Best graphics cards for PC gaming 2022 - smithlivine1987

Most people who are in the grocery for a new graphics posting have one primary question in mind: Which card will give Maine the most bang for my buck? Obviously, the answer will motley depending happening your budget. Beyond that, there are a number of factors to consider: Raw performance is important, but so are things like racket, the device driver experience, and supplemental software program. And fare you want to pay a premium to get in happening the bleeding edge of real-time ray tracing?

Let us make it easy for you. We've tried and true nearly every major GPU that's hit the streets over the past mates of years, from $100 budget cards to $1,800 luxury models. Our cognition has been distilled into this article—a buying run with recommendations connected which art card to buy, disregardless what sort of have you're looking.

Note: There are customized versions of every nontextual matter lineup from a host of vendors. For example, you can buy assorted GeForce GTX 3080 models from EVGA, Asus, MSI, and Zotac, among others.

We've joined to our complete reappraisal for for each one recommendation, but the buying links lead-in to models that hew closely to all art card's MSRP. Spending extra can get you hefty out-of-the-corner overclocks, beefier cooling systems, and more. Check out our "What to look for in a customs card" division below for tips on how to opt a customized card that's powerful for you.

Graphics posting news

It's all just impossible to come up graphics card game right now, especially at sane prices. Our explainer of the consummate GPU tempest reveals why. The GeForce RTX 30-series and Radeon RX 6000-series sold out directly and remain rare in the face of overwhelming demand, with scalpers and bots snatching them up just as greedily as enthusiasts. Demand is so high that even older-generation graphics cards are selling for much they cost new, years past, in to the highest degree cases. If you're stuck without a graphics scorecard, deliberate trying Nvidia's loos GeForce Forthwith cloud streaming or a next-gen play comfort instead to tide you over. Nvidia just launched a newfangled RTX 3080 tier for GeForce Now that not only gives you exclusive access to said hardware, merely besides adds nifty features the like longer 8 hour frolic sessions and 1440p, 120Hz streams, as well as 4K HDR streams on Nvidia's Shield TV console. IT costs $100 for vi months—bluff, without doubt, only a lot cheaper than the $1,500 to $2,000 you'd overleap happening a new RTX 3080 on Ebay these days.
More graphics cards may start to fill out this generation soon. Nvidia launched the GeForce RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti for mainstream laptops—the first time in recent store a virgin GeForce GPU debuted in laptops rather than desktops—but rumors suggest a desktop version will unveiling in January 2022. Additionally, Videocardz and other "leak" sites exact a GeForce RTX 3090 Ti with a full GA102 GPU and even faster GDDR6X memory, in what should be a true prosumer beast. Nvidia also recently revived the RTX 2060, but wielding 12GB of memory instead. It's excellent at mining and costs as very much like an RTX 3070 on the streets, however. Not content to let Team Green hog the highlight, recent Eurasian Economical Commission filings by PowerColor paint a picture we finally see Thomas More affordable AMD Radeon RX 6400 and 6500 XT graphics cards coming soon.
Much relief will represent en route soon (though notalsosoon) in the form of a 3rd competition. Intel fresh took the wraps off its hotly anticipated "Arc Alchemist" GPUs, built on the company's Xe architecture. These gamer-focused graphics cards—Intel's first stab at separate consumer GPUs—onetime in the first draw of 2022, complete with hardware-founded ray tracing backup and XeSS, an AI-based ikon upsampling tool built to rival Nvidia's DLSS tech.
If you're lucky enough to find a reasonably priced Radeon graphics card, AMD will now toss in a free month of Xbox Game Pass for PC.
Want to nose dive even deeper into your hardware? We've new publicized guides explaining how to bench mark your graphics card and how to turn connected AMD's Intelligent Access Memory board for faster play performance, as well as an explainer happening Nvidia's "Fatless Hashish Range" anti-minelaying technology.

Advisable budget graphics board

Editor's note: Demand is through the roof for graphics cards right now. Newer models sell out instantly and often cost hundreds of dollars many than MSRP. Even older-generation graphics cards are selling for more what they cost new, age ago. We can't recommend people buy graphics cards at those markups, but if you're lucky enough to find stock at MSRP, this guide should avail. Note that prices below discuss MSRP, as it's impossible to stay current with nowadays's volatile pricing.

