When it comes to PC gaming, there’s much to consider. A solid CPU (central processing unit) is a must, you’ll want a lot of RAM, and hard drive space is a must. However, arguably the most essential factor in maxing out frame rates and achieving high-resolution gameplay is a good GPU. While gaming laptops offer power and portability, a desktop graphics card typically delivers much better performance. Check out the best GPUs for gaming at all budgets!
Best GPU for 4K in 2021 – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
If you need the best overall GPU for gaming in 2021, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is easily the greatest video card on the market. It’s a great GPU for 4K, virtual reality (VR), and handles high refresh rates like a champ. It’s hands down the fastest graphics card that money can buy. With ray tracing support, games look absolutely stunning. A whopping 24GB of GDDR6X, 19.5Gbps memory speed, and 936GB/s memory bandwidth makes the NVIDIA RTX 3090 an absolute beast. Aside from gaming, the RTX 3090 is also a great graphics card for video editing.
However, the price is pretty high for the NVIDIA RTX 3090. In fact, you can get a pretty decent gaming laptop or desktop for the price or the RTX 3090 alone. The RTX 3080, the 3090’s younger sibling, clocks in 4K gaming benchmarks just slightly below that of the 3090, but at a fraction of the price. As such, if you don’t need the complete processing power that the GTX 3090 has to offer, the 3080 is no slouch at all. But for the best graphics card for gaming on the planet in 2021, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is the way to go.
Pros:
- Handles 4K, VR, and high refresh rates with ease
- 384-bit memory bus
- 382 Tensor cores
- 82 RT cores
- 10,496 CUDA cores
- 24GB GDDR6X
- 19.5Gbps
- 936GB/s
- 350W power draw
- Handles 4K, 1080p, and 1440p high refresh rate gaming on high
Cons:
- Expensive
- Physically large
- Only marginally (about 11%) better 4K gaming performance over the much cheaper RTX 3080
Best GPU for 1440p Gaming in 2021 – AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
For AMD fans, the Radeon RX 5700 XT is the best AMD GPU for gaming in 2021. Boasting a boost clock speed of 1,755MHz and 8GB of video RAM (VRAM), the RX 5700 XT is a solid graphics card. Capable of churning out buttery smooth 1440p games and 4K with the settings dialed back some, the RX 5700 XT offers great value for the money. It’s a fantastic GPU for 1440p at 144Hz and tackles VR with ease. Unfortunately, you won’t find any ray tracing support. What’s more, the 7nm Radeon RX 5700 XT is less efficient than NVIDIA 12nm video cards, so you can expect higher power draw compared to similarly performing NVIDIA GPUs. Still, the Radeon RX 5700 XT affords an excellent price-to-performance ratio for 1440p gaming and budget 4K performance.
Pros:
- 1,755Mhz boost clock speed, 1650 base clock
- 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Capable of 1080p and 1440p gaming on high at high refresh rates, 4K gaming at medium-high
- Reasonably-priced
- 14Gbps clock speed
Cons:
- Can’t max out 4K
- Higher TDP than comparative NVIDIA cards
- No Ray tracing support
Best GPU for 1440p 144Hz Gaming – GeForce RTX 3070
NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3070 is an absolute beast. Rocking 8GB of GDDR6 256-bit VRAM and 2944 CUDA cores for up to 448GB/s of memory bandwidth, the 3070 doesn’t shy away from high resolution, high frame rate gaming. Boasting a 1500MHz core clock with a whopping 1725MHz boost, it’s the best GPU for 1440p gaming at refresh rates. Aside from 1440p, the RTX 3070 is a good budget 4K video card that’s able to hit above 60 FPS in most AAA titles at 4K resolutions. However, the 3070 falls short of the RTX 3080, and even the 2080 Ti, for 4K gaming. The sweet spot for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is 1440p gaming. It’s arguably the best GPU for 1440p 144Hz PC gaming.
