With now three companies battling for your choice to buy, it's a hard battle to win people over and innovate something better and grander. But that's not even the struggle as when the hype and power are behind one company is there, then it's hard to fight back. So we look forward to what we might expect from the likes of Intel and AMD as well as trying to fight back against Nvidia at the top of the market.

Nvidia's lead and dominance

It's no secret and quite the wide knowledge now of Nvidia's rise in power, as its stock prices rise and the market cap climbs the ranks. Although it peaked at number one, it now mingles in the top three alongside Microsoft and Apple. That's thanks to its endeavor into AI chips, with all the hype and build-up of models and massive computers, Nvidia is not shying away from selling computing power in that sector.

John Peddie Research shows the lead in add-in board sales that Nvidia has over the competition, as in Q1 24 it has 88% compared to 12% of AMD and 0% from Intel. That's even less to say on the enterprise section where the even bigger cards lay, with Nvidia growing more and more with a whole range of cards available from them. That's especially true at the top as there's nothing that matches up to the RTX 4090 for the gamers out there.

Even if we might be feeling a bit left behind, it kind of feels like we might be at the back of the mind now. As the lower end with the RTX 4060 Ti 8GB and how it might feel a bit lacking in this day and age. Especially as the prices keep rising and making it a bit less affordable which gives the competition a bit of an opportunity to get something out of it.

The fight for second

With so much lead the rest of the pack kind of has to fight for the scraps. Even looking at the Steam hardware survey, Nvidia's discrete GPUs lead ahead of any Intel or AMD cards, without integrated graphics counting. So it's more like these two having to fight for whatever is left but that comes with some struggles. Both have been known for driver issues so they might not be the easiest convert to.

They are also expecting to release new GPUs to come at a similar time to Nvidia. Intel's Battlemage release and AMD's Radeon RX 8000 release should bring some improvements alongside them but we don't expect anything too grand. All the AI hype of Nvidia that it also integrates into its cards makes it a lot more appealing and innovative. Whilst AMD and Intels kind of fall flat mostly, and are unlikely to cause a massive shift in impressions with their next generation.

Although Intel has a lot of improvement available to it, as the drivers have matured we'd like to imagine its next release being a lot easier to do. Whilst RDNA 4 might have just performance improvements, especially when it comes to ray tracing, that is something that could come better and closer to Nvidia. They both should be able to come with better prices, as Nvidia increases them, AMD and Intel can come for a lower price and make it harder to not choose a good value option. Even still there is a lot of love and commitment to the company which will be hard to cut down.

With so many options to choose from, it can get challenging to pick the right GPU for your rig. And with different companies having their own variants, the process only gets tougher. This is where we come in. We have used our expertise to put together this in-depth guide with multiple GPUs. You’ll also learn about how each GPU performed in our review and what its pros and cons are. This will help you make a well-informed decision. 

How we selected the GPUs

For this list, we researched the market and went through several options from both Nvidia and AMD. While selecting the GPUs, we kept several factors in mind, including the price, performance, compatibility, and other features.

We don’t solely rely on the online ratings and reviews of the products. Instead, we conduct in-house testing of the cards to get a better idea about their real-life performance. You can learn more about the process through our How We Test GPUs guide. 

Our top picks

If you’re looking for the absolute best GPU for Zenless Zone Zero, the RTX 4070 Super is the way to go. This card packs a punch when it comes to performance, and it did not disappoint us when we tested it for our review. 

To begin with, the RTX 4070 Super boasts 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM with a 192-bit memory interface, which helps the card deliver high frame rates even in demanding games. On top of that, it has 7,168 CUDA cores and a base clock of 1,980 MHz, which can be boosted up to 2,565 MHz. However, this is for only our review unit; the ASUS TUF RTX 4070 Super OC Edition. The Founder Edition's clock speed can only jump to 2,475 MHz. 

For our review, we decided to test the RTX 4070 Super in Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Without any surprise, the card was able to hit more than 100 FPS in the first game at 1440P resolution, and it was even able to deliver 70 FPS at 4K resolution. 

In Frontiers of Pandora, we got 80 FPS at 1440p and 60 FPS in 4K. Considering Zenless Zone Zero is not as demanding as these two titles, you can expect to get even better frame rates at both resolutions while getting the best visual quality. 

It is, however, important to remember that Zenless Zone Zero is a new title, so you might face some performance issues while playing it. However, this will improve after the developers release a few updates for the game.

Overall, the 12 GB VRAM, a 2,565 MHz boost clock, and the capability to run demanding games smoothly at high resolutions make the RTX 4070 Super worth getting.

What users say

According to the reviews on Amazon, the RTX 4070 Super has great build quality and is super quiet. One of the reviewers said: “The 4070 Super has been incredible so far. One of the reasons I upgraded from my 2070 was how loud the fans were. With almost two weeks of using the 4070 under heavy load, I haven't heard the fans once.” 

If you have a budget of around $500 and want a card from Team Red, then you’d want to go for the RX 7800 XT. This is easily one of the best GPUs out there that you can get for the price. And in our 7800 XT review, we found it to be a great card for 1440p, and even 4K gaming.

For starters, it has 3,840 stream processors, a base clock of 2,124 MHz, and a boost clock of 2,430 MHz. On top of that, the RX 7800 XT comes packed with 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit memory interface. With these specs, you won’t have to worry about running out of memory quickly while adjusting the graphical settings. 

The RX 7800 XT also comes with AMD Infinity Cache technology, which can help boost the overall performance of your PC. Thanks to it, data that needs to be accessed constantly gets stored on the GPU memory instead of the CPU. In other words, the GPU no longer needs to request data from the processor, which reduces the burden on the CPU. 

For our review, we tested the RX 7800 XT in Rainbow Six Siege and Cyberpunk 2077. In the first game, the card managed to hit 426, 282, and 133 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. On the other hand, in Cyberpunk 2077, we got 140, 91, and 39 FPS, at the same mentioned resolutions. 

While the performance did take a hit at 4K in Cyberpunk 2077, everything else was exceptional. The test also confirmed that while the card can push 4K, it is more suitable for 1440p gaming. But in a game like Zenless Zone Zero, which is way less demanding than Cyberpunk 2077, you can expect to get much higher frame rates at 4K. 

Overall, if you’re looking for an option from Team Red, the RX 7800 XT is definitely the right card. It provides great value for money and offers enough memory for even the most demanding games. 

What users say

The RX 7800 XT has a very positive overall rating on Amazon. One reviewer mentioned, “This card is great and can handle anything you throw at it. The speeds are amazing! It is large but easy to install. It looks sharp too so even with a clear side it still looks nice. Overall it is a great bang for the buck.” 

Finally, for those who are tight on a budget, we’d recommend the RTX 4060. This card may be a budget option but it still packs a punch in the performance department. In our RTX 4060 review, it was able to deliver high frame rates in multiple games at 1080p, with some even running smoothly at 1440p.

The RTX 4060 boasts 3,072 CUDA cores paired with a base clock of 1,830 GHz and a boost clock of 2,046 GHz. However, this is for the base model, as the variant we reviewed had a boost clock of 2,670 MHz, which could be further increased to 2,700 MHz. But do keep in mind that constantly running the card at such speeds can cause it to overheat, which can damage your GPU in the long run.

The GPU also comes with Tweak III software. Thanks to it, you can easily adjust the performance of the card, access thermal controls, monitor its performance, and do much more. 

As far as performance is concerned, we tested the card in Rainbow Six Siege, where it managed to deliver 392 and 241 FPS at 1080p and 1440p. The numbers, as expected, dropped in Cyberpunk 2077, where the card delivered 77 and 48 FPS at 1080p and 1440p. While its performance at 1080 was great, it was struggling at 1440p. However, with DLSS 3, you can increase the FPS without running the visual quality. 

Overall, for those who have a budget of less than $400, the RTX 4060 is the perfect choice. You can expect its performance to be better than Cyberpunk 2077 in Zenelss Zone Zero, even at 1440p. 

What users say

On Amazon, most customers are happy with their purchase, with one of them mentioning, “The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4060 OC Edition is an exceptional graphics card that offers a great balance of power and efficiency for gamers and creators alike.” 

How to choose the best GPU for Zenless Zone Zero

Selecting a GPU for a game may sound like a simple task, but it actually isn’t. There are a lot of factors that you need to consider before making a final purchase, and you can find some of them below.

Budget

Your budget, of course, plays the most important role in deciding which GPU you should get for your rig. If your budget is $400, then there is no point in exploring high-end options such as the RTX 4070, as it costs more than $600. In such a case, it's best for you to explore the best budget GPUs, as they don’t cost that much. But if budget is not an issue for you, your options won’t be limited.

System Requirements

Before getting a GPU, make sure it meets the system requirements of the game. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting your money.

For instance, if the system requirements claim that the recommended GPU for the game is an RTX 3060, but you get an RTX 2060 instead, the game won’t run properly on your system. 

As for Zenless Zone Zero, its system requirements mention the GTX 1660 card as the recommended GPU. So, even if you get a card from the RTX 20-series, you’ll be fine. However, for better performance, it will be wise to opt for a card from the latest series. 

Monitor’s resolution and setup

You need to take your monitor’s resolution into consideration before buying a GPU. For instance, if you’re planning to play games only at 4K resolution, then it will be better for you to opt for an RTX 4070 Super or something better. But for 1440p, you can opt for something like the RTX 4060 Ti. On top of that, if you have a dual-monitor setup, then you’ll need a GPU that can handle two displays smoothly. 

However, we understand that selecting a single GPU from an ocean of options can be confusing and challenging. To that end, we used our expertise to do the research for you and put together this in-depth guide. You’ll find multiple options in this guide, along with their reviews, details, and pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.

How we picked

We researched the market and found various options from Nvidia and AMD. We filtered those options based on their price, compatibility, performance, and other features, such as DLSS and FSR. 

In addition, we also conduct rigorous in-house testing of the cards. This gives us insight into how they’ll perform across various scenarios, whether in gaming or professional tasks. We’re always updating our list with the latest information, so if there are better pairings than these, we’ll be sure to update them, so check back with us. If you’re interested in learning about our testing process, head over to the PC Guide Testing lab for more details.

After reviewing all the available information, we concluded that the RX 7800 XT is the best GPU for this title. When we tested its performance for our RX 7800 TX review, its signal strength and speed didn’t disappoint. 

For starters, this GPU features 3,840 stream processors, a game clock of 2,124 MHz, a boost clock of 2,430 MHz, and 60 Ray Accelerators. These specifications mean that it packs enough hardware to handle shooter games like The First Descendant at various resolutions. 

On top of that, it has 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit memory interface and 64 MB of AMD Infinity Cache technology. What this means is that you should be able to play around with various graphical settings without worrying about running out of memory. The memory interface should also help smooth things out by allowing for lanes through which the data can travel to and from the GPU for processing. 

If you’re wondering what the AMD Infinity Cache is, it's a technology that temporarily allows frequently accessed data to be stored on the GPU memory. This is good because the GPU doesn’t have to request that data from the CPU, taking some load away from the processor, and can access the elements directly, leading to lower access time, efficient processing, and better in-game results. 

It may not lead in terms of its productivity performance, but those after a pure graphics card for gaming will be very happy with what this one can do.

So we can see that this GPU is loaded with new technologies and better hardware than the recommended GPUs, RTX 2060 and RX 5600 XT, and it should undoubtedly outperform them as well. 

During our testing, we put the RX 7800 XT through its paces against titles of different natures like Rainbow 6 Siege, a fellow shooter game, F1 23, and Cyberpunk 2077.  In R6S, it managed 426, 282, and 133 FPS at 1080p, 1440, and 4K, respectively. 

For the other two titles, it delivered 107, 74, and 39 FPS in F1 23 and 140, 91, and 39 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at the same three resolutions. So, it has more than decent performance in all titles, with 4K taking a hit in more demanding games. However, one thing to note is that our tests are done natively, so these numbers can be higher if we leverage technologies like FSR.

That said, 1440p seems to be the sweet spot for this card, and AMD dubs it “the ultimate upgrade for 1440p gaming.” However, it is capable of pushing 4K, and you should be able to play The First Descendant in high-definition. However, you might have to use software enhancements, as new titles these days aren’t well-optimized. 

As for its power draw, AMD recommends a 700W PSU as it has a typical board power of 263W. This number can fluctuate depending on whether you’re overclocked or undervolted the GPU. What this means is that there will most likely be a good amount of thermal output, and for that, we recommend bolstering your PC case with the best 140mm case fans for adequate cross ventilation.   

Overall, this GPU is a solid option for gaming at different resolutions, as showcased in our review. However, if you want the most efficient setup, we recommend pairing it with one of the best CPUs for RX 7800 XT. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this graphics card stays cool, delivers excellent performance, and is capable of ultra-resolution gaming. One reviewer said: “It really improved my fps and allowed me to run at ultra graphic settings on Helldivers (37fps-118fps, cyberpunk(45fps-144fps), and fallout 76(na-60fps).”

For the best visual experience, we recommend the RTX 4080 Super. Not only is it the second-best card from Nvidia, but during our RTX 4080 Super review, it performed stellarly in gaming and synthetic benchmarks. 

In a looter shooter game like The First Descendant, which is made on UE5, it would make sense that you want to max out the graphics for serene visuals while getting high FPS so you don’t miss those crucial headshots. That said, the recommended RTX 2060 and RX 5600 XT most likely won’t be able to deliver at that level, especially if you’ve turned up all the settings. 

The RTX 4080 Super packs powerful hardware under the hood, like 10,240 CUDA cores, a 2.55 GHz boost clock, a 2.29 GHz base clock, and 121 TFLOPs of Ray Tracing cores. What this translates to is excellent in-game performance, regardless of the title you put in front of it. 

In addition, it has 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM with a 256-bit memory interface, meaning large amounts of data can seamlessly travel to and from the GPU for fast and efficient processing without running into bottleneck issues. This also helps this graphics card deliver excellent in-game performance. 

The RTX 4080 Super confidently replaces any reason to ever go out and buy the base RTX 4080.

We tested it in various titles, such as The Finals, an FPS game, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, to gauge how it handles games with varying demands. To no one’s surprise, it managed to deliver 119 and 95 FPS at 1440p and 4K. The Finals at Epic settings saw an average FPS of 189 and 99 at the same resolutions. 

So, considering these native results, we can see that this card has no issue pushing 4K and will most likely make quick work of The First Descendant at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. 

While it might not be the most pocket-friendly card, we need to consider its performance. It should also be able to help you with professional workloads, as its synthetic results were equally impressive. 

On top of that, if you want to enhance your in-game experience, it supports Nvidia technologies like Reflex and DLSS. Reflex should come in handy in a shooting game as it lowers the system latency, meaning your clicks are registered and shown on the screen quickly. At the same time, DLSS can take the framerates to the next level, which is great if you have a high refresh rate monitor. Overall, this card is a gaming beast and a worthwhile investment. You should be able to run titles released in the coming years without needing an upgrade. Just ensure that you’re using the best PSU for RTX 4080 Super, as it is a power-hungry card.

The RTX 4070 Super is a great card. As seen in its review, its top-notch performance outperforms the base model and sits firmly in the middle of the RTX 4070 family. So, if you were looking for a mid-range card capable of punching above its weight, this card is the one to go for. 

To begin with, it has 7,168 CUDA cores, a whopping 4,992 more than the recommended RTX 2060, meaning it shouldn’t have any issues dealing with the graphical demands of The First Descendant. 

In addition, it has a 2.48 boost clock and a 1.98 base clock, which can be increased for faster processing, but it will also increase its power draw and thermal output. Running your GPU for extended periods with high-overclocked settings can damage it, so only do this if you have the proper tools and expertise. We also recommend using the best PSU for RTX 4070 Super to ensure your system and GPU are getting the proper amount of power. 

The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price.

The RTX 4070 Super’s 12 GB of GDD6X VRAM with a 192-bit memory interface should also help deliver good and seamless in-game results. We checked this card’s performance in the same titles as the RTX 4080 Super. 

In Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, it managed 117, 80, and 60 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, while The Finals had better results with 256, 150, and 73 FPS in the same three resolutions. So, despite being a mid-range card, it is more than capable of handling 4K gaming, and we haven’t even turned on DLSS for these tests, so there is that as well. 

