One of the trickiest parts of any new computer build or upgrade is finding the right video card.

In a gaming PC, the GPU is easily the most important component, and choosing the wrong model can significantly impact your experience. The buying process can be frustrating, with many manufacturers selling models above the recommended retail price. This guide will help you navigate the market and find the right GPU for your needs.

It's all about the games

The first question to ask yourself is what kind of games do you want to play. Competitive shooters like Valorant, Overwatch, and Marvel Rivals are designed to run on older hardware. Therefore, even entry-level GPUs like the GeForce RTX 5060 can achieve 120 frames per second and above at 1080p resolution.

However, if you want to play modern, single-player games with ray tracing and other advanced graphical effects, you'll need a more powerful GPU. The required power will depend on your monitor's resolution. A 1440p monitor has 78 percent more pixels than a 1080p screen, and a 4K display has more than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. Running a game at 4K, especially at frame rates above 60, is demanding, and most GPUs will need to utilize upscaling techniques like NVIDIA's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) to achieve high refresh rates.

It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on a 4K monitor and pair it with an inexpensive GPU. Consider the resolution and frame rate you want when shopping for a new video card. If you're looking for both a GPU and a display, explore guides to the best gaming monitors. If your budget allows, a good option is a midrange card that can comfortably render most games at 1440p and at least 144 frames per second. This will provide the smoothest possible experience in terms of motion clarity, allowing you to enjoy both competitive shooters and the latest single-player games.

NVIDIA vs AMD and Intel

The GPU industry can be confusing due to the number of players involved. There are three main manufacturers: AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA. They design the cards, but delegate manufacturing to add-in board (AIB) partners like ASUS, XFX, and Gigabyte. This can create issues, as AIB partners often sell cards above the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). For example, NVIDIA lists the RTX 5070 with a starting price of $549, but finding a model at that price on retailers like Newegg is difficult. Sealed models often cost $600 or more.

Before 2025, NVIDIA was the undisputed leader in the market. While some GeForce cards may not have offered the best rasterization performance in their price range, NVIDIA’s performance in games with ray tracing and features like DLSS made them a safe bet. However, with the release of the RTX 50 series, NVIDIA missed the mark in some areas. For entry- and mid-level GPUs, AMD and Intel now offer better value, with cards that have enough VRAM for current and future games.

However, there are still reasons to consider an NVIDIA GPU, starting with ray tracing. For decades, developers have used rasterization techniques to approximate how light behaves in the real world. Real-time ray tracing became a reality with NVIDIA's first RTX cards in 2018. In some games, effects like ray-traced reflections and global illumination are transformative, but they can be resource-intensive and impact frame rates without upscaling.

Before 2025, ray tracing was optional in many games, allowing you to save money by buying an AMD GPU. For example, the RX 7800 XT may have been worse at ray tracing than the RTX 4070, but it was often cheaper, had more onboard VRAM, and offered similar or better rasterization performance in many games. However, you can't ignore ray tracing performance anymore. Games like Doom: The Dark Ages are integrating ray tracing into the core rendering pipeline, and more are likely to follow. AMD’s newest cards are improving in this area, but NVIDIA still holds an edge. If ray tracing is important to you, NVIDIA cards remain the best choice.

Refresh rates and frame rates

If you're new to PC gaming, understanding refresh rates can be tricky. A higher refresh rate means the monitor updates the image it displays more times per second, resulting in a smoother picture. Moving elements on a 240Hz monitor will look better than on a 120Hz monitor. However, this depends on your GPU being able to consistently render a game at the appropriate frame rates. For a 120Hz monitor, you want a GPU that can drive most games at 120 fps.

DLSS, FSR, and Intel XeSS are image reconstruction technologies. Native rendering is becoming less common in game design. With ray tracing and other modern effects enabled, even the most powerful GPUs can struggle to render a game at 1440p or 4K at a playable framerate. Developers are turning to DLSS, FSR, or XeSS to improve performance by upscaling a lower-resolution image to QHD or UHD.

Modern GPUs use advanced techniques to upscale images. NVIDIA pioneered an approach that uses machine learning to recreate an image at a higher resolution, addressing the limitations of past upscaling methods. DLSS can introduce some blur and shimmer, but it’s less pronounced and can lead to significant performance gains. NVIDIA recently released DLSS 4, which is widely considered to offer the best image quality. AMD’s FSR 4 is also improving, offering a major leap over FSR 3 and FSR 2.

NVIDIA Reflex is a latency-reducing technology introduced in 2020. AMD has a similar technology called Radeon Anti-Lag, but NVIDIA’s Reflex 2 offers a slight edge. If you're serious about competitive games, Reflex 2 can significantly reduce input lag, making it easier to aim in games like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant.

Driver support, VRAM, and other considerations

Previously, NVIDIA was known for its solid driver support, with fewer stability issues and game launch failures. However, NVIDIA’s drivers have been problematic recently, with frequent bugs and issues. AMD currently has a slight edge in terms of stability.

When comparing GPUs, pay attention to the amount of VRAM they offer. Modern games will utilize as much VRAM as possible, and a low amount (like 8GB) can cause performance bottlenecks. If your budget allows, choose a model with more VRAM. For example, the RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti differ significantly in VRAM, which will impact their longevity.

Modern GPUs are large and can take up at least two PCI slots on the motherboard. Check the length of the card against the maximum clearance listed by your case manufacturer. Also, check the recommended power supply for the card and ensure your PSU is sufficient.

Should you buy a used GPU?

If you can find a good deal on an older RTX 40 series GPU, it may be worth considering. The NVIDIA RTX 50 series doesn't offer a significant performance improvement over its predecessors, and many models are selling for more than their MSRP. Finding a good deal on a used GPU can be difficult, as most owners will try to get as much as possible for their old cards. You may find better deals on older AMD and Intel GPUs, but it’s generally better to spend more on a new model from one of those companies, as their latest cards offer more impressive generational gains. The Radeon 9070 XT and Intel B580 are two of the best cards available right now. Avoid considering models older than NVIDIA’s 40 series or AMD’s RX 6000 family.

When is a good time to buy a new GPU?

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably wondering if it’s even worth buying a GPU right now. The answer is complicated. There are a few great cards like the Intel B580 and Radeon 9070 XT that are worth buying, but finding them at reasonable prices is difficult. Uncertainty around tariffs may push prices even higher. If you own a relatively recent GPU, it’s best to wait until things stabilize. However, if your budget allows, a good option is a midrange card that can comfortably render most games at 1440p and at least 144 frames per second. This will provide the smoothest possible experience in terms of motion clarity, allowing you to enjoy both competitive shooters and the latest single-player games.

Super high-end

The NVIDIA RTX 5090 is an extremely powerful and expensive GPU for enthusiasts.

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