Pros:
- Excellent for 1440p at 144Hz or higher in AAA titles
- Great for 4K gaming around 60 FPS or higher
- 8GB GDDR6 256-bit VRAM
- 2944 CUDA cores
- 448GB/s of memory bandwidth
- 1500MHz core clock, 1725MHz boost
Cons:
- Better 4K performance from the RXT 3090, RTX 3080, and even RTX 2080 Ti
- Expensive
Best Card for 1080p Gaming on a Budget – AMD RX 5600 XT
AMD’s Radeon RX 5600 XT punches well above its weight class. Outfitted with 6GB of GDDR6, the RX 5600 XT is the best GPU for 1080p gaming on a budget. Its competitive pricing combines with solid benchmarks and real-world performance. You can play most modern AAA titles at 1080p on high or ultra, and even game at 1440p with medium-high. What’s more, AMD RX 5600 XT is noticeable less power-hungry than other AMD video cards. While the 5600 XT matches up well with the NVIDIA RTX 2060 beating it out on performance and power draw, the RTX 3060 trounces the 5600. While 1440p gaming works at medium to high, you can max out 1440p on the RX 5600 XT or tackle 4K gaming. Despite these shortcomings, the AMD RX 5600 XT is the best value for money graphics card.
Pros:
- Affordable
- 1080p AAA gaming on high to ultra
- 1440p AAA gaming on medium to high
- 6GB DDR6 VRAM
- 1,615 MHz as the base clock with a 1,750 MHz boost
- 336Gbps bandwidth
- Low 150W power consumption
Cons:
- Can’t max out 1440p
- No 4K gaming
Best GPU for 1080p Gaming – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
Ray tracing is a major advancement in the world of GPUs, and the NVIDIA RTX 2060 yields excellent 1080p high refresh rate performance. Sporting 1920 GPU cores, a boost clock of 1,680MHz, and 6GB of GDDR6, the RTX 2060 trounces the previous-generation GTX 1070 Ti. You’ll benefit from ray tracing support and enough headroom to run most demanding AAA titles at over 60 FPS on 1080p. Boasting about a 70% performance gain over the GTX 1060 6GB model, the RTX 2060 is a serious upgrade over last-gen GPUs.
Pros:
- Excellent for high FPS 1080p maxed out AAA titles
- Boost clock of 1,680MHz
- 6GB DDR6 VRAM
- Ray tracing support
- Reasonable price
- Excellent VR performance
- Good for 1440p gaming
Cons:
- Can’t hit 4K at 60 FPS
- Newer 3000 series NVIDIA GPUs available
Best Budget Video Card for Gaming – AMD RX 5500 XT
If you’re looking for the best budget graphics card in 2021, consider the AMD RX 5500 XT. This affordable video card sports a whopping 8GB of VRAM with 1408 GPU cores, a boost clock speed over 1700MHz, and low 130 Watt power draw. For AAA gaming at 1080 on medium to high, the AMD RX 5500 XT is more than up to the challenge. AMD’s RX 5500 XT even edges out NVIDIA”s GTX 1650 Super. While AMD outfits its RX 5500 XT with 8GB of video RAM, it’s not able to max out every AAA game on ultra at 1080p. Nevertheless, at around $200, the 5500 XT is the best bang for buck GPU on the market.
Pros:
- Extremely affordable
- 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Over 1700MHz boost clock
- 130 Watt power draw
- 1408 GPU cores
- Great for 1080p gaming
Cons:
- Can’t max out modern AAA titles on 1080p
Best Budget GPU for Gaming – GTX 1650 Super
The NVIDIA GTX 1650 Super continues to be a high-performing, affordable video card. Although it’s not suitable for 4K or even 1440p gaming, the reasonably-priced GTX 1650 Super can still hit respectable frame rates at 1080p on medium to high. It’s got 4GB of GDDR6 and a boost clock speed of 1755MHz. With a 100 Watt power draw, the 1650 Super is both powerful and efficient. However, the GTX 1650 is based on an older Polaris architecture. It’s not completely outdated, but AMD’s 5500 XT clocks in around the same price with slightly better performance. If you want a good, cheap GPU, the GTX 1650 doesn’t show its age so long as you’re willing to dial back the settings a bit.