This should give you an idea as to the level of performance this card is capable of. However, keep in mind that The First Descendant was released just a couple of days back, and modern games aren’t as optimized. So, its in-game performance should improve when patches and game fixes are released. 

That said, there is no doubt about this GPU’s performance, and it is one of the best cards you can get if you don’t want to spend a fortune on high-end AMD or Nvidia cards. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this card is a “beast” due to its gaming performance, quiet operation, and build quality. One reviewer said: “The performance on this gpu is unmatched for its price, I can consistently get 300 fps on medium graphical settings in rainbow six siege,” followed by, “If you are in a budget but are wanting a higher end component I would definitely go for it.”

How to choose the best GPU for The First Descendant 

Selecting a GPU for any game, task, or processor sounds like a simple task, but a handful of factors come into play, and ones you need to consider before making a decision. Spending your money on the most decked-out options isn’t wise, as unless you have an enthusiast build, you won’t need all that firepower. So, to help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed some of the factors below.

System requirements and performance

The first aspect you need to look at is the game’s system requirements. You can do so by visiting the game’s website, the Steam page, or any other platform the game might be on, such as the Epic Store.  

You’ll see minimum and recommended specifications, but they generally refer to old components that you’ll have to buy used. That said, it should give you an idea of how the game will perform with those components, and you can always opt for newer and better hardware that delivers better performance. 

For example, the recommended GPU for this game is the RTX 2060 or the RX 5600 XT. So, if you opt for an RTX 3070 or RTX 4070, both of which we’ve reviewed, or the RX 7700 XT, you should get top-notch in-game results without burning a hole in your pocket, and they’d be able to handle other games as well—win-win situation.  

Budget 

While everyone wants to run their games in high-definition and get 100+ FPS, the GPUs that are capable of doing that cost a premium, and this is where you need to consider your budget and what it allows you to purchase. 

For example, you only want a GPU for shooter games like The First Descendant, which are relatively less demanding than story-based games. So, a card like the RX 7800 XT should be more than enough to handle it, but going for an RTX 4090 wouldn’t make sense as it would be overkill unless you plan on using it for professional work or have a 4K setup.

So, filter the options based on your budget and opt for a GPU that offers the best blend between performance and value.

Ambient temperature

Most people don’t consider the ambient temperature a crucial factor. Modern GPUs are remarkably powerful, but that power comes at the cost of a high TDP and thermal output. So, if you’re going to opt for a high-end GPU and live in a hot region, the base temperature of the GPU will automatically be high. 

What this means is that you’ll have to invest in a robust cooling solution to keep your components running cool and avoid thermal throttling.

Now, the RTX 1650 was released in 2019, so this GPU is a few years old and not the best option for AAA games. However, the graphics card can still run games at decent frame rates, especially at 1080p resolution, with some graphical settings adjustments. This makes it a great option for budget-minded gamers or those looking for a capable card for esports titles.

With that said, in this guide, we have listed some of the best GTX 1650 graphics cards from partner manufacturers that you can find on the market.

Products at a glance

How we selected the best GTX 1650

For this guide, we first listed several GTX 1650 variants available in the market, including those from major manufacturers like ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and EVGA. Then, we compared these side-by-side and shortlisted the best products from them. While selecting these GPUs, we factored in user reviews to gauge real-world experiences with factors like cooling efficiency, noise levels, and overclocking potential.

If you want to get the latest equipment for your PC build, we have also reviewed newer GPUs, like the RTX 40-series and RX 70-series. In fact, our experts at PC Guide conduct in-house testing for GPUs, CPUs, and other components to give you a better idea of how things work in real life.

If you want the best GTX 1650 GPU for your build, then we think that this EVGA XC Ultra Gaming model might be a good fit. 

To start with, the GPU is fairly compact, which means it shouldn’t cause any clearance issues in a Mini ITX or Micro ATX PC build. However, this is a 3-slot card– on a standard ITX or MATX case, that wouldn’t be an issue. But with, say, custom boards and chassis from Dell or HP, you may not have enough slots to spare. Additionally, you’ll need an available 6-pin power connector, which is out of reach for many prebuilt systems.

The GPU is fairly compact, which means it shouldn’t cause any clearance issues in a Mini ITX or Micro ATX PC build.

Much like some of the best GPUs, this card delivers high out-of-box factory overclock speed, which makes it attractive for people who want the best performance per dollar. And to keep performance and temperatures optimal, it comes with a dense heatsink and a dual-fan cooler design, which should enable great overclocking headroom. 

With that said, if you aren’t sure that this card will fit in your PC, you’ll definitely want to triple-check beforehand. If you meet the prerequisites of a PSU at or above 400W, horizontal clearance of 202+ mm, and three available expansion slots in your chassis, you should be fine.

What users say

The EVGA GPU has a rating of 4.5 stars, and over 440 people have reviewed it on Amazon. Most of the positive reviews said that it was a great mid-range card. “If you have a decent machine and play on a 1080p monitor, you can crank up the settings in most games and maintain a stable 60+ fps. 1440p and up are doable, but you may have to sacrifice image quality for a stable framerate in many modern or demanding titles at higher resolutions,” one of the reviewers wrote.

If you’re looking to get a budget variant of the GTX 1650, then we think this Zotac card is a good option. The highlight of this card is that it’s a small-but-powerful card for 1080p gaming. The ZOTAC Super Compact model does exactly that, with a length of only 151 mm and a 2-slot width that shouldn’t be an issue for most PCs. Even prebuilt desktops or office machines should be able to take this card, so long as they aren’t slimline or specifically small form factor.

Another thing that makes this card great for users who are reviving old desktops or office PCs is the fact that it’s powered completely by PCI Express power. This means that you won’t need to replace your power supply or run an additional 6-pin power cable, though it also means you shouldn’t and probably can’t overclock it very much.

The highlight of this Zotac GTX 1650 is that it’s a small-but-powerful card for 1080p gaming.

Speaking of clock speeds, this card does come in just a bit above the original reference clock but not by much, and lower than the other cards on this list. That’s the price to pay for size and compatibility, though, but that’s a fair tradeoff in our book.

As far as thermal management is concerned, much like some of the best low profile GPUs, the Zotac card comes with only one fan. So, if you push the card too much, this cooling system may not be enough to cool the GPU down.

What users say

On Amazon, the ZOTAC Gaming Super Compact GPU has a rating of 4.6 stars and over 2,900 user reviews. Most reviews spoke positively about the card’s performance, power efficiency, and appearance. One of the customers said in a review, “Don't expect to handle all games at high settings, but for the price it has very good performance and works with 300w power supply without additional graphics power. I would highly recommend over Radeon RX 550 or GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC.” On the flip side, a few users mentioned that the card’s fan was noisy.

If you want the best GTX 1650 graphics card for overclocking, then you should check out the MSI Gaming X 4G. Of course, the highlight of the GPU here is that it can be overclocked out-of-box. As per the official Amazon product description, the card can be upped to 1710 MHz, which is much higher than what the reference card offers.

The highlight of the GPU here is that it can be overclocked out-of-box.

Further, a GPU that overclocks needs a robust cooling system to maintain optimal temperatures. This MSI card features ‘Twin Frozr 7 Thermal Design’ which includes TORX Fan 3.0 that boosts airflow. Plus, you also get Zero Frozr technology where you can stop the fan when the GPU load is low.

Now, if you like RGB components, then you might be pleased to know that this card does have RGB lights. You can customize it with Mystic Lights system, along with other MSI components that you might have.

What users say

On Amazon, the MSI Gaming GPU has a rating of 4.7 stars, and more than 700 people have reviewed it. Most customer reviews said that they were satisfied with the quality of the card and the GPU was easy to install. “If you want a low budget card that can run most games and around 140 fps on med to high graphics this is your go too. Been using for around a 2 years and it’s works great :)” one of the reviewers wrote. 

If you don’t need a card with specific length restrictions, and you want a version of the GTX 1650 that’s just a little bit souped-up, the Gigabyte Windforce card is probably the right choice for you.

It is a bit longer than other cards on this list but fairly standard for full-size GPUs, especially higher-end ones. The width is your typical 2-slot, which means you shouldn’t have much trouble.

The larger dimensions pay off, though, because this card boasts two sizeable fans and a large heatsink.

The larger dimensions pay off, though, because this card boasts two sizeable fans and a large heatsink. That means better cooling and overclocking headroom, which is demonstrated by its very respectable factory overclock. We’d be surprised if you couldn’t push this one by at least a few hundred more MHz, though, since it doesn’t seem particularly stressed with its current clock speed.

Unlike our budget pick, this card is unlikely to fit inside smaller PCs. Its need for a 6-pin power connector also makes it a no-go for prebuilt PCs with weak (sub-400W) or proprietary (non-ATX) power supplies.

What users say

On Amazon, the Gigabyte GeForce D6 WINDFORCE GPU has a rating of 4.5 stars, and it has been reviewed by more than 340 people. “Extremely pleased. I bought it for a upgrade from the "built in" graphics card and I was getting 15-20 fps on minimum quality. Slapped it in, hooked up everything and downloaded the stuff online and now getting 150-180 fps on high. A huge improvement,” one of the customer reviews read. However, a few reviewers said that they had heating issues.

Considerations for the best GTX 1650 GPU

Before you go ahead and buy a new GTX 1650 GPU, here are a few things to consider. 

Clock speed

You’ll notice that some of the cards on this list have higher clock speeds than others or have more overclocking headroom. While it’s true that a higher clock speed does equal more performance, it’s important to note that at the end of the day… these cards are all using functionally identical GPUs. Even with a great overclock, you’d be hard-pressed to push performance past a 10 percent improvement.

The main reason to buy a card with a higher clock speed is to save yourself the trouble of overclocking it yourself. The smaller cards with smaller coolers may not be quite as overclockable, though.

Dimensions

Length and width are the measurements that determine if a card will fit into your chassis of choice. (Provided it’s a standard ATX/MATX/MITX chassis– we couldn’t find any low-profile cards that would fit into, say, a slimline office PC build. Sorry, guys.)

The measurement that usually matters most is length, which is measured in millimeters. Especially in a prebuilt or an ITX PC build, this is the most likely to determine whether or not your GPU can fit inside your PC.

Width matters a bit less since few people are using non-GPU expansion cards or multi-GPU setups. Most PC cases will have at least two or three empty slots, which is more than enough for a GPU.

Connectivity

The most common ports you will see in a modern Nvidia GPU are DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C (for VR), and DVI. The most common configuration is 3 DP and 1 HDMI, but this changes with the GTX 1650.

The cards in this roundup overwhelmingly limit you to 3 outputs overall. (The Windforce has one extra port.) USB-C is nowhere to be seen in any of these cards, and the ZOTAC is the only one with DVI support. Otherwise, expect 2+ HDMI or DisplayPort on these cards, but not both at once.

The MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB is now on sale on Amazon, with a generous 11% discount dropping its price down to a reasonable region of affordability.

It's now available for just $729.99, which saves you a decent $90 from the original price.

What makes the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti worthwhile?

Is DLSS 3 a better option compared to FSR 3?

While both upscaling methods do a great job of providing better performance in games while maintaining good image quality, it is safe to say DLSS 3 remains the preferred option.

The major downside to DLSS 3 and Frame Generation, is it only available for RTX 40 series owners, meaning owners of older RTX GPUs will need to rely on mods like DLSS to FSR 3 on NexusMods. The other option is FSR 3 and AMD's Frame Generation known as Fluid Motion Frames, which has been implemented into some games for both NVIDIA and AMD users to utilize.

From the standpoint of which provides the best performance and high image quality results, NVIDIA appears to take the win again here.

Best SSD deals

That said, opting for a newer option isn’t as easy either due to the sheer number of options available, and almost all of them should be able to run this title with ease in various resolutions. So, to help you cut through the clutter, we put together this in-depth guide that lists multiple options, their reviews, details, and pros and cons so you can kick off your buying journey in the best possible manner.

How we picked 

We researched the market and found various options from Nvidia and AMD. We filtered those options based on their price, compatibility, performance, and other features, such as DLSS and FSR. On top of that, we also conduct rigorous in-house testing of the cards. This gives us insight into how they’ll perform across various scenarios, whether in gaming or professional tasks. We’re always updating our list with the latest information, so if there are better pairings than these, we’ll be sure to update them, so check back with us. If you’re interested in learning about our testing process, head over to the PC Guide Testing lab for more details.

Our top picks

For our top pick, we went with Team Red and their mid-range RX 7700 XT graphics card. We selected this GPU after looking at its performance in our RX 7700 XT review, and it is a solid option for maxed-out 1440p gaming. 

This GPU is powered by 3,456 stream processors, a game frequency of 2,171 MHz, a boost frequency of 2,544 MHz, and 54 Ray Accelerators. What this means is that this graphics card has powerful enough hardware to deliver a seamless gaming experience in a number of titles.

Whether you’re playing an open-world game like Elden Ring or fighting for the top of the leaderboard in a competitive shooter, this GPU’s performance shouldn’t disappoint. To put things into perspective, let’s look at how it performed in Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom Eternal.

In Cyberpunk 2077, this card delivered 122, 79, and 36 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K ultra settings, respectively. In Doom Eternal, a much more optimized game, the 7700 XT blew through with 170, 128, and 63 FPS at the same resolutions but with Ray Tracing enabled. 

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT confidently delivers on its promise of 60fps and above in 1440p games when maxed out.

So we can see that depending on how optimized the title is, this card can definitely push 4K, and even in Cyberpunk 2077, you should be able to get higher FPS by leveraging AMD’s AI-upscaling technologies. 

According to AMD, this card managed to deliver 208 FPS in Overwatch 2 at 1440p max settings and in our testing, it churned out 186 FPS, which isn’t that far off. 

Looking at these results, you can rest easy knowing that you’ll be able to fight God-like entities and explore the wilderness in Elden Ring with serene visuals and high FPS, as it isn’t overly graphically demanding like Starfield and has become fairly optimized over the years.

As for its other specifications, it has 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 192-bit interface and 432 GB/s memory bandwidth. This enables it to handle games at high resolutions without experiencing bottleneck issues, as the memory interface provides enough lanes for the data to flow without getting cramped. 

While it has more than decent performance, it has a TDP of 245W, and AMD recommends pairing it with 700W PSU. This number can increase if you’ve overclocked your GPU, but that means its thermal output, along with its performance, would increase. So, we recommend using powerful 140mm case fans to ensure adequate cross ventilation to keep it running cool and optimally. 

Overall, given its price point and the performance it brings to the table, the RX 7700 XT is one of the best GPUs currently available to play Elden Ring and other games, especially if we look at its system requirements. Besides that, opting for this GPU should enable your setup to last a while before you feel the need to upgrade it for better performance.

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this GPU is perfectly capable of running games at 1080p and 1440p, but its 4K performance isn’t the best. One reviewer stated: “This card has worked beautifully for everything I've tried.”

For our second pick, we went with the RTX 4060 to provide an option for the people operating on a budget. That said, in our RTX 4060 review, it had solid 1080p and 1440p performance without enabling DLSS or Ray Tracing. 

For starters, this GPU has 3,072 CUDA cores, a base clock of 1.83 GHz, a boost clock of 2.46 GHz, and 35 Teraflops (TFLOPS) of Ray Tracing Cores. What this translates to is more than decent performance for an entry-level card. As for Elden Ring, it shouldn’t have any issues pushing that title at higher resolutions as it has better performance and a newer architecture than the recommended GTX 1070 or RX Vega 56.

The RTX 4060’s native performance at 1080p and 1440p fluctuated depending on the title, but the figures were more than playable. In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, another open-world game, it managed 106 and 74 FPS at 1080p and 1440p, respectively. In addition, the RTX 40 series GPUs support DLSS 3, which can take in-game performance to the next level.

This should give you an idea of how it’ll perform, but various factors, such as the RAM, SDD, motherboard, and cooling solutions you’ve used, can change the outcome. Either way, you should get a pleasant experience whether you’re fighting, exploring, or trying to set a new record in Elden Ring. 

While it’s most at home in Full HD pushing games to max settings, those wanting QHD aren’t going to entirely miss out either.

The RTX 4060 features 8GB of GDDR6X VRAM with a 128-bit memory interface width. While many claim that 8 GB is too little for gaming nowadays, GPU manufacturers are bolstering their products with software to compensate for the raw hardware performance. That said, 8GB should be enough to max out various titles at 1440p, which is this card’s sweet spot. 

