Best PowerColor Graphics Cards in 2020

It is not necessary to purchase a high-resolution monitor for gaming, Full HD (1920 × 1080) will suffice. But to display the highest graphics performance, you need a powerful video card with at least 2 GB of memory. In this rating of the best PowerColor video cards, only models of the middle price segment and above will be considered. This is due to the fact that inexpensive video cards have very low performance, so they are not suitable for gaming graphics.

The main criteria for choosing a video card

First of all, you should pay attention to the dimensions of the video card, since the most powerful of them are large in size. This is justified by the fact that only large heatsinks and coolers can protect the board from overheating and reduce the noise level. The most common reason for the failure of a video card is precisely its overheating, due to insufficient cooling at maximum loads. Therefore, it is almost impossible to build a high-performance gaming PC inexpensively, which will be compact, reliable and relatively quiet.

There are video cards on the market not only with active cooling, but also with passive cooling. They are designated Silent and SL. Their price is slightly lower, but they will most likely not function for a long time. This is explained by the fact that there is insufficient ventilation inside the system unit, which is why the video card works in extreme temperature conditions without proper cooling. The advantage of a GPU with active cooling is the complete absence of noise at low loads and functioning in the optimal temperature mode.

Budget models are most often equipped with small coolers that operate at high speeds. This leads to their rapid wear and the accompanying during operation with a characteristic unpleasant sound. Therefore, for a video card to be reliable, quiet and durable, it is necessary to focus on models with a large cooler.

Models marked OverClock, OC, O are overclocked. These are powerful video cards that operate at higher frequencies. At the same time, their productivity increases by small values, but the service life can sharply decrease. This is due to the fact that almost all components of the video card work at the maximum rate. It is recommended to overclock the GPU only with a good ventilation system. If it is rather weak, it is better to buy a card with a more efficient chip. So it will last much longer than overclocked and functioning at the maximum permissible temperatures.

Rating of the best PowerColor graphics cards

Powerful graphics cards under $ 200

Radeon RX 550

The model is a lightweight version of the Radeon RX560 accelerator and belongs to the budget category.Its main difference from other graphics cards in this series is that the RX 550 has no predecessors. The manufacturer positions these cards as a good option for eSports and home media centers. The Radeon RX550 has a relatively compact size and fairly low power consumption. This accelerator with a memory capacity of 2 gigabytes can be used even for "heavy" games, but in this case you will have to reduce the graphics quality to a minimum. For other needs, a two-gig model is also suitable. The Overclock video card has an active cooling system, but rather simple. The noise level is low and only occurs under heavy loads.

Estimated price in Russia: 6,730 rubles.

• compact size;
• relative noiselessness.

• under heavy loads, it heats up more than other models from competitors.

Radeon RX 560 OC

The RX 560 graphics processor is the youngest, so there are not many video cards based on it yet. The best are the overclock models with 4GB of RAM. One of them is the Radeon RX 560 OC. This model has the highest operating frequencies and has an excellent cooling system. Another distinguishing feature of the PowerColor accelerator is the presence of a special connector that controls the external fan.

In terms of performance, the model is slightly better than the GTX 1050, but slightly inferior to the GTX 1050 Ti. The video card is great for functioning in Full HD resolution, but in higher formats some discomfort will be felt.

Estimated price in Russia: 9 690 rubles.

• the cooling system is highly efficient and at the same time practically silent;
• special connector for external fan control;
• quality components.

• support for a small number of interfaces.

Powerful graphics cards from $ 300 to $ 500

Radeon RX 570 4G

To date, PowerColor has released only two accelerators based on the Radeon RX570 graphics chip. The oldest of them is considered a modification from the Aorus line, which is a game one. The GPU is equipped with a highly efficient cooling system that consists of 4 heat pipes. This, in turn, ensures the stable operation of the video card even at higher frequencies. The price of the Radeon RX 570 also attracts attention. In Russia, its price is lower than that of the usual one.

Considering all the new graphics cards based on Nvidia, this accelerator has no competitor. But the three-gig GPU GeForce GTX 1060 can boast about the same performance. Of course, you can notice a big difference in price, but you should take into account the element of novelty, as well as the peculiarity of pricing in Russia. The video card is equipped with some pretty interesting new technologies. For example, it allows you to adjust the frame rate depending on the speed of the cursor movement. This significantly reduces the heating and noise of the video card. And most importantly, the accelerator is energy efficient.

Estimated price in Russia: 13,590 rubles.

• equipping with new interesting technologies;
• cooling system with excellent efficiency.

• overpriced.

Radeon RX 580 X8G

AMD-based accelerators only in the 400 line emphasized energy efficiency. And in all other lines, including new ones, high performance along with relatively low cost is in the first place. However, fans of this company have long been accustomed to the fact that accelerators have a high level of energy consumption and, of course, the resulting heating. However, thanks to the equipment with a branded cooling system, the video cards do not suffer from overheating and even work almost silently.

Today there are dozens of video card modifications based on the RX580 processor. However, the PowerColor Radeon RX 580 X8G deserves special attention. This is primarily due to the fact that other 4-gigabyte accelerators have much lower memory bandwidth.Another argument in favor of the hero of the rating is that the Armor series is not so stable when overclocking a video card. Even the “X” in the name is its advantage, because overclocked memory is a pretty real thing, but the increased operating frequency of the processor in the “+” models is the theoretical maximum.

