MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphi...
£89.99
The strongest msi graphics cards under £300 we tested. Best balance of price, performance and UK availability of the 4 we evaluated.
Best MSI graphics cards under £300 in 2026. Compare GTX 1660 Super, RTX 4060, RTX 5060 specs and performance for gaming on a budget.
Why our top pick beat the field, plus the rest of the msi graphics cards under £300 we tested.
The strongest msi graphics cards under £300 we tested. Best balance of price, performance and UK availability of the 4 we evaluated.
Rank 02 · Runner up
£199.99
Reasons to buy
Reasons to skip
Rank 03
£219.99
Rank 04
£288.99
Reasons to buy
Reasons to skip
How we tested
Independent UK tech editorial — no paid placements.
Read our process ↓How we picked
Our editors evaluated 4 Gpu options against the criteria readers actually weigh up: price, real-world performance, build quality, warranty, and UK availability. Picks lean toward what we'd recommend to a friend buying today, not specs-on-paper winners.
Finding the Best MSI Graphics Cards Under £300 in 2026 is trickier than it sounds. MSI makes GPUs at every price point, and the budget end of the range spans three very different generations of hardware. This comparison puts three of them head to head: the veteran MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr at under £90, the compact MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G at £199.99, and the newest arrival, the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC. These are not similar products. They serve different buyers, different use cases, and different moments in PC gaming history. So rather than a vague overview, this is a direct, criterion-by-criterion breakdown of where each card wins, where it falls short, and who should actually buy it.
| Spec | MSI GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr | MSI RTX 3050 LP 6G | MSI RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £89.99 | £199.99 | £219.99 |
| Rating | |||
| GPU Architecture | Maxwell (GM204) | Ampere (GA106) | Blackwell (GB205) |
| VRAM | 4GB GDDR5 | 6GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 96-bit | 128-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | ~224 GB/s | ~168 GB/s | ~320 GB/s |
| PCIe Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| TDP / Power | 145W | 70W | ~100W (est.) |
| Ray Tracing | No | Yes (2nd gen) | Yes (4th gen) |
| DLSS Support | No | DLSS 3 | DLSS 4 (MFG) |
| Display Outputs | HDMI 2.0, DVI-I, DisplayPort 1.2 | HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a | HDMI 2.1b, DisplayPort 2.1b |
| Form Factor | Dual-slot full size | Low-profile | Dual-slot full size |
| Cooling | Twin Frozr IV (2 fans) | Single fan | Twin Frozr 10 (2x STORMFORCE) |
| AV1 Encode | No | No | Yes (8th gen NVENC) |
Here is where the generational gap becomes very obvious. The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) launched in 2014 with Maxwell architecture. At the time it was genuinely impressive. In 2026 it is not. At 1080p in modern titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Alan Wake 2, the GTX 970 struggles to maintain 30fps even at low settings, and its 4GB VRAM buffer is exceeded by texture packs in many current games. That causes stuttering that no driver update can fix.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card is a proper step up. Ampere architecture, 6GB GDDR6, and a 96-bit memory bus deliver roughly 40 to 50fps at 1080p medium settings in most titles. The narrow bus is a genuine bottleneck though. Memory bandwidth sits at around 168 GB/s, which limits performance in texture-heavy scenes. Think of it as a capable 1080p card that occasionally hits a ceiling.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card changes the picture considerably. Blackwell architecture, 8GB GDDR6 at 20Gbps on a 128-bit bus gives around 320 GB/s of bandwidth, nearly double the 3050 LP. Native 1080p performance is around 25 to 35% faster than the 3050 LP depending on the title. But the real story is DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation. In supported games, frame rates can effectively double or triple with minimal visual quality loss. That pushes the 5050 OC into genuine 1440p territory in many titles, something neither of the other two cards can claim.
The GTX 970 is simply not competitive in 2026 gaming. The 5050 OC wins this category clearly, with the 3050 LP a respectable second for 1080p gaming.