Compared to our top pick, this GPU has a total gaming power of 115W, and Nvidia recommends pairing it with a 550W PSU. This makes it a considerably power-efficient card and should save you on bills in the long run. The RTX 4060 Ti, in comparison, has a maximum gaming power draw of 165W, so using the best PSU for RTX 4060 Ti for the base model should work as there isn’t a big gap and having some extra overhead is always good. 

This GPU has a length of 244mm (9.6”) and a width of 98mm (3.8”). However, our testing unit, the ASUS ROG Strix variant, had dimensions of 9.4” x L, 4.4” x W, and 1.6” x H. So, it should comfortably fit mid-tower and even micro ATX PC cases. However, we recommend measuring the space inside your case to avoid mismatches. 

Overall, the RTX 4060 doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket, delivers good in-game results at 1440p, and is boosted by various Nvidia technologies like DLSS and Reflex. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this is an “exceptional graphics card” as it offers a great balance of power and efficiency. One reviewer stated: “Upgrading from my GTX 1060 3GB go this card blew my mind! The performance boost puts this card in a different league. I can finally play VR without stuttering issues.”

Elden Ring has insane visuals, and to experience them in the best graphical settings, we recommend giving the RX 7800 XT a shot. Not only does it have excellent value, but in our RX 7800 XT review, it has excellent results in gaming and real-world tests. 

This GPU packs impressive hardware under the hood. It has 3,840 stream processors pushed at a 2,124 MHz game frequency and a 2,430 MHz boost frequency. On top of that, it has 60 compute units and Ray Accelerators. This means that it should be able to handle various gaming and professional tasks without a hitch.

That said, we’ll look at its in-game performance in some titles to see how it did. In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, this GPU managed 132, 108, and 68 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K at ultra settings. Our tests are done without using any software enhancements which means that you could push these figures even higher by enabling FSR. 

So, regarding Elden Ring, the RX 7800 XT is leagues better than the RTX 1070 or the RX Vega 56 and should handle its textures and graphical fidelity and deliver a seamless gaming experience with ease.

The RX 7800 XT leads in terms of 1440p gaming for its price point with 60fps or above natively.

It also features 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit interface, which should allow you to max out the graphical settings without worrying about running out of memory or sacrificing one setting for the other. 

This GPU has a TDP of 263W, which isn’t a big jump from the RX 7700 XT, while there is a clear difference in performance between the two. That said, this TDP is high and will most likely generate a good amount of heat. So, to keep your GPU from thermal throttling, we recommend housing it in the best airflow PC case to ensure efficient cooling. 

Lastly, this GPU has 64MB of AMD Infinity Cache technology. This technology stores frequently used game elements in the cache inside the GPU. So, when the GPU needs those elements again, it doesn’t have to call for them and take up resources. This leads to reduced access times and faster and more efficient processing. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this card has great performance and has a quiet operation. One reviewer stated: “This GPU absolutely rocks. Probably the best bang for your buck right now. Only one thing all buyers must know. It's a big card.”

For our last pick, we circled back to Team Green and went with one of their newer releases, the RTX 4070 Super. Not only is this card priced better than the base model, but it also had better performance in our RTX 4070 Super review. 

Let’s kick things off with its specifications. This GPU has 7,168 CUDA cores, a 1.98 GHz base clock, a 2.48 GHz boost clock, and 82 TFLOPS of Ray Tracing cores. What this means is that it has everything it needs to tackle even the most demanding titles head-on and come out on top.

To further solidify this point, we’ll look at its in-game performance. In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, this GPU delivered 150, 119, and 74 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. Keep in mind that our tests are done natively, so you can experience better performance by enabling Nvidia DLSS. 

So, you should be able to turn up the in-game settings in Elden Ring to the max and enjoy the utmost level of detail. 

If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024.

The RTX 4070 Super has 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM with a 192-bit interface. This should promote smooth and efficient transfer of data to and from the GPU which means better results in Elden Ring. 

This is important because you don’t want to experience stuttering while playing the game, as it ruins the experience and it could cost you hours of fighting the boss that you were just about to take down. So, with this GPU powering your rig, you shouldn’t come across such issues. 

Overall, given its performance, it is very fairly priced, and at the time of writing, it’ll set you back by $642.09, with its original price being $689.99. Also, we believe it is safe to say the RTX 4070 Super should be able to handle Elden Ring without breaking a sweat as it is on a whole other level compared to GTX 1070 and RX Vega 56, which are the recommended and minimum GPUs to run this game.

What users say

This GPU’s Amazon reviews are filled with its praise of amazing performance as “THIS IS A BEAST!” One reviewer said: “The Asus Tuf RTX 4070 is incredible. Powerful, quiet, and built like a tank. It doesn't heat up my case like a higher wattage card does, and plays everything I have at 4k 60fps.”

How to select the best GPU for Elden Ring

Selecting a GPU for any game, task, or processor sounds like a simple task, but a handful of factors come into play, and ones you need to consider before making a decision. Spending your money on the most decked-out options isn’t wise, as unless you have an enthusiast build, you won’t need all that firepower. So, to help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed some of the factors below.

Budget

The most important factor to consider is how much money you can spend on a GPU because deviating from the set budget could land you in hot water. For example, if you overspend on a GPU, you’d have fewer funds to acquire other high-quality components such as gaming RAM or PCIe 5.0 SSD, both of which would also positively impact in-game and overall performance. 

Even if you don’t have to make other purchases, you would still be short on cash and have to make adjustments in your daily life. So, while we understand the appeal of exploring the world of Elden Ring in 4K, we don’t recommend spending a fortune on the best graphics cards.

Filter the options based on your budget and opt for a GPU that strikes a good balance between performance and value. For example, if you have $500 to spend on a GPU, then going for the RX 7800 XT would be the best bet as the RTX 4060 Ti costs more than $500, but the former has better performance.

System requirements 

Checking the system requirements can be a good place to start, as it can provide a gauge against which to measure. For example, if the system requirements say that the recommended GPU is an RTX 3060, then you should be fine with any GPU above that.However, you should also be able to run the game with baseline specifications or even slightly below that, but the experience won’t be smooth, and you’d have to turn down some settings for better FPS.

As for Elden Ring, the minimum and recommended GPUs are GTX 1060 and 1070, respectively. So, even if we opt for an RTX 20 series card, it should be capable of running Elden Ring. On top of that, GPUs have only gotten more powerful with each generation, and the latest Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, RTX 40 and RX 7000 series, shouldn’t have any trouble pushing this game at high resolutions.

Usage

What you plan on using your build for is an important factor to consider. If you want to play Elden Ring or similar games, you could get a mid-range 7000 series GPU, as they can max out at 1440p and even push 4K with a bit of help from FSR.

However, if you use your system for gaming and professional work, like 3D modeling or content creation, a powerful GPU would be better, as it would help in your work and also deliver excellent in-game performance.

Over the course of ten years, technology has had multiple generations of improvement, meaning you have ten years of options to choose from, and that can be very challenging and confusing, to say the least. However, we took the liberty to do the research for you and put together this in-depth guide that lists multiple GPU options, their details, reviews, and pros and cons so you can make an informed decision. 

How we picked 

We researched the market and found various options from Nvidia and AMD. We filtered those options based on their price, compatibility, performance, and other features, such as DLSS and FSR. On top of that, we also conduct rigorous in-house testing of the cards. 

This gives us insight into how they’ll perform across various scenarios, whether in gaming or professional tasks. We’re always updating our list with the latest information, so if there are better pairings than these, we’ll be sure to update them, so check back with us.

Our top picks

For our top pick, we went with Team Red’s RX 6800 as during our in-house testing of this GPU it has excellent in-game and synthetic performance and even beat the RTX 4070 in Fire Strike Ultra. 

This GPU managed to churn out 109, 68, and 28 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K in Cyberpunk 2077 at ultra settings, respectively. It managed to hold its own in one of the most demanding games, but as we can see, pushing 4K is where this card struggles. Keep in mind that our tests are done natively, so using AI-upscaling and frame-generation technologies like FSR could deliver better framerates across all resolutions. 

According to AMD, this GPU is capable of delivering excellent FPS at 4K. In their tests, it managed 117 FPS in Doom Eternal and Apex Legends, 88 FPS in Death Stranding, and 109 FPS in F1 21 at max settings. 

The RX 6800 has 3840 stream processors, a game frequency of 1815 MHz, a boost frequency of 2105 MHz, and 60 Ray Accelerators. So, these specifications combined with a solid CPU and AMD technologies like Smart Access Memory, should enable this card to handle games at high settings without running into stuttering or low FPS issues.  

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 may be a little long in the tooth but it still offers excellent performance in 1080p and 1440p. 

AMD also stated that the average gaming power of this GPU is 250W, which makes sense given its hardware but that could fluctuate depending on whether you’ve over or downclocked it. In case of overclocking, it should deliver even better results at the cost of a higher power draw and thermal output. 

So, if you plan on doing that, we recommend using the best airflow PC case to ensure adequate ventilation to keep it running cool. Besides that, you can go wrong by using the best thermal paste for your CPU or GPU and if you’re interested in learning how to apply the thermal paste, we’ve got you covered there as well. 

Lastly, the RX 6800 has 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit interface which should ensure that you can max out in-game settings without running into bottleneck issues. 

Overall, for Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road, this GPU is one of the best options available. It costs less than $400, at the time of writing, and is capable of handling intense gaming and professional tasks alike. 

What users say 

According to Amazon reviews, this GPU is very power efficient and has great performance for the money. One reviewer stated: “This card is a beast in every which way possible,” followed by, “Games such as Battlefield 2042 at 4K Native, 100% Render Resolution, Ultra Settings, HDR and Ray Tracing Enabled, push 70-100FPS.”

To experience the best in-game and professional performance, we recommend giving the RTX 4070 Super a shot. In our RTX 4070 Super review, it had excellent performance in our suite of synethic and gaming benchmarks. 

Our tests are done natively, and in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it managed 150, 119, and 74 FPS in 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. In competitive titles like The Finals, it had 256, 150, and 73 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. So, we can see that this card is more than capable of pushing 4K, and enabling Ray Tracing didn’t see the numbers drop significantly and showcased playable framerates. 

This GPU has 7168 CUDA cores, a 1.98 GHz base clock, a 2.48 GHz boost clock, and 83 TFLOPS of Ray Tracing cores. However, our test unit, the ASUS TUF OC variant, had a boost clock of 2565 MHz, which could be increased to 2595 MHz with the OC mode. So, it has a decent headroom for overclocking, and you could experience even better results due to the increased frequencies pushing the CUDA cores harder. 

If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024. 

However, that wasn’t the only thing different. The base model has a length of 244mm (9.6”) and a width of 112mm (4.4”). The ASUS RTX 4070 Super has dimensions of 301mm x L, 139mm x W, and 63mm x H (11.85” x 5.47” x 2.48”). This is a significantly larger card than the base variant so before making a purchase, ensure that your PC case has enough space to hold it. 

Forcing a card inside your case is never recommended as components get cramped together which leads to a restricted airflow resulting in overheating issues. If your casing doesn’t have enough space, we recommend using the best case for RTX 4070 Super combined with the best 140mm case fans to ensure adequate cooling.  

According to Nvidia, this GPU has an average gaming power of 220W with a recommended system power of 650W. However, since our card came overclocked, ASUS recommends a PSU of 750W which makes sense since the card would draw more power to fuel its beast-like performance. If you’re interested in exploring some options, check out our best PSU for RTX 4070 Super guide which has the top picks available.  

Overall, the RTX 4070 Super has better performance than its base model and costs even less, which sounds like a win-win situation. On top of that, it can handle demanding titles across a number of resolutions and has excellent 4K native performance. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this GPU has excellent performance build quality, and one reviewer said: “I haven't purchased a game yet that would challenge a graphics card in this class, but it has performed very well.” Another user stated: “I found that it is like the STRIX in the way that it stays very cool while playing a game like Call of Duty Modern Warfare III. I recommend the TUF series cards 100%.”

Moving back to AMD, we’ve got the RX 7700 XT for our mid-range pack. In our RX 7700 XT review, it performed excellently in gaming and synthetic benchmarks. 

This CPU churned out 122, 79, and 36 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. This test was done at ultra settings natively, so we can see that it's powerful enough to deliver on AMD’s claim of being designed for 1440p.  

However, with Ray Tracing turned on, the framerates dropped to an unplayable 7, 4, and 2. While you could leverage the capabilities of FSR but it wouldn’t do much to bolster the FPS with RT enabled. 

That said, in games like Doom Eternal, it delivered 170, 128, and 63 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K with Ultra Nightmare settings and Ray Tracing turned on. So, its performance can fluctuate depending on the title and it should be able to handle 4K in some but deliver solid 1440p results across most titles. 

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is a solid graphics card overall with its respectable memory pool, strong gaming performance, and a competitive price point.

This GPU is powered by 3,456 stream processors, a game frequency of 2171 MHz, a boost frequency of 2,544 MHz, and 54 Ray Accelerators. So, the RX 7700 XT has more than decent specifications, which enable it to perform at the level we saw. However, you can always take it to the next level by overclocking it, but that will also increase the power draw and lead to higher temperatures. 

So, to ensure your GPU doesn’t thermal throttle, we recommend using the best PC case fans. For the ultimate pairing, you could get your hands on the best CPU for RX 7700 XT and max out the graphics for The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road or any other game. 

Overall, the RX 7700 XT is a solid GPU that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket and is capable of punching above its weight class, what more could you ask for? Regarding, ESO: Gold Road, it should be able to handle it without breaking a sweat. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this graphics cards is easy to install, has good stability, performance, and value for money. One reviewer stated: “I had wanted an RX6700 XT, but this 7700XT was like a drop from the sky. Optimal and Precise for my daily work.”

For our last pick, we shifted over to Team Green and selected their budget card, the RTX 4060, for those who don’t want to put a dent in their bank account. Another reason to opt for this card is that, in our RTX 4060 review, it had a decent synthetic and in-game performance that put it ahead of the competition. 

In Cyberpunk 2077, it delivered 77 and 48 FPS at 1080p and 1440p. 48 FPS at 1440p isn’t great but one can argue that it is still playable and by using DLSS, you can bump up those numbers to possibly cross 60 FPS. 

In other titles like Rainbow Six Seige, it had no trouble blowing it away with 392 and 241 FPS at 1080p and 1440p. So, it's a great option for FPS games, and while it can also handle story-based games, you might need to rely on its upscaling capabilities at higher resolutions. 

The RTX 4060 has 3072 CUDA cores, a 1.83 GHz base clock, a 2.46 GHz boost clock, and 35 TFLOPs of Ray Tracing cores. These specifications are for the base model, but our ROG Strike OC variant had a boost clock of 2670 MHz, which could be increased to 2700 MHz. This means that it has 210 and 240 MHz higher frequencies than the base settings, meaning it should have better overall performance but will most likely require more power and generate more heat. 

While it’s most at home in Full HD pushing games to max settings, those wanting QHD aren’t going to entirely miss out either. 

According to Nvidia, this GPU has an average gaming power of 110W, which means it has an efficient power draw and should keep your electricity bill low in the long run.   

The ROG Strix variant is also larger than the base card, with dimensions of 12.26” x L, 5.26” x W, and 2.44” H (311.4mm x 133.5mm x 61.9mm). So, measure the space inside your casing and make sure it has enough to comfortably house it. Forcing a GPU inside the case could damage it and lead to overheating issues. 

Lastly, it comes with GPU Tweak III software, which you can use to tweak its performance, thermal controls, monitor system, and other aspects. This adds a layer of accessibility, as you won’t have to rely on third-party software like MSI Afterburner to adjust its performance. 

Overall, the RTX  4060 offers a good balance between price and performance and is a good choice to power various games, including The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road.

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this GPU has great performance, is easy to install, runs quietly, and the users are satisfied with the generation-on-generation improvement. One reviewer stated: “It’s powerful enough to run all my favorite games, and I’ve yet to see it drop below 60fps.” Another user said: “So far it has not given me any problems, it allows me to play most games in ultra despite being the lowest range of the 4K series, it leaves nothing to be desired compared to its competitors from the last generation, giving very good performance.”

