Best Sapphire Graphics Cards 2020

Sapphire Technology is popular with many PC users and assemblers, as a key trend in its work is the design and manufacture of video graphics cards, both professional and graphics. Nevertheless, Sapphire also produces motherboards, fans and nettops.

It will not be superfluous to emphasize that the brand has been successfully cooperating with AMD Corporation for more than 10 years and supporting its popular product models at different stages of development. Besides, Sapphire is a sales partner for office and video cards for games of the aforementioned company.

In 2013, AMD Corporation announced the Sapphire brand as its unique international intermediary partner for modern AMD FirePro graphics cards, but in addition to this line, the company has a lot of other equally popular models that are considered in the rating of the best Sapphire graphics cards.

What to look for or the criteria for choosing a video card

When buying a graphics card for a computer, three characteristics are given due consideration:

1. Bus frequency;
2. RAM type;
3. Memory.

All the latest devices are equipped with the GDDR5 connection type - the most powerful and nimble. Buying another type, even at the most budgetary price, is illogical, since the same GDDR3 has several times less power with the same parameters.

The capacity for most of the new games should be at least 4 GB, and for the game programs to work at the maximum parameters and a reserve for a couple of years to come, it is recommended to purchase a 6 or 8 GB model. Frequency for a not very advanced user is important when choosing between devices with similar other parameters.

Another significant criterion is how much the device costs. Most users do not expect to buy a video card for more than 10-13 thousand rubles. Game fans need to choose solutions for 13,000-33,000 rubles. The most expensive video chips can only be afforded by owners of expensive personal computers of similar power.

Other characteristics that should be given due attention when purchasing a device are:

• Dimensions of the video card. The best devices are large and can not fit in every shell.It is worth noting that it is almost impossible to choose a high-quality device for motherboards and mini-ATX systems, so you will have to give up either a graphics accelerator or a shell.
• The presence and number of connectors. It is advisable that the slot on the device matches the one on the display. It is worth noting that the number of monitors supported is how many displays can be synchronously connected to a computer.
• Which company is better? Video card manufacturers prefer one of the two popular brands - AMD or Nvidia, and users are guided by their own wishes and reviews from the Internet when choosing a particular solution. As statistics show, the products of the Radeon brand are considered to be inexpensive, and the popularity of GeForce models is due to the large number of video processors with top-end values ​​and with low power consumption;
• Compatible with motherboards that may not have a PCI Express 3.0 controller. In such a situation, purchasing a device with this controller would be illogical. It should be noted that for "ancient" computers it makes absolutely no sense to purchase any of the models discussed in the review.
• Cooling system. For a productive chip, the recommended number of fans is 2-3 and more (or, if active-passive technology is used, one fan and one radiator).
• Recommended power supply. This characteristic consists in the need to power the video graphics accelerator itself and the rest of the components. For an ordinary computer, this power should be no less than 350 W, and for a designer it is recommended to install a power supply unit with a power of 400-600 W for comfortable work in heavy programs.

Sapphire quality video cards rating

To understand how to choose a graphics chip for specific purposes, you need to know what types of models are now found on the Russian and global markets.

This TOP, formed on the basis of a comparison of technological characteristics, takes into account not only the products of the new generation, but also all models that differ in some way from others - in terms of cost, power, or compliance with such values.

Inexpensive (Low End) video cards

Good and cheap video cards priced from 3,500 to 8,500 thousand rubles at the moment quite seriously compete with new products based on new generation chips and APUs with integrated graphics cores. The power of the latter has increased significantly, which is why now the integrated graphics in many cases makes it possible to enjoy 3D games with pleasure, which leads to the formation of high-performance discrete devices in this price category.

It won't be superfluous to say that inexpensive video cards will be a good solution for assembling budget computers. In addition, such models are an acceptable option for various online games that are unpretentious for powerful graphics (for example, WoT, WoW, EVE and Lineage). To advise users which model is better to buy in this segment from Sapphire, out of almost two dozen adapters, 3 should be distinguished:

1. ULTIMATE R7-250;
2. Pulse Radeon RX-550;
3. VAPOR-X R7-250X.

"3rd place: VAPOR-X R7-250X"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Cape Verde, clocked at 1.1 GHz
Number of stream processors	640
Standards support	Microsoft OpenGL - 4.3, DirectX - 11.2
RAM	1 GB, type - GDDR5, bus - 128 bit

Since the adapter has a high video processor frequency and memory frequency, an efficient system is needed to cool it. This cooling system is a high-quality VAPOR-X, consisting of an evaporation chamber, 2 heat pipes made of copper materials, an aluminum radiator and two controlled coolers.

