Arek Dvornechcuck
Branding Expert
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
Having trouble deciding which of the best graphics cards to buy right this moment? This detailed review will help you decide which one is the right one for you.
A graphics card is a PC expansion card that is in charge of rendering images to the display.
High-performance GPUs are used for gaming, ray tracing, graphics production, and even cryptocurrency mining.
What are the best graphics cards to buy in 2023?
In general, the best graphics card for gaming will be determined by a number of factors.
What kind of games you play, what resolution you play at, and fancy features like ray tracing and DLSS are all extremely important considerations.
So without further ado, let’s dive in with my list of the top 10 best graphics cards to buy in 2023.
Do you want to add your product to the list?—Find my address on the contact page and send your product for review.
You should keep certain factors in mind before purchasing a graphics card for your computer.
We all have different work requirements, so we have different specification needs.
Before I discuss the features and specifications of my top 10 best graphics cards, let me first discuss the things you might need to consider.
VRAM is an abbreviation for Video RAM, and this specification refers to the amount of memory on a graphics card.
Your computer must always have enough memory; at least 6GB of VRAM is highly recommended.
Going below that is not advised for most games.
TDP is an abbreviation for Thermal Design Power and is one of the crucial factors to consider when buying graphics cards.
Additionally, it is an extremely important form factor because it indicates whether or not your power supply can provide enough juice.
It measures heat in watts and indicates how much power the card consumes at out-of-the-box speeds.
Before purchasing a new graphics card, consider what ports your device has.
Modern graphics cards frequently include HDMI, DisplayPort, and even the now-outdated DVI.
You must consider this factor if you don't want to purchase a difficult-to-find cable adapter.
The power connectors vary by card tier, but they are typically 6-pin or 8-pin configurations.
Before purchasing a card, check to see if your power supply has the necessary cables.
You don't want to buy a graphics card that requires power connectors that your power supply does not have, right?
Your needs and work requirements are important, but your budget will determine your purchasing power.
There are many graphics cards available at an affordable price that can still provide you with high-quality images.
This is one of the reasons why I decided to make this list for you—to help you decide which graphics card is perfect for your preferences and budget.
With all these considerations, I came up with this list of the best graphics cards, so here it goes.
The GeForce RTX 3080 is the card to get if you're serious about maxing out all of the graphics settings and playing at 4K.
The best overall graphics card.
It features the company's latest Ampere architecture.
The RTX 3080 is a true powerhouse of a graphics card, a significant generational leap in GPU history.
It is more than 30% faster than the previous generation of 2080 Ti.
The RTX 3080 graphics cards deliver the extreme performance that gamers demand, thanks to Ampere.
It comes with triple HDB fans that provide superior cooling performance while producing significantly less acoustic noise.
If you are looking for the best graphics card that can deliver the best performance, go for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080.
GPU: Ampere (GA102)
GPU Cores: 8704
Core Clock: 1755 MHz
Video RAM: 10GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 19 Gbps
TBP: 320 watts
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 on Amazon
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is an excellent choice for budget-conscious players who do not require a 4K gaming experience.
The best cheaper alternative to the GeForce RTX 3080.
This is one of the best graphics cards for most professionals, gamers, and students.
The RTX 3060 Ti is one of the newer additions to the RTX 3000 line, punching far above its weight class.
The GA104 graphics processor has a 392 mm2 die area and 17.4 million transistors.
The RTX 3060 Ti from NVIDIA is a high-end graphics card that supports DirectX 12 Ultimate.
It is not the fastest or most robust GPU available, but it delivers excellent performance at a reasonable price.
If you are looking for the best graphics card that will not hurt your pocket, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a perfect choice.
GPU: Ampere (GA104)
GPU Cores: 4864
Core Clock: 1.41 GHz
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 14 Gbps
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti on Amazon
The GeForce RTX 3070 is the best graphics card that brings 4K gaming to the mainstream market.
The best mid-range graphics cards.
It performs similarly to the RTX 2080 Ti without costing you a fortune.
The RTX 3070's performance and price put it in the ideal sweet spot for 1440p gaming.
You can play your favorite AAA games in 4K at high settings without sacrificing performance.
The RTX 3070 provides excellent 4K and 1440p performance at an affordable price.
A low price tag combined with 4K gaming on high-quality settings will undoubtedly give you excellent value.
If you are looking for a great-performing graphics card at an affordable price, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is perfect.
GPU Cores: 5888
Core Clock: 1.50 GHz
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 14 Gbps
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 on Amazon
The GeForce RTX 3090 is a powerful graphics card with a playable 8K gaming performance.
The best graphics card for creatives.
It is based on Nvidia's Ampere architecture and employs the full-fat GA102 GPU.
When it comes to performance, the RTX 3090 is unrivaled.
It can keep up with the most demanding demands, whether it's 3D rendering or hardcore gaming.