How to select the best GPU for The Elder Scrolls Online

Selecting a GPU for any game, task, or processor sounds like a simple task, but a handful of factors come into play, and ones you need to consider before making a decision. Spending your money on the most decked-out options isn’t wise, as unless you have an enthusiast build, you won’t need all that firepower. So, to help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed some of the factors below.

Budget

The first and most important factor you need to consider is your budget, as going for an option outside of your budget could completely derail your setup. For example, if your budget allows for a mid-tier GPU like the RTX 3070, which we’ve reviewed, but you go for a GPU that costs $1,000+, you’ll have to sacrifice the quality of the other components, such as getting a lower capacity SSD. 

So, it's always recommended to choose a GPU that offers the best performance and provides top-notch value while remaining within the budget. 

System requirements 

Going over the title's official system requirements is a good way to gauge which GPU would best suit your setup. For example, the recommended AMD GPU is the RX 570, so if you opt for the RX 7600 XT, which is an entry-level, next-gen card, you should experience The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road in all its glory with maxed-out settings. 

On the other hand, system requirements also provide a baseline for the lowest option you could go with. For example, an RX 550 could also run ESO: Gold Roads, but you’d have to turn down some settings to get playable framerates. So, take the specifications and budget into account, and you should get a list of options that balance performance and value well. 

Usage 

Your GPU options could be limited or open up significantly depending on what you are planning on using it for. If playing ESO: Gold Road is all you plan on doing, you could get away with a mid-range or even budget GPU, as the game doesn’t require a powerful card to run in.

However, if you also plan on using the graphics card for professional tasks like 3D modeling, rendering, machine learning, and more, then going for a powerful GPU would suit you better as it could handle gaming and resource-intensive tasks without sacrificing performance.

This is where we come in. We understand the challenging aspect of picking a GPU or any other component (like the best CPU for F1 24), given that many manufacturers and partner variants are available. So, we took the liberty of doing the research for you and put together this in-depth guide that lists multiple GPU options, their details, performance stats, and pros and cons so you can make an informed decision. That said, the race track is calling for you, and without wasting another second, let’s get right into it.

Products at a glance

How we selected the GPUs

We researched the market and found various options from Nvidia and AMD. We filtered those options based on their price, compatibility, performance, and other features, such as DLSS and FSR. On top of that, we also conduct rigorous in-house testing of the cards.

This gives us insight into how they’ll perform across various scenarios, whether in gaming or professional tasks. We’re always updating our list with the latest information, so if there are better pairings than these, we’ll be sure to update them, so check back with us. We even gave the game a test run when finding the best graphics settings for F1 24 to figure out how it performs.

For our top pick, we went with the RTX 4070 Super. While the F1 24 system requirements say that an RTX 3070 would also be fine, it costs slightly less or even more than the RTX 4070 Super, depending on which variant you’re looking at. On top of that, there is a clear performance difference between generations, and in our RTX 4070 Super review, it showed stellar performance in 1080p, 1440p, and 4K natively. 

To gauge its performance, we took Assassin’s Creed Mirage as the first test, and it delivered 150, 119, and 74 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. After that, we moved to The Finals, a competitive shooter where FPS matters a lot, and it managed 241, 124, and 61 FPS with Ray Tracing enabled in the same resolutions.

Its impressive performance is courtesy of its 7168 CUDA cores, a base clock of 1.98 GHz, and a boost clock of 2.48 GHz. However, our test unit, the ASUS TUF OC edition, came with overclocked settings. It had a default boost clock of 2565 MHz, which could be increased to 2595 MHz using the OC mode. 

What this means is that while it has more Ray Tracing and CUDA cores than the base model, the higher frequencies should be able to push the cores further to work even harder and deliver better results. That said, higher frequencies mean that the GPU will consume more power and generate more heat. So, to ensure your GPU doesn’t thermal throttle, we recommend using the best case for RTX 4070 Super and the best 140mm case fans in the correct orientation to ensure proper cross ventilation. 

If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024.

This GPU's raw performance isn’t the only impressive feature. It supports DLSS 3, and according to Nvidia, F1 24 can fully leverage that technology and experience enhanced in-game performance. They tested this feature paired with an i9-14900K at 4K, 1440p, and 1080p. The RTX 4070 Super delivered 43, 74.8, and 101.4 FPS without DLSS and 85.8, 143.1, and 180.9 FPS with DLSS 3 enabled. 

So, its software-enhancing capabilities speak for themselves, particularly for titles that support it, like F1 24, so you can rest easy knowing you can crank up the settings and still get a seamless experience. 

On top of that, it features 12 GB of GDDR6X VRAM with a 192-bit memory interface. Which should also help promote smooth and efficient processing and deliver a lag-free in-game experience. It also supports 4K at 240Hz, so if you’ve got a 4K monitor, you should be able to have a realistic and immersive racing experience with this GPU in your corner. 

Overall, the RTX 4070 Super is an excellent choice for any game, whether racing, shooting, or explorative. Its mid-range status puts it in an affordable price bracket, but with the help of AI upscaling and powerful hardware, it can punch way above its weight class.

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this card is a “beast” capable of handling anything you throw at it. One reviewer stated: “The Asus Tuf RTX 4070 is incredible. Powerful, quiet, and built like a tank. It doesn't heat up my case like a higher wattage card does, and plays everything I have at 4k 60fps.”

The reign of Team Green continues. We have another Super addition to this list, this time the RTX 4080 Super. This card is the second-best option from Nvidia, and in our RTX 4080 Super review, it did not disappoint in gaming and real-world benchmarks. 

To explain why this is one of the best GPUs for F1 24, we’ll take a look at RTX 4080’s performance in F1 23. The base model delivered 140, 105, and 64 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K at very high settings. Remember that our tests are done natively, and the RTX 4080 Super has better performance than the RTX 4080. On top of that, you can leverage DLSS 3 to take things to the next level. 

This GPU is powered by 10,240 CUDA cores, 121 TFLOPS of Ray Tracing cores, a base clock of 2.29 GHz, and a boost clock of 2.55 GHz. GPUs don’t generally have the superfast frequencies you see in CPUs because they are specialists designed to handle similar-natured tasks in bulk, while the CPU is like a jack of all trades that handles multiple instances simultaneously. 

It delivers across the board in terms of high-end gaming performance in 1440p and 4K while being just as powerful for content creators, too. 

However, we got our hands on the Gigabyte Windforce V2, which is larger than the base model. It has dimensions of 330mm x L, 136mm x W, and 58mm x H (12.9” x 5.3” x 2.2”). So, before you make a purchase, ensure your casing has enough space to hold it without it being too cramped, as that can lead to restricted airflow and result in overheating issues. We recommend using the best case for RTX 4080 Super to avoid these issues from the get-go. 

According to Nvidia, this card has a total graphics power of 320W and an average gaming power of 246W. However, these figures can fluctuate depending on factors like whether your card is overclocked and the workload on it. In either case, pairing it with the best PSU for RTX 4080 Super should ensure it gets the right amount of power for any use case. 

The graphics card comes with 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM, a 256-bit interface, and a 737 GB/s memory bandwidth. This means that it has more than enough memory to handle even the most demanding games, and the bandwidth and interface should ensure no bottleneck issues occur, resulting in seamless processing.

Overall, this GPU is more than capable of handling various games and professional tasks and should ensure that your rig can run games for years to come. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, this card's performance doesn’t disappoint. It has great cooling, and the fans run quietly. One reviewer stated, “Overall, the Gigabyte 4080 Super is a great card, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”

Now, we’ll shift over to Team Red for our mid-range pick, and there is no card better than the RX 7800 XT. At the time of writing, it costs a relatively affordable $511.78. In our RX 7800 XT review, it has top-notch performance at 1440p and even managed to push 4K in some titles. 

In F1 23, this card delivered 107, 74, and 39 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. While the FPS in the first two resolutions is playable, at 4K, we can see why this is a mid-range card, but these results are native, and you have the option to use FSR to boost the framerates into a playable range. So, AI upscaling came in clutch and should enable this GPU to push through the hardware limitations. 

However, Assassin’s Creed Mirage churned out 68 FPS, and Doom Eternal had an impressive 95 FPS with Ray Tracing enabled at 4K. So, it depends on how optimized the title is, but you should be able to power 4K gaming with this GPU in most titles. 

Since its launch, the RX 7800 XT has been an incredibly aggressively priced and powerful video card with strong ray tracing prowess compared to the previous generation RX 6800 XT.

This performance is possible due to its 3,840 steam processors, a game clock of 2,124 MHz, a boost clock of 2,430 MHz, and 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit memory interface. So, we can see it packs impressive hardware under the hood, and according to AMD, it has a TDP of 263W. 

This is in line with what it brings to the table, but the RTX 4080 Super has a TDP of 246W, and its performance is better than this card's. So, it could’ve certainly used better power efficiency, but we can’t deny its performance. To counter the heat generated by its high power draw, we recommend using the best airflow PC case to ensure it runs cool. 

Regarding its size, it is 10.5” in length, 4.4” in width, and 2” in height (266mm x 111mm x 50mm). This gives it a moderate size, which should be able to fit inside a mid-tower case easily, but just ensure you’ve got the best PC case fans to promote adequate airflow. 

After all, we can see why AMD claimed that this card is the “ultimate upgrade for 1440p.” What was even more impressive was its ability to handle 4K in select titles. So, given its price point, it offers excellent value compared to Nvidia’s 4070 family. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, the users are more than pleased with its performance, and it delivers what it promises. One reviewer said: “It is a blast! Stays cooler and performs about 60-100% faster than my previous MERC 6650 XT.” Another user stated: “This GPU absolutely rocks. Probably the best bang for your buck right now.”

For people operating on a budget, we recommend giving the RX 7600 XT a shot. In our RX 7600 XT review, it performed excellently at 1080p and 1440p, but in some titles, it did struggle to push 1440p. We need to remember that this is an entry-level card that costs $321.31 at the time of writing.  

In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it delivered 91 and 67 FPS at 1080p and 1440p. However, in more demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077, the numbers dropped to 86 and 53, respectively, and enabling Ray Tracing saw a crash in the FPS with 24 FPS in 1080p and 14 FPS in 1440p.

On the other hand, Doom Eternal churned out 221 and 158 FPS at 1080p and 1440p, meaning titles that are optimized will run better, and that isn’t surprising. As for F1 24, you should be able to play it at 1080p high presets but might have to tweak some settings down to achieve favorable framerates. 

Regarding this GPU’s specifications, it has 2,048 stream processors, a game frequency of 2,470, a boost frequency of 2,755 MHz, and 32 Ray Accelerators and compute units. This hardware seems impressive for a next-gen, entry-level card, and they also give it a low TDP of 190W. 

The AMD RX 7600 XT holds up well in 1080p and can offer decent native 1440p performance.

This means that it should also run relatively cooler. You could pair it with a budget PSU like the Thermaltake Smart RGB 500W, which we’ve also reviewed. Although AMD recommends using a 600W PSU, the total power of your system depends on what CPU and GPU you’re running, so going below 600W is also possible. 

The RX 7600 XT features 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 128-bit memory interface and 288 GB/s bandwidth. This should be more than enough to run various titles in 1080p and 1440p, but the higher resolution you play in, the more you might have to tweak your in-game settings. 

However, with the support of FSR 3 Frame Generation, you should be able to overcome this GPU's hardware limitations and enjoy gaming at higher resolution with medium to high framerates, depending on the title. 

So, considering its price point, performance, and AI upscaling abilities, this is a good budget GPU that should enable you to enjoy F1 24 to the fullest. 

What users say

According to Amazon reviews, the RX 7600 XT has good performance and provides “great value for your buck.” One reviewer stated: “I have owned both nivida and Amd cards and i can promise you this runs ray tracing and its amazing. This runs better temperatures then my old gigabyte Nivida card.”

How to select the best GPU for F1 24

Selecting a GPU for any game, task, or processor sounds like a simple task, but a handful of factors come into play, and ones you need to consider before making a decision. Spending your money on the most decked-out options isn’t wise, as unless you have an enthusiast build, you won’t need all that firepower. So, to help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed some of the factors below.

Budget

As always, budget is the most important factor to consider when making any purchase, whether for a PC component or other electronics. Keeping your budget at the forefront helps you cut through the clutter and presents a list of options that offer a good balance between value and performance. 

For example, if your budget is $500, going for an RTX 4070 Super won’t make sense as it costs almost $700. On the other hand, the RX 7600 XT, which we’ve reviewed, falls under that price range and makes for a good option. 

Usage

The next factor you need to consider is what you’ll use your PC or GPU for. For example, if you’re making a rig solely for F1 24, then you have more freedom with the GPU you pick. You can go for the recommended option or get your hands on the latest Nvidia or AMD cards for next-gen performance and future-proofing. 

However, if you also plan on doing professional tasks such as editing and rendering, then going for a more powerful GPU would suit you better, and it would also deliver top-notch performance in F1 24. 

Ambient temperature

The climate of the region you’re located in will directly impact the base temperature of the GPU. This is important because if you opt for a previous generation or even one of the latest and most powerful GPUs, they’ll have a considerable power draw that matches their specifications. 

An easier way to put it is that the better the card's performance, the more powerful it is and the more power it will consume, which will also increase its thermal output. So, you’ll also have to invest in robust cooling solutions such as bigger case fans or even a new casing with better vents and more space. 

Monitor resolution

The resolution you’re playing in also plays a big role. For example, if you have a 1080p 165Hz monitor, then an RX 7700 XT should be more than enough, but if you have a 32” 4K 240Hz monitor and want to experience F1 24 with maxed-out settings, then a top-of-the-line GPU would be better suited.

So, consider your monitor’s resolution and whether you plan on upgrading it, and then make a decision.

AMD gaming revenue decline

Just recently AMD reported a 48% drop in its gaming revenue for the first quarter year on year, even though its shares in the market have risen. That might just show the slowdown in the market overall. However, AMD also talks of not expecting a recovery till next year in 2025. So it might not even be the next-generation RX 8000 GPU releases that are going to help resolve this. That's contrary to seemingly its CPU market that has been pretty strong including the 7800X3D that leads the way.

But then as Tech Jesus Gamers Nexus goes over, its competition from Nvidia is just flooding the market with its own products. With its wild success in the AI sector and general power in products, it is no surprise it is able to target a wide range of price points and be such a well-known brand. Especially as you really don't stop hearing about Nvidia, constantly being in the news spotlight and being a well-known brand in the sector.

Also previously AMD's GPUs had been known for driver issues, but even now there are some driver issues that pop up every so often that won't exactly be good for its brand. Whilst Nvidia is known for its stability, and day zero drivers, and is the first choice you see wherever you look, flooding out even AMD out of the picture. Especially for those casual buyers who might not be up to date on all the news and finding what's actually a better value.

What AMD can do about it?

The first thing is to target the top end, for the most part, it doesn't make sense. Although the 7900 XTX of the current generation was powerful, it couldn't match the 4090 at all. That's where the casual looker will look, seeing the best graphics card right at the top and going for something they can afford in that generation instead. So AMD getting out an 8900 XTX blazing past a 4090 would be ideal. However, it seems AMD is taking a break from a whole range of RDNA 4 cards with only key mid-range cards planned.

It also just has to go for the price to perform even more. Although it does attempt that currently, it's not quite good enough, it would have to undermine Nvidia quite severely. Something like offering a 4080 performance at the price of a 4070 would really make it an easy recommendation and hard to not choose for as a great value GPU.

Also going for exposure is one way to do so. As Nvidia is everywhere you look and the primary look AMD really has to be on par to get itself out there and be known as a good choice. But unfortunately, that's a hard battle to go up against. AMD might not have the same resources for silicon or marketing which makes it a lot harder to battle the giant that just seems to keep accumulating more and more, that seems to be getting more powerful each time. We can only hope that AMD is at least in RDNA 5 as everyone's moved on already or Intel Battlemage has a good go of knocking down the giant.

1. Size

The first thing we saw with the release of the best RTX 4090 graphics cards is the sheer size of them. Releasing with a thickness of four slots in some cases as in our 4090 review, makes them rather over-the-top components. Having to find the right PC case to actually fit it in makes picking the right one for you a lot more restrictive and having to consider cooling and sizes a lot more.

