Building your own personal computer has always represented a huge pleasure for any PC enthusiast because it rewards you with a great deal of satisfaction once you are done. After all, you just finished creating your own personal computer, composed of the CPU, chosen after deciding between AMD FX vs Ryzen vs Intel’s tons of processors, GPU and RAM, as well as many other accessories, you consider to be the best.
And for those of us who enjoy video games, having a great GPU unit which we can crank up to eleven in order to play the latest games in optimal conditions, with breathtaking graphics, is of crucial importance! Yes, you guessed it, today we’re focusing on graphics, specifically the best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs.
While of course, our dream PC would do well with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card, we should also take into consideration the price, due to the fact that such a piece may extend past most people’s budgetary appropriations. Keeping it short: it’s not exactly the cheapest graphics unit out there.
[su_note note_color=”#27ae60″ text_color=”#fff”]Sometimes we need to make sacrifices in order to build our dream PC, but thankfully, we do not have to sacrifice quality as well. After doing a bit of research, we found out that it’s more than possible to build an amazing gaming computer with a GTX 1050 Ti GPU inside, able to run most games smoothly and offer a 25% increase over its standard 1050 counterpart. Let’s look at a few of the best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs available right now, in order to get a better understanding of it.[/su_note]
Here are our favourite picks…
The Best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs Reviewed
MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Gaming X
Starting off our list with the best GTX 1050 Ti is the MSI version of the GeForce GTX model. This GPU unit has a base engine clock of 1379 MHz and a boost engine clock of 1493 MHz packed with a dispersion fan blade which allows for the air to be suppressed by being pushed down so it won’t overheat. And that’s pretty neat, if you ask us.
The fan noise made while gaming is also non-existent, meaning that you can enjoy your games without being distracted by loud obnoxious sounds produced by your GPU. As for the cooling portion of this graphics card, it’s composed of an aluminium heatsink which makes direct contact with the unit resulting in being cooled by a 280 millimetre Torx fans.
In terms of specs, the GTX 1050 Ti has 768 Cuda Cores and 4 gigabytes of GDDR5 video memory. This translates into stable frames per second while in-game, being usable even for newly released games, going as high as 30 frames per second in games such as Assassin Creed Odyssey.
Pricing is straight forward for it, knowing that you get what you pay for, being on average 25% more expensive than its vanilla counterpart, but also 25% more efficient and better.
Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti G1 Gaming
Next up, we have the Gigabyte GTX Ti G1, which employs 4 gigabytes of GDDR5, offering that little bit of extra power you need while gaming. This GPU’s aluminum heatsink is composed of 3 parts and has 2 copper heat pipes attached which leads to a 2 gigabytes 90 millimetre 3D active fan cooling system. Unlike its predecessors, this GPU unit has multiple setups, consisting of 3 HDMI ports, 1 DisplayPort, as well as 1 DVI-D. In a nutshell, proper ‘best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs’ material.
Even more, the G1 Gigabyte does not have any locked in limits, so it is possible to surpass 1911 megahertz for GPU and go beyond other units of memory capability, transcending the lock of 2027 other GPU’s implement.
Factory overclocking settings were quite enhanced for a 1050 Ti, reaching 1800 megahertz on max boost clock speed. As a general rule, this graphics card easily enhances gaming performance, being capable of sustaining 1080p settings, at least 30 frames per seconds, and even maxing out certain games. This translates into great performance for online lovers, who play a bit older games but require a stable GPU in order to avoid graphical tearing that results in bad gaming experiences. Or other fellow players counting on your being disappointed due to your laggish setup.
Asus GTX 1050 Ti Strix
Budget GPUs does not mean that you have to compromise quality for money as shown so far, and the Asus 1050 Ti Strix is no exception. This card comes with a slick design that might make it seem more expensive than it is, as well as quite a few upgrades over its predecessors.
Specifically, it incorporates two medium-sized aluminium heatsinks, with 2 eight millimetre heat pipes that conduct heat away from the GPU core, meaning that there are no additional cooling components except the 2 fans from the unit. The card, however, has a reinforced metal black plate on the back, and a 6 pin PCI Express power connector, allowing for additional fans to be connected to the GPU, making it for a cool addition (no pun intended).
The model can clock in at around 1380 megahertz in base frequency, and while benchmarking it we can notice that the core voltage is kept to a minimum and has max stable values all across the performance figures (GPU temperature, fan speed, core clock etc). This GPU is ideal for 1080p settings, managing to even play newly released games on high as long as they have been well optimized. In some older entries, it can ever reach 60 fps, such as Overwatch or some late entries of Assassin Creed.
EVGA GTX 1050 Ti
A great graphics unit that suits pre-built PCs well, considering it is fast to install and ready to go. If your machine was not equipped with a dedicated graphics card, and simply does not have the power supply to spare, this GPU is an excellent choice.
Although this graphics card only holds 1 fan, it is more than sufficient to remove excess heat and keep the temperature at desirable levels. Keep in mind that a processor (for example an i5 one) only has 1 fan, and it is doing great work with it. Just make sure you remove the plastic around the card once you unbox it and plug it in, as plastic does trap heat.
