Best Graphics Cards in India – 2017 Q2 Guide

In this guide, we will have a look at the Best Graphics Cards in India for 2016, covering both budget and premium segments.

BIG BOLD NOTE- I am lazy. And the images I want to post are too large. So manually resizing them one by one will be too much for me. So almost no images. They will be upadted, hopefully, at a later date. If you want to check out the model specific images and shopping links, then I would request you to visit the article on the main site. Thanks.

2016 was a great year for the graphics card market. With Nvidia coming up with Pascal and AMD introducing Polaris, gamers were waiting with their upgrade wallets.

There was something for every segment- eSports, 1440p, 4K and even affordable VR. All this is great but choosing the best one for your needs and budget can get difficult. So I have compiled this guide to help you in getting the best graphics card in India.

It is important that you choose the best possible option in your budget. A Graphics Card is the most important component of a Gaming PC. My simplest advice is to stretch your budget., if possible. If the next better card costs 3000 more, try to get it.

There are some problems, though. The problem here is the way both companies market their GPUs. The models in the ranges are priced closely and the difference between the performance is a close call. This creates confusion- 3GB or 4GB?, Ti or non-Ti, 8GB or 6GB?…..

Before diving deep into the guide, keep a few aspects in mind. This guide is for India; the card will have to perform according to the Indian Rupee. So the criteria of “performance per Dollar” is out of setting here. There are cards that didn’t make it to the list because of the stupid price position. Just keep that in mind.

Covering cards from all budgets, I have made sure that only the best come through. Cards will be recommended only after considering all aspects like the cooler design, performance quality, and warranty. And there will be no previous gen cards unless specially mentioned.

We will begin with the budget cards-

Best Graphics Cards in India – Best Entry Level Cards / eSports Cards

Both AMD and nVidia kept the budget cards for the later dates but they are here and bring a lot of performance. From AMD, we got the RX 460 and from the green side, we had the GTX 1050/Ti.

I would recommend the RX 460 and the GTX 1050 Ti.


The RX 460 is the entry door for the Polaris architecture. It is aimed towards budget and eSports gamer who want a dependable GPU. It makes a great entry level card and will be a great option for first time builders on a tight budget.

There’s no need for paying a premium for overclocked and high-quality cooler designs here. It is already a simple and low power chip. So, getting unnecessary components in the way will only make it dearer.

There are two versions available- 2GB and 4GB. I would recommend the 2GB model as it is cheaper and there is no performance difference between the two.


HIS RX 460 iCooler OC

The HIS card follows the physical design of the reference card but comes with an 6 pin connector. This extra connector theoretically gives better OC potential. It comes with a slight OC for the boost clock. It will work with any PC that has a 6 pin power connector. Also, it is the cheapest RX 460 currently available in India.

Sapphire RX 460 OC

The Sapphire card has two fans which help in quieter cooling. It also comes with a 50MHz overclock to the core. Sapphire decided to add a 6-pin power connector to the card.

PowerColor Red Dragon Radeon RX 460

GTX 1050 Ti

The Pascal based GTX 1050 Ti is based on the new 14nm design. There are two GPUs with this process. First is the standard and slower 1050 and the faster 1050 Ti. 1050 Ti is an entry level offering but with a faster GPU compared to the standard 1050.

It comes with 4GB of VRAM and the reference models do not need an external power connector. All 1050 Ti models from manufacturers perform almost the same even after overclock. So simply get the cheapest one you can find.

Try to contain yourself only to the cheaper models. Big Brand cards are costing over 16000, at which point you are better off with a 1060 3GB or RX 480 4GB.


Zotac GTX 1050 Ti Mini

There are two versions of the 1050 Ti from Zotac. First one, “OC“, comes with a beefier cooler with two fans and the second one, “Mini“, comes with a single fan aluminium heatsink design. Both work without any external power source and will fit even the tiniest of the PC cases. Better get the Mini version and save some cash.

Inno3D GTX 1050 Ti Compact

Following the same design philosophy of the Zotac cards, the Inno3D GTX 1050 Ti has two variants. First, the reference design based 1050 Ti “Compact” and the second with two fans, “X2“. Both work without any external power source. Here too, you should only get the Compact one.

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Best Graphics Cards in India – Best 1080p

The following cards provide the best 1080p performance with consistent framerates even in the demanding titles. They also prove their value at 1440p; though, you will have to be careful with your in-game settings.


The GTX 1060 is the mid-range offering from the Pascal lineup that surely brings premium performance at a bargain price. It is based on the 16nm GP106 chip. Performance is on par with the previous gen, high-end Maxwell cards like the GTX 980.

It is available in 3GB and 6GB variants with the 3GB card having 10% lower processing power. Though the nomenclature is similar to 960, it performs leaps better than 960s. As it is with all Pascal based cards, the GTX 1060 is extremely power efficient for the performance it delivers.

Because of this efficiency, most of the AIB cards are similar in thermal performance. So in general, getting a card with lower cost and good service is all you need. Also, try to get the 6GB version as the 3GB version will hit the memory plateau soon if you get a bit adventurous with game modding.

