit
- Power consumption: 75 watt
If you want a mid-range graphic card to upgrade your PC, look at Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti. This graphic card comes packed with fantastic clock speeds, a mini size, and a reasonable price. And yes, it does require lower power of 75 watts.
The Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC is another mid-range card. While there are, a number of reasons to pick this card but best ones are its size and low profile. With a size of only 167mm x 68.9mm x 37mm, this card can go hand in hand with small CPUs.
Speaking of its performance, you can achieve 1442 MHz when working at its best. And with its 4 GB RAM, you can seamlessly run most of your titles and application.
Another great thing is its multi-display support for as high as 8k resolution. However, you can achieve better FPS and lag-free performance if you opt for 4k or 1080p resolution while gaming.
Moreover, you will not be annoyed with the fan noise since it turns off the fan under normal working. Further, the price-to-performance ratio of this GPU is fantastic. So if you have super-tight space for the graphic card but still want a good one, Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC is the one to choose.
6. GeForce RTX 3050
Features:
- Ram: 8GB DDR6
- Video Output: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
- CUDA: 2,560 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1780 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1760 MHz
- Bandwidth: 448 GB/sec
- Memory Interface: 128-bit
- Power Consumption: 115 Watt
Reasons to Consider:
GeForce RTX 3050 is another excellent pick for lower power GPU. Look at this GPU for max efficiency with minimum power consumption. You can play most modern games with an excellent price-to-performance ratio of 8GB VRAM and 2560 CUDA cores. Moreover, it also offers a more extraordinary frame at 4k resolution. And if you look at its power consumption it asks for 115 watts which is quite good for a unit this efficient.
GeForce RTX 3050 is a new entry to the market, which is why it has a slightly reasonable price tag. But don’t worry, and it does not compromise on features much.
First, it entails an 8 GB DDR6, which is quite good for even high-end processing. Moreover, its 256 CUDA cores and 1780 MHz boost clock can run most graphic-demanding games smoothly.
Since this graphic card shares many features of Radeon RX 6600 but does not ask for power consumption as RX 6600, you will need to spare 115 watts of power to this graphic card. On the whole, this graphic card can be the best buy for anyone looking for a potent yet low power GPU.
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Things To Consider Before Buying Low Power GPU
Not only lower power but there are a number of other factors to consider when you buy a low power GPU. Here we are listing them so you can make your GPU purchasing mindfully!
Resolution
Since whenever someone upgrades a system with GPU, you expect to get max resolution display. So resolution comes as a top factor. Whenever you buy a GPU, make sure it meets your monitor’s resolution. Most entry-mid-range GPUs work fine for 1080p displays. However, for a crisp display, you should buy a high end graphic card.
Power Consumption
Power demand is the second factor to take into account. Since you are here for a lower power GPu, it is apparent that you need to get a lower power GPU that does not drain your laptop battery. Or if you install it on a desktop, it copes with the existing power supply.
Price-to-Performance
When getting a GPU, budget matters a lot since you have to find the middle ground for both price and performance; if you have a budget between 100-300 bucks, you can get good mid-range graphic cards. But if you want high performance go for a higher budget as well.
Cooling System
If you want to get the best out of your PC, get a GPU with the best cooling system. In most mid-range graphic cards, you get a heat sink that can absorb as high as 100 watts.
Why Get A Lower Power GPU?
Low Power Consumption
Apparently, you consider a lower power graphic card so that it takes less battery power and power supply wattage. With small graphic cards, you get a limited connection, making it more power efficient.
Small Form Factor
Graphic cards that consume less power usually entail a small build. They are not only shorter but also narrower than average GPUs. So they mostly fit in your small cases. Moreover, the lower power graphics cards also have single slots mostly, but many also have dual slots.
Low Heat and Noise
Another big perk of low power is that your card does not produce much heat and noise. Since most low power GPUs come with a single fan operation or heat sink for heat dissipation, you enjoy quiet operation in heavy processing settings as well.
FAQs
Can a low power GPU run games on the best settings?
A low power graphic card can play games at medium settings. However, to play titles at their best performance, you have to compromise on the power feature. Moreover, power-efficient graphic cards are more suitable for heavy internet browsing, office work, or casual work.
What is a lower power graphics card?
Lower power GPUs are smaller and more power efficient than regular graphic cards. Mostly these graphic cards come with a single slot; however, you also get some with dual slots. In addition, such cards connect easily with any CPU since they are small form factors. However, note that low power GPU does not perform well for high end processing.
What is the best low power GPU?
The best lower GPU depends on your preferences. In the above guide, we listed the six best power-efficient graphic cards; however the one you choose depends on your choice. Some cards offer features that make them good for daily use. However, if you are a more seasoned gamer, you will need a high-graphic card.
Conclusion
Whether you have a limited power supply for your PC or have a limited budget a lower power GPU will be a good choice for you. you have to compromise on the performance a bit but with a little adjustment of the in-game settings, you can get better frame rates even with lower power GPUs.
Moreover, most of the graphic cards on our list can run at 1080p provided they have enough memory to process it.
All in all, we listed six different lower power graphic cards for you with different features so you can choose one that fits your needs. We hope that you find this review helpful.
IMHO, the definition of “low power” should be able to run without an external pci-e power connector. 75 watts or less. So your last two cards shouldn’t even count as low power as they are well over that 75 watt limit. The 6600XT even counts a bit thirsty.
The RX 560 and the GTX 1030 are really barely gaming cards. Those make other people’s lists of cheap cards to avoid LOL. Yeah, they sell a bunch but it’s a mistake for the buyer.
THE card to recommend is #3 – the GTX 1650. It can be hard to find them not requiring a pci-e power connector, though you can if you look. But even when requiring a plug in they don’t actually use any more power. Also, most of the GTX 1650’s sold now are using GDDR 6, which both runs a bit faster and uses a bit less power. Most of the time, the purpose of a low power card is someone upgrading an older PC. The power supply is likely small and they won’t have the PCI-E plugs. Will have to buy a adapter to convert an older plug. But there are a few of us that just like keeping power consumption low while still having a relatively fast computer.
The obvious omission on your list is the RX 6400. It’s about as fast as the GTX 1650 and a more modern card. Only 53 watts and never needs a power connector. Unfortunately in the quest to keep it cheap AMD made some poor choices, specifically on setting the card up with just 4x PCI-E and the 4.0 standard. This results in a pretty big performance hit if put in a 3.0 slot. Which is probably the situation for most low cost/low power consumption cards.
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