If you gamble on your computer, you need the best graphics card so you can always run the latest games. Whether you’re building a better gaming PC or upgrading an existing one, you need to make sure you choose the best graphics processor that can handle all of your tasks, especially if you’re a content creator or avid gamer.

What’s the best graphics card for your money today?

 

You don’t even need a high-performance gaming system to take advantage of a powerful graphics card, because today’s market is teeming with graphics cards. Maybe you need something particularly powerful, maybe you’re interested in the best budget graphics card because you don’t need excessive performance.

The best video cards are myriad, so you can easily find a great video card regardless of your budget. Some of the best Nvidia GeForce graphics cards and the best AMD graphics cards are a significant investment, but that doesn’t stop them from representing the best graphics cards you can buy. Still, even mid-range graphics cards are impressive because they’re faster and more powerful than what they used to be.

We’re going to help you narrow down the list so that you can choose the graphics card that best fits your needs. We’ve tested the latest Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, so we know which ones to recommend and which ones to skip.

Once you’ve decided what you want, use our pricing widget to help you find a video card in stock and help you find the best price tag so you’re not out of budget when buying your next video card.

How do we test the best graphics cards?

When it comes to the best graphics cards, it’s important to make sure they’re tested under equal conditions. That’s why whenever a new graphics card comes out, we race it through a set of 11-12 games at different resolutions and with the current drivers.

This means that we re-test all of the same generation graphics cards when a new one comes out. We also make sure that all video cards are tested on the same hardware, that is, the same processor, RAM, motherboard and SSD. As a result, you can rest assured that we measure the performance of the graphics card itself to better compare it to the competition.

We also capture the power consumption and temperatures that the graphics card marks under load to make sure that we can recommend the graphics card to users who may be concerned about high temperatures on their computers.

Finally, we look at the features that each graphics card offers, although they usually don’t change from generation to generation. However, performance can change with the inclusion of ray tracing, for example.

The ranking of the best video cards of 2022 is.

1. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Streaming processors: 4864 | Core frequency: 1.41GHz (up to 1.67GHz) | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory frequency: 14Gbps | Outputs: HDMI 2.1, x3 DisplayPort 1.4a | Power connectors: x1 8-pin PCIe (12-pin adapter included).

• Pros: 1080p performance | Traceroute performance;
• Cons: 4K performance only entry level;

AMD can no longer boast a better price-to-performance ratio? The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti certainly puts AMD in an awkward position. New to the RTX 3000 series, the new graphics card easily outperforms the competition in the class, offering performance capable of competing with the RTX 2080 Super while keeping the price affordable for most users. And all this with impressive ray tracing. 1080p gaming has never been so smooth and affordable.

 

2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080.

Streaming processors: 8704 | Core frequency: 1.44 GHz (up to 1.71 GHz) | Memory: 10 GB GDDR6X | Memory frequency: 19 Gbps | Power connectors: x2 PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: HDMI 2.1, x3 DisplayPort 1.4a.

• Pros: Superior 4K performance | Temperature;
• Cons: Extremely expensive;

With the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, 4K gaming has become much more affordable. You used to have to shell out over $1,000 ($75,000p + VAT) to get an acceptable frame rate with an RTX 2080 Ti. But the next generation of Nvidia’s graphics cards has almost halved the price of 4K gaming, thanks to the RTX 3080. The new product boasts the biggest performance step from generation to generation in graphics card history, delivering 50-80% performance gains over the RTX 2080 and outperforming the RTX 2080 Ti by 20-30%, keeping the RTX 2080 price tag intact. This is an absolute win in the graphics card market, a great price point if you have the asking price.

3. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

Streaming processor: 10240 | Core frequency: 1.37 GHz (up to 1.67 GHz) | Memory: 12 GB GDDR6X | Memory frequency: 14 Gbps | Outputs: HDMI, x3 DisplayPort | Power connectors: x2 PCIe 8-pin.

Pros:

• Excellent performance;
• Beautiful and stylish graphics card;
• Same size as RTX 3080;

Cons:

• Very expensive graphics card;
• Resource intensive (requires a lot of power);

There’s a new sheriff in town, now you can get even more power at a more affordable price. The long-awaited RTX 3080 Ti showed the same level of performance as the RTX 3090 in tests — an impressive achievement in itself — with the graphics card being several hundred dollars cheaper, making the performance more affordable than ever.

It continues everything the RTX 3080 started – taking 4K resolution gaming to the next level – with breathtaking 4K@60FPS performance. Despite the load, the graphics card stays pretty cool. And, like most other 3000 Series graphics cards, it looks awesome. Sure, it remains one of Nvidia’s most expensive offerings, and it requires a massive power supply. But it’s still the best video card on the market today, especially if you need ray tracing.

4. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090.

Streaming processors: 10496 | Core clock speed: 1.4 GHz (up to 1.7 GHz) | Memory: 24 GB GDDR6X | Memory frequency: 19.5 Gbps | Power connectors: x2 PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: HDMI 2.1, x3 DisplayPort 1.4a.

• Pros: Awesome performance | 8K support;
• Cons: Extremely expensive | Very big;

When it comes to performance, nothing beats the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090. With a whopping 24GB of RAM, no game or, more importantly, a heavy graphics project, will be bogged down by a lack of performance. In fact, you can expect 8K playback at 60 frames per second with the 3090. It’s an incredibly expensive graphics card, which is also pretty big, so for most users the GPU is too much. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is essentially a replacement for the Titan series, so it targets creative users involved in 3D rendering and video rendering rather than gamers. Despite all this, it’s significantly cheaper than the Titan, even if it’s out of most people’s budget.

5. AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT.

Streaming processors: 2048 | Core clock speed: 1.97GHz (up to 1.7GHz) | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory frequency: 16Gbps | Power connectors: x1 PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: HDMI 2.1 VRR and FRL, x3 DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC.

Pros:

• High 1080p performance;
• Excellent thermal efficiency;
• Low power consumption;

Cons:

• Could be cheaper;
• Only slightly better than the RTX 3060;

For stable 1080 resolution gaming, there couldn’t be a better choice than the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT. Not only does the graphics card perform great, it consumes significantly less power, hence installing it in systems with a smaller power supply. Due to its high thermal efficiency, you also won’t need an expensive water cooling system integrated into your PC.

Surprisingly and a bit oddly, it is a bit more expensive than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, a direct competitor that does not support ray tracing. Still, tests have shown that it’s about 10 percent more powerful, so you get a little more performance at a slightly higher price point. AMD also offers a number of software solutions, including FidelityFX Super Resolution, Smart Access Memory and, for competitive players, Radeon Boost.

6. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070

Stream processors: 5888 | Core frequency: 1.5GHz (up to 1.73GHz) | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory frequency: 14Gbps | Power connectors: x1 8-pin PCIe (included 12-pin adapter) | Outputs: HDMI 2.1, x3 DisplayPort 1.4a.

• Pros: Performance | Best graphics card | Traceroute;
• Cons: HIGH prices | Needs a 12-pin power connector;

The best graphics card on the market for most users, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 offers remarkable performance — on par with the RTX 2080 Ti — without having to sell the machine. Before the release of this graphics card, 4K resolution gaming was out of most users’ wallets. For the first time, it is the RTX 3070 that makes games in this resolution popular, moreover, you don’t have to change graphics settings in games. And did we mention the fact that this graphics card is very affordable? The affordable price with 4K gaming is a terrific deal, which is the reason why the RTX 3070 is included in our ranking of the best graphics cards.

7. AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

Stream processors: 2,560 | Core frequency: 2.32GHz (up to 2.58GHz) | Memory: 12GB GDDR6 | Memory frequency: 16Gbps | Power connector: 8-pin + 6-pin | Outputs: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC.

Pros:

• High performance in 1440p;
• Beam tracing;
• Lightweight video card with no sagging;

Cons:

• Slow ray tracing;
• Does not support FidelityFX resolution;

AMD offers graphics cards in all price ranges. As far as mid-range models go, the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT would be a better option. We found these to be great graphics cards for 1440p gaming, which unleash the full potential of RDNA 2 while remaining the most affordable for the wallet. And that’s not all. While it’s not the best graphics card on the market, it is capable of ray tracing.

It is a full-fledged competitor to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, Nevertheless, in terms of pricing the graphics card is closer to RTX 3070, which prevents us from recommending it to thrifty users. On the other hand, we can’t deny its superior performance at 1440p resolution. And, if you prefer AMD products, it will serve as a worthy competitor. On the other hand, you’ll probably have to tinker with the BIOS.

8. AMD Radeon RX 6800

Streaming Processors: 3840 | Core Frequency: 1.82GHz (up to 2.10GHz) | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory frequency: 16Gbps | Power connectors: x2 8-pin | Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, HDMI 2.1 VRR and FRL.

• Pros: Performance | AMD trace;
• Cons: Heterogeneous design;

If you think AMD is still stuck in the budget graphics card market, think again. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 marks AMD’s return to the high-performance graphics card market, offering an ace of sorts at an incredible price point. This graphics card is capable of delivering consistent performance in 4K games and impressive trace best at 1440p, but it costs less than its direct competitor, the RTX 3070, thanks to video memory. Plus, AMD’s Smart Access Memory technology makes the memory even faster.

