At least least until the launch of Nvidia’s RTX 2070 in October, the best balance between performance, pricing, and power comes from Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070. Of course, if price is no object and you own a 4K monitor, the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is our top pick. At the other end of the spectrum, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1050 3GB takes the place of AMD’s Radeon RX 560 for solid budget-oriented performance at 1080p in your favorite games. Although it costs $10 more, the GeForce is significantly faster. See below for our full list of graphics card recommendations.
Best GPUs For Gaming
-
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 3GBBest Budget
-
- GPU
- GP107
-
- Process
- 14nm
-
- Shader Units
- 768
-
- Texture Units
- 48
-
- ROPs
- 24
-
- Core Clock
- 1392 MHz
-
- Memory Data Rate
- 7 Gb/s
-
- Memory Bus
- 96-bit
-
- Memory Bandwidth
- 84.1 GB/s
-
- Memory Capacity
- 3GB
-
- 3D APIs
- DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan
-
- TDP
- 75W
-
- Power Connections
- None
-
- Power Supply
- 300W
-
-
AMD Radeon RX 580Best FHD
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- GPU
- Polaris 10 (GCN 4.0)
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- Process
- 14nm
-
- Shader Units
- 2304
-
- Texture Units
- 144
-
- ROPs
- 32
-
- Core Clock
- 1411 MHz
-
- Memory Data Rate
- 8 GT/s
-
- Memory Bus
- 256-bit
-
- Memory Bandwidth
- 256 GB/s
-
- Memory Capacity
- 4GB or 8GB
-
- 3D APIs
- DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan
-
- TDP
- 185W
-
- Power Connections
- 1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin
-
- Power Supply
- 500W
-
-
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070Best QHD
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- GPU
- Pascal (GP104)
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- Process
- 16nm
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- Shader Units
- 1920
-
- Texture Units
- 160
-
- ROPs
- 64
-
- Core Clock
- 1506 MHz
-
- Memory Data Rate
- 8 Gb/s
-
- Memory Bus
- 256-bit
-
- Memory Bandwidth
- 256 GB/s
-
- Memory Capacity
- 8GB
-
- 3D APIs
- DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan
-
- TDP
- 150W
-
- Power Connections
- 1x 8-pin
-
- Power Supply
- 500W
-
-
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Best VR
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- GPU
- Pascal (GP104)
-
- Process
- 16nm
-
- Shader Units
- 2560
-
- Texture Units
- 160
-
- ROPs
- 64
-
- Core Clock
- 1607 MHz
-
- Memory Data Rate
- 11 Gb/s
-
- Memory Bus
- 256-bit
-
- Memory Bandwidth
- 256 GB/s
-
- Memory Capacity
- 8GB
-
- 3D APIs
- DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan
-
- TDP
- 180W
-
- Power Connections
- 1x 8-pin
-
- Power Supply
- 500W
-
-
Nvidia GeForce GTX 2080 TiBest 4K
-
- GPU
- Turing (TU102)
-
- Process
- 12nm FinFET
-
- Shader Units
- 4352
-
- Texture Units
- 272
-
- ROPs
- 88
-
- Core Clock
- 1350 MHz
-
- Memory Data Rate
- 14 Gb/s
-
- Memory Bus
- 352-bit
-
- Memory Bandwidth
- 616 GB/s
-
- Memory Capacity
- 11GB GDDR5X
-
- 3D APIs
- DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan
-
- TDP
- 260W
-
- Power Connections
- 2x 8-pin
-
- Power Supply
- 600W
-
Until mid-October this card was selling for more than $200. If you’re looking for a good balance of performance and price for gaming on your 1080p monitor, this is a tough card to beat.
With 8GB of video memory, this RX 570 is a bit more future-proof than models that cost a little less, while a metal back plate and robust cooling are nice extra touches.
News and Product Updates
We recently reviewed the first card based on the AMD Radeon RX 590 and found that, while it has slightly stronger performance than an Nvidia GTX 1060, it gulps down a massive 225 watts of power to get there. Its predecessor, the Radeon RX 580 is now available at impressively low prices.