Even sizing down to a mATX case was possible with smaller cards as long as the bottom of the case didn't restrict the GPU fans. Now a four-slot card makes that a bit more difficult without causing issues along with the length as well and that can come into problems as well. Along with the bigger size, you may experience GPU sag and may need to opt for a GPU support bracket to help prevent it with the absolute weight of the cards making them bend down and distort permanently. So the 5090 should aim to downsize at least a bit to keep things a bit neater and with a lot less issues.

2. Power consumption

Kind of leading on from the size is the power, it's what causes the sizing of the cards considering the cooling they have the jam on top of the PCB. As the 3090 had a TDP of 350W, and the 4090 increased that to 450W, it's hard to see the 5090 jumping up another 100W. That would be insane and requiring so much power in your PC is unfathomable.

It would certainly put a dent in your power consumption and is over the top for a gaming PC on your desk. That could even increase the PSU suggestion up to a whole kilowatt, and now that's a lot of power that is way more than necessary. The 5090 should look to utilize its power and components to higher efficiencies instead of pumping more and more power through it.

3. Power connector

One of the big dangers of the massive GPU is also its power connector. To this day RTX 4090 power connectors are still melting. As Nvidia opted for a 12VHPWR connector and required a native ATX 3.0 PSU or using a ridiculous octopus power adapter puts a lot of power through that cable and burns it, causing damage and breaking the card requiring fixing. Even possibly causing even more damage to the rest of your system.

What the 5090 needs to do is change it, I doubt Nvidia will go back to the trusty 8-pin, but it will have to improve the current one. PCI-SIG already has modified the 12VHPWR to 12V-2x6 so that should help the 5090 power through without hurting itself in confusion but it should definitely not stick to what it has now as that's a lot of headaches.

4. Provide the latest display standard

Being the top of the line hardware it should keep up with the latest standards as well. In that case, the 5090 should feature the DisplayPort 2.1 standard so it can utilize its power to its full potential as well. That also applies to HDMI 2.1b although most cards only come with one of those anyway so it's less likely to be used. But DP being the main port you should get the most out of it especially when you're paying so much for the card, you should expect the best out of it.

DisplayPort 2.1 will allow the card to even run 4K 240Hz, and higher refresh rates throughout its resolutions and higher ones too. That was where the 4090 lacked as even though it had 4K capabilities the FPS might be high but the screen needed to match.

5. Pricing

It is the top-spec card and we can expect it to be pricey, but that applies to Nvidia's whole lineup. The 40 Super release made that offering a bit more good value and even dropped the price of the 80 series. Well now the RTX 4090 is still expensive and selling for above MSRP, likely the only current card to be doing so.

This likely comes from the AI boom Nvidia is in the middle of. As its stock prices rise and its selling enterprise hardware, it's GeForce gaming lineup might suffer from it. As those who can't afford the big card, the 4090 can bring that on the consumer level. This means it's in demand even at this price and level, so the 5090 should come down or at least not increase as a consumer-grade GPU shouldn't be costing more than a decent build.

6. Availability

Another struggle for the 4090 has been the stock throughout its product cycle. Either at the beginning or in the middle, there have been plenty of times that it has been out of stock and everyone wanted it. Even if the price is high there's clearly a demand for it and as a GeForce card, it should go to gamers or consumers so making enough cards to satisfy that instead of going to enterprise cards is key and makes us believe Nvidia won't forget us gamers when their AI sector outgrows us. The RTX 5090 should be available and go to the right hands as well.

7. Less AI reliance

Alongside the RTX 40 series launch, we got DLSS 3 introducing frame generation and AI creating extra frames in between what's actually there. But as the top-level card, it should be performing excellently without the need for AI to improve it. Yes it's fun for big numbers to get bigger but with the cost the 4090 had on it, you shouldn't need to rely on frame generation and AI to get it higher.

Don't get me wrong it's a great tech innovation but you want to get a strong performance no matter what from everything that's been built into it. The 5090 should, and likely will run everything native but allowing it to thrive without extra is kind of key at this price point.

Final word

Overall, we expect the RTX 5090 to be an absolute unit once again. But my worry is Nvidia forgetting the gaming market and it is a second thought. As it thrives in AI and other sectors, my hope is the 5090 improves the 4090 in these ways and actually brings something new and exciting to the market once again

We've picked out some of our favorites ideal for XDefiant, GPUs of which we've done some hands-on testing. There are great options from Nvidia, AMD, and even relative newcomer Intel to choose from. We imagine most players will be sticking to 1080p or 1440p, which won't be a struggle for most modern GPUs, and we've also thrown in a 4K option for good measure. For further reading, you can also check out our XDefiant system requirements or best graphics settings pages.

What GPU do you need for XDefiant?

As Ubisoft put it, XDefiant is a free-to-play arena shooter, which sort of implies right off the bat that the game should be accessible for a wide range of systems. This is generally the case with competitive titles, and with some closer inspection of the system requirements on the Ubisoft website, this is definitely true. They also put out recommended specs for 1440p and 4K configs here if you're interested. Looking at 1080p though, we can see that an RX 5500 (8GB) or GTX 1060 (6GB) is recommended for 60 FPS at high graphics settings.

Those two cards are not too impressive by today's standards, so you can look forward to high framerates if you have much newer hardware. That's what we're going to focus on, as upgrading to a new GPU should mean you're set for years to come. Given the lenient hardware recommendations, you can go for a budget-friendly option such as the RTX 4060 or RX 7600 XT if you wish, or even look back to the previous generation.

Kicking things off with the RTX 4060 Ti, a GPU which belongs to Nvidia's increasingly popular 40 series. For XDefiant, this card will be a real winner for 1080p and 1440p - two resolutions which we expect the majority of competitive gamers to stick to for the foreseeable future. We benchmarked the card in our RTX 4060 Ti review and found that it achieved smooth performance pretty much across the board, though it didn't fare as well in 4K. We tested the 8GB model, but you also pick up the 16GB version if you want some extra memory headroom.

"As far as the gaming performance goes, the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti excels across the board in 1080p and 1440p with some impressive figures, especially for the sub-$400 price point"

It will be a superb upgrade if you're currently working with generations-old hardware. Plus, the benefit of DLSS tech - particularly DLSS 3 frame gen, is a big selling point for the 40 series that will help extend its lifespan. This GPU sits around the sub-$400 price range and offers good value for money if you want a latest-gen option. For XDefiant, this is a top pick from Nvidia.

What users say

Looking at Amazon reviews of the Zotac card we tested ourselves, we can see that there is real buzz around it. In addition to the solid gaming performance, one user proclaims it to be a "productivity powerhouse" - something we noticed too in synthetic and encoding benchmarks, though we'd probably opt for the 16GB model for this to double your memory pool.

At launch, it made a whole lot more sense to go for the 7800 XT given just a $50 price difference between the two, but now we can confidently recommend the RX 7700 XT as it offers good value for money thanks to recent price cuts. In our RX 7700 XT review, we note that this GPU delivers on its promise to perform well at QHD at 60FPS and above. As a more competitive game, XDefiant is less taxing and should allow you to enjoy much higher frames. For example, our tests showed the 7700 XT average 102 FPS in AC Valhalla, whereas Overwatch 2 hit 186 FPS, both at 1440p.

"Considering the available memory pool, the RX 7700 XT is fairly conservative on power usage with a 245W TDP, meaning you’ll want at least a 550W PSU to avoid any issues. Though, we’d recommend at least a 600W power brick to give yourself a little overhead if overclocking"

If you're happy with going with Team Red, we think this is the most suitable selection. Sure, you can aim a little higher if you have the budget to do so, but the 7700 XT is a solid mid-range option which caters to the popular 1440p resolution. On the flip side, if you are looking to upgrade to a 4K monitor for gaming in the not so far future, then we'd probably stay away from this one.

What users say

The Sapphire Pulse series is a popular choice for AMD users, so we took a look at Amazon reviews of their RX 7700 XT card. Many users are happy with the upgrade from older hardware, such as the RX 580. It is described as a solid budget video card, and we'd have to mention that the 12GB of VRAM is a good step up from the usual budget 8GB level.

You may have not considered Intel for your next GPU upgrade, but they are now a solid option - especially within the low end to mid range for budget builders. In our review of the Intel Arc A770, we saw excellent performance when benchmarking at 1080p, with good figures in 1440p as well. Considering you can pick up this card for less than $300, it is fantastic value for money which most established GPU brands such as Nvidia and AMD struggle to compare to, especially the former.

"In 2024, more games are supporting Intel’s GPUs and XeSS as developers become more familiar with the Xe-HPG architecture and the Xe Vector engines for performance gains and performance uplift"

If you do opt for the A770, there are a couple things you'll want to know about. First of all, we wouldn't recommend this GPU if you don't have access to ReBAR (resizeable BAR) - you need an Intel Core 10th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen, or newer for this feature. Without this, the potency of the card is hindered and it becomes a hard sell. Driver support is another thing often cited as a worry, but this has rapidly improved since launch to make the Intel Arc range a solid pick for XDefiant.

What users say

We read through user reviews for the Acer Predator model we personally reviewed to gather some more opinions on it. Straight away, we see one buyer calling in "fantastic bang for your buck" which is exactly what we'd expect. Others go on to report that the performance is great considering the price, with another person calling it the "most underrated GPU". There is one mention of driver problems, but overall it is well received.

For 4K gaming, there are a limited amount of video cards which can really boast smooth gameplay, especially in the most graphically-intensive games. In the case of XDefiant though, we'd like to suggest the 4070 Super as a card that can achieve this without having to go all out. In our RTX 4070 Super review, we noticed an impressive level of performance in the targeted 1440p, but it had the legs to provide smooth framerates at 4K, even in the likes of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

"The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price. If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024"

If you do want to target higher frames though, we'd probably go for the RTX 4080 Super at most, unless money is no object and you can easily afford the flagship 4090. The 4070 Super also performs well with ray tracing on, and outside of gaming it's good for productivity workflows with strong figures in our benchmarks. Overall, a solid 4K pick that doesn't have to cost a fortune.

What users say

The ASUS TUF 4070 range is a popular choice, with a 4.7/5 rating on Amazon. Looking at the newer Super model though, we can can see buyers are more than happy with what it provides. Users report that it excellent for 1440p and keeps up with 4K, reflecting our own benchmarks. One thing you'll need to consider though, especially with the ASUS TUF, is the size of the card - you'll need a suitable PC case for RTX 4070 Super to fit it in.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for XDefiant

Before you buy any GPU, you'll want to take a look at a few things to consider. We explain what you need to know below.

Price

Set yourself a budget to understand what kind of graphics card your money can get you. If you only wish to play at 1080p, you can go for a cheaper option, while bringing it up to 1440p and then 4K will ask more for your budget respectively. At the entry-level, we'd recommend looking around the $300 mark for a new GPU, unless you want to opt for a previous generation or even shop second-hand. Since XDefiant won't be the most demanding game in the world, your money can go relatively far.

Clock speed & memory

A graphics card's clock speed will vary depending on the manufacturer, with some coming with a factory overclock for improved performance, however marginal. You can also overclock the GPU yourself, but take into account the added power draw. As for memory, 8GB VRAM is generally the minimum recommended for 1080p these days, but we'd suggest 12GB or 16GB if you can afford it for a more future-proof system.

Power requirement

Upgrading your GPU generally means getting something more powerful. This could be more taxing on your system, so be sure you understand what the recommended PSU for your new graphics card is. On the plus side, cards are generally getting more efficient with each generation - the mid-range of the GeForce 40 series is a good example of this.

Final word

Shopping for a new GPU can be a confusing task given the wide selection to choose from these days. To help you out, we've hand-picked some of our favorites which are ideal for XDefiant, Ubisoft's free to play arena shooter. If you want to learn more about how we pick and choose, our how we test GPUs article is a good place to start. Or you can take a look at our whole testing lab, home to benchmarking for our GPU reviews.

With system requirements for the game readily available on the Steam page, we have a good understanding of what is required of your gaming PC. Additionally, the PC port brings with it a good range of support for the latest GPU technology, making full use of what the latest generations from Nvidia, AMD, and even Intel have to offer. Let's jump straight into our top picks.

What GPU do I need for Ghost of Tsushima?

As we said above, the Steam page does reveal the Ghost of Tsushima system requirements, but with further digging we found a full list on the PlayStation blog which gives us a clearer picture of performance targets from 720p up to 4K. So, sticking with 1080p to represent most users, we can see that game recommends either a GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 5600 XT, this jumps up to the RTX 3070 and RX 6800 when playing at 1440p.

So, the game isn't exactly the easiest to run smoothly (60 FPS being the benchmark) once going above 1080p, but that's to be expected. In the grand scheme of things, it's not too bad - you can run Ghost of Tsushima with a wide variety of hardware and that's reflected in our selection today.

First up is the RTX 4070 Super, a graphics card that is a winner for pretty much any game you throw at it. Designed for 1440p, it breeze through modern titles at this resolution and even showed playable framerates at 4K. This is based on in-house benchmarking you'll find in our RTX 4070 Super review. As such, Ghost of Tsushima should cause no problems. Given the fact that the game supports DLSS 3 and Reflex technologies, you can achieve high framerates from the 40 series-exclusive tech.

"The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price. If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024"

More reasons to consider the 4070 Super include the excellent encoding performance as well as ray tracing, an effect of the increase CUDA cores in this model. Though, worth noting that Ghost of Tsushima does not feature ray tracing support at the time of writing. Regardless, the 4070 Super is also an efficient card with a 220W TDP - that's the same as the 3070, but with much better performance to boot. If you want a card that will impress in any game for years to come, this is the one.

What users say

It's no surprise to see that this Nvidia GPU is a fan favorite, as we can see from its Amazon reviews. Customers are impressed with what the card has to offer, though make sure your PC case is spacious enough to fit this in if you're upgrading. One thing to remember is that the 4070 Super uses a 16-pin connector, so you may be better off with the original 4070 if you wish to avoid it.

For fans of Team Red, we've selected the impressive RX 7800 XT. We did consider the cheaper 7700 XT as an alternative - and if you want to save some cash, it's a solid pick. But as we discovered in our RX 7800 XT review, this card is a monster in terms of bang for your buck and it lives up to its "ultimate 1440p upgrade" billing. Considering the 'high' system requirements for Ghost of Tsushima recommends an RX 6800, this is one generation newer and provides a sufficient uplift.

"No matter how you slice it, maxed-out 1440p for under $500 is impressive, even if the RTX 4070 Super pulls ahead as a whole, not entirely unexpected from a GPU costing at least $100 more"

The 7800 XT proves its worth for QHD gaming as we witnessed in our benchmarks, though it did fall a little short in 4K when you compare it to Nvidia's equivalents. Regardless, the 16GB VRAM is more than enough and the high amount of memory will keep it relevant for many years. One downside of going with this AMD option is the worse encoding and ray tracing performance, though the latter is not relevant for Ghost of Tsushima.

What users say

Again, looking at what customers have to say is a good way of gauging quality and user reviews are the best way of doing this. Many are very happy with their upgrade to the 7800 XT, whether that be from an older AMD GPU or even an Nvidia card. The price to performance is a big selling point and for those focused on 1440p gaming in the latest games, this is a fantastic choice.

Despite not much changing between the original 4080 and 4080 Super, the availability of the latter and new price drop makes it the obvious choice between the two. If you want to focus on 4K gaming, we fully recommend this GPU as the best choice. For Ghost of Tsushima, the recommended specs reveal that it should achieve a steady 60 FPS at 4K as part of the 'very high' preset. If you want to learn more about this video card, see our RTX 4080 Super review.

"The RTX 4080 Super effectively erases any reason to go out and buy the original RTX 4080 with slightly increased performance and a much more palatable price point. It delivers across the board in terms of high-end gaming performance in 1440p and 4K while being just as powerful for content creators, too"

If you don't have the funds to go all out on the RTX 4090 or care for the added productivity performance it brings, your next best choice is the 4080 Super and it is a sweet-spot for gamers for 4K across all titles. Other benefits of this GPU is of course the high amount of memory, allowing for top performance at high resolutions. On the flipside, this is also a great pick high refresh rate 1440p gaming if that's more your kind of thing.

What users say

Despite reviewing the Gigabyte model, we can look at the more popular variant from PNY and the user reviews reinforce why this graphics card deserves a spot on this list. Others agree that it is a basically a sweet-spot for 4K. Furthermore, the price is praised as a much-needed drop from the original version, though it is still a pricey affair.

