2023 has become an excellent time for gaming. For the simplest reason that you are getting a lot of GPUs in the market and with the GPU market finally coming back to being stable and supply improving as well, you cannot really find a better time to buy a GPU that you want. Now, with that said, what makes a good GPU, to begin with? Well, that is one thing that a lot of people are going through and if you have been spending some time doing some research, this is a great way to get started.
We are going to start looking into some excellent GPUs that have been in the market for some time and I can already tell you that you are not going to be disappointed by the options that we have listed here. Additionally, you should also know that most of the GPUs that I am mentioning here have been reviewed before too and they have made a return simply because they are really good.
Let’s not waste time and start looking.
Reviewing the Best Graphics Card for Gaming
| Awards | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Graphics Card | Buy on Amazon |
|
| Best Graphics Card for 4K Gaming | Buy on Amazon |
|
| Best Graphics Card for 1440p Gaming | Buy on Amazon |
|
| Best AMD Graphics Card for Gaming | Buy on Amazon |
Now, if you are looking for a GPU that is strictly for gaming, we are going to exclude any GPU that is not going to provide you the value factor that most gamers want. Reason? Well, what’s the point of spending upwards of $2,000 if you are going to get the same gaming performance for much cheaper.
Needless to say, the graphics card for gaming that I am going to talk about are excellent in almost every regard and the performance is going to be excellent, too. So, let’s not waste time and have a look, shall we?
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Specifications:
- Clock Speed: 1845 MHz.
- VRAM: 12GB GDDR6X.
- CUDA Cores: 10240.
- PSU Requirement: 750W+
- Dimensions: 12.53 ” x 5.51 ” x 2.27 ” Inch
Asus has always positioned itself as one of the top brands whenever you are in the market searching for good GPUs or other components, for that matter. I do understand that they are known for charging a premium but the best part is that even for the premium, you are getting a lot of performance for the money you are spending and the build quality as well as everything else is top-tier.
With that said, the GPU that I am looking at is the famous ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 and while at one point it was almost impossible to get your hands on one but you would be happy to know that this GPU is easily available in the market and if you are looking to upgrade, you can easily go ahead and buy the GPU. Thankfully, the performance along with everything is top-tier, so you can play any game you want at the highest settings without running into performance issues.
- Metro Exodus: 107 frames per second.
- Red Dead Redemption 2: 74.2 frames per second.
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 119 frames per second.
- Control: 72.9 frames per second.
Thankfully, the performance is more than satisfying on 4K with all settings cranked on top. I did test the GPU with RTX off and RTX on and honestly, not a single game lagged, allowing me to play whatever I wanted to play without downplaying the settings in any way.
The GPU also looks excellent in terms of the build quality and finish and feels like a tank in hand. While some people may have issues with a heavy GPU considering how the GPU sag is a thing that can come in the way. Thankfully, you can easily take care of it using a brace that are available with ease. Moving further, another thing that I want to mention here is that the GPU runs really nicely as far as the temperatures are concerned, everything remains under control.
Asus has ensured that the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti carries a solid overclock out of the box but aside from that, you are also looking at a rather substantial potential. This means that if you feel like overclocking the GPU even further, you can go ahead and do it with ease. However, before you overclock, I would highly suggest that you are aware of the risks associated with overclocking.
Moving onto the things that I do not like about the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The card is massive and can be an issue for smaller cases. Additionally, the power hungry nature of this card requires you to use a hefty power supply.
Overall, it is safe to say that the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is an excellent GPU that delivers on all the promises that Nvidia has made and more. So, if you have been searching for something that is good, this will get the job done in more ways than one.
- Class leading performance in all games.
- Absolutely tank of a build quality.
- Great looks.
- RGB looks amazing.
- Power hungry.
- Dimensions are massive.
MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio
Specifications:
- Clock Speed: 1815 MHz.
- VRAM: 10GB GDDR6X.
- CUDA Cores: 8704.
- PSU Requirement: 750W+
- Dimensions: 12.71 ” x 5.51 ” x 2.27 ” Inch
Another leading brand in terms of computer components happens to be MSI and we all know that they have come a long, long way. So, if you are looking for something that does offer good performance, this is the way to go. Needless to say, MSI is not going to sell something that is shoddy and lacking in performance and you will see that.
The MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio is the RTX 3080 that I had been after for the longest time but sadly, I never got around to getting it due to stock limitations. However, that does not mean that the GPU itself is not good enough. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most sought-after variants. So, if you have been looking for something that is nice and delivers good performance, this is what you should be looking into. Now, the GPU is excellent for 4K gaming and I have some benchmarks for you.
- Metro Exodus: 68.4 frames per second.
- Red Dead Redemption 2: 70.3 frames per second.
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 87.4 frames per second.
- Control: 56.7 frames per second.
All games ran brilliantly aside from Control that did dip below 60 frames a second but honestly, it never really felt like a massive issue, to begin with. I was able to get one of the finest gaming experiences with this GPU and if you honestly have been looking for something that is stellar across the board, this is definitely the way to go.
MSI has done an excellent job at building the GPU as well. Why? Well, you are getting one of the best built RTX 3080 that you can find and the overall construction is as solid as it can get without any weak spots, or spots that might feel out of place. To be honest, I have seen some really poorly built GPUs and this is not one of them because you are getting excellent value and build quality, too.
For those wanting more, the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio holds brilliantly under stress and the temperatures are really not an issue. You would be more than happy to know that if you have been wanting something that stays under the temperature and still delivers.
In addition to the already impressive, the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio also brings a rather impressive overclock out of the box and while it is not the biggest overclock we have seen, it is enough for an excellent performance across the board to a point that you will not feel like making any other changes.
Honestly, I did not run into any issues as far as the performance of this particular RTX 3080 is concerned. However, the efficiency is something that could be improved by undervolting but it is nothing to worry about.
In conclusion, if you have been searching for a powerful GPU and you want something that is readily available then the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio is an excellent GPU that is going to deliver world-class performance and that too, without creating a lot of issues for you.
- One of the best performing RTX 3080.
- Temperatures are excellent.
- Comes with a substantial overclocking out of the box.
- Solid build quality and quality RGB lighting.
- Efficiency could be improved.
AORUS GeForce RTX 3070 Ti MASTER
Specifications:
- Clock Speed: 1875 MHz.
- VRAM: 8GB GDDR6X.
- CUDA Cores: 6144.
- PSU Requirement: 750W+
- Dimensions: 12.75 ” x 5.59 ” x 2.75 “ Inch
When Gigabyte launched the Aorus sub-brand, a lot of people looked at it with confusion as they were not really sure about the performance and value they are going to get. However, after some time, people started realisign that Aorus is just as good if not better than what Asus does with their ROG and Strix lineup and that started a whole lineup of some excellent GPUs and other components from Aorus. We have reached a point where it is safe to say that the company has more than perfected the
With that out of the way, the AORUS GeForce RTX 3070 Ti MASTER is one of the best GPUs for anyone who is looking for something good and solid and honestly, after spending some time with it, I have come to realise that Aorus has done an excellent job at creating this GPU because yes, you are getting one premium product. If you are looking to game at 1440p, just check at the framerate and that should give you a perspective.
- Metro Exodus: 105 frames per second.
- Red Dead Redemption 2: 82 frames per second.
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 147 frames per second.
- Control: 96.2 frames per second
It is safe to say that if performance is of concern, then the AORUS GeForce RTX 3070 Ti MASTER is more than deserving of the awards that it is getting. The best part is that although the GPU is excellent in 4K gaming, you can actually push it to run on 4K as well should you wish to go for performance and that certainly is something that you should keep in mind. However, if you do wish to run games at 4K, you might have to sacrifice some settings and that is important to know.
The quality is not only shown in terms of the performance as the AORUS GeForce RTX 3070 Ti MASTER is an exceptionally well-built GPUs that you can get your hands on, allowing you to get a great build quality and overall feel to the GPU. The RGB lighting is also nicely done and it never really feels like it is being overdone.
If you want a thermally and acoustically great card, then this GPU is more than that in those regards too since it never really feels like something that is not going to work well. Simply put, if you do want something good in terms of the overall performance, this is the way to go.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I honestly do not have any concerns that can ruin the experience. However, considering how this is a custom RTX 3070 Ti, this is one of the more power-hungry variants available in the market.