9. MSI RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio

Streaming processors: 2176 | Core frequency: 1650 | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory frequency: 19.5Gbps | Power connectors: x3 8-pin | Outputs: x3 DisplayPort 1.4a, HDMI 2.1.

• Pros: Incredibly powerful | Stylish RGB backlighting;
• Cons: Very expensive;

If you want the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, you’ll have to pay attention to a powerful cooling system that can handle the intended load. The MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio has the necessary cooling capacity focused not only on this GPU at stock settings, but also for overclocking. Considering that we’re discussing a GPU here that handles 4K gaming with flying colors, the extra power is just the cherry on the cake.

10. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050

Stream processors: 2560 | Core frequency: 1.78GHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory speed: 12Gb/s | Power connector: x1 8-pin | Outputs: x3 DisplayPort, x1 HDMI.

Pros:

• Affordable graphics card;
• High performance 1080p;
• Beam tracing and DLSS;

Cons:

• Expensive for a budget graphics card;
• Requires extra power;

The best graphics cards launched in the last few years have one thing in common: They’re damn expensive. A big part of the problem comes down to the fact that they’re lacking in the market, but the fact that Nvidia and AMD have ignored the budget segment for too long also plays a part.

Fortunately, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 is finally out. And while the new graphics card is significantly more expensive than the 50-series models of the past, it is much more affordable than almost every other graphics card in the generation.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 is more than capable in gaming, you can even crank out the graphics settings as long as you stay at 1080p resolution. And cybersports gamers will love the graphics card especially, as it’s extremely affordable and runs games like Overwatch and League of Legends without a problem.

How to choose and buy the best graphics card?

The truth is that buying a graphics card today is harder than ever before. Finding a video card on the store shelf today is rare, because once there, it disappears in a matter of seconds. The rule of thumb for purchasing a graphics card in 2022 is to buy what you can get (and afford).

Obviously you shouldn’t spend twice the MSRP on a graphics card – for example you can sometimes find an RTX 3060 for $1000 and it’s not worth it – but if you need a graphics card right now, urgently, be prepared to buy what you can find in the store.

On the other hand, if you already have a pretty good graphics card, such as one released in the last five years or so, and you can afford to wait a bit, at least until the first changes on the road to normalization of global supply. You may well have to wait a few months for the ability to enable ray tracing, but as long as you can play games, you can handle the wait.

How to choose the best graphics card

When better graphics cards become available again, you’ll be able to be more discerning in your choices. At least because you’ll have more options in different price ranges, all that’s left is to decide how much you’re willing to shell out.

Of course, you should also consider your graphic needs. You should not settle for what you can afford right now if the video card is not powerful enough to meet your daily needs. It makes sense to put off buying a graphics card for a while, maybe save up until you can afford the right graphics card.

As for which graphics card to buy, you should consider the main characteristics: the amount of video memory, the size of the graphics processor, the estimated heat output or TDP, the available ports and power connectors. Don’t forget to ask about the number of teraflops (GFLOPS), because they indicate the theoretical performance of the video card.

If you’re looking for the best ray tracing experience, Nvidia remains at the top of the list. However, we are confident that AMD will continue to develop its own ray tracing to compete. If you’re into virtual games, you should also make sure your video card supports virtual reality.

What’s the best video card for gaming?

Frankly, the best video card for gaming depends on a number of factors. Among them are things like your favorite games, the resolution of your monitor or fancy features like ray tracing and DLSS, everything can be important.

For example, if you just want to play the latest games at 1080p resolution and high graphics settings, you could make do with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT. But if you want to play at the limit with ray tracing at 4K resolution, you should probably buy an RTX 3080 Ti, at the very least.

Which brand of graphics card is better?

The age-old question of whose graphics cards are better, Nvidia or AMD, will likely never go away. Right now, both manufacturers are plus or minus equal, eventually they will meet your needs, they just approach it differently.

As a rule of thumb, if you really like ray tracing, Nvidia probably promises some advantages for you, but in the past AMD has always been the better choice for gamers on a tight budget.

Is RTX better than GTX?

Determining which is better, RTX or GTX, ultimately comes down to what you intend to use your graphics card for. If you like playing the latest games with ray tracing technology, you’ll need an Nvidia RTX graphics card. These graphics cards have dedicated RT cores that are hardware responsible for real-time ray tracing and do it 6 times faster than other cores, creating stunning visual effects in kinematic lighting games.

Nvidia GTX graphics cards, on the other hand, boast performance gains in games. The latest Turing architecture, for example, consumes much less power, offering better frame rates. GTX graphics cards are great for competitive gaming, adapting perfectly to retro games with fantastic pixel graphics.

If you’re looking for more impressive gameplay, you should opt for Nvidia RTX series graphics cards. If visuals come second and performance comes first, you can save money with Nvidia GTX graphics cards.