The RTX 3090 is essentially a Titan replacement, so it is geared toward the more creative user.
No game or heavy graphics project will suffer from performance issues with a whopping 24GB of RAM.
If you require hardware-accelerated rendering and are willing to spend more, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is the best graphics card for you.
GPU: Ampere (GA102)
GPU Cores: 10496
Core Clock: 1.40 GHz
Video RAM: 24GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 19.5 Gbps
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 on Amazon
The RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio is a lightning-fast graphics card designed for more than just gaming.
The best graphics card for professionals.
It is ideal for those in need of high-performance graphics.
The RTX Gaming X Trio dethrones the Founders Edition with better performance and more overclocking potential.
It has enough cooling power to handle this GPU at stock settings.
The RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio boosts the performance of the existing RTX 3090 card, allowing it to handle 4K games easily.
With this, you can play all of your favorite games with a powerful graphics card that runs cool and quiet.
If you are looking for the best graphics card to handle your professional needs, try the MSI Gaming X Trio GeForce RTX 3090.
GPU Cores:2176
Core Clock: 1650 MHz
Video RAM: 24GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 19.5 Gbps
TBP: 320 watts
Buy MSI Gaming X Trio GeForce RTX 3090 on Amazon
The Radeon RX 6800 graphics processor is more than capable of supporting both gameplay and creative workflows.
This AMD’s best premium graphics card.
It supports ray tracing, a relatively new feature for AMD graphics cards.
With the Radeon RX 6800, you get performance comparable to the RTX 3070 at a fraction of the cost.
Just like the RTX 3080, it is an excellent choice for 1440p gaming.
The RX 6800 XT is a high-end graphics card unlike any we've seen from AMD in years.
Not only is it on time and competitive, but also without caveats when it comes to the gaming experience.
If you are looking for the best AMD graphics card, then look no further than the AMD Radeon RX 6800.
GPU: Navi 21 (XT)
GPU Cores: 3840
Core Clock: 1.82 GHz
Video RAM: 16GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 16 Gbps
TBP: 300 watts
Buy AMD Radeon RX 6800 on Amazon
The GeForce RTX 3060 is a great product for mainstream gamers given its affordable price.
The graphics card that offers the best value for money.
It can run at a consistent 60 frames per second on high settings at 2560x1440 with huge game selections.
The RTX 3060 is a significant upgrade for 1080p gamers looking for solid performance without breaking the bank.
It should perform similarly to the older GeForce RTX 2070 Super Mobile and is best suited for demanding games.
The RTX 3060 is the company's most affordable 30-series Ampere graphics card.
It is an excellent card for 1080p gaming and can also handle 1440p resolution in many modern games.
If you are looking for the best graphics card for your budget, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is a great option.
GPU: Ampere (GA106)
GPU Cores: 3840
Core Clock: 1777 MHz
Video RAM: 12GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 15 Gbps
TBP: 170 watts
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 on Amazon
The RTX 3050 is the better option on a tight budget as the foundation of a prebuilt gaming PC.
The best budget graphics card.
This is significantly less expensive compared to present-generation graphics cards.
The RTX 3050 is more than capable of playing almost any game at high settings.
Esports gamers will also appreciate this card because it is inexpensive and can run games without breaking a sweat.
The RTX 3050 offers in-game ray tracing for cutting-edge, hyper-realistic graphics.
The Dual Fan Cooling provides superior cooling performance while producing significantly less acoustic noise.
If you are looking for the best graphics card that perfectly fits your tight budget, here’s the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050.
GPU Cores: 2560
Core Clock: 1.78 GHz
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 12 Gbps
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 on Amazon
The RX 6900 XT currently represents the pinnacle of RDNA2 architecture performance.
The fastest AMD graphics card.
It moves quickly and with "demonic speed".
The RX 6900 XT is AMD's flagship card, and the Red Devil is one of the best partner cards due to its high quality.
It has been updated with RGB lighting on the sides, cover, and back of the card for a more visually appealing design.
The RX 6900 XT comes with an entirely new advanced cooling solution.
This allows your graphics card to run at low temperatures while still providing a significantly enhanced gaming experience.
If you are looking for one of the best AMD graphics cards, the Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is a must-try option.
GPU: Navi 21 XTX
GPU Cores: 5120
Core Clock: 2250 MHz
Video RAM: 16GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 16 Gbps
TBP: 300 watts
Buy Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT on Amazon
The RTX 3080 Ti is extremely fast, a technically excellent product, and one of the best graphics cards for the PC.
The king of GeForce PC gaming.
This clean-looking card is excellent for 4K gaming and can operate quietly.
Despite having half the VRAM, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti performs similarly to the RTX 3090 in PC games.
The GPU has a gunmetal grey design with no color that changes when you power it on and activate the RGB.
The overall design of the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti will appeal to any gamer and creative type.
This GPU is massive, though not as uniform and sleek as the founder's edition.