Why Trust Us
Tom's Hardware has been reviewing PC components for more than two decades. We put each graphics card through a bevy of benchmarks that quantify everything from performance in real-world games to power consumption, noise, and operating temperatures. We've tested every major model, along with third-party configurations based on the same GPUs.
Quick Shopping Tips
When choosing a graphics card, consider the following:
- First, identify your monitor’s native resolution. That’s a good target to aim for when you go graphics card shopping. We call out optimal resolutions with each of our recommendations.
- Ensure the rest of your platform is up to snuff. If you upgrade to a Radeon RX Vega 64, for instance, AMD suggests owning at least a 750W power supply. Double-check to be sure your PSU has the six- or eight-pin connectors to support your card of choice.
- On-board memory matters, kind of. In general, we recommend at least a 4GB card for 1920 x 1080 and 2560 x 1440 at the highest quality settings, and 8GB of memory for gaming at 4K.
- If your monitor supports AMD's FreeSync variable refresh technology, you need a Radeon card to enable it. Similarly, G-Sync-capable displays must be paired with a GeForce card for the feature to work.
MORE: AMD Radeon RX 480 Roundup
MORE: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Roundup
MORE: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Roundup
MORE: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Roundup
Best Budget Pick
Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is mostly an upgrade over the 2GB version, offering reasonable performance at 1920x1080 (so long as you're willing to dial back quality). Recently, examples of the 3GB card began showing up for sale at about $10 higher than Radeon RX 560. Consistently better frame rates mean we’re willing to spend a bit more money for the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB card.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 3GB
Best For FHD
Radeon RX 580 is based on the same Polaris 10 GPU as the Radeon RX 480 that preceded it. AMD simply dialed in higher clock rates to improve performance. While we’re always appreciative of higher frame rates, this also had the side-effect of increasing power consumption. Still, Radeon RX 580 generally outperforms the similarly-priced GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, particularly in DirectX 12 games, earning it a spot on our list.
AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB
Best For QHD
Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 gives us very little gripe about. It’s an excellent card for gaming at 2560x1440. Not only does it use less power than AMD’s competing Radeon RX Vega 56, but also the lower-end Radeon RX 580. The 1070’s high performance, cool temperatures, and quiet fans were revolutionary when it launched in 2016. Our only hesitation buying one now would be an impending next-gen replacement.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Best For VR
Enthusiasts with VR headsets need to achieve a certain level of performance to avoid jarring artifacts. A GeForce GTX 1080 is fast enough to keep up with the 90 Hz refresh rates of modern HMDs. Moreover, it includes a number of features designed to improve the efficiency of rendering VR environments. Although $550 is still a lot of money to spend on high-end graphics, remember that GeForce GTX 1080 once sold for $700.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080
Best For 4K
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is the first card we’ve tested able to deliver smooth frame rates at 4K with detail settings maxed out. Its halo features aren’t used in any games yet, but as those come online, the Turing architecture is expected to shine even brighter.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti FE
For even more information, check out our Graphics Card Buyer's Guide.
MORE: GPU Performance Hierarchy
MORE: All Graphics Content
For many years this table has been the single best resource for quickly comparing graphics cards. Detailed reviews are great for comparing cards within a category, but for quickly dismissing a card or prompting further research, there is nothing else on the web which compares to it. It would be a real shame for it to fall into neglect.
I think they're going to keep it...although I do wish they'd kept a 3rd column for Intel's integrated graphics (as well as the Vega-equipped Ryzen/Athlon chips).
Just my opinion and please feel free to disagree.
Happy gaming all.
The under $100 market has always sucked. If you're looking in that price range, look at buying a generation older cards used. A GTX 960 4GB performs in the neighborhood of a 1050/1050 Ti and can be had for around a 100 if you hunt around craigslist or ebay.
