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A dependable pattern in PC tech over the previous decade? Seeing increasingly more energy squeezed into smaller and smaller packages. These days, even the quickest and most potent graphics playing cards can work inside sure compact Mini-ITX PC circumstances (which, themselves, have expanded to accommodate), however you may must thoughts energy, thermal, and measurement limits. In case you certainly must discover a small, peppy card to suit a decent PC case, that is a tough, multifaceted resolution. At PCMag, we now have a long time of expertise testing graphics playing cards, and we take a look at all playing cards for body charges throughout a wealthy collection of video games, in addition to for characteristic units, designs, connections, and thermal traits. Allow us to assist. Our present greatest decide for many patrons is the Intel Arc B580; no single choice will work for everybody, although, so our listing beneath has suggestions for all budgets. Along with the picks, we have outlined all of the issues to recollect as you store. Learn on.
Deeper Dive: Our High Examined Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
June 2, 2025: With this replace, we added the Intel Arc B580 as our decide for Finest Compact Mainstream Intel Graphics Card and the Arc B570 as Finest Compact Finances Intel Graphics Card. We additionally added the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 as our new Finest Semi-Compact Nvidia Graphics Card for 4K, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT as our Finest Semi-Compact AMD Graphics Card for 4K. We examined and evaluated eight new graphics playing cards for inclusion on this and our different graphics card roundups since our final replace.
Execs & Cons
Wonderful ray-tracing efficiency for a lower-cost card
Helps DLSS 3
8GB of video reminiscence
Aggressive value
Lackluster efficiency at increased resolutions
Some points working older video games
Backside Line
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4060 (examined right here in Asus livery) produces distinctive ray-tracing efficiency, because of its “Ada Lovelace” structure. It is the perfect trendy, moderate-cost graphics card for 1080p gaming.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
Nvidia AD107
GPU Base Clock
1830 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
2505 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
8 GB
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
3
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
9 inches
Board Energy or TDP
115 watts
Energy Connector(s)
1 8-pin
Be taught Extra
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Overview
Execs & Cons
Efficient efficiency at 1080p decision
Competitively priced
8GB of GDDR6
Compact design in reference board suggests compact partner-card designs are potential
Poor efficiency above 1080p
Lackluster displaying in legacy video games
Backside Line
AMD’s Radeon RX 7600 is a superb graphics card for working trendy video games maxed out at 1080p—simply keep at that decision!—and 60fps.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
AMD Navi 33
GPU Base Clock
2250 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
2625 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
8 GB
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
3
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
8 inches
Board Energy or TDP
165 watts
Energy Connector(s)
1 8-pin
Be taught Extra
AMD Radeon RX 7600 Overview
Execs & Cons
Distinctive efficiency in its value tier
12GB GDDR6 reminiscence
192-bit reminiscence interface
Potent ray-tracing efficiency
Energy consumption nonetheless a little bit excessive
Bland aesthetics
Lackluster efficiency with legacy video games
Backside Line
A winner of a price range graphics card, Intel’s “Battlemage”-based Arc B580 delivers very good 1080p efficiency at its $249 value, with superb ray-tracing pep and sufficient bandwidth to sport at even increased resolutions with the precise settings.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
Intel BMG-G21
GPU Enhance Clock
2850 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
12 GB
DVI Outputs
0
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
3
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
10.7 inches
Board Energy or TDP
190 watts
Energy Connector(s)
1 8-pin
Be taught Extra
Intel Arc B580 Overview
Execs & Cons
Compact, twin-fan design
Full array of video ports in our take a look at pattern
Good price-to-performance ratio for its section
Sturdy leads to ray-tracing benchmarks
Excessive overclock ceiling
Not as far forward of AMD’s Radeon RX 6500 XT in some exams as we might have hoped
Comparatively excessive energy consumption for its class
Backside Line
The GeForce RTX 3050 is a robust junior entry into Nvidia’s peerless lineup of “Ampere”-powered RTX 30 Sequence GPUs, and this EVGA XC Black card is a corker for 1080p play at a near-budget value.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
Nvidia Ampere GA106
GPU Base Clock
1552 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
1777 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
8 GB
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
3
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
7.94 inches
Board Energy or TDP
130 watts
Energy Connector(s)
1 8-pin
Be taught Extra
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Overview
Execs & Cons
1080p efficiency on par, in most video games, with playing cards of comparable listing value
Efficiency tier is not enticing to cryptocurrency miners
