BEST GRAPHICS CARDS: There is a dearth of GPUs on the market today, with numerous offerings giving every gamer or professional a best-in-budget option.
The problem? Picking the best graphics card is tough – despite it being one of the most important upgrades you can make to your system.
There are two main types of graphics cards:
- The first type is known as consumer cards, which are typically developed for playing computer games.
- The second type is known as professional graphics cards, and they are extremely powerful GPUs that are developed for creative and AI professionals.
(Disclaimer: This post uses Amazon.com affiliate links).
Here are the 10 best graphics cards in 2021:
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 – $1,500
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is touted to be the best graphics card for anything and everything. Here is a snapshot of its features:
- Stream Processors: 8,704
- Core Clock: 1.44 GHz (1,71 GHz boost)
- Memory: 10 GB GDDR6X
- Memory Clock: 19Gbps
- Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin
- Outputs: HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
This card is said to be perfect for a 4K gaming experience – bringing together all the advancements of Nvidia’s latest Ampere architecture, such as the next-generation ray-tracing capabilities, along with 10GB of fast GDDR6C memory.
It is also perfect for rendering ultra high definition video, creating realistic and complex 3D models, and provides ideal AI support to speed up your workflow.
The only issue with this GPU is that it is in such high demand that it is tough to find it in stock anywhere. However, once it comes back in stock and prices settle down, consider this one of 2021’s best graphics cards.
CHECK OUT: SCUF Controllers – What The Pros Use And Why It Is Like Cheating.
AMD Radeon RX 5700 – $989
The AMD Radeon RX 5700 is considered to be the best graphics card for most consumers due to its excellent performance and price-point:
The only downside is its lack of ray tracing capability. Here is a snapshot of its features:
- Stream Processors: 2,304
- Core Clock: 1,465 MHz (1,725 MHz boost)
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6
- Memory Clock: 14Gbps
- Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin and 1 x 6-pin
- Outputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, 1 x HDMI with 4K60 Support
The AMD Radeon RX 5700 is a good GPU on a budget – perfect for a mid-range build suitable for playing the latest games at 1080p and 1440p.
AMD Radeon Pro VII – $1,899
The AMD Radeon Pro VII came out in 2020 and is said to be the best graphics card for professionals. Here is a snapshot of its features:
- Stream Processors: 3,840
- Memory: 16GB
- Memory Clock: 1,024Gbps
- Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 6-pin, 1x PCIe 8-pin
- Outputs: 6x DisplayPort 1.4
This graphics card is based on the Vega 20 architecture and comes with 60 CUs, 3,840 processors, and 16 GB of memory. This is a fast card, best suited for intensive procedures like high-end CAD and video editing or 3D work.
CHECK OUT: 5 Cool Internet of Things Devices Every Home Should Have.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti – $750
Here is a snapshot of its features:
- Stream Processors: 4,864
- Core Clock: 1.41 GHz (1.67 GHz boost)
- Memory: 8 GB GDDR6 | Memory Clock: 14Gbps
- Outputs: HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
- Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin (adapter to 1x 12-pin included)
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is known for its excellent 1080p performance and solid ray tracing performance. Compared to the RTX 3080, this card is much more affordable. For gamers, this is the best 1080p graphics card you can get.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 – $2,900
These are said to be the best graphics cards for creative professionals. Features include:
- Stream Processors: 10,496
- Core Clock: 1.40 GHz (1,70 GHz boost)
- Memory: 24 GB GDDR6X
- Memory Clock: 19.5Gbps
- Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
The RTX 3090 is currently the most powerful consumer graphics card globally, with a massive 24GB of memory. For gamers, this offers the very best experience at 4k and even 8k resolutions.
CHECK OUT: The Best 80 Inch 4k TVs For Under-$2000.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti – $649
This is a modern-day mainstream graphics card that replaces the GTX 1060 on the market. Some of the features of this card are as follows:
- GPU Cores: 1,536
- Base Clock: 1,500
- Boost Clock: 1,770 MHz
- GFLOPS: 4,608
- Memory: 6GB GDDR6
- Memory bandwidth: 288GB/s
This very affordable graphics card is known for its solid 1080 and 1440p performance, but it has a modest memory bandwidth and is not really designed for 4k gaming. The card has 6GB of GDDR6 memory and 1,536 Cuda cores. It is based on the latest 12nm Turning architecture but does not have the ray tracing hardware.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 – $1,000
This new GPU from AMD is known for its excellent performance and comes with ray tracing. Here are the features of this GPU:
- Stream Processors: 3,840
- Core Clock: 1.82 GHz (2.10 GHz boost)
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- Memory Clock: 16Gbps
- Power Connectors: 2 x 8 pin
- Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, HDMI 2.1 VRR, and FRL
AMD is giving tough competition to Nvidia when it comes to releasing powerful graphics cards at affordable prices. This graphics card is an AMD GPU that is ideal for both creative and gaming scenarios. It also includes ray tracing and is said to be a better performer than the RTX 3070 while also costing less.
CHECK OUT: 5 Quirky Gifts For Gadget Loving Friends Who Are Difficult To Buy For.
Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000 – $900
Here are the features of this all-around professional graphics card:
- GPU Cores: 2,304
- Base Clock: 1,005MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,545 MHz
- GFLOPS: 7,100
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6
- Memory bandwidth: 416 GB/s
This is a workstation-class graphics card that is not great for gaming. With an affordable price tag, this card is ideal for designing applications.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti – $2,100
This graphics card is known for its 3D performance, but it is costly. Here are the features of the GPU:
- GPU Cores: 4,352
- Base Clock: 1,350MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,545MHz
- GFLOPS: 13,448
- Memory: 11GB GDDR6
- Memory Bandwidth: 616GB/s
If you can get past the exorbitant price of the GPU, it is an excellent GPU with 4,352 Cuda cores and nearly double the ray tracing hardware of the RTX 2080. It can be a good investment for designers who are also using their workstation as a gaming PC.
CHECK OUT: 5 Best Studio Headphones For Mixing And Mastering Audio.
AMD Radeon Pro WX8200 – $399
This is one of the best professional-grade GPU from AMD. The features include:
- GPU Cores: 3584
- Base Clock: 1200MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,500MHz
- GFLOPS: 10,075
- Memory: 8GB HBM2
- Memory Bandwidth: 512GB/s
It is based on the Vega architecture but with 3,584 cores, and 8GB ultra-fast HBM2 memory. However, the high price is often a deal-breaker for many.