Group test
GRAPHICS CARDS
34
Unlike most of the other cards in this test, having
two fans isn’t an upgrade over a single-fan version.
Instead, it’s a downgrade from more expensive
three-fan options. Not that this was evident in our
testing. The fans remained still when the card was
idling and were impressively quiet when under load.
There’s good reason for needing at least this
many fans, though, as the RX 580 is a toasty chip. It
is far and away the most power-hungry card we’ve
featured here, consuming 222W when under load. It
also requires one eight-pin power connection.
This card takes up two slots and is taller than a
standard PCI bracket. It isn’t particularly suited to
low-profile cases, but it’s not longer than standard
AT X m ot h e r b o a r d s.
As for performance, the RX 580 is quite
powerful, delivering 88fps average in our games at
1080p and dead-on 60fps at 1440p. However, its
bang for buck score is the lowest in this
test, suggesting its price needs to drop
£20-£30 to be competitive.ASUS RADEON RX 580
DUAL 4GB http://www.asus.com £270
At £200, this card is almost as cheap as some
top-end GTX 1050 cards, but hidden under its hood
is a far more powerful GPU. Its GTX 1060 processor
absolutely rips through our benchmarks, with an
average of 101fps at 1080p and 65fps at 1440p.
That’s a big step up. You might see the benefit of
the GTX 1060’s 6GB version at even higher
resolutions, but then the raw power of the card isn’t
necessarily enough to make the most of them
anyway. The long and short of it is that the 3GB card
is the standout bargain of the test.
There’s nothing too fancy about it, though. A
plastic covering on the back of the PCB keeps it
protected, but largely this serves to cover over the
heat sink. More powerful cards use heat pipes and
have coolers made from sheets of folded metal. But
even without, this card wasn’t overly hot or loud.
It requires a six-pin power input and uses 165W
when under load, so performance
doesn’t come without some penalty.
Still, this the card to get for £200.GIGABYTE GTX 1060 WINDFORCE
OC 3GB http://www.gigabyte.com £200
70 %^90
%
4Available in either 4GB or 8GB VRAM versions, the
RX 580 is AMD’s top-tier offering for below £300. We
tested a 4GB version in the shape of the Asus RX 580
Dual, which is available for around the £270 price point.
Many people believe that graphics cards with large
amounts of VRAM are the ones to get, and for certain
situations that can be true. However, this 3GB GTX 1060
goes to show that this is far from always the case.