There is no SLI available onboard, so your multi-GPU plan for the coming years will not be implemented here

Recommended Cards

Zotac 1060 6GB AMP! edition

There are two versions of the Zotac 1060. The “Mini” and the “AMP!”, the former suitable for small form factor systems. The AMP! edition comes with a slight OC to both base and boosts core clock. It also uses a heat pipe based cooler with two 90mm fans. The mini uses a single 90mm fan with a basic sunflower style heatsink. Get the AMP! edition if you want to overclock your card later on. Otherwise, the mini will be fine for most users.

EVGA GTX 1060 6GB SuperClocked

There are 10 different versions of the EVGA GTX 1060 6GB. But only two variants are readily available in India- The Gaming and the Superclocked Gaming. The SC version comes with a decent OC from the factory. Both of these cards use an ACX 2.0 cooler design with a single fan setup. Even though these cards are tiny, they perform great in thermal and noise tests.

MSI 1060 6GB Gaming X & 1060 6GB 6GT OC

There are 4 variants of MSI 1060 6GB- Gaming X, Armor OC, 6GT OC and 6G OC. The first one being the top of the line and the 6G OC being a basic single fan design. The Gaming variant comes with bells and whistles like custom PCB, backplate, LEDs etc.

Though the Gaming X may look enticing, the best bang for buck model from this lineup is the 6GT OC. It uses a basic design but still manages to perform close enough to the Gaming variant. The Armor variant looks good, nothing else.

Gigabyte GTX 1060 G1 GAMING

Gigabyte also offers many 1060 variants. The lineup includes- GTX 1060 Xtreme Gaming 6G, GTX 1060 G1 GAMING, GTX 1060 D5, GTX 1060 WINDFORCE OC, GTX 1060 Mini-ITX OC. The first three versions get back-plates and RGB lighting and the later versions are basic versions where the last one is targeted towards SFF builds. The Xtreme Gaming version is one of the fastest and the coolest 1060 in the market.

I can only recommend the G1 Gaming edition because it provides all the bells and whistles without costing over. The another one is the Windforce OC. It is decent and will roll along without breaking. Though, the Xtreme Gaming does get 4 years of warranty if registered after purchase.

Palit GTX 1060 Super Jetstream

There are three variants offered by Palit- Dual, Jetstream, and Super Jetstream. The Dual is the basic version but still offers 2 fans for quieter cooling. There is nothing special about the card in terms of standout features but it remains cool and quiet because of its fans. The Super Jetstream version is one of the fastest 1060s in the market, right along with the Gigabyte and Asus model.

It includes RGB lighting (in my opinion the best looking), Dual BIOS, metal backplate and a large cooler. I would recommend it over the dual. This is the cheapest flagship 1060 that you will get from any manufacturer.


The RX 480 was the first card from the Polaris lineup. It is based on the 14nm fabrication process and is efficient and cheaper compared to its predecessors. This card provides previous-gen flagship performance at mid-range pricing.

It is available in 4GB and 8GB versions, with both the versions having the same processing power. It also supports Crossfire which is always a welcomed upgrade option. Its main advantage lies in its DX12/Vulcan performance. This is important because more games will use this API in the coming time.

Unlike the GTX 1060 models, the AIB cards for RX 480 are all over the place. Some are efficient while others are just cheap coolers stuck onto the chip. Also, there are fewer cards compared to the likes of nVidia. Mentioned below, are the better ones.

Also, get the 8GB model if possible. The 4GB version is good but only if you are getting a sweet deal and limit your modding expectations.


PowerColor Red Devil RX 480

There are two variants by PowerColor but only one is available in India- The PowerColor Red Devil RX 480. It is a huge card and easily one of the best in terms of noise and thermal performance. Though there are no shining LEDs here, it does include a metal backplate. The cooler is also a proper heatsink cooler and takes full advantage of its size.

One problem with the card is its OC capabilities. The card uses a custom cooler but still retains some reference style PCB components. So it might not prove to be the best overclocking RX 480. Also, do consider the size before placing the order.

Asus ROG STRIX RX 480

There are three variants offered by Asus- ROG STRIX, Dual, and the reference style. The STRIX is the flagship variant and the Dual is a basic 2-Fan style cooler. As always expected, the STRIX offers all the bells and whistles that you can expect from a ROG product. It uses a big DirectCU-3 cooler with three fans and a custom PCB design aiding in OC.

It includes complete RGB Lighting, Metal backplate, dedicated 4-pin fan headers and high-quality electrical components. Unlike the Strix GTX 1060, this STRIX is worth recommending.

MSI RX 480 8GB Gaming X

The MSI has 2 major RX 480 variants- Armor and Gaming X. The Gaming X, as always, uses the high-quality Twin Frozr 6 cooler. It houses all the usual stuff like the backplate, RGB lighting, big fans etc. The great thing about all the Gaming series cards from MSI is their dependability. They are silent, cool and perform the way they are meant.