VRAM is one of the most important specs for longevity in a budget GPU, and this is where the MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) falls apart completely. Four gigabytes of GDDR5 was adequate in 2014 and 2015. By 2026, it is a hard wall. Games like Hogwarts Legacy, Starfield, and even some older titles with high-res texture packs routinely exceed 4GB VRAM at 1080p high settings. When that happens, the card starts pulling from system RAM over the PCIe bus, and performance collapses. You will see frame times spike to 50ms or worse.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card offers 6GB GDDR6. That is enough for comfortable 1080p gaming today, though some titles are already pushing past 6GB at higher settings. The 96-bit bus is the bigger concern. At 168 GB/s bandwidth, the 3050 LP can feel constrained in open-world games with lots of streaming geometry. It is fine for esports titles and moderately demanding games, less so for the most demanding current releases.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card brings 8GB GDDR6 at 20Gbps on a 128-bit bus. That 320 GB/s bandwidth figure is the key number here. It is 90% more bandwidth than the 3050 LP, which translates directly into smoother frame pacing in texture-heavy scenes. Eight gigabytes also gives this card a reasonable runway into 2027 and 2028 at 1080p, and even early 1440p gaming with DLSS assistance. For a card at this price, that is genuinely good headroom.
This is the one category where the MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card has a genuine, unchallengeable advantage. It is a low-profile card. That means it fits in slim desktop cases, HTPCs, and small-form-factor builds that physically cannot accommodate a full-height GPU. If you have one of those systems, the 3050 LP is basically your only option in this comparison. The other two cards simply will not fit.
For standard ATX builds, the picture changes. The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card uses MSI's Twin Frozr 10 cooling system with two STORMFORCE fans. This is a proper dual-fan cooler with a decent heatsink, and owner feedback suggests it runs quietly under load. Temperatures in the 70 to 75 degrees Celsius range under sustained gaming load are typical, which is fine. The card is dual-slot, so it will not block adjacent PCIe slots in most cases.
The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) uses the older Twin Frozr IV cooler. It is dual-fan and was well regarded in its day. But these are now decade-old cards, and used examples may have worn fan bearings or dried thermal paste. If you are buying second-hand (which at this price you almost certainly are), factor in the cost of a repaste and potentially new fans. That is not a hypothetical concern.
So: if you have a slim or SFF case, the 3050 LP wins by default. For standard builds, the 5050 OC has the better modern cooler. The GTX 970 is a wildcard depending on its condition.
The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) has no ray tracing hardware. None. It also has no DLSS support, no AV1 encode capability, and DisplayPort 1.2 as its best output. In 2026, that means no path tracing, no AI upscaling, and no hardware-accelerated AV1 for streaming. It is a rasterisation-only card from a different era.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card is a proper RTX card. It has second-generation ray tracing cores and supports DLSS 3 (including DLSS Frame Generation on compatible titles). That is a meaningful upgrade. Ray tracing performance is limited by the 96-bit bus and the relatively modest shader count, so you will want to keep RT settings at low or medium to maintain playable frame rates. But it works, and DLSS 3 Quality mode at 1080p looks genuinely good.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card takes this further with fourth-generation ray tracing cores and DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation. MFG is a big deal at this price point. It can generate multiple frames between rendered frames, effectively multiplying output frame rates in supported titles. Combined with DLSS 4 Super Resolution, you can run ray tracing at playable frame rates in games that would otherwise crawl on a card at this price. The 8th generation NVENC encoder also adds AV1 hardware encoding, which is useful for streamers and content creators. DisplayPort 2.1b and HDMI 2.1b round out a genuinely modern feature set.
For anyone who cares about modern rendering features, the 5050 OC is the clear winner. The 3050 LP is a decent second. The GTX 970 does not compete here at all.