Since Ghost of Tsushima makes the most of Nvidia's DLSS 3 technology (available on the 40 series), including frame generation, we think that the RTX 4060 makes a fine pick. It is the cheapest option in the 40 series and is increasingly popular, particularly in prebuilt gaming PCs. If you're looking to pick one of these up and keep costs low, do note that you'll want to seek out a cheaper SKU. For instance, the ASUS ROG Strix we featured in our RTX 4060 review is one of the more expensive variants.

"Considering the humble hardware here, the Nvidia RTX 4060 is far from power-hungry with a tame 115W TDP and a recommended PSU of just 300W. That positions this video card as an ideal choice for a small form factor build or a budget machine"

The RTX 4060 offers great performance in 1080p, with enough power to reach for 1440p too - especially when utilizing DLSS where supported. One of the biggest benefits of the 4060 to us is its incredible efficiency, boasting a low 115W TDP. That makes it fit right in a wide range of systems without needing to upgrade your power supply. There is a drawback in the fairly lackluster memory, just 8GB compared to the 3060's 12GB, but this shouldn't be a drawback in the majority of games. The real pull for Ghost of Tsushima is DLSS 3.

What users say

The user reviews on the ROG Strix model show us that this RTX card is fantastic for both gaming and productivity, as has come to be expected from Nvidia. Many users are also impressed with just how lightweight the card is, not running into the recent problem of GPU sagging. Finally, the price is also "wallet friendly" according to one user, but do shop around and you can get the 4060 much closer to its $299 MSRP.

Things to consider with the best GPU for Ghost of Tsushima

Before you buy a GPU, you should always consider a few key details - especially if it's a major upgrade.

Price

The pricing of graphics cards can vary quite a lot depending on the manufacturer and model. For instance, whether you want a dual fan or triple fan design will affect the price. In this guide, we've featured a varied range to choose from to cater to different budgets.

Both Nvidia and AMD have cards ranging from the entry-level to the high end, so be sure to set a budget and search within that tier. Our budget picks tend to sit around the $300-$350 mark, with a niche example being the Intel Arc A770 if you wanted to give Team Blue a chance.

Memory

There are multiple factors to think about when it comes to memory including the bus width, memory clock, and bandwidth, but one specification is generally easiest measurement: VRAM. For gaming these days, we'd recommend at least 8GB for 1080p, and 1440p at a stretch. A high amount of memory will always be more future proof as games use up more memory, especially at higher resolutions, where you'll want 12GB or 16GB.

Power requirement

It's safe to say that your new GPU will be better than the last one. That translates to more power, which can translate to a higher power draw. On a positive note, the likes of Nvidia's 40 series is impressively efficiently, meaning your current PSU may still be good enough despite upgrading. Before you buy any GPU, make sure your power supply has the recommended or higher wattage to support it.

Final word

Now that we've come to the end of this guide, hopefully we've found the right GPU for you. If not, then at least you're on the right track - whatever kind of performance you wish to target in Ghost of Tsushima. We've stuck to Nvidia and AMD for now, but Intel is definitely emerging as a contender as well.

If you want to read more about how our team determines the best GPUs for the job, see our how we test GPUs guide or check out our testing lab for a closer look. Additionally, if you're putting together a full build, you might want to stop by our best CPU for Ghost of Tsushima guide.

Our experienced team has been busy with GPU reviews, including plenty of hands-on testing in each and every one of them to help score the best. Homeworld 3 is a somewhat demanding game, though not on the level as others we've seen this year. Keeping that in mind, we had picked out the best from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel.

What GPU do you need for Homeworld 3?

One good way of gauging what GPU you need is by looking at the Homeworld 3 system requirements. There we can see that the minimum requirements ask of a Nvidia GTX 1060, AMD R9 480, or the newer Intel Arc A380. Recommended specs instead suggest a GTX 1080 Ti, RX 5700 or Arc 580.

Though those Intel GPU suggestions are more modern given their relatively recent entry to the discrete graphics, the AMD and Nvidia options are a bit dated. Not that they aren't capable, but sourcing one of these older cards generally means looked for a used one, so we're going to bring you up to date with some much newer options which you can enjoy for years to come. Below we can present our hand-picked selection for a variety of budgets.

We'd like to recommend the 4070 Super as a solid choice at any resolution. Even though the card is built for 1440p first and foremost, it showed acceptable 4K performance in our benchmarks, with smooth framerates in many modern titles. You can see our RTX 4070 Super review for a closer look. Furthermore, with access to Nvidia's full 40 series feature set including DLSS 3 and frame generation, you can easily enjoy a smooth experience with supported games. To clarify though, Homeworld 3 is shipping with DLSS 2 support on day one for now.

"We can see that the RTX 4070 Super performs well in many demanding modern games in not only 1440p, but also in 4K as well"

You should have no problem handling Homeworld 3 in 1440p or 4K with the 4070 Super, and we'd recommend it for these resolutions. Sure, you can also play on 1080p if you want to maximize your framerate - especially in more competitive games. It boasts 7,168 CUDA cores which allows for strong encoding and ray tracing performance and the 12GB of VRAM is a much-needed step up from 8GB.

What users say

Since we reviewed the ASUS TUF model, we took to the Amazon user reviews to see what people are saying about it. The performance is obviously praised, with many users picking it up for 1440p. For this particular SKU, the cooling is complimented as well as the operating volume. Do keep in mind though that this is a particularly bulky card comparable to some others.

Now for one of our favorites from AMD's RX 7000 series - the 7800 XT. When we put together our RX 7800 XT review, we found it to be a highly capable card for 1440p in our benchmarks and the price tag makes it a real winner if you're looking for great value while targeting the QHD resolution. We noted that it is less impressive at 4K compared to what Nvidia has to offer, but nothing too dismal. Plus, the 16GB of VRAM is a nice bit of headroom. Not that Homeworld 3 is too memory-intensive outside of 4K as you'd expect.

"This GPU leads in terms of QHD holding its own against the more expensive RTX 4070 family. Every single game we tested achieved at least 60fps, with some titles pushing far beyond the 100fps mark when maxed out"

Overall, this Radeon card is an excellent option if you want strong rasterization performance. Keep in mind though that ray tracing won't be as good as Nvidia's alternatives if this is something you wish to benefit from a lot. The 7800 XT wasn't much more expensive than the 7700 XT when it released, but pricing has changed since then, so the model just below is also a good alternative if you prefer to save some pennies.

What users say

Taking to Amazon reviews of the XFX model, we can see that the 7800 XT is highly regarded. Mention of the outstanding price given the performance is a recurring theme. We also see many people reporting that it provides a solid upgrade, one example being from the previous-gen RX 6650 XT.

We delve into benchmarking and more in our Intel Arc A770 review, concluding that it's a fantastic card for those of you on a more limited budget. We enjoyed excellent performance in 1080p with enough power for respectable figures in 1440p. It will offer a great upgrade for many people, though there is the problem of ReBAR support. For this, you'll need an Intel Core 10th Gen or AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen processor or newer, and without ReBAR enabled, the effectiveness of the card suffers - making it a must-have.

"There is a lot that’s worth praising, such as the low power draw and the frame rates taken as a whole when compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. There are ray-tracing units and a solid memory bandwidth with the 16GB GDDR6 memory pool"

Driver support is sometimes seen as a worry for these Intel Arc cards, but it's better than ever and seeing rapid improvements on a regular basis. Support for Homeworld 3 from Arc graphics drivers was put out promptly after the game's release as you'll see here. So, if you're putting together a more modern system and want a cost-effective graphics card, then the A770 is a fabulous choice. Its high amount of memory is a big bonus for just a cheap card that frequently drops below $300.

What users say

Now for what customers have to say in the Amazon reviews. Generally speaking, reception is good and the low price tag is clearly one of the biggest selling points. One user says it was "better than I expected", showing how aggressive the pricing is. There is a lingering issue with drivers for some people, though this seems to be a minority.

For a budget model, we're skipping past the RTX 4060 and jumping straight to the RTX 4060 Ti, which will remain relevant for longer amount of time. Homeworld 3 will be a breeze to run on this card, especially while utilizing DLSS to achieve solid performance at 1440p, or even 4K. It gives you access to DLSS 3 frame generation, though this isn't (yet) relevant to Homeworld, but other titles do support it. Conversely, ray tracing is available in the game and the third-gen RT cores are a big help here. You can read more about performance ion our RTX 4060 Ti review.

"The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is an excellent graphics card for 1080p and 1440p with some good entry-level performance in 4K if you can smartly utilize DLSS 3 Frame Generation"

If you are going with the 4060 Ti, we do suggest you steer towards the 16GB model, as this offers a little extra headroom - important as games get increasingly memory-heavy. It does come at an added cost, so do note that the 8GB model will be perfectly fine for Homeworld 3 if you don't plan on any extra intensive games. Our comparison of 4060 series gives you clearer picture of how this tier shapes up.

What users say

Since we reviewed the Zotac model (with a unique Spider-Man design), we took to its user reviews to see what customers had to say. One person calls it a "productivity powerhouse", lending to the great AI tech in the 40 series and performance in encoding or synthetic benchmarks we witness in our in-house tests.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for Homeworld 3

Now with our selection wrapped up, we want to talk about a few things you'll want to consider before you buy. Purchasing a new GPU requires a little extra research to find the right video card for you.

Price

Just like with anything, buying a GPU means setting a suitable budget for your needs. If you're building a PC for gaming, usually the graphics card is the most expensive part of the system. At the entry level, we can look around the $300 mark for a modern card, or lower if you wish to go back a generation or shop second-hand. Decide on what you can afford to spend and consider all models within than price tier.

Power requirement

Chances are, your new GPU will be more powerful than your last. That could mean more power draw and in turn a higher requirement for your PSU (measured in wattage). Before you buy a new GPU, make sure your power supply is at least the recommended wattage to support it. If not, you'll need to upgrade. Luckily, many capable cards are getting more efficient.

Resolution / performance

Deciding on a GPU often means targeting a certain resolution. If you simply want to game at 1080p or push to 1440p, then budget models are capable of this. For high refresh rate 1440p gaming, you'll need to step it up - and for 4K, you're looking more towards the high end. This affects in-game performance a lot so you can check out benchmark for games you wish to play.

Final word

Homeworld 3 is pretty average in terms of system requirements for a game released in 2024, so you can afford solid performance without going all out. We aim to cater our suggestions to a wide range of budgets, so hopefully we can put you right on track. All three major GPU manufacturers have something to give.

If you want to learn all about our reviewing process, you can check out how we test GPUs, or have a browse through what our testing lab has to offer.

We've put together many GPU reviews as of late to give you a good look at today's market in 2024. Whether you've only just heard of V Rising or have finally decided to give it a go now that early access is over, it's a good time to upgrade. So, without further ado, below we can jump straight into our selection - with more detailed analysis down below.

What GPU do you need for V Rising?

Now that the game has been fully launched, we can take a look at the recommended specs as of version 1.0 as it has now left early access. The V Rising system requirements tell us that Stunlock Studios recommend either a GeForce GTX 1070 or Radeon RX 590, both of which are 8GB cards. As for the minimum requirements, it goes much further back with a Nvidia "Maxwell or newer" GPU listed.

We're going to stick to the latest on offer here as to not steer you towards an option which will soon be outdated. Plus, the Steam page does note that these requirements may change in future as the game develops. Luckily, the game isn't incredibly demanding, so you can enjoy a smooth framerate on a modest budget.

Having a read through our RTX 4070 Super review will give you a detailed look at this Nvidia GPU. It's a real winner for both gaming and productivity - the latter thanks to its brilliant encoding performance. It is classified as a 'leading 1440p GPU' but our hands-on testing proved that it is also capable at 4K, this should be the same in V Rising if you wish to upgrade to that resolution. With a fast clock speed and suitable 12GB VRAM, this card will be a powerhouse for some time to come.

"Generally speaking, this new card holds up significantly better than its predecessor and we can see its leading performance in the likes of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora as evidence"

We'd suggest that you don't need anything more powerful than the 4070 Super for something like V Rising, especially considering the recommended specs. So, it claims the top spot as our best right now. Furthermore, we'd argues it's good value for money as far as the 40 series goes and the efficient 220W TDP makes it a strong upgrade path for many existing builds.

What users say

Since we reviewed the ASUS TUF model, we took to its Amazon user ratings to have a closer look at what people have to say. Outstanding performance is the main takeaway here, with many people also praising how cool this triple-fan SKU runs. Do note though that there are cheaper alternatives if you're looking to spend around $50 less.

We see the RX 7800 XT as one of the best 1440p GPUs right now - you could push it to 4K in many optimized titles if you wish, though it does fall behind in 4K for more graphically-intensive games. Regardless, the competitive price tag and large amount of memory are the two big selling points here. In our RX 7800 review, we gave it a strong rating as it truly is a top pick for gaming. You may also want to consider the cheaper RX 7700 XT as an alternative for 1440p gameplay on a more restricted budget.

"No matter how you slice it, maxed-out 1440p for under $500 is impressive, even if the RTX 4070 Super pulls ahead as a whole, not entirely unexpected from a GPU costing at least $100 more"

There are a couple of areas where the 7800 XT falls behind compared to something such as the 4070 Super. Nvidia's AI chips have proven to be excellent for encoding and other demanding tasks such as ray tracing, though the latter is not relevant to V Rising as it doesn't (currently) support it. So, the price tag is a real winner here, as we mentioned in our review.

What users say

The XFX Speedster model is a great option that's inexpensive and features triple-fan cooling. Looking at user reviews for this popular model reveal that it proved to be a large upgrade for many people. Plus, the price to performance ratio is great with many boasting smooth gameplay at 1440p, maxed out.

Moving on to a more niche option from Intel, who are relatively new to the discrete GPU market. Back when it released, the disparity in driver support compared to the well-established Nvidia and AMD was a concern, but that has consistently improving to finally make Intel worth recommending here. In our Intel Arc A770 review, you'll find that the card is quite comparable to the likes of the RX 7600 XT or RTX 4060 Ti, falling slightly behind overall. However, it often costs less than $300 to more than make up for it.

"Since its launch, the Intel Arc A770 has been something of an outlier in the GPU market. While it’s hard to stomach at its MSRP, factoring the price drop in, it becomes a far more viable video card"

We'd recommend this graphics card for 1080p gameplay first and foremost, but it does have the power to aim for 1440p if you wish - which should be easily achievable in the likes of V Rising. One thing we definitely have to mention is that we'd only go for the A770 if your system supports Resizeable BAR (ReBAR), as this does have a significant effect on the performance of these Intel Arc cards if not enabled. For reference, that generally means any Intel Core 10th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen, or newer processor.

What users say

The A770 is rated fairly well on Amazon reviews, and this overclocked variant from Acer we tested is a great choice. As you'd expect from a budget card, users comment on the "fantastic bang for your buck" and "great performance at [a] low price" - both solid 1080p and 1440p performance is reported.

Dropping down to the budget-pick from the 40 series, we have the RTX 4060. Generally speaking, it isn't hailed as the very best value for money, but you can find it for a decent price from the right manufacturer. For example, the ASUS ROG Strix model we feature in our RTX 4060 review is definitely overpriced in our opinion, but that's an outlier. If you want to stick to Team Green and make the most of the Ada Lovelace architecture, this is the most cost effective way of doing so. It will offer strong 1080p and 1440p in a game like V Rising.

"The benchmarks show that Team Green has enough under the hood to pull ahead, especially if you’re moving on up from older GTX models that lack RT cores and Tensor cores altogether"

Unfortunately V Rising doesn't support DLSS frame generation at the time of writing, though you always need to consider any other games you'll be playing. Its 8GB of VRAM is a little lackluster, but suitable for nearly every game when playing at 1080p, which is what this GPU targets. Furthermore, the RTX 4060 is a great upgrade path for those using modest (or small form factor) hardware as the 115W TDP is incredibly efficient and fits right into most builds without need for further upgrades.

What users say

Since we'd say that the ROG Strix we reviewed is pretty pricey, we instead look at some user reviews for the ZOTAC Twin Edge and many say it is a "great GPU for the price". We see that many people are targeting 1080p, and it offers a sizeable upgrade for those that finally want to upgrade - up from the GTX 1060 is one good example we spotted.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for V Rising

V Rising doesn't require the best hardware on the planet on the run, though you'll want a decent rig for a smooth experience. Before you buy though, we'd recommend reading through of our 'things to consider'.