The installation of this system allows you to achieve more power, reduce noise levels and at the same time save the effectiveness of heat dissipation. In addition, the adapter is equipped with an improved base of elements, because only solid-state capacitors are used here, as well as Black Diamond coils, which means a significant increase in the efficiency, quality and durability of the model in general.

It is worth highlighting the presence of four external interfaces:

1. DVI-I;
2. DVI-D;
3. HDMI output;
4. Display Port.

It comes with a good TriXX utility for monitoring and configuring basic GPU settings.

• Quality Vapor-X cooling system based on the evaporation chamber;
• Overclocking the graphics core from the factory (1.1 GHz) and memory (1.3 GHz);
• GDDR5 graphics memory and innovative 28 nm process technology;
• Proprietary Eyefinity 2.0 technology that supports connecting no more than 3 displays.

• The power of the device is not enough for trending games at extreme graphics parameters.

The average price is 4,500 rubles.

"2nd Place: Pulse Radeon RX-550"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Polaris 11 or 12 (depending on modification)
Number of stream processors	512 or 640 (depending on modification)
Standards support	DirectX 12
RAM	2 or 4 GB (depending on the modification), type - GDDR5, bus - 128 bit

This card rightfully takes the second place in the TOP of inexpensive models from Sapphire. The adapter embodies the ultra-budget in all its glory. Compared with all other graphics chips from AMD in the 500 line, this model does not have an early version, but is a lightweight modification of the Radeon RX-560 card.

Adapters based on it are positioned as a worthwhile option for e-sports, and due to their small size and reduced energy consumption - as a good solution for assembling a home multimedia center (HTPC). For demanding games, such a card is not suitable, although it can be used at the minimum quality parameters of the displayed image.

Experts advise to find an opportunity and buy a modification with 4 GB of video memory. For movies and other tasks, 2 GB is enough.

Despite the overclocking "from the factory" and a fairly ordinary cooling system, the model is quiet even under load.

• Compactness;
• Comparatively silent.

• It gets hotter under load when compared to other models.

The average price is 7,500 rubles.

"1st Place: ULTIMATE R7-250"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Oland XT 800, clocked at 800 MHz
Number of stream processors	384
Standards support	Open GL 4.3; DirectX - 11.2
RAM	1 GB; type - GDDR5

This model is one of the exclusive options on the market that allows you to build a completely quiet personal computer, which makes it an acceptable solution for installation in home multimedia centers and budget PCs.

The cooling system of the passive type of this video card is based on 4 pipes made of copper materials, as well as radiators made of aluminum, which are separated from each other, which makes it possible to qualitatively dissipate the heat generated from the graphics chip. The video card is equipped with three well-known interfaces:

1. DVI-I;
2. HDMI;
3. DisplayPort.

The model does not need an additional power connection.

• Completely passive cooling system;
• Compactness;
• GDDR5 memory type and innovative 28 nm process technology;
• Optimal energy consumption;
• Proprietary Eyefinity 2.0 technology supporting 3-display connection.

• During testing, it was not possible to increase the voltage on the GPU, which is why the list of minuses includes weak overclocking capabilities.

The average price is 4,000 rubles.

Middle End video cards

Adapters of the middle price category contain devices at a price in the range of 8,500-20,000 thousand rubles - one of the most acceptable if we talk about the cost-performance ratio.

There are many graphics cards in the Sapphire series of devices in this range, but only 5 of them are quite interesting to look at in more detail:

1. NITRO + Radeon RX-580;
2. Nitro Radeon RX-470;
3. DUAL-X R9-285;
4. Radeon R9-380;
5. ITX Compact R9-285.

"5th place: ITX Compact R9-285"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Tonga, clocked at 328 MHz
Number of stream processors	1792
Standards support	OpenGL 4.3; DirectX 12
RAM	2GB, type - GDDR5, bus - 256 bit

The device is purposefully designed for installation in compact enclosures, for example, systems such as ITX known today. Despite its practical dimensions, this adapter has a very high performance and makes it possible to enjoy trendy games in the maximum picture resolution.

The Sapphire brand did not limit itself only to changing the reference appearance of the printed circuit board and installing its own cooling system. It carried out a modest, but still, overclocking "from the factory", which distinguishes it from other adapters with AMD Radeon R9-285 processors.