The adjacent-gen Nvidia GeForce RTX 30-series and AMD Radeon RX 6000-serial have up to now to trickle down to budget markets, an understandable twist given how much graphics cards currently sell for. And with even past used artwork card game selling for hundreds of dollars, it's virtually unthinkable to snag a graphics card on a budget reactionist forthwith. Consider trying Nvidia's free GeForce Now cloud streaming or a next-gen gaming console instead to tide you over. The new RTX 3080 grade of GeForce Now delivers a top-shelf gaming experience if your Cyberspace connection derriere keep dormy, just costs $100 for six months, so it may not be the best budget option. Fortunately, the Priority tier with RTX 2080-class performance costs one-half that, and at that place's also a free tier that runs on roughly RTX 2060-grade computer hardware.

If you need a local anesthetic PC gaming solution those obviously won't cut information technology though. Your best bet is to beak up uncomparable of AMD's game-in order Ryzen 5000G APUs, which remain available in both DIY form and at heart numerous prebuilt systems. "You can build a Ryzen 5 5700G machine today and puzzle outstanding CPU performance along with OK gambling performance," we said in our review. Yes, you'll need to telephone dial down some graphics options for the best functioning, but you'll be competent to play esports games and eventide triple-A titles at a modest clip at 720p surgery 1080p solution. At $259 for the Ryzen 5 5600GRemove not-product link and $369 for the Ryzen 7 5700GRemove not-product link, they aren't exactly cheap, peculiarly since you'll also need a motherboard to plop them into, simply remember that you're getting both a CPU and a doable GPU stand-sure the price. And hey, they're actually in stock.

Best 1080p graphics card

Editor's note: Necessitate is through the roof for graphics card game right now. Newer models betray out instantly and often cost hundreds of dollars more than MSRP. Even older-generation artwork card game are selling for more than what they cost new, years ago. We can't advocate populate buy graphics cards at those markups, but if you're lucky enough to receive caudex at MSRP, this guide should help. Federal Reserve note that prices below discuss MSRP, as it's impossible to stay current with today's volatile pricing.

The next-gen Nvidia GeForce RTX 30-series and AMD Radeon RX 6000-series have yet to trickle down to more mainstream price points, an understandable wrick given how some graphics card game currently sell for. That said, the Radeon RX 6600 is a good option for fantabulous 1080p gambling at 60 frames per second or higher, assuming you're willing to spend $330 Beaver State more than for 1080p gambling, a price that would beryllium advised absolutely outrageous pre-pandemic. (You mightiness be better off buying a console or turning to mottle gaming instead.) AMD's GPU is the first true 1080p/60 graphics card of this generation, and it boasts extreme office efficiency that helps keep it running cool and quiet in your system, though IT isn't the best option if you're hoping to flip-flo on ray tracing.

The (on the face of it) $330 GeForce RTX 3060 is a decent option for high refresh rate 1080p play if you tail end get your hands on one, while the $379 Radeon RX 6600 XT is even faster yet. They'rhenium overkill if you're gaming along a received 60Hz display, notwithstandin, and going for $500 to $800 connected the streets, so you may have a better time determination a Radeon RX 6600 OR an older, inferior powerful GPU if you're lacking a high-pitched review range display. Both would also be uninspiring happening account of their high sticker prices if the GPU commercialise wasn't absolutely bonkers right now. If you can witness an RTX 3060 at MSRP, it's a better option than the identically priced Radeon RX 6600—IT's faster, has 4GB more VRAM, and handles ray tracing better—but in the real life you're probably going to have to drop $675 operating theater more to get one. Megascopic.

The GeForce RTX 1660, 1660 Super, and 1660 Ti are all obedient 1080p gaming options for 60Hz panels, as is AMD's aged Radeon RX 5600 XT and 5700. The GeForce RTX 2060 is also worth considering if you neediness ray tracing and DLSS capabilities. Even experienced options like the Radeon RX 580 and 590 or Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060 can neutralize a catch, though you'll need to make just about visual compromises as they're really protrusive to point their age.

Best 1440p nontextual matter card

Editor's note: Demand is through the roof for graphics card game right today. Newer models sell up instantly and often cost hundreds of dollars much MSRP. Even older-generation graphics cards are selling for more than what they cost young, years ago. We can't recommend people buy nontextual matter cards at those markups, but if you'Ra lucky sufficiency to find gunstock at MSRP, this guide should assistanc. Note that prices on a lower floor discuss MSRP, as it's impracticable to continue up-to-the-minute with today's volatile pricing.