Pros:
- Extremely affordable
- 4GB GDDR6 VRAM
- 100 Watt power draw
- 1755MHz boost clock
- Great for 1080p gaming at medium-high
Cons:
- Outdated architecture
Best Cheap Gaming GPU – GeForce GT 1030
Although the GeForce GT 1030 isn’t technically a GPU for gaming but rather a home theatre PC (HTPC) video card, it’s the best GPU under $100. At that price point, you shouldn’t expect much. However, for PC gaming on a shoestring budget, the GT 1030 is a fantastic option that can breathe life into an aging desktop. Notably, the GT 1030 comes in two variants, one with 2GB of DDR5 VRAM and another with slower GDDR4 video RAM. The GDDR5 version will give you substantially better performance gains. You can comfortably run a bevy of older titles such as GTA V, Far Cry 4, and Fortnite on 1080p at around 30 FPS. That’s about on par with the performance of a PlayStation 4. On the video side, the GT 1030 can churn out buttery smooth 4K. Although you’re not going to be able to game at 4K, 1440p, or even run new AAA PC games on ultra at 1080p, the NVIDIA GT 1030 is an excellent cheap video card for playing older titles and e-sports games.
Pros:
- Extremely affordable
- Handles 4K video output with ease
- Can run many older games and e-sports titles at 1080p 30 FPS
- Low 30 Watt power draw
Cons:
- Not a true gaming GPU
- Can’t game in 4K, 1440p, or max out new AAA titles at 1080p
What to Look for in a Gaming GPU
When you’re selecting a graphics card for gaming, you’ve got two choices: an AMD or NVIDIA GPU. Both video card manufacturers have their own devoted followings and for good reason. NVIDIA generally offers gaming GPUs with better raw performance and energy efficiency than their AMD counterparts. However, NVIDIA’s graphics cards usually feature a higher price tag. On the flip side, AMD GPUs usually clock in at more affordable price tags, albeit with slightly less processing capabilities and a higher power draw. Still, both AMD and NVIDIA aren’t separated by an enormous chasm.
For NVIDIA GPUs, its reference design video cards are standardized graphics processing units. NVIDIA titles its reference GPUs as Founder’s Edition cards typically featuring a higher clock speed. NVIDIA separates its gaming GPUs into GeForce GTX and GeForce RTX. With RTX cards, you can tap into ray tracing which benefits gamers and creators alike. AMD offers its Radeon RX and RX Vega line up of video cards. AMD and NVIDIA include FreeSync and G-Sync respectively. This adaptive sync technology allows compatible displays to operate at a variable refresh rate determined by the video card itself. The monitor will then draw at a rate scaled up and down to the video card’s output in real-time. This leads to a smoother overall image while gaming.
Think about what resolution you want to run your games at. Generally, a minimum of a 1080p resolution is what you’ll want. Often, this is dictated by your monitor resolution, but you could always play at a lower resolution than your monitor’s native resolution. Even most budget GPUs can display 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 perfectly well and even play back 4K videos. However, for gaming at 4K, you’ll want a high-end gaming GPU. Aside from 1080p (1920 x 1080) and 4K, there’s 1440p (2560 x 1440) and 2160p (3850 x 2160). Furthermore, ultrawide monitors will come with different resolutions such as 3400 x 1440. It’s best to find a GPU capable of handling gameplay at your monitor’s native resolution on medium or high if possible.
In addition to resolution refresh rate is key. 60Hz or 60 frames per second (FPS) was the industry standard for many years. But now monitors with high refresh rates such as 144Hz, 240Hz, or 360Hz are prevalent. Like resolution, it’s ideal to use a GPU that can comfortably game at the same resolution and refresh rate as your monitor has on high and medium. High dynamic range (HDR) is a major advancement in display technology with the ability to display even better colors and contrast. Many monitors now include HDR, so consider if you need an HDR-compatible gaming GPU.
Gaming GPU buying considerations:
- NVIDIA vs. AMD
- Refresh rate (60Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, 360Hz, etc.)
- Resolution (1080p, 1440p, 2160p, 4K)
- Outputs (number and type of output, i.e. HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA)
- HDR (high dynamic range)
- FreeSync vs. G-Sync
Best Gaming GPUs 2021 for All Budgets – Final Thoughts
Overall, there are a lot of graphics cards available for gaming at a variety of price points. If you have the cash to shell out, the NVIDIA RTX 3090 will get you the best GPU on the planet in 2021. However, the RTX 3080 slides in at only a slight performance loss over the 3090 with a significant price savings to boot. AMD’s Radeon RX 5700 XT is superb for high-end PC gaming at a shockingly good value. The RTX 3070 handles 1440p great, with the RX 5600 XT a solid budget video card for 1440p. On the low end, the NVIDIA GTX 1650 Super, AMD RX 5500 XT, and GT 1030 are worthy choices that won’t break the bank.
Your turn: Which GPUs for gaming do you recommend in 2021?
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