The RX 580 4GB consistenly beats the GTX1050 by a landslide (~20-50% FPS), costs 10$ less AND it comes with the newest Assassins Creed: Odyssey for free (50-60$ value and two other games).
(PowerColor RED DRAGON Radeon RX 570 is 159.99$ Newegg link below)
2) The RX 580 8GB is available for 50$ less than displayed here on the same retailer AND it comes with the newest Assassins Creed: Odyssey for free (and two other games).
(PowerColor RED DEVIL Radeon RX 580 is 229.99$ Newegg link below)
P.S. No I don't work for PowerColor, I picked the cheapest card with the free game bundles.
3) Recommending any Nvidia card for the midrange is just plain wrong simply because of G-sync. The best improvement for any gaming machine is adding FreeSync or G-sync to eliminate tearing or avoiding V-sync, which most probably will drop your framerate to 30fps or even 15fps in newer games on those weaker cards.
24in-1080p-144Hz-FreeSync monitors are available for less than 200$.
24in-1080p-144Hz-G-sync monitors start around 350$.
That's a 150$ difference that has to be considered.
4) Even the not so midrange GTX 1070 isn't a clear winner, as the Vega 56 is in the same price range and has about the same performance, offers a free game bundle (60$+ value) and still has the FreeSync (150$) advantage. No one in their right mind will drop ~400$ on a graphics card and then play without FreeSync/G-sync.
My take on this tier:
Buy AMD Vega 56 if:
- you want to get "Assassins Creed: Odyssey" anyways.
- you already own a FreeSync monitor or will upgrade your monitor in the foreseeable future.
- you don't have a monitor yet.
- you do have a FreeSync TV or plan to buy one and enjoy playing controller/couch-games like Assassins Creed, retro emulators, Street Fighter, GTA, Batman, Dirt etc.
Buy Nvidia GTX 1070 if:
- you are upgrading your PC and your Power supply has less than 650W
- you already own a G-sync monitor
@chris_angelini
Not sure if this was just lazy research or biased advice.
Links:
PowerColor RED DRAGON Radeon RX 570
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131717&cm_re=rx_570-_-14-131-717-_-Product
PowerColor RED DEVIL Radeon RX 580
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131713&cm_re=RX_580-_-14-131-713-_-Product
GTX 1050 3GB vs RX570 4GB:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7snPy5O48m0
"The RX 580 4GB consistenly beats the GTX1050" ... should be "The RX 570 4GB"
$100 - $120 budget card- the RX 560 https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&IsNodeId=1&N=100007709%20601296397
These cards are almost neck and neck with the 1050 in most games and is currently $70 less than the 1050.
$150 - $175 FHD- the RX 570 https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20601296379%20601296377&IsNodeId=1
The RX 570 has come back down to Earth in the past month or so and has plenty of power to game at the 1080 resolutions plus you get AMD freesync, it's also $100 cheaper than the rx 580, look around for an open box or sale and you just might pick up a 580 for $10 - $20 more.
$400 QHD- the 1070ti https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20601305993&IsNodeId=1
Why not spend another $10 to $20 and get the ti version instead, for most games it's neck and neck with the 1080 and consumes less power. Use a rebate and it's under $400. This is also a very good card for pushing past that 120 fps limit if high frames is your thing.
$750 Best for VR- the 2080 https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20601321570&IsNodeId=1
Spend a few more dollars and get a new generation card, wait for Xmas and save $?
Obviously the fastest card out there is a 2080ti, so go out and get one now after you sell your car and start taking the bus.
MARKBANANG 1 month ago
Please don't give up on the GPU Performance Hierarchy Table. I see it's now been renamed "Legacy GPU Hierarchy", so I hope that doesn't mean you intend to stop updating it.
For many years this table has been the single best resource for quickly comparing graphics cards. Detailed reviews are great for comparing cards within a category, but for quickly dismissing a card or prompting further research, there is nothing else on the web which compares to it. It would be a real shame for it to fall into neglect.