When you’re setting out to build or upgrade your gaming PC, the best graphics cards are often the first thing that comes to mind. There’s a simple reason for that: when it comes to PC games, GPUs are the most impactful component in your rig when it comes to raw frame rates. Quite simply, most of the time a better graphics card directly results in better performance – at least up to a point.
TL;DR: These are the Best Graphics Cards
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super – Best GPU for most people
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 – The best Nvidia graphics card
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX – The best AMD graphics card
- AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT – Best for 1440p
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 – Best for 1080p
However, these days, GPUs have legitimately become a luxury good. With top-end graphics cards like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 costing upwards of $1,600, you can expect to pay top dollar for top performance. Prices are still way higher than they were when the GTX 970 blew my mind in 2014 – even when adjusted for inflation. However, if you temper your expectations, you can still get a solid gaming experience for a fraction of that price, especially if you are ok with gaming at 1440p or 1080p
I’ve been reviewing graphics cards for the last three generations, and I’ve personally benchmarked, built with, and played games on every GPU on this list. However, if none of these strike your fancy, feel free to comment below what kind of gaming experience you’re looking for, and I’d be happy to help you find the perfect card for your build.
1. Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super
The Best Graphics Card For Most People
While it kind of hurts to call any GPU that costs $599 affordable, that’s kind of what the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super is going for. For a mid-range price, you’re getting an extremely solid graphics card that can pump out 1440p-ready gaming performance, and can even stretch into 4K in certain games. It’s not the most powerful graphics card out there right now, but this would be Goldilocks’ choice.
When I reviewed the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super, I found it to be an extremely strong contender, and probably the best of the mid-generation refresh cards that Nvidia launched at CES 2024. Because while it still has the same 12GB of VRAM that held the original RTX 4070 back, it’s packed with 7,168 CUDA cores, over the 5,888 in the original model. That’s a 21% jump in shading cores, and that’s reflected in the gaming performance.
Just looking at a game like Cyberpunk 2077, which absolutely loves CUDA, you can see a 12% jump in performance over the RTX 4070 at 1440p. And, at 4K, the RTX 4070 Super is 13% faster than its predecessor in CD Projekt Red’s demanding RPG. Likewise, in a game like Forza Horizon 5 at 4K, the RTX 4070 Super manages an impressive 123 fps, compared to the 94 fps of the original RTX 4070. That’s a 30% increase in performance at the same launch price.
No matter which game you play at 1440p, you’re going to get extremely good performance out of the RTX 4070 Super, and that’ll translate into 4K gaming more often than not. And with 1440p gaming growing in popularity, there’s never been a better time to upgrade to a card that can really soar at that resolution.
2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
The Best Nvidia Graphics Card
Ah, the RTX 4090. For the last couple of generations, with the RTX 3090, and now the RTX 4090, Nvidia took a look at high-end gaming and said “what if we just threw more cores at it?”. It’s an absurd thing to think about, but the approach does work. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is hands-down the most powerful graphics card you can buy right now, if you have the cash on hand for it. Because with all of those 16,384 CUDA cores and all that memory, Nvidia is charging a steep $1,599 to start. While there are some RTX 4090s out there for that price, the majority of the aftermarket cards you’ll see on Amazon or Newegg are going to be more expensive.
However, if it’s in your budget, the performance you get can be worth it. For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most demanding games on the market right now, you can max it out at 4K with the ray tracing ultra preset, and still get a staggering 104 fps, and that number can go up to 144 fps if you enable Frame Generation. Even in the recently-launched Black Myth Wukong, I’ve seen my performance sit pretty at around 100 fps, with everything cranked.
All that performance does come with higher power requirements, however. In my testing, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 peaks at around 440W of power draw by itself. You’re going to need to pair this graphics card with a beefy power supply, one that can supply 1,000W at least. Although, if you’re opting for a GPU this expensive, you’re probably going to pair it with the best hardware across the board, and you should.