Price

Having a budget you can afford is relevant to any purchase you make, and GPUs are no different. There is a wide range of models to choose from, but luckily V Rising will run well on pretty much anything released in the past few years. As such, low-cost cards such as the RTX 4060 or Arc A770 we recommend here are great if you're building a gaming PC on the cheap. If you're targeting 4K though, then you'll want to look higher up.

Memory

The recommend specs for the game are quite lenient by today's standards, though not surprising given the game is actually a couple of years old now. Both the GPUs they recommend feature 8GB of VRAM, which has long been the standard for 1080p gaming. If you want to move on up though, 12GB is the next best thing and 16GB will allow for extra headroom if you wish to play more memory-hogging games in future. For V Rising though, at least 8GB is perfectly good.

Power draw

Before buying a video card, make sure your system is capable of handling it. Chances are, your new GPU is going to be significantly more powerful than the last - Nvidia offers excellent efficiency in the 40 series at least. Either way, you'll want to ensure your PSU has the recommended wattage (or more) for your new GPU to avoid bottlenecking your system.

Final word

Now that we're at the end of our guide to the best GPUs for V Rising, you should have all the resources you need to make your next purchase. If your current system has lackluster in-game performance, you're probably due a much-needed upgrade and there is a lot on offer these days. If you want to learn more about how our team operates, see our how we test GPUs guide or take a look at our in-house testing lab.

We've been busy reviewing and testing GPUs, so we have a solid selection to take you through today. Given its easy-to-run nature, you can afford to go for some more budget options with Hades 2, which is reflected in our picks. If you want something even more powerful for more graphically-intensive games as well, then we also have that covered.

What GPU do you need for Hades 2?

As we explained in our introduction, Hades 2 is far from a demanding title. Looking at the Hades 2 system requirements tells us that the recommended specs suggest either a GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 5600 XT. Both of these graphics cards are a few generations old now, and target the more entry-level market. Additionally, they suggest the Intel Arc A580 from Intel's Arc 5 mid-range.

If you're buying a new graphics card today, you'll probably want something more modern and relevant for all kinds of games going forward. Plus, seeking out older generations of GPUs generally doesn't offer great value for money unless you look on the used market. Given the game's requirements, we'd suggest a budget-friendly card from current or last gen.

We've done some extensive testing of this GPU in our RTX 4060 Ti review, and it proves to be a great value pick. More than enough for Hades 2, but if you want something which will remain relevant for years to come, this is a solid option. While the specific SKU we reviewed features 8GB of VRAM, you can also look around for 16GB models if you want a higher amount of memory as games get increasingly demanding. Fortunately, Hades 2 will have no problems in this regard. The 4060 Ti is a good way of unlocking Nvidia's frame generation technology if you're also going to play graphically-intensive titles in contrast to Hades.

"Considering the value for money at the sub-$300 price tag, even with 8GB VRAM, you should be very happy with what this video card can do with the latest and most demanding PC games"

If you do want to save a little bit of cash, then we can instead also recommend the RTX 4060, which is one step down from the Ti. Generally speaking, it doesn't offer the same value for money at MSRP, but well worth picking up for a budget build - especially whenever its on sale. It'll easily run games like Hades II and benefits from the same feature list thanks to Nvidia's Ada Lovelace architecture for the 40 series.

What users say

For the unique Spider-Man design model we reviewed, taking a look at the Amazon reviews reveals that it has been well received. As an upgrade from generations-old hardware or for a brand-new build, it has proven to be a popular choice. One reviewer calls it a 'productivity powerhouse', many thanks to the AI chips that Nvidia is pushing with these newer RTX cards.

For fans of Team Red, we'd like to suggest the RX 7600 XT. In a similar way to the 4060 Ti, this is AMD's upgraded version of the RX 7600, offering double the VRAM and providing solid value for money. For Hades II, this GPU will suit all your needs while providing a generous amount of memory for extra headroom. In our RX 7600 XT review, we note that it holds its own in 1080p in demanding games, as well as playable framerates at 1440p. In much more lightweight games like Hades though, it provides a surplus of power to drive smooth performance at any resolution.

"The main selling point of the AMD RX 7600 XT is the bump up in VRAM, which doubles the original model’s 8GB GDDR6 all the way to 16GB GDDR6 instead. In theory this should provide a significant amount of overhead to crank games up in 1080p and 1440p"

One of the best things about the 7600 XT is the price, offering a solid entry-level option for a wide range of gamers. These Radeon cards do fall behind in aspects such as ray tracing (compared to Nvidia), but this isn't relevant for Hades, so the money you'll save by going for the 7600 XT over something like the 4060 Ti is a noteworthy benefit.

What users say

Looking at user reviews for the RX 7600 XT tells us many buyers are happy with the performance to price ratio. Plus, it is a suitable upgrade if you're still working with much older hardware and have finally decided that it's time to upgrade to something modern.

As we mentioned earlier, the required specs point towards the Intel Arc A580. But if we're going to recommend an Intel graphics card, we have to go for the Arc A770. This is from the Arc 7 tier and the flagship model of the Alchemist generation, but that doesn't translate to a 'flagship' price in the same sense as AMD or Nvidia. As per our rasterization benchmarks, it falls marginally behind the 7600 XT and 4060 Ti, but since you can find one for less than $300 these days, it is a solid contender. If you want a detailed look, see our Intel Arc A770 review.

"There is a lot that’s worth praising, such as the low power draw and the frame rates taken as a whole when compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. There are ray-tracing units and a solid memory bandwidth with the 16GB GDDR6 memory pool"

Driver support is generally a concern with these Intel graphics cards, but it is constantly improving. They are catching up to their rivals in this area and the value will only improve with time. On the flipside, it has been proven that access to ReBAR (resizable BAR) is a must-have if you want strong performance. That means having a 10th Gen Intel or 3rd Gen Ryzen CPU to unlock compatibility - keep this is mind if you're upgrading your GPU but otherwise have older hardware.

What users say

People are coming round to the idea of using an Intel GPU, and looking at some user reviews is a good display of this. Again, this is another card which is praised for its bang for your buck. Though, as expected, there is a warning against driver support - especially in the case of VR gaming.

As an alternative, we'd also like to recommend one of our favorite Nvidia GPUs as of late, the RTX 4070 Super. This is a powerful GPU which offers good value for money across all resolutions and won't struggle one bit with games like Hades II. We always like to make it clear that you should also consider the other games you'll be playing with your new GPU, so this is a powerful all-rounder if you want to try out some of today's more resource-hogging titles in any resolution.

"If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024"

In our RTX 4070 Super review, we put it to the test with benchmarks and found worthy of a respectable four-star rating. It's worth noting that we also reviewed the original RTX 4070, which has now dropped in price given the introduction of the Super SKU. So that's something to consider, though the performance uplift for the Super card makes it the more appealing option to us.

What users say

The ASUS TUF model we reviewed is one of the more expensive variants, but looking at the reviews on Amazon reveals that not too many people are disappointed with their purchase. Customers are more than happy with the performance it offers, though there is one running theme: size. It's a bulk card, so you'll want to make sure it'll fit in your rig.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for Hades 2

Upgrading your GPU comes with a whole host of things to consider, no matter if you're seeking a flagship or entry-level model. If you're upgrading for Hades 2, here's what you need to know.

Price

Knowing that Hades 2 isn't a difficult game to run, price is one key thing to think about before you buy. We suspect that many of you will be sticking to a more budget-friendly level if running a lightweight game like Hades is high on your agenda. As such, there are great options from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel in this price tier. Make sure you set yourself a budget you can achieve and compare rival cards around that level.

Clock speed

When comparing different manufacturers' cards for the same GPU, clock speed is a noticeable difference between them. Different overclock rates are applied depending on the model, which offers slightly better performance while driving up the price. For Hades 2, there's not really any need for go for an expensive model; you could even underclock one of our suggestions and run the game with a smooth framerate.

Power requirement

Understanding the power draw of your next graphics card is important. Upgrading your GPU may mean that the rest of your system is outdated in comparison. As such, you'll want to make sure that your PSU provides enough power (wattage) to support the card you're upgrading to, be sure to check the recommended PSU for any new graphics card before you buy.

Final word

Now that we've come to the end of our guide, hopefully you are now equipped with the know-now to pick out your next GPU. Hades 2 released into early access on May 6th, 2024, much to the delight of fans of the original. Thankfully we aren't running into any annoying early access performance issues compared to games such as Gray Zone Warfare, as Hades remains lightweight with a stylized art style that looks great.

As part of our GPU reviews, any card that we have personally rated goes through our testing lab for benchmarking to determine a score, making it easy for you to make an informed decision.

For further reading, you may want to check out our best CPU for Hades 2 guide. From our own testing, we figured that the game can run well even on good integrated graphics, so this would be the best value for money if you've decided you don't want to spend big on a new GPU.

As a MOBA game - a genre that is generally targeted towards more of an esports/competitive crowd - we don't suggest you'll need the very best graphics card out there, so there's plenty of choice for a range of budgets. Today, we're going to look into the very best from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel. We regularly test GPUs at our testing lab here at PCGuide, so we have a lot of hands-on experience - from the flagship models to the more entry-level alternatives.

What GPU do you need for Smite 2?

Looking at the Smite 2 system requirements, only minimum specs have officially been published so far. According to these, you'll be able to run Smite 2 with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or AMD Radeon RX 560. Both of these cards are outdated by today's standards, so we'll be recommending much newer GPUs which are much better and easier to find these days. Without official recommended specs just yet, we'll have to speculate a little on what kind of hardware you'll need.

If you've been playing on an old PC which is just about suitable for Smite 1, you'll definitely want to upgrade - keep in mind that the original launched over a decade now, and hardware has changed a lot since then. Even still, we don't expect the game to be too demanding, as this genre usually aims to cater for a wide range of players on different hardware - so many budget picks can work.

The RTX 4070 Super is a fantastic choice of graphics card in 2024. It released at the start of the year and provides a refreshed look at the original non-Super model. In all honesty, this GPU is great for more than just Smite 2, so if you want something that will work well in more demanding games you play or you'll be playing at up to 4K, it's a solid choice without straying too far into the high-end. In our RTX 4070 Super review, we benchmarked its performance in a number of modern games and wasn't disappointed. For example, it hit averages of 256FPS (1080p), 150FPS (1440p), and 73FPS (4K) in The Finals - another Unreal Engine 5 game which falls into the competitive category that likes to focus on optimized performance.

"The RTX 4070 Super finally justifies the ‘4070’ MSRP. If you’re after a card to handle 1440p without issue, then this is the top pick"

We will say that not everyone will need this kind of GPU if they're simply playing on 1080p and/or don't mind play on low settings, but the 4070 Super is versatile and deserves its place here. It is a good future-proofing option thanks to the 12GB VRAM that helps it sustain performance at higher resolutions. Plus, the efficiency is top-notch with just 220W TDP - that's 5W lower than the previous-gen 3060 Ti.

What users say

Taking user reviews for the 4070 Super into account is important, so we always like shout them out. For the ASUS TUF version we reviewed, people are praising the performance, especially for 1440p. Plus, this is one of the premium SKUs, so the cooling solution is great and runs quietly. Do remember to consider a wider range of manufacturers though, as prices will vary.

For an alternative from Team Red, we'd like to suggest the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, a relatively affordable option that is one step above of the RX 7600 XT and a real winner for either 1080p and 1440p resolutions which we suspect most Smite 2 players will be gaming at. While AMD tends to fall behind in areas such as ray tracing, this generally isn't seen as a focus for a competitive game like this, so no worries there for most players. In our RX 7700 XT review, we do note that the next step up (7800 XT) was better value, especially at launch, but the market has since combatted that as the 7700 XT is getting cheaper.

"The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT features enough VRAM for today’s games with its respectable hardware as a mid-range RDNA 3 architecture card"

If you're looking for value in terms of raw performance to the price, this GPU is a great option available to you. It's priced much cheaper than Nvidia's equivalent and will be a great choice for games such as Smite 2. In our in-house benchmarking, the RX 7700 XT breezed through optimized games like Overwatch 2 or Doom Eternal, even offering above 60 FPS at 4K in these examples.

What users say

The Sapphire Pulse model that we reviewed has a bunch of Amazon user reviews to read through if you want to see what people think. To summarize, people praise the performance and the generous 12GB of VRAM, even if there's no fancy RGB lighting to be found. A massive upgrade for anyone still working with generations old hardware.

You may have not thought about Intel for your next GPU upgrade, but they are becoming more and more relevant. The Arc A770 is a excellent option if you're on a limited budget, as Intel has priced it aggressively to help solidify its place on the market against well-established brands such as Nvidia and AMD. These days, you can see it dropped below the $300 mark. In our Intel Arc A770 review, it was quite comparable to the likes of the RX 7600 XT or RTX 4060 Ti in terms of performance. It also offers 16GB of VRAM to help out in some modern games which hog memory.

"It offers a ton of value for money with its price-to-performance ratio especially in 2024 after a series of price drops and driver fixes"

Driver support for these Intel cards has always been a worry, but it has been improving - enough to the point that we can confidently recommend buying one. Do keep in mind though, that support for Resizable BAR is seen as a must to unlock the best performance. If you have a 10th gen Intel CPU or 3rd gen Ryzen CPU (or newer), then you're good to go.

What users say

We reviewed the Acer Predator BiFront overclocked card, and by looking at the user reviews on Amazon, we can see that the price to performance is what's mentioned most. Some people this GPU underrated and even better than expected, showing that Intel is making at name for themselves on the GPU market.

Our RTX 4060 review highlights that this GPU isn't going to impress anyone looking for high-end performance, but for optimized titles, it won't cause you any trouble. We've opted for this card as it represents a modern alternative that can push above its weight thanks to the inclusion of DLSS 3 and its frame generation tech. Granted, this shouldn't be necessary for something like Smite 2, but it's a nice addition. It already offers excellent 1080p and solid 1440p rasterization performance, and the addition of AI tech like this only boosts that further.

"The Nvidia RTX 4060 is far from power-hungry with a tame 115W TDP and a recommended PSU of just 300W. That positions this video card as an ideal choice for a small form factor build or a budget machine"

Another important factor is catering for your build. If you're interested in a budget GPU, chances are your other hardware also caters for a limited budget. As such, the efficient RTX 4060 will work well with a wide range of CPUs without much bottlenecking and the low 115W TDP is even 55W less power draw than the 3060. This makes it easy to keep cool and cater for, fitting into a machine with just a 300W PSU - it's also great for a small form factor build.

If you do want another budget alternative, we'd recommend the previous-gen RTX 3060. You do miss out on DLSS 3 frame gen, but it does boast better 12GB VRAM instead.

What users say

We reviewed the ASUS ROG Strix edition, which you can find some user reviews for right here. We'd say that this custom AIB is fairly overpriced, as you can get the 4060 for much cheaper from a different manufacturer. Be sure to keep that in mind if sticking to a budget is one of your main concerns.

Things to consider with the best GPU for Smite 2

As always, we like we recommend a few things before you buy. Plenty of research goes a long way when upgrading your GPU, so here are some things to consider.

Price

First of all, for a game like Smite 2, you're not going to need a flagship model to achieve great performance. With that in mind, you can afford to drop your budget (if you so wish) and go for a cheaper card. Everyone should have a budget that they can afford, so we've tried to include a good range of options here. For the entry level to mid-range, we'd suggest around the $250-$300 mark, going upwards of $600 if you want more than enough power for most modern games at max settings.

You can always go back a gen or two if you really want to save cash, or check out the second-hand market if you can find something of good quality at the right price, but the latter can produce mixed results.

Performance target

You should know what kind of performance you're targeting. For Smite 2, we'd expect that most people are playing at 1080p or 1440p - with 4K much less common for competitive gamers. As such, again, you don't need the very best GPU on the market to achieve this. Also take into account whether you're comfortable with turning down settings in the name of maximizing FPS - if so, any modern budget pick is more than enough.

Power requirement

Before you buy a GPU, make sure you know how much power it requires from your power supply. If you purchase something particularly beefy and find out your PSU isn't cut out for it, then you'll need to upgrade. Additionally, it could mean you need better cooling in your system via the case / case fans.