This model will be an excellent option for building and compact, but at the same time powerful computer for games, which most users dream of.

• The length of the product is 171 mm;
• Focus on compact ITX-type enclosures;
• Effective cooling system from Sapphire;
• Overclocking the processor from the factory (928 MHz);
• Small dimensions of the video card and a unique printed circuit board;
• Supports True Audio Technology and AMD's Mantle;
• Proprietary Eyefinity 2.0 technology that supports four displays.

• A publicity stunt in the form of an inscription about GPU overclocking by 10 MHz;
• Low overclocking potential due to processor limits;
• Noisy under high load.

The average price is 11,000 rubles.

4th Place: Radeon R9-380

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Antiqua Pro
Number of stream processors	1792
Standards support	OpenGL 4.5; DirectX 12
RAM	4 GB; type - GDDR5; bus - 256 bit

A graphics card from the 200X line with an innovative graphics chip and a slightly improved internal architecture. Thanks to the comfortable optimization, the internal core frequency increased by 60 MHz and, in addition, Sapphire increased it to 995 MHz.

The limiting temperature reaches 60 degrees, taking into account that the coolers are spinning half-heartedly. The memory capacity is 4 GB and the internal bus is 256 bits. In HD format, depending on the set level of detail in games, the frame rate is kept constant from 50 to 60 fps, which is a very good value. There are various slots: HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI-D / I.

• Works perfectly in trending games;
• High quality cooling;
• Great overclocking potential.

• The cooling system is noisy at high loads.

The average price is 12,500 rubles.

"3rd place: DUAL-X R9-285"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Tonga, clocked at 965 MHz
Number of stream processors	1792
Standards support	OpenGL 4.3; DirectX 12
RAM	2GB; type - GDDR5; bus - 256 bit

The model, which has factory overclocking and innovative cooling, will be an excellent option for building a budget computer for gaming. It is worth highlighting the luxurious package bundle of the device, which contains an HDMI cable and a mat from Sapphire.

This adapter has a factory overclocked graphics and memory chips, which gives the opportunity to increase performance when compared to reference cards based on R9-285. In addition, it will not be superfluous to say that it uses an innovative cooling system from the Sapphire brand - Dual-X, representing a concept of two coolers with an extraordinary appearance.

Dual-X is designed to guarantee quiet operation of the accelerator and effective cooling even under incredible loads.

The model will be a good buy for a budget computer for gaming.

• Effective and silent cooling system Dual-X;
• Native overclocking of the graphics chip (965 MHz) and memory (1.4 GHz);
• Impressive GDDR5 memory capacity;
• Supports AMD's CrossFireX and Mantle;
• Proprietary Eyefinity 2.0 technology supporting 4-display connection;
• Supports True Audio Technology from

• Low overclocking results from memory;
• Noises under load;
• The performance is slightly lower than that of the R9-280.

The average price is 12,000 rubles.

"2nd Place: Nitro Radeon RX-470"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Polaris 10
Number of stream processors	2048
Standards support	DirectX 12
RAM	4GB; type - GDDR5; bus - 256 bit

An acceptable option for a game fan who already has a solid budget to purchase a video accelerator. The resources of the map with a reserve are enough to open any game in excellent quality.

One drawback is the unreality of overclocking. The model is released already overclocked, but taking into account the number of cases of breakage of graphic chips due to incorrect configuration, this drawback can even be a plus. A PC with such an accelerator is suitable for Photoshop, trending games, and 4K movies.

• Performance is sufficient for 1080p resolution;
• DisplayPort 1.3 / 1.4;
• HDMI 2.0b;
• Works quietly and economically under load.

• Does not deactivate the cooler during inactivity;
• Only 4GB of memory.

The average price is 19,000 rubles.

1st Place: NITRO + Radeon RX-580

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Polaris 20
Number of stream processors	2304
Standards support	DirectX 12
RAM	4 or 8GB (depending on modification); type - GDDR5 SDRAM; bus - 256 bit

This model will be an excellent purchase for gamers who are not very whimsical about image quality, but need a good and durable device. Due to the least overclocking (the nominal frequency of the chip is 1411 MHz), the processor does not get too hot during operation, which means that the entire system is cooled perfectly. In addition, the device is equipped with 8GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, clocked at 8 GHz.

