AMD Graphics Cards Buyers Guide
What is an AMD GPU / Graphics Card ?
Though many modern CPUs are equipped with integrated graphics, these are only really suitable for basic tasks such as web browsing and office applications. Therefore you should serious consider buying a separate graphics card if you want to play games or edit videos.
A key supplier of graphics cards is AMD, and its range of Radeon GPUs offer something at every imaginable price point. The key specs to look out for when choosing a graphics card are the number of stream processors and amount of memory, with more powerful cards having more of both. A faster and more powerful graphics card will enable to run games at higher quality settings at a smooth frame rate and even allow you to take advantage of super sharp HIGH RESOLUTION MONITORS, making everything look better. In this buyers guide we’ll give a recommendation of the optimum monitor resolution for each graphics card.
AMD is constantly updating its product range which could make it confusing to know if you’re buying the latest and greatest version.
The easiest way to tell is to look at what series the graphics card is, this essentially refers to the generation of that product which you’ll always find in the product description. Right now, the latest series of AMD GPUs are from the VII, RX Vega-series and RX 500-series.
The Radeon RX Hierarchy
With prices ranging from as little as £110 right the way up to a cool £1,000, there’s an AMD Radeon graphics card for everyone. To make the selection process a little easier to discern, we’ve split the various choices into entry-level, mid-range and high-end segments.
Radeon RX 550
The entry-level Radeon RX 550 has 512 stream processors and is available with either 2GB or 4GB of memory, giving it good performance in MMO and online games on a 1080p monitor. The RX 550 is also a good option for attaching multiple monitors to a home or OFFICE PC if you not too bothered about gaming.
| Gaming | 3 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 0 | |||||||||
| Value | 7 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution1080p
Radeon RX 560
The Radeon RX 560 is based on the same architecture as RX 550 but ups the ante by increasing the stream processors to 1,024 and is available with either 2GB or 4GB of GDDR5 memory. The RX 560, in a 4GB configuration, adds greater games-playing potential and can run games on a 1080p monitor at high detail settings. It is a worthy step up from RX 550 as in games the RX 560 is over 60 per cent faster.
| Gaming | 4 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 0 | |||||||||
| Value | 7 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution1080p
Radeon RX 570
A hit among with Bitcoin miners, the RX 570 has flown off the shelves and subsequently retained a relatively high price tag. Yet don’t let limited retail availability act as a deterrent. With 2,048 stream processors and either 4GB or 8GB of memory, the Radeon RX 570 is a strong choice for 1080p GAMING with quality settings dialled up to maximum.
| Gaming | 4 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 4 | |||||||||
| Value | 6 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution1080p
Radeon RX 580
Ready to take your first steps into higher-resolution virtual worlds? The Radeon RX 580, armed with 2,304 stream processors and up to 8GB of memory is well-equipped for the transition from 1080p to 1440p, and with genuine mining appeal, said card may hold its value better than most. Its specifications mean that it has more power than today’s latest high-end consoles, and there’s just about enough performance under the hood to try your hand at VR too.
| Gaming | 6 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 5 | |||||||||
| Value | 5 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution1440p
Radeon RX 590
The Radeon RX 590 is an improved version of the RX 580 and is armed with 2,304 stream processors and 8GB of memory for good 1440p performance. Its specifications mean that it has more power than today’s latest high-end consoles, and there’s just about enough performance under the hood to try your hand at VR too.
| Gaming | 6 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 5 | |||||||||
| Value | 5 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution1440p
Radeon RX Vega56
This AMD graphics card enjoy the cutting-edge features of the Vega architecture. Radeon RX Vega56 touts an incredible 3,584 stream processors and 8GB of blazing-fast HBM2 memory.
One of the fastest graphics cards produced to date, Vega56 is well suited to a high-resolution 1440p monitor or VR headset and promises blockbuster visuals from modern games. A worthy partner for a 1440p FreeSync display or VR headset.
| Gaming | 7 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 7 | |||||||||
| Value | 3 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution1440p
Radeon RX Vega64
This AMD graphics card enjoy the cutting-edge features of the Vega architecture. Radeon RX Vega56 touts an incredible 3,584 stream processors and 8GB of blazing-fast HBM2 memory.
One of the fastest graphics cards produced to date, Vega56 is well suited to a high-resolution 1440p monitor or VR headset and promises blockbuster visuals from modern games. A worthy partner for a 1440p FreeSync display or VR headset.
| Gaming | 8 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 8 | |||||||||
| Value | 3 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution4K or UWHD
Radeon VII
The latest and greatest AMD graphics cards enjoy the cutting-edge features of the Vega architecture. The Radeon VII touts an incredible 3,840 stream processors and 8GB of blazing-fast HBM2 memory.
One of the fastest graphics cards produced to date, Radeon VII is well suited to a high-resolution 4K monitor or VR headset and promises blockbuster visuals from modern games. A worthy partner for a 4K FreeSync display or VR headset.
| Gaming | 10 | |||||||||
| Virtual Reality | 10 | |||||||||
| Value | 3 | |||||||||
Optimum Resolution4K or UWHD
Summary
Still not sure which AMD graphics card is right for you? This table shows the key characteristics, rated out of 10, of the main models.
| RX 550 | RX 560 | RX 570 | RX 580 | RX 590 | RX VEGA56 | RX VEGA64 | Radeon VII | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Virtual Reality | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Value | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
We hope you’ve found this buyers guide helpful. Don’t hesitate to speak to one of our friendly advisors for more advice if you still have questions on how to select the perfect graphics card for your needs.