Simply put, if you are looking for a no holds barred RTX 3070 that delivers on almost every front, then getting the AORUS GeForce RTX 3070 Ti MASTER more than makes sense.
- Blazing-fast performance.
- Looks and feels premium.
- The RGB lighting looks great.
- Thermal and acoustic performance is unparalleled.
- One of the most power-hungry RTX 3070 Ti.
PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil
Specifications:
- Clock Speed: 2340 MHz.
- VRAM: 16GB GDDR6.
- Stream Processors: 5120.
- PSU Requirement: 850W+
- Dimensions: 12.59 ” x 5.31 ” x 2.44 ” Inch
It is finally time to move onto the team red and look at what they have to offer and honestly, one might think that the options they have are not good enough but that is not the case because hey, with the RX 6000 series, AMD has made a full recovery one way or another and are now offering some amazing GPUs that you can get. Now, I do understand that a GPU that you are looking at is one hungry beast but trust me, the performance on this is something that you are going to thoroughly enjoy.
Now, the PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil is impressive graphics card for gaming and while I did have my doubts in the start but after spending some time with the GPU, I realized that AMD has done a great job at catching up with Nvidia and while it might not seem like it, if you are looking for a high-performing GPU, this is an excellent option and you can look at it right away.
- Metro Exodus: 66.7 frames per second.
- Red Dead Redemption 2: 62.9 frames per second.
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 89 frames per second.
- Control: 53.9 frames per second.
Now, the benchmarks that I have conducted were done on 4K and Raytracing was turned on where applicable. If you are wondering why the drop in frame-rate. That is because the PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil still pales in comparison when you are talking about 4K + RT. However, turning it off or using AMD’s upscaling, you can get some really excellent results and that too, without many hiccups. Thankfully, tweaking with some settings allowed me to get a great result overall and the GPU worked really, really well.
Thankfully, the GPU manages to look just as good as it performs, and honestly, a lot of people, including myself, do not pay much attention to how something looks but it is always an added bonus that shows the dedication a GPU maker puts into their product and the same goes for other components, for that matter.
The PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil is already overclocked out of the box for anyone interested, the GPU does offer stellar overclocking potential that lets you push your GPU even further in terms of the overall performance gains and you are certainly looking at something that is not going to fail you.
Thankfully, AMD has reworked a lot of things on this GPU, so if you have been wondering about the efficiency and other such aspects, you do not have to worry. I am surprised just how efficient the PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil even in terms of temperatures, power consumption, and acoustics as well. Needless to say, the GPU is solid in terms of how it manages to hold up.
Moving on, there is nothing that you can go ahead and hate about this GPU. Sure, the preferences are always going to be there but at its core, the PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil is an excellent GPU that delivers fantastic performance, efficiency, potential, and looks. However, the raytracing performance is a hit and miss and that too, largely because of how AMD is still trying to figure out the perfect formula for it and it is going to take some time, just like it took Nvidia some time to actually perfect the overall performance of RTX GPUs.
Overall, if you want an AMD GPU, you will find a lot of options in the market that you could go for, to be honest. However, the lack of Raytracing performance is something that one should be concerned about but other than that, you are looking at perhaps one of the best graphics cards for gaming that you can find this very instance.
- Manages to outperform RTX 3080 in many cases.
- One of the best looking GPUs.
- Can be overclocked with ease.
- Offers excellent power efficiency, temperatures, and acoustics.
- Raytracing performance suffers a bit.
How to Buy the Best Graphics Card for Gaming
Now that we are done looking at the best graphic cards for gaming, the next step is to make things easier for all our readers and help them pick the right GPU. I know, at this point, it almost sounds comedic but trust me, despite the market having only two competitors for GPUs, it still gets really difficult when you are talking about choosing the right GPU and more often than not, things are not as easy as they might sound.
Finding the right GPU for veterans is a lot easier than one might think and for those who are not really sure, things are a bit difficult. Let’s look at how to buy the best graphics card for gaming because of course, even the most hardcore gamers and PC builders can end up in a situation where they need help.
