Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 Ultimate

Gamers who want to play 3D games but don't mind dialing down the graphics settings will be happy with the Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 Ultimate, critics report. The card runs most games -- even demanding action shooter games -- at 30-plus fps in 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution, but you'll need to adjust the graphics quality to medium settings for most titles. Sapphire's "Ultimate" cooling solution replaces the 6670's stock fan with a large heatsink, which keeps temperatures low while running silently, but at the expense of blocking a second PCI-E slot. Gamers who desire better frame rates and uncompromised graphics settings -- and don't mind a bit of fan noise -- would probably be better off with the MSI N560GTX-Ti Twin Frozr II/OC (*Est. $245).

Like most manufacturers, Sapphire's customer service doesn't have a sterling reputation. Tales of woe abound online, with one TomsHardware.com contributor calling the company's service a "nightmare." Sapphire cards aren't known to break very often, however, and owners are generally very happy with them as long as they work. But don't lose your receipt; Sapphire covers products for two years from the date of purchase, and shipping and handling fees are sometimes required.

Several reviewers recommend the stock Radeon HD 6670 video card, but TweakTown.com, Hexus.net and HardwareHeaven.com cover the Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 Ultimate specifically in in-depth, hands-on reviews full of comparisons to other cards and benchmark testing. You can see a handful of user reports at Newegg.com.