If you'rhenium looking to drive a 1440p display at 60-plus frames per second (and often much higher) with no graphical compromises, Nvidia's $400 GeForce RTX 3060 Titanium is a "about flawless" option. Information technology's faster than last generation's $800 RTX 2080 Super—the second nearly powerful GPU in the world until a a couple of months past. "That performance matched with 8GB of GDDR6 memory makes the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti a fantastic 1440p play option," we said in our reexaminatio. "It exceeds the hallowed 60-frames-per-second mark in all game tested at that resolution, even with the to the highest degree strenuous visual settings enabled. Information technology flies well beyond that mark in respective games, and it should undergo no job belongings 90 Federal Protective Service+ at 1440p in most titles if you don't mind performing minor tuning on graphics options."

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti performs ray tracing better than AMD's most expensive GPUs, thanks in no slim part to Nvidia's fantastic DLSS 2.0 technology. It's as wel sure-footed of fine 4K gaming, but the 8GB of computer memory could accommodate it binding prospective 4K games.

If you have a 120Hz+ 1440p monitor, the $500 GeForce RTX 3070 is as wel worth considering, merely it's only when 9 percent to 15 percent faster than the RTX 3060 Ti at 1440p dependent on the game for 25 percentage more than cash. That makes the RTX 3060 Ti a better option for most people, though the RTX 3070's carrying out boost whitethorn be worthwhile if you hold onto your graphics cards for an especially long time before upgrading again.

The $600 GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is same slightly faster than that, although it comes with much faster GDDR6X memory. Most people should get the 3060 Ti if they can find one at a semi-reasonable price.

The GeForce RTX 3070 (and 3060 Ti) only has 8GB of GDDR6 memory. That mightiness non be enough for 4K gaming going forward, but it's fine for 1440p in most scenarios—but not all. Watch Dogs Legion, for good example, uses more than 8GB of VRAM at 1440p if you Methedrine up the graphics settings and turn on concrete-clock time light beam tracing. If you're suspicious, consider buying the $580 Radeon RX 6800 instead. You pay a trifle more than for a little quicker performance, but more importantly, AMD loaded the Radeon RX 6800 with an ample 16GB of GDDR6 computer memory. Nvidia's RTX 30-serial publication cards are much, much better at ray of light tracing, however—and $80 cheaper.

The step-down AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT comes with 12GB of VRAM. It delivers great 1440p play execution that's a trifle bit faster than the RTX 3060 Ti, but at $479 and up, it's priced more in-strain with the RTX 3070, and that comparison does it no favors.

Turn back to Nvidia, the $330 GeForce RTX 3060 also offers an copious 12GB of retention (thanks for the market pres, AMD!) along with a good entry-steady 1440p experience. You may need to turn down the graphics settings a trifle in especially intense games to hit 60fps, but this should have no job surpassing that hallowed target in every form of address.

If you'Ra looking to max out a high refresh-rate 1440p monitor, OR drive a 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor, Nvidia's $700 GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD's $650 Radeon RX 6800 XT are stellar options that trade blows in raw performance. Steady with all the visual settings cranked to Ultra, these monstrous cards return above 100fps at 1440p resolution across the 10+ games we tested, and muchwellabove. The RTX 3080 and Radeon RX 6800 XT present o'er 50 percent to a greater extent functioning than the RTX 2080 as abaseline crossways the room and beat even the RTX 2080 Cordyline terminalis by a healthy margin.

Entirely of these options are also fast decent to play ray traced games at a smooth clip at 1440p—something you couldn't state with older RTX 20-serial cards. You may pauperism to tweak just about optic options back when sanctionative irradiatio tracing on AMD's cards, however, piece faster RT cores and DLSS technology awful you won't need to make the same sacrifices with Nvidia's GPU. AMD holds the memory content edge once more, however, at 16GB of GDDR6 versus 10GB of GDDR6X in the RTX 3080, but that shouldn't matter too much at 1440p result.

Don't buy the RTX 3080 or Radeon RX 6800 if you only have a 60Hz 1440p proctor. They're expensive overkill unless you have a 120Hz-plus 1440p monitor that can put it ludicrous speeds to good use. They'Ra a okay pairing with a 60Hz 3440×1440 ultrawide show, though, as that higher resolution is Sir Thomas More demanding.

Best 4K graphics card

The one concerns we traded virtually last-place-gen card game in our 1440p section continue here. The arrival of the new generation of Radeon and GeForce GPUs in real time turned nigh piping-end cards from before into horrible values, and prices for wholly graphics cards are crazy right directly, but you have more options among premium GPUs if you're serendipitous enough to get your hands on unitary.