RT cores pointless as a result of low efficiency
Outrun by GTX 1650 Tremendous on a number of exams
Runs scorching in contrast with comparable playing cards
Backside Line
Gigabyte’s tackle AMD’s Radeon RX 6500 XT price range GPU supplies almost rock-solid 1080p PC gaming efficiency in AAA and multiplayer titles, but it surely runs scorching and packs unneeded ray-tracing cores.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
AMD Navi 24
GPU Base Clock
1717 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
2815 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
4 GB
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
1
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
7.56 inches
Board Energy or TDP
107 watts
Energy Connector(s)
1 6-PIN
Be taught Extra
AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT Overview
Execs & Cons
Potent ray-tracing efficiency
Affordably priced
Stays cool below load
Barely excessive energy consumption
Combined efficiency outdoors of ray-tracing
Backside Line
Intel’s Arc B580 beats it on worth, however the budget-minded Arc B570 (examined right here as an ASRock Challenger card) delivers intense ray-tracing efficiency and aggressive, if at occasions inconsistent, gaming speeds for the cash.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
Intel BMG-G21
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
10 GB
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
3
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
9.8 inches
Board Energy or TDP
150 watts
Be taught Extra
Intel Arc B570 Overview
Execs & Cons
Potent AI efficiency
Aggressive, although not triumphant, gaming speeds at its value level
Elevated energy consumption over closest Nvidia predecessor (RTX 4070 Tremendous)
Usually slower than like-priced AMD competitors
Negligible efficiency positive aspects over RTX 4070 Tremendous
Backside Line
Nvidia’s midrange GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card produces solely modest efficiency positive aspects over its predecessor whereas consuming extra energy, simply as AMD steps it up with a potent Radeon different.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GB205
GPU Base Clock
2330 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
2512 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR7
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
12 GB
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
3
Variety of Followers
2
Card Width
double
Card Size
9.5 inches
Board Energy or TDP
250 watts
Energy Connector(s)
12VHPWR
Be taught Extra
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Overview
Execs & Cons
Extremely aggressive value
Enormously improved ray-tracing efficiency versus earlier era
Sturdy efficiency in lots of titles
Stays cool below load
AI efficiency in our LLM benchmark
Non-ray-tracing efficiency lags behind last-gen Radeon GPUs
Backside Line
The Radeon RX 9070 XT, examined in Sapphire Pulse garb, reveals enormously improved ray tracing efficiency over AMD’s last-gen GPUs. Its robust pricing (assuming it holds!) makes it a formidable competitor within the graphics card midmarket.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
AMD Navi 48
GPU Base Clock
2400 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
2970 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
16 GB
HDMI Outputs
2
DisplayPort Outputs
2
Variety of Followers
3
Card Width
triple
Card Size
12.6 inches
Board Energy or TDP
304 watts
Energy Connector(s)
2 8-pin
Be taught Extra
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Overview
Execs & Cons
Low-profile design
No PCIe energy wanted
Ray tracing assist
Backside Line
AMD’s Radeon RX 6400 low-profile graphics card delivers a bump in efficiency over older GPUs and built-in graphics—although not an enormous one—without having for additional energy.
Specs & Configurations
Graphics Processor
AMD Radeon RX 6400
GPU Base Clock
2039 MHz
GPU Enhance Clock
2321 MHz
Graphics Reminiscence Kind
GDDR6
Graphics Reminiscence Quantity
4 GB
DVI Outputs
0
HDMI Outputs
1
DisplayPort Outputs
1
Variety of Followers
1
Card Width
Half
Card Size
9.25 inches
Board Energy or TDP
55 watts
Energy Connector(s)
None
Be taught Extra
AMD Radeon RX 6400 Overview
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The Finest Graphics Playing cards for Compact PCs in 2025
Evaluate Specs
Shopping for Information: The Finest Graphics Playing cards for Compact PCs in 2025
Earlier than figuring out which graphics card to purchase for a compact PC, you must ideally already personal a compact desktop or be shut to purchasing one. It is a key beginning place, as the scale and design of your PC case will likely be one massive figuring out consider what graphics card you should utilize. Within the PC case and motherboard markets, merchandise are most frequently categorized by type issue, with ATX, MicroATX, and Mini-ITX being the commonest. It is enough for probably the most half to consider these as massive (ATX), medium (MicroATX), and small (Mini-ITX).
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
Being targeted on compact PCs, most of this recommendation revolves across the Mini-ITX type issue. Most ATX and MicroATX circumstances will take nearly any measurement graphics card. Whereas it is potential to get graphics playing cards which are too massive for some ATX and MicroATX PC circumstances, that is far much less widespread than with Mini-ITX circumstances. As that is the smallest widespread type issue, it is no shock that it has probably the most challenges with becoming in giant parts like graphics playing cards.
