Best Gaming Video Cards 2011

To all those gamers out there, nothing is as important a factor as choosing a gaming video card for their computer systems, and why not? The best of games fall flat if the graphics aren't alluring, and appearance isn't captivating. If state-of-the-art reviews are to be brought into consideration, without a doubt, no other gaming video card stands a chance against NVIDIA and ATI. The rest are bruised and battered, and could never outrank these two biggies. Every time one talks about gaming video cards, NVIDIA and ATI are the two most common names that you will come across. The truth is, they know the fact that the base model video chipset in your PC isn't too good to deliver the ultimate gaming experience. Today, whether you're building a computer system for yourself, or wanting to learn about gaming cards, the following review of gaming cards definitely enhances your graphic technology know-how. Take a look at which gaming cards outranked all in terms of performance!

Best Gaming Video Cards: A Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580
Approx. MRP: $499
Considered as the one gaming video card having the fastest Graphics Processing Unit in the market today, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 uses DirectX 11 wins all awards hands down, because of the very reason that NVIDIA knows what they're doing when they've decided to stick to single GPU. GTX 580 displays the highest clocked memory speed (2004 MHz), which is much more than any of the dual GPU cards available in the market today. With a memory of 1.5 GB, there isn't a gaming video card that can beat the GTX 580, and this, I'm stating after a thorough research on the latest graphic cards.

ATI Radeon HD 5870
Approx. MRP: $399
If there is a gaming video card that can beat the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 to death, this is it! The Radeon series is ATI's most successful series, thanks to its elite graphics that makes it a must-have for computer gamers. It's cheaper than the GeForce GTX 580, and has less wattage and heat. The GPU specs of this video card are very impressive, and that makes it rank among the best graphics cards for the money today. It comes with Eyefinity which allows multiple displays, and therefore, it can be considered as a lucrative bet if you enjoy multitasking. You may not find it better than the GTX 580 for sure, but if you're looking for power-packed performance, the ATI Radeon HD 5870 might just take your world by storm!

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470
Approx. MRP: $349
Too much frugal spending this time! Those lurking for performance of GeForce, but want to save big bucks have all good reasons to go for the GTX 470, thanks to its awesome graphics and superb memory clock (1674 MHz). It gives a tough fight to the slew of higher end graphic cards which offer superlative performance, but at a high price. All in all, if you want to own a GeForce for yourself, but don't have enough money to spend over a higher end gaming video card, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 is your pick, and you need not look any further.

ATI Radeon HD 5850
Approx. MRP: $259
If core clock speed and fill rate can be sidelined for a while, the HD 5850 from ATI Radeon has all it takes to defeat most of the higher end gaming video cards today. It has a superlative set of 2 dual link DVI outputs, along with a Display Port and HDMI output that gives you great resolution. With all the latest support required by a serious gamer, this card definitely is a lesser expensive option for those who're not willing to squander money on a higher end gaming video card. If you're on the lookout for a decent, sophisticated graphic card, look no further for HD 5850 is everything you need.

Should you wish to check out some more options among NVIDIA and ATI, go through the following list:

• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480
• ATI Radeon HD 5770
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460
• ATI Radeon HD 6950

All the above-mentioned options comprise the DirectX 11 technology, newly installed in the cards of today. Whichever card you settle on for buying, make sure you check if it has the DirectX 11 technology or not. Lastly, all the above make for a viable alternative, and it ultimately drops down to choosing the brand that you are loyal to.