The Best Graphics Cards 2019: Top Choices for Every Budget

[TechSpot Weekly Newsletter] Latest in tech March 11 Best Of [The Best Graphics Cards 2019: Top Choices for Every Budget]( If you're looking to buy a new graphics card today, don't mind all the testing, marginal fps gains, power consumption figures, or overclocking potential. [TechSpot's Best Graphics Cards]( is written to get a simple question answered: Given a certain budget, which is the graphics card you should buy? If you're looking to buy a new graphics card today, don't mind all the testing, marginal fps gains, power consumption figures, or overclocking potential. [TechSpot's Best Graphics Cards]( is written to get a simple question answered: Given a certain budget, which is the graphics card you should buy? Old vs New [A Blast from the Past: GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs. GTX 1660 Ti vs. RTX 2060]( Today we're [revisiting the GeForce GTX 980 Ti]( to see how it stacks up to the newly released RTX 2060 and GTX 1660 Ti, particularly in more recent titles such as Apex Legends, Resident Evil 2 and Far Cry New Dawn. The GTX 980 Ti is now four years old, so you'd expect new GPUs around half the price to deliver a similar level of performance... or do they? Today we're [revisiting the GeForce GTX 980 Ti]( to see how it stacks up to the newly released RTX 2060 and GTX 1660 Ti, particularly in more recent titles such as Apex Legends, Resident Evil 2 and Far Cry New Dawn. The GTX 980 Ti is now four years old, so you'd expect new GPUs around half the price to deliver a similar level of performance... or do they? Ransomware [Jackson County government gives in to hackers and pays $400,000]( Employees first noticed that government computers, websites and even email addresses had stopped functioning sometime on March 1. While fortunately 911 emergency calls were still operational, every internet connected device was inoperable and it is possible that the hackers were… Employees first noticed that government computers, websites and even email addresses had stopped functioning sometime on March 1. While fortunately 911 emergency calls were still operational, every internet connected device was inoperable and it is possible that the hackers were… Laptop Review [Asus ROG Strix Scar II Gaming Laptop Review]( The [Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL504GV]( is a fine laptop with a good design, a good trackpad and keyboard, and generous I/O. It's not overly portable, it's not overly chunky. It's got a pretty good display, upgradeability options, and the internal hardware and performance is good, too. The [Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL504GV]( is a fine laptop with a good design, a good trackpad and keyboard, and generous I/O. It's not overly portable, it's not overly chunky. It's got a pretty good display, upgradeability options, and the internal hardware and performance is good, too. Politics [Elizabeth Warren wants to break up Amazon, Facebook and Google]( US Senator Elizabeth Warren is proposing to break up tech giants Amazon, Facebook and Google should she be elected president in 2020. US Senator Elizabeth Warren is proposing to break up tech giants Amazon, Facebook and Google should she be elected president in 2020. Gaming [Apex Legends Review]( Apex Legends is [a tasting menu of battle royale moments](, rather than the potato chip jump-die-restart of my Fortnite experiences. There are countless moments to surprise or disappoint yourself. The hero aspect of the game is a change for battle royales, but other than that, the basics are standard for the genre. Apex Legends is [a tasting menu of battle royale moments](, rather than the potato chip jump-die-restart of my Fortnite experiences. There are countless moments to surprise or disappoint yourself. The hero aspect of the game is a change for battle royales, but other than that, the basics are standard for the genre. Industry [DRAM prices facing sharpest decline since 2011]( First quarter DRAM contract prices are expected to decline by nearly 30 percent this quarter, the sharpest single-season decline since 2011, according to a recent report from DRAMeXchange, a division of market intelligence firm TrendForce. First quarter DRAM contract prices are expected to decline by nearly 30 percent this quarter, the sharpest single-season decline since 2011, according to a recent report from DRAMeXchange, a division of market intelligence firm TrendForce. Gaming Classic [Diablo is available digitally and DRM-free for the first time]( In a surprise move, Blizzard has partnered with GOG.com to make one of its timeless classics available digitally and DRM-free for the first time ever. In a surprise move, Blizzard has partnered with GOG.com to make one of its timeless classics available digitally and DRM-free for the first time ever. Report [Banking trojan attacks increased 16 percent YoY; Android attacks up three-fold]( Kaspersky Lab recently revealed some grim news related to the use of banking malware, detecting almost 900,000 attacks globally in 2018, an increase of 16 percent versus 2017. Kaspersky Lab recently revealed some grim news related to the use of banking malware, detecting almost 900,000 attacks globally in 2018, an increase of 16 percent versus 2017. The Web [Congress introduces the 'Save the Internet Act,' a bill that could restore net neutrality]( For example, California has enacted (and then put a temporary hold on) its own net neutrality bill in response to the FCC's decision; a move FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai has called "illegal." More recently, Texas politicians introduced a similar bill. For example, California has enacted (and then put a temporary hold on) its own net neutrality bill in response to the FCC's decision; a move FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai has called "illegal." More recently, Texas politicians introduced a similar bill. Foldable [Samsung exec explains why the Galaxy Fold beats Huawei's Mate X]( The Galaxy Fold uses a book-style form factor, whereby the phone opens up to expose the tablet on the inside. There’s also a single display on the outside that resembles a traditional handset. Huawei’s Mate X, on the other hand,… The Galaxy Fold uses a book-style form factor, whereby the phone opens up to expose the tablet on the inside. There’s also a single display on the outside that resembles a traditional handset. Huawei’s Mate X, on the other hand,… [Google wants you to update Chrome right now]( Google is urging users to update Chrome across all platforms after a critical vulnerability was discovered and patched. [Intel to retake 'world's largest chipmaker' title back from Samsung as memory market declines]( Samsung’s chipset division generated sales of $65.9 billion in 2017, beating Intel’s $61.7 billion. This meant that for the first time since 1992, Intel was no longer the world’s largest chipmaker. But Samsung's title could be short-lived. [Facebook is rapidly losing millennials, US user base down 15 million since 2017]( According to a recent study by Edison Research, Facebook is hemorrhaging users in the US, losing about 15 million people since 2017. The largest drop is among teen users and millennials. [FDA lifts import ban for genetically modified salmon eggs]( On Friday the FDA announced that a genetically modified type of salmon will soon be allowed to be imported and reared in the U.S. ahead of new labelling requirements coming into force which ultimately will allow the fish to be… [Halo: The Master Chief Collection could be announced for PC next week]( Microsoft is scheduled to host its next Inside Xbox show on March 12. Episode two of season two, recently teased on YouTube, will feature “exciting news” regarding Halo: The Master Chief Collection, among other announcements. [Tesla's new 'V3' Superchargers could charge vehicles at rates of up to 1,000 miles per hour]( Despite Tesla's recent struggles, the company is still doing its best to improve the lives of its customers. For now, that means completely overhauled superchargers. [Major Windows 7 zero-day discovered, enables privilege escalation in combination with another Chrome exploit]( Security researchers at Google and Microsoft have observed attackers using a combination of a patched Chrome vulnerability and an unpatched Windows vulnerability to take advantage of Windows 7 systems. The announcement of the issue comes as part of their responsible… [Senator Amy Klobuchar floats idea of taxing companies that profit from user data]( Klobuchar views user data as a public resource like roads and has considered taxing them in a similar way. She summarized the idea as follows: [A shady email marketing company left 800 million email address exposed online, then disappeared off the internet]( When companies want to send out marketing material to a large email list, the first thing they do is validate the list to make sure the addresses on it are real. This is difficult to do because it usually involves… [Android Q spotted running on a Pixel, bug tracker shows preview release may be imminent]( Major versions of Android have been released in August for the past few years now, but that does not mean its too early to be thinking about Android Q. The next major update to Android is expected to transition to… [Renders show potential design of Galaxy Note 10]( PhoneArena’s images are based on "entirely on preliminary information," meaning there’s no guarantee they resemble the final design. But given that they borrow several elements from the S10s, don’t be surprised if these renders turn out to be an accurate… [Samsung Galaxy S10 now available, comes with six months of free Spotify Premium]( Samsung announced on Friday, the Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e are available from most retailers and service providers. Along with the launch Spotify has revealed that the new devices will come preinstalled with the Spotify app. The S10 5G, Galaxy… [Windows 10 hits 800 million installs, likely to reach one billion milestone this year]( The news comes after Net Market Share announced in January that Windows 10’s worldwide market share (39.22 percent) had finally passed Windows 7 (36.09 percent). This had been on the cards for a while, as shown by Windows 10 reaching 700 million devices last year. [Patent reveals possible first look at Google's gaming controller]( Google has a mysterious announcement to make at GDC 2019, and we're speculating that announcement will regard their rumored Project Yeti console, the hardware that is expected to accompany Google's "Netflix of games" streaming service powered by Chromecast and Project… [Some GPS devices could stop working next month]( As Tom’s Guide highlights, older GPS devices used a week counter to help keep track of time and ultimately, calculate your location. For most devices, the 10-bit “timer” started on January 6, 1980. After 1,024 weeks or roughly 19.7 years, the timer resets. [Mark Zuckerberg reportedly has a secret escape chute beneath his conference