There is CrossFire support. To connect the display, experts advise using DisplayPort 1.4, of which there are two on the board, but you can also use HDMI 2.0b (also 2 connectors) or DVI-D (1 pc.) The video card is connected to a PC via PCle. Requires additional power supply with 8- and 6-pin slots. Compatible with PSUs from 500 W. Equipped with a custom heatsink with 2 coolers, TDP - 185 W.

• Sophisticated and configurable fan;
• Good performance even in spite of modest parameters in parameters;
• 2 BIOS blocks with different configurations, up to overclocking and dangerous cooling.

• Overprice;
• Capable of heating more than 70 degrees under maximum load;
• Overly flashy backlight, difficult to deactivate.

The average price is 13,500 rubles.

Expensive (High End) video cards

Professional gaming devices are expensive (more than 33 thousand rubles). The price is explained by the fact that these adapters give the user the maximum, at the time of their release, power and contain all the innovative technologies. Usually, the fastest and most productive devices of this price range make it possible to enjoy any 3D games, with maximum picture parameters and in the most popular formats.

Traditionally, this range contains 1-processor and 2-processor options. For a potential buyer, the former are nevertheless closer in cost, since the latter are too expensive, which is why not every gamer can buy such a video card.

The performance leadership in this category is given to adapters from Nvidia, but there are recognized profitable options based on AMD, namely:

1. FIREPRO S9150;
2. Vapor-X R9-290X;

"2nd Place: Vapor-X R9-290X"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	Hawaii, clocked at 1030 MHz
Number of stream processors	2816
Standards support	OpenGL 4.3; DirectX 12
RAM	8 GB; type - GDDR5; bus - 512 bit

First of all, it is worth highlighting the cooling system - Vapor-X. This is a proprietary project of the Sapphire corporation and, when compared with the reference cooling system from AMD, it guarantees a reduction in noise level and a synchronous decrease in the temperature of the graphics core.

The Vapor-X cooling system typically consists of an aluminum heatsink that cools and separates the heat that comes from the aluminum base in contact with the GPU. The radiator, on the other hand, is cooled by controlled coolers.

This model is one of the few options on the market that is able to successfully compete with the advanced graphics-based Nvidia in the premium price range of the market for professional and gaming graphics cards. With the emergence of innovative 4K displays, 8GB of storage will come in handy, so this model can be purchased with a margin for the future.

The video card has good stock overclocking, which makes it possible to increase the already excellent performance of the adapter. For effective cooling, the innovative Tri-X fan from Sapphire with 3 coolers is used. The key block of the cooling system, which is based on the proprietary Vapor-X technology, is complemented by several auxiliary "chips". For example, along the edge of the device, the PCB is slightly elongated, and one of the copper layers is left open.

An auxiliary heat pipe, which is mounted directly on this layer, removes the heat absorbed by the board from the chip and other elements. It should be noted that this technology alone makes it possible to reduce the temperature by a couple of degrees.

Increased quality and improved overclocking capabilities are guaranteed through the use of exclusively high-quality polymer capacitors made of aluminum with capabilities that significantly outperform the characteristics of ordinary capacitors made of aluminum materials, which makes it possible to increase the life of the video card.

This model is, in fact, a fascinating option in this market category, as it is created by specialists for the pros.

• Vapor-X cooling system with 3 Tri-X coolers;
• TriX Intelligent Fan Control (IFC);
• Factory overclocked graphics core (1030 MHz) and memory (1375 MHz);
• Supports AMD's CrossFireX and Mantle;
• Eyefinity 2.0 technology from AMD, supporting up to 4 displays;
• Support for TrueAudio Technology from AMD;
• Large capacity of GDDR5 memory, which is 8GB;
• Innovative Aero 10 VRM engine with 10-phase power concept;
• One of the most powerful 1-processor options on the market.

• Not detected.

The average price is 26,500 rubles.

"1st Place: FIREPRO S9150"

Specifications

Parameter	Value
Chip	AMD FirePro S9150
Number of stream processors	2816
Standards support	OpenGL 4.4; DirectX 12
RAM	16 384MB; type - GDDR5; bus - 512 bit

A premium device from AMD with 16GB of storage, making it the perfect solution for 3D graphics and AI-powered options. It is worth noting that this video card will be an excellent purchase for cryptocurrency miners, but due attention must be paid to the high cost.

This model belongs to the category of extraordinary devices designed only for specific tasks of designing graphics and other computing processes.

The board has no slots for connecting displays.