The RTX 4090 isn’t a graphics card I’d recommend to most people, just because of how expensive it is. But if you have the money to burn and you want a card that you can just turn up all the graphics settings in any game and forget about it, you can’t really buy a GPU that’s better than this.
3. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
The Best AMD Graphics Card
While AMD doesn’t really have a GPU that can go blow-for-blow with the RTX 4090, it does have one that is extremely competitive with the RTX 4080 Super, Nvidia’s next-best and more attainable card: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX is an absolute beast at 4K, and is able to keep up with Nvidia in most games, and even beats Team Green in some games.
Even in games that are traditionally hard on AMD graphics cards, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX can handle at 4K. Just take a look at Cyberpunk 2077 – it’s able to manage an average of 58 fps at 4K with the ray tracing ultra preset, with FSR enabled. Obviously that’s not quite as good as the RTX 4080 in the same test, but frankly it was never going to be. However, in games with lighter ray tracing loads, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX fares a lot better.
For instance, in Forza Horizon 5 with everything cranked, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX manages an impressive 158 fps at 4K, basically matching the RTX 4080 Super at 159 fps. Likewise, in Far Cry 6, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX can deliver an incredible 154 fps average, beating out the RTX 4080 Super, which can do 151 fps.
Like with any graphics card, it’s important to know what kind of games you want to play. But if you’re playing a lot of games with little to no ray tracing, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is an extremely potent 4K graphics card. Plus with DisplayPort 2.1, it’s better equipped for higher resolution ultrawide monitors.
4. AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT
The Best GPU For 1440p
When you think of the perfect resolution for games, it’s easy to jump to 4K and say “more pixels is better”, however, 1440p really is the sweet spot for PC gaming, and the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the star of the show, thanks to the performance you get for the money. AMD has lowered the price on the Radeon RX 7700 XT from its launch price at $449, down to $419, but you can easily find it for around $399 on Amazon. At this price, it goes head to head against the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, and that’s not a fight that looks good for Nvidia. And while I didn't do a standalone review for the 7700 XT, I tested it alongside its big sibling, the Radeon RX 7800 XT.
While the RTX 4060 Ti does beat out the 7700 XT in Cyberpunk 2077, it’s not by much. The RTX 4060 Ti gets 62 fps at 1440p, and the Radeon RX 7700 XT gets 49 fps. And that’s on the ray tracing ultra preset. Nvidia’s lead disappears in other games, though.
For instance, in Forza Horizon 5, maxed out at 1440p, the RX 7700 XT manages 118 fps, compared to 107 from the RTX 4060 Ti. Likewise, in Total War: Warhammer 3, which doesn’t have any fancy ray tracing tech, the RTX 4060 Ti gets smoked, with it scoring 68 fps to AMD’s 85. That’s a 20% lead at about the same price.
There is a catch, though. While the Radeon RX 7700 XT is more powerful than the RTX 4060 Ti it’s also more power-hungry, drawing up to 312W from the wall in my testing. Compared to the 159W that the RTX 4060 Ti eats up, that’s a pretty huge gap. However, if you have a power supply that can handle it – AMD recommends 550W – you get a much more powerful card at the same price. Whether or not it affects your power bill down the line is a future issue.
5. Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060
The Best GPU For 1080p
According to the Steam Hardware Survey, 1080p displays are still the most popular monitors out there, and it's not close. So, despite how hyped up 4K displays are, if you’re comfortable playing at 1080p, you don’t need an extremely powerful graphics card to play even the most demanding games. That’s where the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 really shines.
The RTX 4060 can power any game at 1080p, even with all the fancy ray tracing settings that are coming out these days. And thanks to DLSS, it can even stretch to higher resolutions in certain games. And for a current-generation graphics card that you can find under $300, that’s not a bad deal.
When I reviewed the RTX 4060, I found that it was able to run most games extremely well at 1080p with all the settings cranked at more than 60 fps, even if it just barely got there in some games. For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077 on the ray tracing ultra preset, the RTX 4060 scored just 62 fps at 1080p. That is the golden frame rate, but you’re not going to be doing much high-refresh gaming on this card.
