The Best Graphics Cards (GPUs) for Gaming

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If you've beenholding off on upgrading or building a new gaming rig, it's time to start looking again. The latest RTX 50 Series cards from Nvidia push high-refresh 1440p and even 4K performance, and AMD is leading the more budget-friendly range with the RX 900 Series. You have no shortage of options, and availability is much better than it was even a few months ago.

I’ll walk through some general buying strategy, show off my favorite graphics cards, and talk about why you might want to spring for something premium. Want to learn more about building a PC? Be sure to check outour full how-to guide, as well as our guide tothe Best RAMandBest Power Supplies.

Updated July 2025: We've added information about the new Radeon RX Series GPUs and added more budget offerings. I no longer recommend previous-generation GPUs, due to better availability and pricing in the latest generation.

Make a Budget

The first question to answer is how much you’d like to spend, both on the GPU itself and your entire system. Depending on your use case and the games you play, you’ll want to consider spending anywhere from one-third to one-half of your system’s total price on the GPU.

Expect to spend at least $300, and as much as $1,500 for a nicer card. Once you know how much you want to spend, that will inform the base GPU model you’re looking for. For

Understanding Variations

There are a few major factors to consider that will help guide you toward your perfect new graphics card. It’s important that even though the two big players are Nvidia and AMD, you generally don’t buy products directly from them.

Instead, manufacturing partners buy GPUs from the two chipmakers, mount them onto PCBs, and attach custom coolers. That means you’ll see cards from brands like Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI with similar coolers and setups for both Nvidia GeForce and AMD Radeon GPUs.

There generally aren’t huge gaps in actual performance between different manufacturers; instead, the differentiators are largely under-the-hood improvements. These can include custom cooling solutions, PCB layout and strength modifications, and quality of the components used to complement the GPU.

You’ll also often see OC (overclocked) models listed alongside their standard counterparts. These graphics cards have the same GPU at their core, but with firmware and BIOS changes that set them to a higher clock rate to eke out additional performance. How much that overclocking matters will depend on the brand.

Dimensions

If you’re upgrading an existing system, make sure the card will fit inside your case. Most graphics card and case manufacturers list precise dimensions in millimeters to help you sort this out. Card widths are usually measured in “slots” or the number of PCIe bracket spaces they take up, so you’ll also want to make sure your case has enough free slots, and no other PCIe cards will be in the way.

The other side of the size coin is temperature control and noise. While smaller cards can fit in smaller cases, they also typically have shorter footprints with fewer fans, which can increase both running temperature and fan noise. If these are key factors for you, consider a larger card with more fans. Some cards even have a “zero rpm” mode where the fans shut off completely under a certain temperature threshold.

The Latest Generation

As launch excitement has died down, most of the cheaper and midrange GPUs have become readily available at major retailers. The higher-end cards like the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 may still take a little bit of patience, but with everything else on shelves, I'd opt for either an RTX 50 Series or RX 9000 Series card.

While I'd previously shared some picks from the previous generation of GPUs here, I don't think they're a good value anymore. The biggest appeal here was just availability, and since there are plenty of midrange cards from the latest generation on shelves now, it's worth buying one of those the moment you hit $300. I'm able to find 16-GB RX 9060 XT offerings for as low as $360, and it's well worth saving what amounts to a single AAA game in cost for that much of a graphical boost.

Even under $300, there aren't that many compelling options, and I think you'd have to have a good reason for buying a card at that price point anyway, like specific hardware or software compatibility. Especially considering how goodgame streaming servicesandhandheld consoleshave gotten, that's probably a better use of your cash if you're limited by budget.

Buying Used

When it comes to GPUs, I prefer to buy new if possible. Not only will that ensure you have proper warranty and RMA support if something goes wrong, but it can be hard to know if someone misused the GPU, either through heavy crypto mining, poor temperature control in their system, or artifacts and issues they didn't disclose. I'm often a fan of buying used in other areas, but with demand and prices so high, it can be hard to trust strangers.

