Updated on August 14, 2022
Dig into our list and let us guide you to the best graphics cards for your needs. (Image credit: Future)
When it comes to PC gaming, you’ll need one of the top graphics cards, whether you build your own rig or buy one of the greatest gaming PCs. While many processors can handle basic graphics without one, a graphics card is essential if you want to play the greatest PC games or do heavy-duty creative work.
One of the main reasons it’s so difficult to find one right now is because of this. Graphics cards have been notoriously difficult to come by since the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 was released in 2020. It’s a shame, however, because today’s graphics cards are better than they’ve ever been, and PC games are becoming increasingly difficult to run.
We’ve whittled down the options to make it easier to pick the best one for you. It’s no secret that graphics cards of all kinds have been difficult to come by recently, and finding one is a whole different matter. Fortunately, we keep an eye out for the greatest graphics card discounts so you can save some money.
Right now, the top graphics cards can be found at:
- Where to buy the RTX 3080
- Where to buy the RTX 3060 Ti
- Where to buy the RTX 3060
- Where to buy Radeon RX 6800
- Where to buy Radeon RX 6900 XT
- Where to buy Radeon RX 6800 XT
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Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
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Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
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Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
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Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
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Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT
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Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
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Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
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REASONS TO AVOID
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Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 6800
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Read the full review: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio
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The top graphics cards released in recent years have all had one thing in common: they’re quite pricey. This is partly due to the graphics card scarcity we’ve all been experiencing, but it’s also due to Nvidia and AMD’s long neglect of the affordable graphics card market.
Thankfully, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 has arrived. While this GPU is more expensive than previous Nvidia 50-series graphics cards, it is still less expensive than almost anything else in the current generation.
If you retain the resolution at 1080p, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 is more than capable of playing pretty much any game you throw at it at high settings. Esports fans will adore this card because it is reasonably priced (ish) and capable of running games like Overwatch and League of Legends without a sweat.
Read the entire review here: GeForce RTX 3050 from Nvidia
Which graphics card is best for gaming?
The greatest graphics card for gaming, in general, will be determined by a variety of variables. What kind of games you want to play, what resolution you play at, and whether or not you care about fancy features like ray tracing and DLSS are all really essential considerations.
You can get away with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 or an AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT if all you want to do is play the latest games at 1080p with high settings. However, if you want to play anything at 4K with ray tracing, you’ll need a card like the RTX 3080 Ti.
How we test the best graphics cards
It’s critical to ensure that we’re testing everything on an equal footing when it comes to the top graphics cards. That’s why, whenever a new graphics card is released, we put it through its paces in a suite of 11-12 games at various resolutions, all while using the latest drivers.
This implies that whenever a new generation of graphics cards is released, we re-test them all. We also ensure that all of the cards are tested on the same hardware, which includes the same processor, same memory at the same speed, same motherboard, and same SSD. That way, we can be confident we’re assessing the graphics card’s performance, and we’ll be able to compare it more accurately to its competitors.
We also keep track of how much electricity it uses and what temperatures it achieves under load so that we can recommend it to clients who are concerned about their computers overheating.
Finally, we look at the features that each graphics card has to offer, but these often do not change from generation to generation. However, the performance of something like ray tracing can drastically shift.
What is the best brand for graphics cards?
The age-old debate over whether Nvidia or AMD makes the greatest graphics cards will almost certainly never be resolved. Right now, both GPU makers are on roughly similar footing, and what’s best for you won’t necessarily be best for someone else.
In general, if you enjoy ray tracing, Nvidia will likely have the upper hand, whereas AMD was previously the better option for those on a budget.
What GPU should I buy in 2022?
The truth is that purchasing a graphics card is more difficult than ever before. You’ll seldom see one on a store shelf, and if you do, it’ll be gone in a matter of seconds. So, in 2022, the best GPU to buy is whatever you can get your hands on (and you can afford).
You should definitely avoid paying more than twice the normal price for a graphics card — a $1,000 RTX 3060, for example, isn’t worth it – but if you need one right now, be prepared to take whatever is available.
However, if you currently have a strong graphics card, such as one from the last 5 years or so, you might want to wait until the present global supply situation begins to stabilise. You won’t receive ray tracing, but if you can still play games, you’ll be alright while you wait.