Final word

So, you've finally made it to the end of our guide to the best graphics cards for Smite 2, Titan Forge and Hi-Rez Studios' long awaited sequel, though it did come as quite a surprise to many. Even though it's running on the shiny Unreal Engine 5, you don't have to worry a whole lot about gaining performance. As an example, The Finals runs great on the engine and is well optimized, showing that even competitive gamers can maximize their framerate without going all out.

Going out and simply buying the best graphics card on the planet is unrealistic for most people, so we've tried to cater to a wide range of budgets. On top of that, you'll find great options from both Nvidia and AMD - no matter which brand you prefer. So, without further ado, let's take a look at our top picks.

What GPU do you need for Gray Zone Warfare?

The Gray Zone Warfare system requirements reveal that you'll need a pretty good GPU to play, at least smoothly. Some user reviews at the moment do discuss performance issues as well, though this is not too surprising for a game in early access, something that could 'span several years' according to the developers. We've already got a guide to the best settings for Gray Zone Warfare if you want to optimize performance.

Either way, the minimum requirements are either the GeForce GTX 1080, or the Radeon RX 5700. As for the recommended, the RTX 3070 Ti and RX 6800 are listed. No performance benchmarks are mentioned, so we can't be sure which resolution, graphics settings, or frame rate is being targeted here. Regardless, we're going to suggest some newer hardware to future-proof your system for a game like GZW which is not even fully released yet.

The Super edition of the RTX 4070 Ti arrived in early 2024 and provided some useful upgrades, namely the boost from 12GB to 16GB VRAM. This extra headroom will be useful at higher resolutions, especially with modern titles becoming particularly memory-hungry alongside the need to deal with early access performance issues. Our RTX 4070 Ti Super review notes that it is compelling choice for both 1440p and 4K.

"If you want a bit more edge than the original RTX 4070 Ti, better value, and higher framerates than a regular 4070 where smooth 4K gaming is far more feasible (and expected across many titles), then yes – the RTX 4070 Ti Super is worth it"

If you do want something a little cheaper, but not quite 'budget' level, then we'd recommend the 4070 Super instead, especially for 1440p or even 1080p. We've opted for the extra VRAM and performance boost in the 4070 Ti Super to ensure you can enjoy smooth performance in the face of demanding system requirements.

What users say

Looking at the user reviews for this card, specifically the ASUS ROG Strix model we reviewed, paints it in a positive light. The high price is discussed, but no-one can be disappointed with the performance on offer here if you're aiming for a mid-high range GPU.

AMD has a ton of great options, often offering better value for money than Nvidia. For the best AMD GPU, we have to go with the Radeon RX 7900 XT thanks to its strong performance and high amount of memory. You can read more about it in our RX 7900 XT review, where we praise the pricing and just how well it performs for gamers aiming at either 4K or 1440p.

"The RX 7900 XT is a high-end GPU now well below its original MSRP that’s more than just a viable alternative to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series"

Generally, we like to suggest the weaker 7800 XT as a value choice, but the extra power here is useful for a game like Gray Zone Warfare. Now that DLSS 3 is confirmed in GZW, this is one downside for the Radeon card, though their FSR tech is still relevant. Even so, the 7900 XT offers excellent framerates without the need for upscaling or frame generation - though it will fall behind as far as ray tracing goes.

What users say

We had a look at the Amazon reviews for the popular Sapphire RX 7900 XT and found that many people are more than happy with their purchase. Like we said, the price tag is appealing and you can find it for around $700 these days, a huge drop from its original $899 launch price.

The RTX 4060 Ti has become our go-to budget option when it comes to more demanding titles such as Gray Zone Warfare, which is built on the most recent Unreal Engine 5. We'd skip past the regular RTX 4060 here (unless you're really strapped for cash) and benefit from the extra performance available from the Ti. Plus, as a 40 series GPU, you have access to DLSS 3 frame generation.

"As far as the gaming performance goes, the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti excels across the board in 1080p and 1440p with some impressive figures, especially for the sub-$400 price point"

Feel free to read through our RTX 4060 Ti review if you want a closer look at some benchmarking, but the gist of it is that we witnessed excellent performance in 1080p. Even the most demanding games run pretty smoothly at 1440p. If you want a little extra headroom in terms of memory, we'd go for the 16GB variant, but 8GB is still sufficient for gaming at full HD. See our RTX 4060 Ti 16GB vs 8GB comparison for a clearer picture.

What users say

We reviewed the unique Spider-Man design Zotac card and the user reviews are positive. One user calls it a 'productivity powerhouse', which is something we'd agree on, especially at this price point.

If you want to be truly blown away by performance, then there's nothing better than the RTX 4090. The flagship of the 40 series will remain relevant for years to come and is the dream option for 4K gaming. For anything less, it's definitely overkill, and you'll need deep pockets in order to call it your own.

"Arguably what’s most exciting about the RTX 4090 outside of its huge amount of VRAM and CUDA core count is the 1,008 GB/sec bandwidth, just over 1TB/sec, which no other consumer-level graphics card can boast"

Our RTX 4090 review showcases all the impressive benchmarks associated with the card if you're interested. For Gray Zone Warfare, we'd recommend this GPU if you have no limit on your budget and a powerful gaming PC to back it up for 4K gaming, especially if you're interested in content creation too. The next best would be the RTX 4080 Super; also suitable for 4K.

What users say

Anyone with the pleasure of having an RTX 4090 in their gaming rig will of course comment on the performance. This is of course reflected in the Amazon user reviews, with plenty of warnings regarding the massive size of the card.

Gray Zone Warfare running one of our test rigs, captured by PCGuide

Things to consider for the best GPU for Gray Zone Warfare

Below we've put together a few things you'll want to consider before you buy. Whether that be a budget-friendly option or the current flagship model.

Performance & resolution

We'd suggest having some kind of performance target in mind before you buy. If you're happy playing at 1080p at 60FPS, then you'll have some great value options for you. Take a look at benchmarks online for Gray Zone Warfare to understand how well different GPUs perform in-game.

Due to the early access nature, performance issues are to be expected, so we'd recommend making the most of resolution upscaling tech to boost your framerate; Nvidia is best known for this in the 40 series. Likewise, Nvidia will be your best bet if you're interested in the likes of ray tracing.

Price

Working with a budget is recommended for pretty much anything you buy, and GPUs are no different. Upgrading your graphics card can be expensive, so you need to understand what's available within your budget. For most users, a mid-range card is good enough for gaming, especially if you're sticking to 1080p or even 1440p these days. Also keep in mind if you're building a whole new system, you'll need to cater other components to your GPU, which can add expense.

Power draw

GPUs have different power requirements. If you're going for something high-end, there's a good chance you'll need a suitable PSU to back it up. Before you buy, take a look at the graphics card's suggest PSU and its power efficiency (TDP).

Final word

You've finally made it to the end of this guide, hopefully with some insight into what the best graphics card for Gray Zone Warfare is. As it works its way through early access, we're sure that performance optimizations will be made in order to make the game easier to run, but having a GPU that will last you for years to come is always recommended. You may also want to find the best CPU for Gray Zone Warfare too, while you're here.

As it develops, we'll be back to update our top picks to reflect the current state of the game and GPU landscape. If you want to learn more about our testing process for reviews, take a look at our in-house testing lab.

Mounting a GPU vertically adds something new to your build, as almost all builds have horizontally mounted GPUs. However, mounting your GPU vertically isn’t as straightforward because the PC case and motherboard aren’t designed in that orientation. 

In this guide, we’ll take you through the process of vertically mounting a GPU. So, let’s get right into it. 

What you’ll need

Here are some tools you’ll need to get the job done. 

Here’s how you can vertically mount your GPU 

Follow these steps to successfully mount your GPU vertically.

Can you vertical mount a GPU inside any case?

You can’t vertically mount a GPU in any case, as it depends on how much space there is inside. For example, you might have enough space to mount the GPU vertically, but the positioning of the expansion slots might push the GPU near the side panel, which is less than ideal as it needs room to dissipate the hot air.  

Is it good to mount a GPU vertically?

Mounting a GPU vertically might look aesthetically pleasing, but from a functional perspective, it takes most, if not all, of the available PCIe slots, meaning you can’t install anything else in your PC, such as a sound card. 

Other than that, the positioning needs to be ideal so that the GPU isn’t cramped near the side panel or the motherboard. This is important because side panels generally don’t have vents, and hot air needs to be let out for adequate airflow and lower temperatures. 

Wrapping up

This was everything you needed to know about how to vertically mount a GPU, and we hope that our step-by-step guide helped you achieve your dream build. One thing to note is that a vertical GPU might look nice as it is different from the normal horizontal mount, but extra attention is required regarding its placement. It also takes up more space, meaning you can’t connect additional devices. 

That said, a large casing should help with the placement and airflow issues, and we’ve got you covered there as well. Check out our best full tower case guide for the top picks available. 

While many people prefer to let their system handle their GPU's fan speeds, taking control yourself can be beneficial. This is because adjusting the speed can aid in temperature regulation, noise reduction, and even performance optimization. Additionally, by managing temperatures through fan speed control, you can avoid GPU overheating issues.

As the process can be confusing for both new and old users, we'll go over two methods that can help you quickly adjust your GPU fan speeds.

How to control GPU fan speed using MSI Afterburner

To control your GPU's fan speed, you'll need to rely on third-party software. And for this purpose, the first one we recommend is MSI Afterburner. This is a great software with a well-designed interface, so you won't have a problem navigating through it.

How to control GPU fan speed using EVGA Precision

Another software that we'd recommend is EVGA Precision, and this one is also fairly easy to use.

Conclusion

As you can see for yourself, controlling your GPU fan speed isn't a difficult task if you have the right software. Such features can help you control the temperature and even the noise coming from the GPU. For instance, if you want it to operate quietly, you can bring the fan speed down, but make sure not to do this during GPU-intensive tasks.

We've seen a renewed interest in the franchise thanks to the Fallout TV series, and while 76 may have had a rocky launch originally, the game has since improved with an abundance of new content; the player count has exploded as of late. Here we're going to feature a range of up-to-date graphics cards depending on what kind of performance you're after - including Nvidia and AMD options.

What GPU do you need for Fallout 76?

Looking at the system requirements of Fallout 76 for PC, we can see that the game isn't exactly the most demanding out there. It did originally release back in 2018, so even the best GPU for Fallout 4 is similarly-matched when we look at the modern market. The recommended specs suggest a Nvidia GTX 970 4GB or AMD R9 290X 4GB graphics card, which are several generations old now.

We'd skip on trying to source one of these older GPUs these days, so we're going to focus on much newer hardware which is more than enough for Fallout 76 while being suitable for any other games you play. You're obviously not going to need something like the flagship RTX 4090, but having a future-proof GPU is of course recommended.

As a great all-rounder choice, we've gone with the RTX 4060 Ti. Yes, this GPU is more than you realistically need to run Fallout 76 alone, but it is one of the best options currently available to you from Nvidia's latest 40-series. It is a flexible choice too thanks to coming in 8GB or 16GB variants. Our RTX 4060 Ti review highlights it as an affordable option for 1080p or 1440p, but even 4K will be achievable in older games such as Fallout 76.

"The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is an excellent graphics card for 1080p and 1440p with some good entry-level performance in 4K"

Fallout 76 does miss out on support for the 40-series' latest DLSS implementation without mods, but this always runs a risk in online games since you are modifying files. Regardless, its pure rasterization performance is plenty enough for this game and the full feature list of the 4060 Ti will help carry its performance in even the latest titles as well.

What users say

We've had a quick look at the Amazon user reviews for this RTX 4060 Ti and found plenty of praise for the Zotac SKU. That being said, you don't have to go for exact same model, and you may even want to consider the 16GB variant, although it is around $50 more expensive at the time of writing. See our comparison of RTX 4060 Ti 16GB vs 8GB for further details.

If you have the cash to spare and fancy picking up a more powerful graphics card, then the Super-refreshed 4070 would be our go-to at the moment. In our RTX 4070 Super review, we explain that this GPU is a powerhouse for 1440p gaming that offers 'respectable and playable framerates in 4K' with its 12GB VRAM. This is in the context of the latest and most demanding titles, so for something less graphically-intensive such as Fallout 76, the 4070 Super is perfect for 4K.

"The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price"

You won't be able to make the use of the excellent ray tracing performance due to a lack of support in Fallout 76, but the 4070 Super will do a great job in games that do support it. Nvidia does of course have more powerful cards aimed at 4K, but these are simply overkill for older games.

What users say

The ASUS TUF model we reviewed is highly regarded according to the Amazon customer reviews currently holding a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating. Users praise the efficiency, noting that it runs cools and quiet.

We had a lot of positive things to say in our RX 7800 XT review, becoming our go-to AMD graphics card in many situations. It is more than you really need for a game like Fallout 76, but we like to class it as a fantastic all-rounder that offers great value for money, though you can always consider the cheaper RX 7700 XT if you find a great deal on it.

"It’s clear that this GPU leads in terms of QHD holding its own against the more expensive RTX 4070 family"

This Radeon graphics card was one of the later ones to arrive in the RDNA 3 generation, aimed at 1440p for the latest games on the market. It won't offer the same level of ray tracing or upscaling as Nvidia's alternatives, but this is not relevant to Fallout 76 due to its lack of support. So, for pure rasterization, not much comes close to the 7800 XT in terms of value as it drops under $500 when on sale. To top it off, the 16GB VRAM provides a cushion for high resolutions.

What users say

The XFX Speedster is one highly-rated model on Amazon and you'll find that many users compliment the price to performance, especially at 1440p or even ultrawide aspect ratios. If you're upgrading from a much older GPU, be sure you meet the recommended 700W PSU for this card.

Even though it didn't score top marks in our RX 7600 XT review, we think that this AMD GPU remains a strong budget option, especially since you won't benefit from the comparable RTX 4060's DLSS 3 upscaling tech in a game such as Fallout 76. The 16GB of VRAM offers some more headroom which may be utilized in future games as AAA titles get more demanding each year.

"The main selling point of the AMD RX 7600 XT is the bump up in VRAM, which doubles the original model’s 8GB GDDR6 all the way to 16GB GDDR6 instead"

As a budget-friendly pick, the RX 7600 XT makes our best GPU under $400 list and is regarded as a fantastic choice for 1080p gaming in any title, with a little big of wiggle room for 1440p too. In the case of Fallout 76, you will net great performance in a range of resolutions as this modern GPU can easily handle the 2018 title, as will any other suggestion on this list.

What users say

The Gigabyte model we reviewed doesn't have a massive amount for customer reviews on Amazon (at the time of writing), but plenty of positives regardless. Many people are commenting on the great value for money and call it a solid upgrade if you seek a budget card.

Things to consider with the best GPU for Fallout 76

There's more to GPU shopping than simply picking out a card. There are quite a few things to consider, as we explain below.

Price

First up is price - pretty much everyone has a budget, and you're likely going to stick to it. We've featured graphics cards spanning different prices, so there should be something here for everyone. Consider what resolution you're targeting too, as you don't need to blow your budget on a high-spec card to simply play at 1080p.

Memory

We'd recommend at least 8GB of VRAM for gaming these days, even if Fallout 76 is not that intensive due to being an older title. Luckily, the most modern options on the market provide you this, but there are some great 12GB and 16GB cards (even in the mid-range) if you want the headroom in future.

Power draw

A graphic card's TDP (thermal design power) measures how much power it can consume while operating. You need to think about whether your PSU provides enough power to cater for it and your other components, so be sure to check the recommended PSU wattage on any GPU you buy.

In-game performance

Which resolution do you want to play at? How many frames per second are you happy with? Benchmark videos are always a good way of seeing how your prospective GPU will perform in-game at different resolutions. It's also worth mentioning here that a 60 FPS cap is in place by default in Fallout 76. It can be modified for smoother gameplay, but this Reddit comment does report on gameplay bugs if exceeding around 130 FPS, so be sure to apply a limit yourself.

Final word

Hopefully you can walk away from this guide with exactly the right GPU for you. All of our suggestions have been hand-picked and thoroughly tested by our expert team. You can read our page on how we select and review products as well as how we test GPUs to get a full understanding of the process.

Fallout 76 is Bethesda Game Studios' first online multiplayer game and a fun extension of the Fallout universe. It has seen something of a resurgence as of late, and since it isn't too difficult to run, a large amount of GPUs are up to the task.