As we sit here, waiting for the RTX 2080 and the rest of the Nvidia Turing lineup, we’re faced with a tough choice: do we wait for these new cards in all their exorbitant glory? Or, do we just go out and buy the best graphics cards we can get right now? Regardless of your choice, you can still use the best graphics cards to play the most demanding games from Far Cry 5 to Dragon Quest XI.
You should consider, though, that the best graphics cards are available in every shape and size. That’s why we went ahead and created this list of the best graphics cards – so you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for. We’ve sorted through the dozens of cards we’ve tested and reviewed, and picked out only the ones that stood above the rest. So, no matter if you prefer the raw power of Nvidia or the driver stability of AMD, we’ve found the best graphics cards you can buy today.
Best graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
The king of mainstream gaming
Stream Processors: 2,944 | Core Clock: 1,515MHz (1,800MHz boost) | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Clock: 14Gbps | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin, 1 x 6-pin | Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x USB-C
Turing is finally here, and shouldn’t come as a surprise that the RTX 2080 is the best graphics card out there right now. While it is much more expensive than Nvidia’s ‘80’ cards have been in the past, it’s also much more powerful – showing up even the four-figure price Titan Xp. With the RTX 2080, there should be nothing stopping you from achieving high resolution gaming, though you’ll have to turn down some settings on some titles in 4K if you want a silky smooth 60 fps at all times.
Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
Best 4K graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
Power overwhelming
Stream Processors: 4,352 | Core Clock: 1,350MHz (1,635MHz boost) | Memory: 11GB GDDR6 | Memory Clock: 14Gbps | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin | Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x USB-C
If you’re looking for the ultimate in performance, and you don’t care about cost, you will want to take a look at the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. It is, without a doubt the best graphics card for anyone looking to do some 4K gaming at high frame rates – as long as you’re willing to pay the price of admission. That’s not to mention the amazing RTX technology that’s baked in here, and this card will spearhead the RTX revolution – we just have to wait for more titles to support the fledgling technology.
Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
Best QHD graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
The all-around 1440p champion
Stream processors: 2,432 | Core clock: 1,607 | Memory: 8GB GDDR5 | Memory clock: 8Gbps | Power connectors: 1 x 8-pin | Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.0b, DL-DVI
Going down a few rungs in the graphics card hierarchy, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti is the best graphics card for QHD gaming. This card finds the happy medium between the GTX 1070 and GTX 1080. Whereas the 1080 is too expensive for 1440p gaming and the 1070 isn’t quite there, the GTX 1070 Ti perfectly drives a QHD experience. In our own testing, this piece of kit handles Forza Motosport 7 at upwards of 93 frames per second at 2,560 x 1,440. Likewise, it can manage Shadow of War at over 60 with the same ambitious resolution.
Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
Best Full HD graphics card: AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
Punchy graphics performance above its weight
Stream Processors: 3,584 | Core Clock: 1,156MHz | Memory: 8GB HBM2 | Memory Clock: 800MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin | Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0
The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the best graphics card for Full HD gaming you can buy today – your benchmarks put it above the GTX 1070. And, now that it’s fallen in price to what we would call an ‘acceptable’ level, there’s never been a better time to pick one up. While it’s arguably a bit overkill for Full HD gaming, the RX Vega 56 will come in handy for 144 to 240hz monitors and future-proofing against increasingly demanding games. You can also expect a fantastic 1440p experience with this card.
Best VR graphics card: AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
AMD’s return to high-end graphics cards
Stream Processors: 4,096 | Core Clock: 1,247MHz | Memory: 8GB HBM2 | Memory Clock: 945MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin | Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0
Especially now that it’s fallen in price from the heyday of cryptocurrency miners, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 is the best graphics card for VR gaming. Boasting 4,096 stream processors, 256 texture units and 8GB of HBM2 memory, it’s every bit as competent as the Nvidia GTX 1080 – at a lower price. This truly is the AMD card to rule them all.
Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
Best mini graphics card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini
Best mini graphics card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini
Stream processors: 3,584 | Core clock: 1,506 | Memory: 11GB GDDR5X | Memory clock: 10Gbps | Power connectors: 2 x 8-pin | Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0b, 1 x DL-DVI-D
When you build a microATX or even a mini ITX gaming PC, you don’t have to settle for anything other than the best graphics cards – you can find mini GPUs like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini. You’ll sacrifice some performance over its full-sized counterpart, but when it measures in at 211 x 125 x 41mm, the performance loss will seem practically non-existent when you’re staring at your beautiful mini PC.
Best budget graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
The little GPU that could
Stream Processors: 640 | Core Clock: 1,354MHz | Memory: 2GB GDDR5 | Memory Clock: 7Gbps | Power Connectors: PCIe | Outputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, DL-DVI
The Nvidia GTX 1050 might not look like much on paper, what with only 2GB of video memory onboard, but this affordable GPU plays games better than you would think. If you’re willing to drop settings to medium, you can play Overwatch, CS:GO and other popular competitive shooters well above the silky smooth 60fps mark. Thanks to its compact size, it’s also perfect for small builds and entertainment center-bound streaming PCs.
Best eSports graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
Competitive for both eSports and in price
Stream Processors: 768 | Core Clock: 1,290MHz | Memory: 4GB GDDR5 | Memory Clock: 7Gbps | Power Connectors: PCIe | Outputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, DL-DVI
Any eSports player will tell you that high frame rates are far more important than beautifully rendered graphical details – and that’s where the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti shines. In a time where graphics cards cost as much as rent, it’s an affordable, but potent GPU that can play most eSports games well above 60fps. It’s a bit pricier than the lower-end Nvidia GTX 1050, but you’ll appreciate the extra power behind this card to play future eSports titles, as well as the odd AAA title.
Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
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