Power draw matters more than people realise, especially if you are upgrading an older system with a modest PSU. The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card has a TDP of just 70W. That is remarkably low for a modern RTX card. It draws power directly from the PCIe slot with no external power connector required on some configurations, making it compatible with older systems that have smaller power supplies. If your PC has a 300W or 350W PSU and you cannot easily replace it, the 3050 LP is the safest upgrade.
The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) pulls 145W TDP and requires a 6-pin power connector. That is not unusual, but it is more than double the 3050 LP. For a card that delivers far less performance in 2026, that power draw is hard to justify.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card sits in the middle, with an estimated TDP around 100W. It will need a PCIe power connector, but it is not a power-hungry card by modern standards. A decent 450W PSU will handle it comfortably alongside a mid-range CPU.
For older systems or anyone with a tight PSU, the 3050 LP's 70W draw is a genuine practical advantage. It is also the only card here that might work in a system without a dedicated GPU power connector. That earns it this category.
Display outputs are easy to overlook until they matter. The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) offers HDMI 2.0, DVI-I, and DisplayPort 1.2. HDMI 2.0 caps out at 4K 60Hz. DisplayPort 1.2 supports 4K 60Hz or 1440p 144Hz. The DVI-I port is useful if you have an older monitor, but it is not something most buyers in 2026 will need. No 4K 120Hz, no VRR over HDMI, and no modern HDR support over HDMI.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card steps up to HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a. HDMI 2.1 supports 4K 120Hz and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which is useful if you have a modern TV or monitor. DisplayPort 1.4a handles 4K 144Hz with DSC compression. A solid improvement over the GTX 970.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card goes further still with HDMI 2.1b and DisplayPort 2.1b. DisplayPort 2.1b has a theoretical bandwidth of 80Gbps, supporting 4K 240Hz or even 8K displays without compression. HDMI 2.1b similarly handles 4K 144Hz and beyond. These are outputs that will not become a bottleneck for years. Even if the GPU itself cannot drive 4K 240Hz natively, having the port means you are not locked out of future monitor upgrades.
The 5050 OC wins this clearly. The 3050 LP is a decent second. The GTX 970's outputs are dated.
Value is not just about the lowest price. It is about what you get per pound spent, and how long that investment lasts. Look, the MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) is cheap. Under £90 for a GPU sounds appealing. But you are buying a 12-year-old card with a known VRAM ceiling, no modern features, and the very real possibility of hardware degradation on a used unit. The cost per useful year of gaming life is actually quite poor. You might get one or two years of light use before it becomes genuinely unusable in modern titles.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card at £199.99 makes more sense for a specific buyer: someone with an SFF or slim case who needs a modern RTX card that physically fits. For that person, it is good value because there are very few alternatives. For everyone else with a standard case, paying £199.99 for a 96-bit bus and 6GB VRAM when the 5050 OC exists is hard to justify. The £20 gap between them buys you 2GB more VRAM, a wider memory bus, DLSS 4 with MFG, and a generation-newer architecture. That is a lot of upgrade for £20.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card at £199.99 represents the best value in this comparison for standard ATX builds. You are getting Blackwell architecture, 8GB GDDR6, DLSS 4, PCIe 5.0 compatibility, and modern display outputs. Compared to the 3050 LP, the performance uplift is roughly 30 to 40% in rasterisation and considerably more in DLSS-enabled titles. Compared to the GTX 970, it is not even a fair comparison. For a card that should remain capable at 1080p through 2028 and beyond is genuinely reasonable by UK GPU pricing standards.
For anyone researching the Best MSI Graphics Cards Under £300, the 5050 OC delivers the most value per pound for the majority of buyers. The 3050 LP wins only if your case demands low-profile. The GTX 970 is a false economy.