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
In reality, many late-model Mini-ITX PC circumstances can maintain most graphics playing cards, even exceedingly highly effective ones like Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080 and 5080. It is a comparatively latest improvement, as Mini-ITX PC circumstances was smaller, however many corporations now promote prolonged fashions designed to carry present graphics playing cards, which have been trending greater in recent times. If you’re shopping for one in every of these roomier fashions, you must have a better time discovering a graphics card on your PC.Absolutely the smallest desktop PCs you should buy as we speak, just like the NUC-style fashions, depend on CPU-integrated graphics and haven’t got room so as to add a graphics card of any measurement, so these are clearly non-starters. You may additionally discover some Mini-ITX PCs that come between these two extremes and might be able to maintain a graphics card…however with critical limitations. These PCs could solely settle for graphics playing cards which are half-height or which are comparatively quick in size.
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
In the end, earlier than you may safely purchase a graphics card for a compact PC, you will have to know simply how a lot room that PC has to work with. Of explicit be aware is the inner distance between the back and front of the case, the whole variety of add-on slots, and the utmost supported card top. You’ll then must verify these identical options of any card you purchase to make sure it could possibly match.Can Your Energy Provide Deal with a New Video Card?It is also important to verify the facility provide on your compact PC before you purchase a graphics card. Compact PCs are typically constructed with equally compact energy provides, although this isn’t common. Both means, energy provides are solely in a position to assist a lot wattage, and this wattage measure tends to pattern downward for compact PCs. Additionally, all however the very lowest-end trendy graphics playing cards require further energy instantly from the facility provide and can’t get all the facility they want instantly from the system’s motherboard. This, naturally, requires the facility provide to have the suitable cables to ship it, and if it does not, then you must keep away from shopping for a graphics card that wants them.
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
Usually, the perfect begin is to assemble your energy provide unit’s info first. Will probably be marked with a selected wattage that signifies how a lot energy it could possibly deal with. AMD, Intel, and Nvidia all place a really helpful minimal PSU wattage on their graphics playing cards. If it is the identical or decrease than the facility provide’s proven wattage, you’re possible good to go. If the wattage advice is increased than the PSU you’ve got, you would possibly nonetheless have the ability to use it, however this requires consideration on a case-by-case foundation that we can’t correctly advise on right here. Except you’ve got expertise on this space, persist with the really helpful wattage numbers.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Subsequent, look carefully to make sure the PSU you’ve got has the facility connectors you want. The commonest energy connectors as we speak are the 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe energy leads that every one however the lowest-end PSUs have. Once more, you merely want to have a look at your energy provide and the cardboard you need to purchase to ensure they’ve the identical connections. If the PSU does not have what you want, that is the place you must cease. It is a robust signal that the PSU is not as much as pushing the quantity of energy your graphics card will want.One caveat to this rule relating to Nvidia: The GPU maker has a novel energy connector for a few of its graphics playing cards. Some newer GeForce RTX graphics playing cards ship with this new single standardized connection, referred to as 12VHPWR. Nvidia usually provides energy adapters for these playing cards that may settle for 6-pin and 8-pin PSU connectors, and they’re protected to make use of as long as your PSU nonetheless meets the minimal energy necessities for the cardboard in query.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Although they’re scarce as we speak, some graphics playing cards are purpose-built to run solely off the facility supplied via a motherboard’s PCIe x16 slot. These days, you see solely the very lowest-end playing cards designed this fashion. They’re simple to acknowledge, as they don’t have any 6-pin or 8-pin energy connections on their edge. These playing cards work in most programs, as their energy draw is low, and so they additionally are typically fairly small. In consequence, in case you are having bother discovering a card that’ll work together with your system as a result of a weak PSU or actually tight quarters, these may very well be the perfect choices of final resort.Able to Purchase the Proper Compact Graphics Card for You?Figuring out which graphics card to purchase have to be executed on a case-by-case foundation, which is why we advise a number of choices as an alternative of a single choice on this article. As long as you do not run into any measurement or energy restrictions, it is usually greatest to purchase probably the most highly effective graphics card that matches your price range. With a compact PC, chances are you’ll need to take into account extra energy-efficient playing cards over extra highly effective ones, as a hot-running card is usually a drawback in a tightly packed PC case with out sufficient air flow. Nonetheless, you would possibly find yourself buying and selling off some efficiency in alternate for higher effectivity. We embrace energy and warmth exams in all of our graphics card evaluations that will help you make this resolution.If in case you have a bit extra room to play with in your PC case, try our roundup of the perfect graphics playing cards for 4K gaming, which will likely be greater playing cards. (Additionally try our grasp information to the perfect graphics playing cards total, heedless of measurement.) Lastly, full your customized construct with one of many high M.2 solid-state drives we have examined. These tiny SSDs are an ideal match should you’re space-strapped.
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