The model is equipped with a 28nm Hawaii XT chip with 2816 stream processors, and all this is complemented by 16 GB of 512-bit memory. The board is connected via PCle and requires additional power supply via 8 + 6 pin slots. Despite the heat dissipation of 235 W, the device is not equipped with an active cooling system, and therefore an auxiliary fan must be installed.

• Incredible graphics and computing performance
• Suitable for mining cryptocurrency;
• A well-designed passive radiator device.

• Weak chip for this year;
• There are no slots for displays, and workstations require the purchase of an auxiliary accelerator.

The average price is 114,000 rubles.

5 mistakes when choosing a video card

In general, when looking for how to choose a video graphics accelerator for laptops or PCs, users make the same oversights, of which the main 5 are worth noting.

Mistake # 1. Key Feature - Video Memory Capacity

"The more, the more powerful" - this is how most users reason. A solid memory capacity is, of course, excellent, but if this characteristic is not the main one.The graphics accelerator is based on many other features, such as:

1. Processor model;
2. Chip frequency;
3. Memory frequency;
4. Bus width;
5. The bit width of the RAM.

A clear example of this is comparing a GT-8600 with 512MB of RAM to a GT-8800 with 256MB of RAM. The memory capacity of the first board is larger, but each other characteristic of the device loses in power to the second, which in the end means that the second will function faster.

In addition, it is worth paying due attention to the fact that the user does not need auxiliary memory if he does not play at excessively maximum resolutions, for example, 1920x1080 and beyond.

Mistake # 2. Purchasing a new generation device instead of the old one

The basis of these actions is as follows: "If the card is new, then it is faster!" In some cases, this is obviously true, but not always. The fact is that retail outlets are prone to reducing the cost for the old generations, and getting rid of the "ancient" stock of products, guaranteeing the possibility of purchasing a new one. Consequently, if we test devices of the same cost segment, but of different generations, it turns out that the “older” device wins in performance.

A key mistake that most users make is that when they buy a graphics accelerator, they incorrectly decode its digital type code. Most users think that a 4 *** card from AMD-ATI is anyway faster than a 3 *** card, but this is not true and, for example, the Radeon 3870 will outperform the Radeon 4350 by all indications and, in addition, will be faster than Radeon 4650.

Mistake number 3. Lack of attention to the capacity of the system unit and the power of the PSU

For example, the user managed to avoid the first 2 oversights, and he is going to buy a GeForce GTX-280 to play his favorite games, but in the end it turns out that this device does not fit into the system unit. This happens when the user has a compact HTPC system unit.

In this regard, before buying a graphics accelerator, you need to measure the space that is free for the video card and, during the purchase process, check the length of the board.

Mistake # 4. Installing a powerful accelerator in an OS with a weak CPU

For example, a user has a brand new Radeon 4870X2 and is determined to conquer virtual reality. However, what he sees on the display is completely different from the descriptions of what has been read in network reviews.

This is because such a powerful chip of the card is not able to work in a balanced capacity with a weak CPU, for example, the E4300 from Intel. The custom CPU will lag behind the graphics accelerator and of course its power will be reduced.

It is necessary to try to keep the CPU speed evenly with the video graphics card. If the user, for example, has a mid-range card (GTX-9800), then ideally it should be combined with a medium CPU (E7400 or similar).

Mistake # 5. Purchasing a device that surpasses gaming requirements

For example, if a user plays CS 1.6 or WoW and other games that were released more than a few years ago, then most likely there is no need for a new generation card with incredible power. In addition, if the user is playing on a display with a diagonal of 17 or 19 inches, then he most likely does not need a premium board either.

This is tantamount to the fact that a person gets a Ferrari to get to work just because he wants more horsepower, although one could get by with a simple Toyota. The user will only "throw away" a lot of funds for the purchase of a board, energy costs and, in the case of a complete upgrade, for the CPU and other components.

Some users do not agree with this point of view and think that it is cool to have a performance reserve for future games.But the bottom line is that when a novelty in the gaming industry is released, an old graphics accelerator is in any case capable of running it, maybe on much lower graphics parameters, and accelerators that can guarantee much better functioning for the same money, most likely, will not be on the market yet.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is worth noting that when choosing a graphics accelerator, it is absolutely not necessary to buy one of the devices indicated in the rating. TOPs often provide the most accurate insight into current market options, innovative technologies, and estimated costs.

After familiarization, the user will be able to find a video card himself, and be glad if he can find where it is profitable to buy a motherboard with similar characteristics, improve the performance of his own PC for trendy games, or simply get the opportunity to play those with acceptable parameters.