If you are looking for the best graphics card for gaming, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a great pick.
GPU Cores: 10240
Core Clock: 1670 MHz
Video RAM: 12GB GDDR6X
Memory Clock: 19 Gbps
Buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti on Amazon
The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is a strong contender for the best graphics cards on our list with High Tier performance and an attractive price.
The best graphics card at a reasonable price.
Moreover, you can now enjoy high frame rates and the ability to make 1440p gaming a reality.
Talking about its build quality, the RX 6700 XT features 40 enhanced compute units in the design architecture.
In addition to having AMD software: Adrenaline edition, AMD Link can allow you to game anywhere with anyone.
Although the AMD Radeon RX 6800 is one of the best premium graphics cards on our list, this is still an adequate performer.
If you want to run all your games at their max level settings, the RX 6700 XT will easily help you achieve that.
Sometimes it’s even capable of giving a supreme performance like the GTX 1080.
If you’re after a graphics card that has the best price-to-performance ratio, then the RX 6700 XT is the one to get.
GPU Cores: 2560
Core Clock: 2321 MHz
Video RAM: 12GB GDDR6 16 Gbps
Memory Clock: 16 Gbps
Buy AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT on Amazon
The MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5500 XT is a tech-heavy graphics card easily capable of achieving 1080p performance.
The best graphics card for 1080 performance.
This graphics card is a much cheaper alternative to the Red Devil Radeon RX 6900 XT.
The performance of this beast can be closely related to the GeForce RTX 3050 in terms of 1080p gaming.
Moreover, the cooling system inside this graphic card comes equipped with airflow control technology.
The Torx fan 3.0 enables the Radeon RX 5500 XT to give an outstanding thermal performance.
With the help of this, your PC will never overheat no matter what.
If you’re after the best graphics card capable of 1080p performance, definitely check out the MSI gaming Radeon RX 5500 XT.
GPU Cores: 1408
Core Clock: 1845 MHz
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6
Memory Clock: 14 Gbps
Buy MSI gaming Radeon RX 5500 XT on Amazon
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is a highly affordable option in our best graphics card review guide.
The best affordable graphics card.
Although you won’t enjoy the same performance as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is still a steal of a deal.
If we compare the price to other GTXs, this is twice as affordable.
The GTX 1660 Ti’s gaming performance can easily rival other GeForce GTXs, even when playing the latest titles.
It also has multiple other features which include capturing and sharing videos coupled with the GeForce experience.
If you’re short on budget but want the best value for your money, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti will solve all your problems.
GPU Cores: 1536
Core Clock: 1875 MHz
Video RAM: 6GB 192-Bit GDDR6
Memory Clock: 12 Gbps
Buy Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti on Amazon
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super is an excellent graphic card with all major Nvidia native features.
The best long-lasting graphics card.
Nvidia’s iconic dual fan setup will allow you to enjoy all the cooling benefits coupled with a stellar design.
Talking about the design, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super has a gunmetal design similar to the RTX 3080 Ti.
The interior is marbled by multilayered electric highways, which complete the printed circuit board.
It’s not as feature-packed as the RTX 3080 Ti but offers 70% faster performance than the GTX 1050 Ti.
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super is the best all-rounder graphics card for all your PC needs.
GPU Cores: 1280
Core Clock: 1755 MHz
Video RAM: 4GB GDDR6
Memory Clock: 12 Gbps
Buy Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super on Amazon
The MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5700 is the best graphics card that is priced at the upper-tier level and has excellent specifications.
The best spec-heavy graphics cards.
The Radeon RX 5700 is easily the most expensive graphic card, as a result, surpassing every other card.
Its design is better because this graphics card has an enhanced appearance and superior cooling performance.
The performance, for instance, is similar to the AMD Radeon at a 4K gaming level, but the MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5700 has a superior design.
It’s worth noting that this graphics card is capable of achieving very high frame rates compared to the Radeon RX 5500 XT.
If you want to pay a premium to get quality features, then the MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5700 is definitely worth a go.
GPU Cores: 2560
Core Clock: 1750 MHz
Video RAM: 8 GB
Memory Clock: 14 Gbps
Buy MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5700 on Amazon
So, which graphics card on the list do you consider buying for your gaming and creative needs?
All these graphics cards in the list were picked among the best, so rest assured you will get a good performance card.
What is the best graphics card to buy?
The age-old debate over whether NVIDIA or AMD makes the best graphics cards is unlikely to die.
Both AMD and NVIDIA Lay a strong emphasis on performance in relation to price, and therefore, want to offer the best value to their customers.
What is ultimately best for you may not be best for someone else.
As we all know, we have unique preferences, right?
If you enjoy ray tracing, Nvidia will likely have the upper hand, while AMD was previously better for those on a tight budget.
Now that I have given the above information, which do you think is the best graphics card for you? —Leave a comment below.