Estimated price in Russia: 15 540 rubles.

• solid overclocking potential;
• excellent gaming performance even at high resolutions;
• the possibility of downlocking (significant reduction in operating frequencies).

• high price;
• high energy consumption.

PCI-E PowerColor Graphics Card Radeon RX 570 AXRX 570 8GB

This model boasts not only a large amount of memory, but also a cooling system with two fans. The video card can be recommended to users who use the components of the system unit for a long time and do not upgrade it. Indeed, in a couple of years, the requirements for games will become even higher and, who knows, it is possible that 6 gigabytes will become the minimum that can support new developments. The accelerator differs from its relatives based on the GTX 1050 processor by the presence of powerful back protection. The video card is not overclocked to the maximum, so you can additionally increase the performance yourself.

Estimated price in Russia: 15 400 rubles.

• solid amount of memory;
• small size;
• the presence of a powerful backplate.

• high price;
• there is only 1 connector for the DP interface;
• not rich equipment.

PCI-E PowerColor Graphics Card Radeon RX 570 AXRX 570 8GBD5-DMV3 8GB GDDR5

PowerColor brand graphics processors with a cooling system will be an excellent gaming solution if the buyer is financially limited. Unlike more "fancy" video cards, they heat up, of course, a little more. However, if we take into account that the power consumption of the new chips is lower and they are made using a 16-nanometer process technology, this difference can be ignored.

This video card also has advantages over the leader of this rating. It is equipped with three Display Port ports. However, the video card does not support VGA interface either. In addition, the back of the board is protected by a special plate, due to which the structure gains additional rigidity, which protects it from external influences.

There are lines and cheaper, for example, OS and D5. However, they are equipped with a simpler graphics core and one Display Port, and they also lack the protection of the video card from kinking (Backplate).

Estimated price in Russia: 15 343 rubles.

• relatively quiet cooling system;
• three DP ports;
• the presence of a backplate;
• good overclocking capability.

• the ability to simultaneously connect only 2 monitors.

AMD (ATI) Radeon RX 590 PowerColor Red Devil Graphics

The graphics chip of this video card is more in line with the previous category of this rating. However, the price doesn't allow it to be placed there. Most often, this video card is interested in users who want to get a powerful accelerator, which the manufacturer has already overclocked. The card is equipped with a three-fan cooling system, so overheating due to operation at extremely high frequencies does not threaten it. Another feature of the video card is the proprietary FanConnect technology, thanks to which you can adjust the blowing power from two external fans at once. There is, of course, a minus for such a design - a large size.

Estimated price in Russia: 22,000 rubles.

• control of two external fans;
• two HDMI connectors;
• decent overclocking from the manufacturer.

• high price;
• large dimensions.

Powerful graphics cards from $ 500 to $ 900 (High-end)

PowerColor Radeon RX Vega 64 Graphics

First of all, this model is a reference, and this is what immediately catches the eye.The video card has a proprietary cooling system, thanks to which the GPU, warmed up to 78 degrees, begins to function in more benign conditions. The special cooling system also reduces the noise level during the operation of the accelerator.

However, all these advantages result in one big drawback - the dimensions of the video card are too large. It doesn't even fit into every system unit without unnecessary hassle. The video card has a significant reserve of potential, thanks to which it will not be considered obsolete even after a couple of years. However, this does not mean that modding fans will not be interested in it. The video card has another fascinating detail - the pulsing of the accelerator backlight to the beat of the music, as well as the ability to change the brightness of the glow depending on the temperature.

Estimated price in Russia: 37,890 rubles.

• highest performance;
• low heating level even at maximum loads;
• the presence of intelligent backlight.

• very large size.

PowerColor Radeon RX Vega 56 8192Mb video card

The best graphics processor is the Radeon RX Vega 56 8192Mb from PowerColor. Even at maximum loads, the temperature of the accelerator does not rise above 72 degrees Celsius, and the noise level is so low that it is barely audible. The manufacturer has equipped the model with an 8-phase power supply circuit, so that even a voltage drop is completely excluded. In some reviews of this model, there are complaints about the whistle of the chokes.

However, there is no reliable data on this. It may be that several copies somehow got such a defect. But the manufacturer clearly noted that only super ferrite chokes (SFC) are used as components of the video card, which are highly efficient. The rest of the accelerator components belong to Class 4, which indicates their reliable performance even under extreme loads.

It should be noted that the board has two power connectors, and its back is protected by a metal plate. The video card is equipped with a functional control utility and supports virtual reality devices.

Estimated price in Russia: 37,895 rubles.

• high performance even with the maximum graphics performance;
• noiselessness of work;
• practically does not heat up under loads.

• high price;
• according to reviews, throttles squeak in some models.

Today, the most popular are, of course, tablets and smartphones. However, their game resource cannot be compared to even the lowest performing card. Only thanks to powerful accelerators will gamers be able to experience all the realism of the game that the developers wanted to convey.

When choosing a video card, the most important argument in its favor should be reliability. Therefore, you should not buy accelerators with a passive cooling system or a small cooler, as well as overclock models with insufficient ventilation.