The Armor is a basic card that looks really good but the Gaming X version still provides better performance at least with the AMD cards.

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Best Graphics Cards in India – Best 1440p

There is not much to say here. Just nVidia with their GTX 1070 8GB.


The GTX 1070 is the little brother to the GTX 1080 and replacement for the ever-so-popular GTX 970. It is based on the GP104 16nm chip and comes with 8GB of GDDR5 memory. It is a card that can actually beat a previous gen GTX Titan. How about that?

There is only 2-way SLI supported but that’s not a big deal. 2-way SLI doesn’t scale according to the investment, so, forget about 3-way and 4-way SLI. On the other hand, this card provides a stunning solo performance at standard 1440p with all settings maxed out.

Now as for the cards, something interesting is going here. Instead of recommending higher end variants of the lineup like the Xtreme Gaming, Gaming X, ROG Strix…. I would actually recommend the mid-tier ones. The Pascal lineup is already efficient and slapping a big cooler over it doesn’t make that much of a difference.

All the higher end variants have add-ons like metal backplates, LED lighting, OC right out of the box, big coolers (sometimes unnecessary) and a bragging right. At the end, it is your money. If you think any of these features matter, then go ahead and get it. Or you can save some bucks and get a cheaper one and buy an RGB strip for your case. Either way, it is a Win-Win situation for you.

There are many variants for the GTX 1070 and almost all of them are worth recommending. So I am only giving the names of the ones that I believe perform the best for their price.


Asus GTX 1070 Dual OC

EVGA GTX 1070 Superclocked

Gainward GTX 1070 Phoenix Edition

Gigabyte GTX 1070 G1 Gaming

MSI GTX 1070 Armor

Palit GTX 1070 Super Jetstream

Zotac GTX 1070 AMP! Edition

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Best Graphics Cards in India – Best Ultrawide 1440p, Proper VR, and Great 4K


GTX 1080 is the first Pascal card and the fastest gaming oriented card. The GTX 1080 is the successor of the GTX 980 and is geared towards 4K and VR games. It is based on the GP104 16nm chip and comes with 8GB of GDDR5X memory.

This card supports all the features that Pascal has to offer. With power consumption less than that of an RX 480, you are getting the highest performing gaming card that regular humans can buy. Yes, it is an overpriced GPU but this is because of lack of competition. nVidia has a right to get cocky with the pricing.

But what about the aftermarket cards? Get the one you like. At this price point, it hardly matters. All the cards from manufacturers perform exceptionally well and all you pay for is looks and brand value. Some cards come with custom water-blocks, AIO water coolers etc. Just get the one whose service center is near to you and the design that you think looks the best.

Though I would especially recommend three cards- Zotac GTX 1080 AMP! Extreme, Gainward GTX 1080 Phoenix and Palit GTX 1080 Super Jetstream. All these cards are flagship variants and start out cheaper than OC variants of other manufacturers.

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Best Graphics Cards in India – Best 4K and Special Mention


Based on the 16 nm “GP102,” derived from the “Pascal” architecture, the TITAN X Pascal features 3,584 CUDA cores, 224 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and a 384-bit wide GDDR5X memory, holding 12 GB of memory. The chip is clocked at 1417 MHz core, with 1531 MHz GPU Boost, and 10 Gbps memory, working out to 480 GB/s memory bandwidth.

In other words, THIS IS THE FASTEST CARD RIGHT NOW! If you are rich and cool then get this. Or be smart and wait for the next generation of cards that can actually deliver more than 80-90 FPS consistent at 4K without burning a hole in your pocket.

nVidia sells them directly and you can get yours from here – nVidia Titan X (Pascal) For just 1200$!


Here are the warranty periods for different companies mentioned in this article.

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Special Note

These cards are also available at many local retailers. Sometimes you will get great deals with them. Some cheaper variants are also only available with local retailers. So do give them a visit.

Companies like MSI and gigabyte also have special stores where you can get to know the products closely. So, if you happen to live near such a store, you can visit them,

Also, the three major companies – MSI, ASUS, Gigabyte will definitely have a better network of service centres and better customer support. They also have models that include special packages

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I tried to include or recommend only the best ones considering all the aspects. But some were left out deliberately.

As I said earlier, this is a guide for the Best Graphics Cards in India. The pricing of cards like the RX 470 4GB, RX 480 4GB, and some GTX 1050 Ti models, is completely screwed up. They are priced much higher than they should be.

In the international market, or for the USA at least, the RX 470 4GB and the RX 480 4GB are the best bang for buck lower mid range cards. But in India, they are priced so close to the faster counterparts that it is almost impossible to recommend them.

Until and unless the pricing is revised for all of the mentioned cards, the list will most probably remain as it stands.

So this is it, folks. These are the best Best Graphics Cards in India, IMO. In the end, the final decision lies with you. The cards from all the tiers perform great for the price and you won’t go wrong with either Green Team or Red.

If you want to get the shopping links then please give the original article a visit. Some of the links are affiliate links, so I am not posting them here.