How long will each of these cards stay useful? The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr HDMI DVI-I DP Graphics Card (4GB, PCI Express, DDR5, 256 Bit) is already past its useful gaming life for most people. It has no path to DLSS, no ray tracing, and a 4GB VRAM limit that modern games routinely exceed. Buying it in 2026 means buying a card that is already struggling. Realistically, you might get another year or two of use in older or less demanding titles. That is not a great outlook.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card is based on Ampere, which is two generations old now (Blackwell is current). DLSS 3 is supported but not DLSS 4. The 6GB VRAM buffer will become tight in 2027 and 2028 as games continue to demand more. The 96-bit bus is already a constraint. Expect this card to remain capable at 1080p for another two to three years, but it will not age gracefully beyond that.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card is current-generation Blackwell. PCIe 5.0 support means it will not be bottlenecked by future platform upgrades. DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is the most advanced upscaling technology available right now, and it will continue to receive game support for years. Eight gigabytes of GDDR6 at 20Gbps gives it headroom that the other two cards lack. For a budget GPU, this is about as future-proof as you can get under £300. Expect solid 1080p performance through 2028 and usable 1440p with DLSS for at least two to three years.
For anyone thinking about the Best MSI Graphics Cards Under £300 as a longer-term investment, the 5050 OC is the only sensible answer. You can check out TechPowerUp's GPU database for detailed architecture comparisons, and MSI's official GPU page for full spec sheets on all three cards.
This comparison is based on published specifications from MSI and NVIDIA, benchmark data from sources including TechPowerUp and Digital Foundry, and real owner feedback from Amazon UK and community forums including Reddit's r/buildapc and r/nvidia. We have not conducted hands-on testing of all three cards simultaneously. Where performance figures are cited, they reflect published third-party benchmark averages rather than our own lab results. Pricing is based on Amazon UK listings at time of writing and may vary. The GTX 970 is assessed as a used/refurbished product given its age. The RTX 3050 LP and RTX 5050 OC are assessed as new retail products.
After comparing all eight criteria, the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 8G GAMING OC Graphics Card is the clear winner and the best MSI graphics card under £300 for the vast majority of UK buyers in 2026. It won six of eight categories, including performance, VRAM, modern features, display outputs, value for money, and future-proofing. The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 LP 6G Gaming Graphics Card earns a genuine recommendation for one specific use case: slim or SFF builds where no full-size card will fit, and where its 70W TDP is a practical necessity. The MSI NVIDIA GTX 970 Gaming Twin Frozr is a hard sell in 2026. Its 4GB VRAM ceiling, lack of modern features, and decade-old architecture make it a false economy even at under £90. Save up the extra £130 and buy the 5050 OC. You will not regret it.
Yes, cards like the RTX 5060 (110W) and GTX 1660 Super (125W) work reliably with 500W PSUs. However, the RTX 5070 (250W) requires a 750W unit minimum. Check the GPU's power draw specification and ensure your PSU has sufficient capacity for your CPU, motherboard, and storage drives as well.
GDDR7 provides roughly 40% higher memory bandwidth than GDDR6, translating to 15-20% faster frame rates in 1440p and 4K gaming. For 1080p play, the difference is negligible (under 5 fps). GDDR7 cards run hotter and consume slightly more power but justify the upgrade if gaming at 1440p or higher resolutions.
For buyers keeping their card five years or longer, DLSS 4 support is worth considering. Frame Generation can double perceived frame rates in supported games (Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth Wukong). However, adoption remains limited in indie and esports titles. If you prioritise 1080p high-refresh gaming, DLSS 4 support is optional.
Integrated graphics excel at esports titles and light games at 1080p low settings, reaching 60+ fps in Valorant and Fortnite. For demanding single-player games like Baldur's Gate 3, performance is unacceptable (20-30 fps at low settings). Integrated graphics are best for office builds with occasional gaming rather than dedicated gaming systems.
The RTX 5060 provides excellent value with proven availability. RTX 5060 Ti availability and pricing are uncertain, with launch dates typically 2-3 months after the vanilla release. If you need a card immediately, the current RTX 5060 is low-risk; if you can wait, the Ti variant may offer better 1440p performance in March 2025.
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