The biggest considerations between AMD and Nvidia up here in the high end? Ray tracing and memory capacity. AMD's Radeon 6000-series GPUs come with heavy 16GB storage pools that should handle everything games thrust at them for the foreseeable future. By dividing line, Nvidia wasn't quite American Samoa generous with the memory board in its RTX lineup, and some extraordinary, peculiarly strenuous games are already pushing GeForce VRAM limits. Merely the RTX 30-series offer vastly superior ray trace performance, both in raw horsepower and with the immense uplift provided aside DLSS 2.0 supersampling, which AMD currently has no answer for. Ray tracing is pick up steam at present that it's in the next-gen consoles but clay relatively uncommon in now's games, however.

Pick your poisonous substance; these are all great graphics cards.

If you're along a $500 budget, or nerve-racking to power a 60Hz 4K monitor, the $500 GeForce RTX 3070 is worth considering. Information technology's just as fast equally the quondam $1,200 RTX 2080 Ti flagship and exceeds or flirts with the 60fps mark in most—but not all—games at 4K closure with graphics settings maxed out. Be warned that you'll penury to dial the visuals in some games back to slay 60fps, though, and the menu bottom struggle if you call on on ray tracing in games that backup it.

The RTX 3070's discreet 8GB memory cushion isn't apt to be very future-proof either, As some games already go past that capacity at 4K, so we consider Nvidia's $500 menu improved for high refresh pace 1440p gambling, or 4K play with some moderate potential tone compromises. High graphics settings still take care great at 4K, though the 8GB of VRAM would make me leery well-nig buying the RTX 3070 equally a long-term 4K gaming solution.

The $600 GeForce RTX 3070 Ti has faster GDDR6X retentivity and slightly much horsepower and so it handles 4K a act better than its non-Si namesake, though all the same caveats generally exist for that card as fortunate.

If you don't deprivation to get those occasional graphics quality tweaks or interest about whether 8GB of memory will be enough for 4K gaming in a year or ii, consider AMD's $580 Radeon RX 6800 instead. Information technology's a scra faster than the RTX 3070 and comes with a giving 16GB of GDDR6 memory. AMD's Smart Access Memory technology also gives Radeon RX 6000-series graphics cards an additional speed boost when paired with a Ryzen 5000 processor in an X570 motherboard.

If you want even faster functioning, or have a high refresh pace 4K monitor, step up to the $650 Radeon RX 6800 XT or $700 GeForce RTX 3080. They kick tooshie, take names, and trade performance blows. There are no games in our test rooms that flunk to brighten a 60-frames-per-second average at 4K resolution with all possible visuals personal effects enabled on these cards, and they often exceeds that mark out and away.

The GeForce RTX 3080 and Radeon RX 6800 XT expectorate frames adequate to80 percentquicker than the RTX 2080 in several games at 4K, and 60 percent higher in the others. They'Re close to 30 percentage faster than the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, the $1,200 previous-gen flagship, and a ridonkulous 100 to 160 percent faster than the older GeForce GTX 1080. The consuming H.P. makes these excellent options for 3440×1440 ultrawide gaming, too.

The feature differences are especially key here. The Radeon RX 6800 XT packs a upcoming-trial impression 16GB of GDDR6 remembering, versus 10GB of faster GDDR6X memory in the RTX 3080. But Nvidia's ray tracing reward shines even brighter on the high-end, A its second-gen RT cores and DLSS technology enable 4K play with ray tracing enabled. AMD's cards simply fanny't trifle ray of light traced games beyond 1440p without frame rates slowing to a fawn.

Moving up yet high, the even more monstrous GeForce RTX 3090 "BFGPU" wields10,496 CUDA cores, SLI connectors, and a massive 24GB of that speedy GDDR6X memory. Information technology's a stunning value for creators who stool tap into all that VRAM, and can attain 60fps gambling at a ludicrous 8K resolution in a handful of games, but it's simply about 10 to 15 percent faster than the RTX 3080 at 4K for over doubly the cost. Most people should get the RTX 3080 instead for a still-superior 4K feel, but there's no denying the GeForce RTX 3090 is the fastest gaming card on the planet—though AMD's $999 Radeon RX 6900 XT hopes to challenge that claim when it releases on December 8.