The card comes with 3 standard ports with the following capabilities: a display port of 1.4, which can support 4k at 60 hertz, provided you have a 4k monitor. It has an HDMI 2.0 B port, which is great for a 4k TV that supports HDMI 2.0, so you can play a game on your big screen (such as FIFA 19 or even Starcraft II). Finally, it comes equipped with a dual-link DVI D DisplayPort, which, while it does not support 4k, it can support 1440p.
Zotac GTX 1050 Ti
Moving on with our selection of the best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs, we have the Zotac GTX, a compact one-fan video graphics card featuring 768 Cuda cores, with a clock speed of up to 1417 MHz boosted. Also, it features a 75W thermal design power, delivering excellent performance and managing to give stable fps for games such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike Global Offensive, as well as Overwatch, at max settings, and even having almost 60 fps for more demanding games such as Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Temperature levels are very stable with this graphics card, displaying a max rise of 64 degrees Celsius, and 33 degrees when idle, meaning that overheat issues are non-existent even in the most unsavoury environments.
An overall great budget card that does not sacrifice quality for the price range, giving a plethora of choices in games and staying true to its other 1050 Ti counterparts.
ASUS Cerberus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
The Cerberus GTX 1050 Ti displays 2 fans instead of just one as our previous entry and has just as much fire-power to give. It is easy to install, being sufficient to plug it into the motherboard and start gaming. It also encompasses traditional ports such as DVI, HDMI and Display, while also having a nice metal backplate with its traditional logo engraved.
As a side note, there are two versions of the Cerberus GPU, namely the OC Edition and the Advanced Edition. The specs for the two editions are as follows:
The OC edition has a clock speed of 1480 MHz, while the advanced edition only 1442 MHz, resulting in a 2,6% increase for the OC edition. GPU base clock is 1366 for the OC, while only 1328 for advanced, and the gaming mode is also slightly enhanced in favour of the OC edition by roughly 2.7% ( 1455 OC- 1417 Advanced).
In terms of other specs such as Cuda cores, memory clock and memory interface, they are identical. Although the numbers are stacked in favour of the OC edition, the difference is not a significant one, barely being noticeable in games. Performance-wise, the GPU can handle games such as Rise of the Tomb Raider on very high, having a stable fps of approximately 60, while games like Witcher 3 can be played on ultra settings with at least 40 fps, and 60 fps, if you choose to only play on high settings. If you ask us, it’s pretty much one of the best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs you can opt for right now, from any point of view.
General overview
The 1050 Ti comes with two performance modes: gaming mode and overclock mode. The gaming mode which clocks the base and boost frequencies 6 per cent higher than reference clocks and the overclock mode gains an additional 2 per cent over the game mode.
Physically, the card shares many similarities with the G1 GT 1080, such as the wind force 2x cooling has 80-millimetre fans composed of unique blades, which increase the airflow by 20% over traditional blades, not to mention that the stop automatically below a certain temperature.
The GPU’s PCB is equipped with efficient MOSFETs and solid capacitors which can increase performance and durability, efficiently enhancing the card’s life span, especially with overclock mode being used. The back plate has a slick design with a simplistic outlook with brushed aluminum finishing touches applied to it, which goes well with its 9-inch size.
As a general rule, the i/o consists of a single dual-link DVI port, 3 HDMI 2.0 ports and a single DisplayPort 1.4 connector. Customization is performed through the utility app, which gives 6 different effects with brightness control, and it is also where performance mode can be selected, as well as a user-friendly overclocking tab which has no hidden settings, displaying full transparency. As an added bonus, you now have the ability to tinker with the fan speeds or voltage curves.
Regarding performance, the overclock mode gives us between 5% and 8% higher frame rates than the reference versions, which was consistent through games at a stable 1080p with high settings.
While benchmarking games such as Hitman, Farcry 4, GTA 5 or the Division, it performed significantly better than the older GTX 950 and 750 TI (DX11 titles). Unfortunately, things do not bode well for the DX12 titles because the Pascal card doesn’t do very well on DX12, even though on DX11 they have a great frame rate.
The 1050 Ti shines well in the power-to-performance ratio, considering it is able to outclass the RX 460 by performing better while consuming less power. This detail is relevant for people who want to upgrade their desktop without needing to upgrade other parts as well. The fans are indeed very silent, in both turbo and idle mode, while maintaining a cool temperature that never surpasses 65 degrees Celsius. As a side note, this reminds us a lot of the AMD Ryzen vs FX duel.
Overall, any of these best GTX 1050 Ti GPUs is a great addition for those who wish to enhance their gaming PC without needing to drop huge amounts of money on a GPU. It is a great compromise between those who cannot afford a more expensive 1060 or 1070, but also wish to play modern games at stable fps and medium to high graphics.
As stated, the 1050 Ti does stack well against other RX titles and even is a preferable choice to the 1060 3 Gigabytes, not to mention it is 25% better than the standard 1050 graphics card. While the title of a budget card does not necessarily fit its description best, considering it is a bit pricey, it constitutes a great graphics card that can run even newer titles and still be able to play for hours without any immersion breaking scenarios.
We recommend the 1050 Ti for all gamers who understand that the most expensive and newest card on the market is not always the best solution, considering their hefty price. 1050 Ti is definitely a must-have card for all type of gamers.
Last update on 2023-11-11 at 11:43 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