The RTX 4060 does have a weak side, though, and that’s how it compares to the RTX 3060 Ti that came out before it. You can still find the RTX 3060 Ti at most retailers, and for a comparable price, but yet it manages to beat out the RTX 4060 in most of my tests. There are some features you’d be giving up by going with a last-generation card, DLSS 3.0 being chief among them, but that may be worth it for the slight edge in performance you can get. However, at this price range, a feature like DLSS 3.0 that can stretch performance out in supported games is worth it, and can really stretch out the value of the card.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 isn’t perfect, but if you want a current-generation graphics card for under $300 that runs any PC game above 60 fps, I’d have a hard time coming up with an alternative – certainly not the Radeon RX 7600.
Upcoming GPUs
Typically, new graphics card generations roll around every two years, and we're right on the precipice of another generational shift. We're more than likely going to see the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 this year, either paired with an RTX 5090, or coming a couple months after Nvidia's highest-end graphics card. AMD isn't sitting idly by, either. RDNA 4 graphics cards are also rumored to be hitting the market this year, as a reference to the new graphics architecture was spotted in a new Linux driver by Phoronix.
This is all speculation, but the rumors are heating up, so get ready for a whole wave of graphics cards later this year. Unfortunately, they're probably going to keep being ridiculously expensive.
What to Look for in a Graphics Card
Just like anything in your gaming PC, there’s no one right graphics card for everyone. When you’re going out shopping for one of the best graphics cards, know what you’re going to be using it for; which games you want to play and what resolution you’re going to play them at.
Someone who just wants to play League of Legends at 1080p, for instance, is going to need a completely different graphics card than someone that wants to play games like Returnal and Atomic Heart at 4K. You also have to consider your budget. Graphics cards can cost as little or as much as your budget allows, so you want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck.
Best Graphics Cards FAQ
AMD or Nvidia? Or Intel?
When it comes to which brand of graphics card you should get, it ultimately comes down to your personal preference – even if each brand has its own unique advantages. Intel graphics cards are the most affordable option on the market right now, but its graphics cards aren’t exactly the fastest in the land. On the other hand, Nvidia makes the most powerful GPUs around, but you’re going to have to pay out the nose for that performance.
AMD graphics cards strike a pretty good balance between the two, but while the company loves to use open-source graphics APIs, it means you don’t get access to some of the exclusive features that Nvidia owners enjoy – features like DLSS. AMD has alternatives for literally every Nvidia software feature, but some of them simply aren’t as good. See our guide to AMD vs. Nvidia GPUs for more info.
What power supply should I get?
Graphics cards, especially high-end ones, are sucking up more electricity with every passing year. If you’re looking to build a new gaming PC, or even upgrade from an older graphics card, you should really consider upgrading to one of the best power supplies.
Some of the graphics cards out there right now can take upwards of 450W of power by themselves, so you may want to consider a 1,000W power supply – especially if you’re going for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090.
GTX vs. RTX
Nvidia has both an RTX, or Ray Tracing Texel eXtreme, and GTX, Giga Texel Shader eXtreme graphics cards series, with the RTX offerings being newer, more powerful, and more expensive.
That boosted performance is thanks to the architecture of RTX cards, which offer both Tensor and RT cores alongside CUDA cores for better graphics and rendering. Tensor cores enable AI and high-performance computing tasks bringing support for DLSS tech to help with upscaling and sharpening. RT cores are dedicated to ray tracing, allowing for more realistic lighting and shadows in scenes. Nvidia’s GTX graphics cards have a much simpler architecture and don’t offer Tensor or RT cores. Though they still work for budget builds, GTX cards will soon be obsolete.
Where to Get the Best Graphics Cards in the UK
There aren't too many differences when it comes to the graphics cards you can pick up in the UK, but the main takeaway is where you can purchase them. All of the following links have been updated with UK vendors, saving you some time and money if you're interested in picking up any of the graphics cards we've mentioned.
Jacqueline Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN. When she's not helping her friends and family buy computers, you can usually find her tinkering with her own PC.
