5 best AMD graphics card for 720p gaming in 2023 – Sportskeeda

720p game has become a new concept. However, the insane affordability and low hardware requirements continue to appeal to gamers on a budget. While some games are starting to go up in resolution, most titles support 720p, which makes it an option worth exploring.

The release of the PlayStation 3 brought the gaming market back in 2006. Therefore, it is not surprising that games can be played with some really old hardware to opt for this display.

This article will go over some affordable AMD cards that support 720p gaming without running into major performance issues. The list contains everything from affordable GPUs to the latest processing options.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the views of the writer.

720p gaming on an Intel graphics card is more affordable than ever

1) AMD Radeon RX 550 ($45-60)

The AMD Radeon RX 550 released in 2017 is a low-end budget offering for gaming solutions with some compromises. Although the card could run titles in FHD back in the day, it’s more suitable for 720p gaming these days. With a measly 512 shader units and 2 GB of video memory, gamers should keep their expectations low on the 550 game.

Even the GPU is slower than the GTX 1050, a card that is no longer recommended for gaming. However, it’s available for as low as $45 on eBay these days, making it an excellent Team Red option on a tight budget.

2) AMD Radeon RX 560 4GB ($60-80)

The Radeon RX 560 is the bigger brother of the 550. Widely touted as the closest equivalent to the PlayStation 4 GPU, this budget card continues to keep up with 720p gaming without hiccups. The GPU packs 1024 shading units, 16 compute units, and 4GB of video memory – twice that of the RX 550.

When buying an RX 560, you should double check the specifications. Cardo comes in two variants: one with 12 Units counted and the other with 16. The 12 CU version is much weaker and can barely keep up with the latest titles like Dogs: Legion and Hogwarts Legacy.

A faster card is available these days for about $70. So it is an affordable option to play the latest titles.

3) AMD Radeon RX 470 ($49-80)

While one could argue that the RX 470 is the oldest card at this point, it should be noted that it’s just an underclocked RX 570. Both budget cards are very similar in terms of rendering 720p games. However, an older Polaris axle can be had for about $50 these days.

With 2048 color units, 32 compute units, and 4 GB of video memory based on a 256-bit bus, it is quite a capable GPU.

The RX 470 is available on the used market. However, the GPU has reached the end of production and cannot be purchased new. With 4GB of VRAM and a fast 211 GB/s memory bandwidth, the card has never been more useful in mining. So, gamers can get a decent deal on eBay or Craigslist.

4) AMD Radeon RX 580 ($85-105)

The Radeon RX 580 continues to impress us in video games even almost six years after its initial release. Built on a GTX 1060 6 GB card, it is quite capable of up to date 1080p cards. It can easily match the GTX 1650 Super and next gen RX 5500 XT in terms of performance.

The GPU is not power efficient – top models can draw over 180W while delivering peak 720p gaming performance. But, with 8 GB of video recording and a bandwidth of over 400 GB/s, it has a lot to offer.

Many might consider the RX 580 overkill for 720p gaming. However, the 8 GB of video memory and extraction horsepower will be a future proof rig for at least the next couple of years. The card can be purchased for about $100 on the used market.

5) AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT ($149.99)

The latest competitor on the list, the RX 6500 XT, packs a punch for today’s gaming. Carda is a severely hacked version of the RDNA 2 of its more expensive siblings. Much slower than the RTX 3050, it is built to compete with the Nvidia GPU.

However, the cheap price tag and cutting-edge specifications make it a solid option for 720p gaming. The cards pack 1,024 color units, 16 compute units, and 4 GB of GDDR6 memory.

The GPU supports the ray type — which can be used in well-optimized titles while playing in 720p. There are also dedicated hardware packages for temporary upscaling. At $149, this is the fastest budget card for 720p gaming.