In a surprise twist, Nvidia's own Founders Edition cooler is phenomenal, which makes it a ameliorate buy up than custom cards since the FE model sells at the card's $1,499 MSRP, kinda than coming with a steep premium. We've got 3440×1440 ultrawide benchmarks for the RTX 3090, too.

If you're unforced to spend four figures along a artwork card though, your best bet is the $1200 GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. Information technology's even as fast as the 3090 au fond, simply knocks $300 off the price tag by dropping the GDDR6X memory capacitance from a ludicrous 24GB down to a still-great-for-4K 12GB.

First in a long time, AMD offers a rival to Nvidia's flagship GeForce GPU, but it's hard to recommend the $1,000 Radeon RX 6900 XT scorn its steep discount against the RTX 3090. Information technology's only 2 percent slower than the RTX 3090 at 1440p gaming, so information technology could personify valuable considering for a high-refresh rate 1440p supervise, or for powering a 3440×1440 ultrawide experience, where information technology performs all right. It could also be a solid option for Linux users, since AMD drivers perform with much less headache there. And this identity card also offers more than more overclocking headroom than rival GeForce GPUs if you're into hardcore tweaking.

But the Radeon RX 6900 XT loses to the RTX 3090 by over 9 percent at 4K gambling, and since AMD doesn't offer a DLSS rival, ray copied games are limited to 1440p resolution—a bummer in a four-shape graphics circuit card. And the $650 Radeon RX 6800 XT is almost as fast for $350 less, while the $700 RTX 3080 is essentially as fast at 4K with much better radiate tracing performance. This is a fantastic nontextual matter card, and it's tremendous to see AMD competing against Nvidia at the high end afterwards a drawn-out absence, simply the Radeon RX 6900 XT doesn't cut up out a well-knit niche for itself. Hot-rodded custom versions of this GPU could hold a lot of voltage when they hit the streets, though.

What to look to in a tailor-made card

If you require to frequent beyond the reach of our picks, know that finding the right art card can be tricksy. Various vendors crack customized versions of every GPU. For example, you can buy distinct Radeon RX 6700 XT models from Sapphire, XFX, Asus, MSI, and PowerColor.

To aid specialize the options and find the right card for you, you should consider the following things when doing your research:

Overclocks: High-priced custom models are often overclocked out-of-the-box to varying degrees, which can confidential information to higher performance. Most nonclassical custom cards offer the same organic tied of performance,however.

Cooling solutions:Many graphics card game are available with made-to-order coolers that lower temperatures and sports fan noise. The vast majority perform well. Thawed-cooled nontextual matter cards run still cooler, but require additional room inside your case for the tubing and radiator. Avoid graphics cards with single-rooter, blower-style cooling systems if you can help oneself it, unless you let a puny-form-factor PC or design on exploitation tailored water-cooling blocks.

Size: Many nontextual matter card game are of a similar size, but longer and shorter models of many GPUs survive. Heights-end art card game are starting to sport especially monolithic customised cooling solutions to tame their enthusiast-class GPUs. Doubled-check that your selected artwork card will fit in your case before you buy up.

Compatibility: Not all hardware supports a wide of the mark stove of connectivity options. Higher-end nontextual matter cards English hawthorn lack DVI ports, while lower-end monitors may want DisplayPorts. Only the most modern Radeon and GeForce nontextual matter cards support HDMI 2.1 outputs. Ensure your graphics card and ride herd on can touch base to each another. Likewise, have sure your power supply meets the recommended wattage for the graphics card you choose.

Period of time shaft of light tracing and DLSS: AMD's Radeon RX 6000-sereis art cards and all of Nvidia's RTX offerings can play games with real-time ray tracing personal effects active. Nvidia's RTX 30-serial publication GPUs hold a solid vantage over everything else though, propelled even further by sacred tensor cores for processing machine learning tasks such as Deep Learning Super Sampling, which uses AI to speed up the performance of your games with minimal rack up to visual fidelity. GeForce RTX 20-series GPUs also support DLSS, but AMD has no answer for it yet, though the company is ribbing a more open "FidelityFX Extremely Resolution" lineament to challenger it in the approach months.

Check unfashionable our recent reviews

Below is a list of our most recent reviews for idiosyncratic graphics cards. We've unbroken it to the most current GPUs.

Radeon RX 6800 XT

GeForce RTX 2070 Super Founders Variant

GeForce RTX 2070 Super Founders Edition

Radeon RX 5700 XT

GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition

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