room]( According to a report from Business Insider, Facebook’s board of directors in July 2018 approved a $10 million security allowance for Zuckerberg and his family for the year. With that kind of money, we’re talking serious protection which, according to… [Nvidia makes $6.9 billion acquisition in bid for chip maker Mellanox]( Nvidia confirmed this morning the acquisition of Mellanox in a $6.9 billion deal. “We're excited to unite Nvidia's accelerated computing platform with Mellanox's world-renowned accelerated networking platform under one roof to create next-generation data-center-scale computing solutions," said CEO Jensen Huang. [Philadelphia bill bans cashless retail stores, throwing a wrench into Amazon's plans]( Amazon has been ramping up their physical retail efforts lately. The company is reportedly planning to open up dozens of grocery stores throughout the US, and it's already launched several cash and cashier-free "Go" stores. [Sony's 'PS4 Remote Play' arrives on iOS, lets you play PS4 games on your iPhone or iPad]( Game streaming is beginning to look like a fairly viable alternative to traditional console or PC gaming for those with tighter budgets. [Blizzard lost 209 workers in Activision Blizzard's massive wave of lay-offs]( Now, courtesy of a filing obtained by PC Games Insider, we have some more specific details regarding precisely which jobs were cut. [Facebook and Instagram crack down on anti-vaccine content]( Facebook isn’t removing anti-vaccination content completely. The company is reducing the rankings of groups and Pages “that spread misinformation about vaccinations,” which means they won’t show up as much in the news feed and search results. Moreover, they won’t be… [Qualcomm seeks $31m from Apple in latest patent battle]( Apple and Qualcomm are back in court in the latest of a series of battles over patent infringement. Before Apple switched to Intel as their modem supplier, Qualcomm chips were used in many earlier generation iPhones. [Mario Day returns on March 10 with half off select Switch games]( If Amazon can create its own “holiday,” why can’t Nintendo? On March 10, the Japanese gaming giant will again celebrate everyone’s favorite Italian plumber with its annual Mario Day observance (March 10 – Mar10, get it?). [Cobra Kai season two trailer hits YouTube ahead of April 24 debut]( One of YouTube’s most successful original series is back for a second season on April 24. [MSI gaming monitor functions perfectly after blocking a bullet]( As reported by PC Gamer, gamer and streamer Eric Gan was rudely woken during the morning of March 4 by loud noises in his apartment. [Mark Zuckerberg outlines Facebook's "privacy-focused" future]( Zuckerberg said Facebook and Instagram had become the digital equivalent of a town square over the last 15 years, but he believes people increasingly want to “connect privately in the digital equivalent of the living room.” [Latest Windows 10 update is causing issues with gaming performance and mice]( The most recent Windows 10 cumulative update, version 1809 KB4482887, is reportedly tanking performance in certain titles and causing adverse mouse effects. So, if following the February update rollout, you've noticed your mouse or games are misbehaving, it's likely nothing… [Microsoft further embraces open source software by sharing the Windows Calculator]( In a surprise move, Microsoft has published the source code to the Windows Calculator on GitHub under the terms of the MIT License. The full source code, unit testing, and build system is available, as well as the roadmap heading… Tech News - [Bug makes Anthem's starter rifle the most powerful weapon in the game]( - [Nintendo brings virtual reality to the Switch with new Labo kits]( - [Apple still has a problem correcting alarms for daylight savings]( - [Goodyear's Aero concept tire lets autonomous flying cars move seamlessly from ground to air]( - [Valve lays off 13 employees, including several who were working on VR hardware]( - [Las Vegas wants The Boring Company to construct tunnel under convention center]( - [Unannounced, unreleased NES wrestling game discovered]( - [Tesla is keeping more stores open, will raise vehicle prices to pay for them]( - [Apple's iPhone-powered AR glasses reportedly set to launch in 2020]( - [Japanese PS4 owners can now remap "X" and "O" button functionality]( - [Some Sinemia users are having their accounts wrongfully terminated]( - [OpenAI researchers have created an MMO for AIs]( - [Valve won't sell sexual-assualt game 'Rape Day' on Steam]( Software Downloads - [WhatsApp for Android 2.19.67]( - [UltraSurf 19.02]( - [Instagram for Android 84.0.0.9]( Drivers - [AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition Graphics Driver 19.3.1 Hotfix]( 2019-03-07 14:25:42 - [Sony PlayStation 4 Firmware 6.50]( 2019-03-07 13:53:54 Tech Pic of the Day [Diablo 76!]( [Credit: Reddit]( Hot discussion [News and Comments]( [Open Forum: What desktop speakers do you use?]( [News and Comments]( [NSA quietly stops controversial mass phone surveillance program after public outcry and widespread technical issues]( Follow TechSpot TechSpot: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [RSS]( [Google+]( [Instagram]( [Steam]( [Flipboard]( [YouTube]( Feeds: [News](, [Reviews & Features](, [Downloads](, [Drivers]( [View this email in your browser]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [We only send these emails with your permission after you've registered on TechSpot.com]( [Click here to unsubscribe]( © 2018 TechSpot, Inc.