- How Much Do You Want to Spend: Now, I am fully aware of the fact that budget is just one thing that you can no longer mess around with. I mean, I still remember the day when you could just go into the closest retail shop and pick whatever GPU you wanted to pick and it would all make sense. However, in the modern day and age, things have changed a lot. The reason behind that is rather simple, there are scalpers, miners, and so many other people buying GPUs just for the sake of having a GPU and this only drives up the cost. I paid around 30% premium when I got my RTX 3080. Although the prices have stabilized a lot, the discrepancies still manage to make their way and in such a situation, it is up to you to figure out just how much you are willing to pay and if you are okay to pay a premium.
- AMD or Nvidia: Perhaps the most controversial part about getting your hands on a good GPU comes in when you are trying to figure out whether you should be going for Nvidia or AMD. If you had asked me this a few years ago, it would have been a lot simpler to answer this. However, Nvidia is no longer the sole king of the market as we have our hands full with GPUs from AMD that are just as good and deserving of the attention. Now, it all comes down to preference and some additional features that I would be talking about moving further.
- What Games Do You Play: When you are trying to get your hands on the right GPU, you have to be sure that you are fully aware of what games you are going to play. After all, there is no point in buying a GPU without really having any idea of what you are playing. The reason why this is such a crucial step is because if you are not really sure about the games, then you might not be sure about the GPU you want because the performance is one thing that varies a lot based on this and of course, this is going to have an impact on your decision.
- The Frame Rate You Are Aiming: Moving further, another important thing to look into is the frame rate that you are going to target. Now, normally, playing at 60 frames per second is more than effective for countless gamers out in the wild. However, the same cannot be said about everyone because most modern gamers prefer something ranging from 120 FPS to even higher. Sure, not all games benefit from a higher frame rate but FPS games are very much in demand and they do look amazing in higher frame rates. Therefore, before you go ahead and buy a GPU, be sure that you know about the frame rate you are going to play.
- Target Resolution: I still remember the day when gaming surveys would reveal that 1080p was the most common resolution for anyone who is gaming. However, times have changed a lot with display panels going as high as 4K with higher refresh rate, people are now finally realizing the potential and fidelity that a higher resolution display provides. However, the higher resolution also comes at an expense of being very stressful for every GPU and therefore, before you invest in a good GPU, you have to understand that you are aware of your target resolution. In this list, we mentioned GPUs that target all resolutions, so you have plenty to choose from.
- The Power Supply: I would never buy a powerful and expensive GPU without the right power supply. It is safe to say that no matter how expensive and good your GPU is, if you are pairing it with a cheap, unreliable power supply, then you are in for a disaster. Moving on, modern GPUs have become a lot more power efficient, wherein they do deliver great performance while sipping the same amount of power as their predecessor. However, if you are still buying the RTX 3000 series, I have to warn you that those GPUs do sip a lot of power and you do need to get your hands a solid power supply before you go ahead and spend your money on these GPUs.
- Additional Features: The last thing that I would discuss here is the list of additional features that you might want to go with whenever you are in the market hunting for a GPU. There were days where you could just pick up anything that was random and they would all operate the same way minus the clock speeds. However, with modern GPUs, things have drastically changed. Nowadays, you are getting exclusive features from the likes of both AMD and Nvidia, and while this is certainly good as it increases competition, it has also caused a stir because now, people have a hard time choosing as to which GPU they want to pick. Before you go ahead and splurge, look at the features that AMD is offering and the features that Nvidia is offering and then decide as to what you want to go with and that should help you. If it takes time making a decision, then that is perfectly fine as long as you are picking the GPU that is good for you.
Conclusion
If you have been looking for something solid for gaming, you can check out the entire list and find the best graphics card for gaming and that should give you the right choice. Rest assured, if you have been searching for something good, this is a comprehensive guide on helping the consumers find the right GPU and that too, without any complications. I do understand that it can be difficult for those who are just looking for a simple buying experience but GPU market in general is very volatile and picking the right one can be difficult.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have been gaming for almost 24 years with extensive knowledge of all platforms and the gaming industry, in general. With interests in literature, art, gaming, and PC hardware.