It used to be true that buying a graphics card for less than $100 meant buying something that was seriously sub-par. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Today’s graphics cards come in a number of price ranges, and while a $400 card will always allow for better overall gameplay than a $100 card, there are some pretty impressive graphics cards on the market right now that won’t cost you more than $100.

As is the case with every graphics card, a card is only as good as what you plan to do with it. While more expensive cards tend to be better options when it comes to high end games that demand a lot on any graphic card, the difference that a moderately priced card makes will be apparent when gaming or watching films in HD. Below, you’ll find two under $100 cards that rank the best of the best.

Nvidia Asus ENGT 440-DI-1GD5 GeForce GT 440 (1GB)

Pretty much anything coming from Nvidia these days is something to seriously consider, and the Asus ENGT is no exception to this rule. First, I’ll tell you that this card retails for less than $100 at around $95. Second, you’ll be happy to know that the ENGT is packed with a Shader Clock (1644 MHz), CUDA Cores (96), and a Core Clock (92MHz). This card will make HD pop, it is far better than any stock card, and (did I mention?) it comes in under $100.

AMD: XFX HD-675X-ZDFC Radeon HD 6750 1GB

AMD is another trusted brand name within the graphics card world. This particular card can be purchased for around $90, which is five dollars less than the Nvidia Asus (and far less than, say, the $230 Nvidia EVGA!). Inside of this card you will find a Memory Clock (1000 MHz), Stream Processors (720), and a Core Clock (700 MHz). Once again, this under $100 card will bring a whole new level to your gaming experience, and you’ll also find that things look much better in HD after installing the AMD XFX.

Which Card to Choose?

Typically, AMD cards tend to have a better reputation than Nvidia cards amongst serious gamers. This reputation has largely been built on the fact that AMD cards offer more bang for your buck, and, in this case, faster clock speeds. However, Nvidia has been around for some time now, and this company generates a large user crowd too. If you’re looking for a graphics card that’s less than $100, either one of these cards will do the trick. Over the past few years, graphics cards that cost less than $100 are much better and faster than they ever have been, and this might mean that you don’t actually have to choose a more expensive card in order to get what you’re searching for.

Keep in mind though that some high-end games might not respond to a graphics card like the ones listed above. If you want to play a game that requires a faster card, you’ll probably have to spend $100+ to make that happen. If you’re just looking for a sharper image and better all-around quality, both Nvidia and AMD make excellent cards that you’ll be happy with.