If you do buy used, make sure to do your legwork. Local meetups via Craigslist or Reddit can have great deals and give you a chance to inspect the GPU, even if you can't make sure it boots up. You can also ask for video proof of the card running a game that also includes the serial number in one continuous shot. If you’re considering buying a used card online, make sure you’re aware of the marketplace and payment processors' return and dispute policies.

When you get the card home, inspect it immediately for any damage to the card, particularly on the PCIe fin and the power connectors. Once installed, asoftware tool called GPU-Zcan verify the card’s hardware to make sure it matches the expected numbers for the model. Run some games on it right away, so that if anything is wrong you can reach out to the seller right away.

Gigabyte

Amazon

Newegg

After gaming on a few cards in the $300 to $400 range, I can confidently say the Radeon RX 9060 XT (8/10, WIRED review) offers the best value and performance for the price point. It's a fairly capable card at 1080p, and even manages 30-plus frames per second (fps) in more challenging games at 1440p with the settings turned all the way up.

It's in the same price range as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, which I don't recommend. While it beats the 9060 XT in some games at 1080p, it falls behind at higher resolutions and in newer, more demanding games. It's also readily available from retailers, so you don't have to run around chasing one down.

There's a less expensive model with just 8 GB of VRAM, so make sure to get the 16-GB model for the best performance and a longer lifetime.

Nvidia

Asus

If you're looking to spend a bit more on a GPU, the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (8/10, WIRED Review) makes for a worthwhile upgrade, with improved 1440p performance, even in newer titles. Asus has a long history of quality, and the Prime example here is well equipped and runs cool and quiet.

This card is so popular that it's hard to find them at retail. When they pop up, they tend to sit just over $800, and if you see one, act fast. Any discount on this card would sweeten the deal a lot.

Asus

Amazon (Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5080 OC)

If you have deep pockets, or you can find a good deal, you could make the bump to the RTX 5080 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), starting at around $1,500. It’s capable of high-refresh 1440p gameplay in the sort of titles people play regularly, likeFortniteandHelldivers 2,while being able to leverage frame generation and DLSS 4 to make 4K gaming a possibility in some titles.

Unfortunately, unless someone finds one behind a shelf in a warehouse, the Founders Edition we reviewed is likely already sold out.

With that in mind, I’d recommend the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5080 OC. I got to spend time with the RTX 5070 Ti (8/10, WIRED Recommends) version of the card, and I was impressed with its performance, build quality, and efficient cooling despite the relatively compact size. Best of all, you get Asus’ top-notch overclocking expertise, tuning your card to get the most out of it.

I've spotted it in stock fairly consistently, and although it's over MSRP, so are basically all of the other RTX 5080s at the moment. This one is sitting near the bottom of the group in terms of price, while still offering important upgrades.

PNY

Newegg

At just over $400, the Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti (7/10, WIRED Review) makes for a worthwhile upgrade over the Radeon RX 9060 XT, especially if you can find it on sale or bundled with a game you want.

It's a very capable card at 1080p, producing consistent frame rates between 60 and 90 fps with the settings turned up. As long as you don't have any dreams of playing at higher resolutions and refresh rates, this card would make a nice upgrade for an older system, although it helps to find it as close to retail as possible.

If you're building a new system, I think you should save up a bit more and go for something that can handle 1440p consistently. You'll thank yourself in a few years when games are even more demanding.

Thankfully, these cards also aren't nearly as hard to come by as their more expensive counterparts. I'm able to find a number of different examples in stock and ready to buy.

Intel

Amazon (Intel Arc B580)

A relative newcomer on the scene, Intel is just rolling out a second generation of GPUs that, by all accounts, perform well for their price point. There are some growing pains with driver and CPU compatibility, but these could be an appealing option for budget-minded gamers.

Like Nvidia, Intel produced a limited number of first-party cards, with board partners handling the rest, but most of them won’t be household names for PC gamers in the United States. Acer and ASRock are here, but you’re more likely to find examples from Gunnir and Sparkle on sites like Amazon and Best Buy. The most commonly stocked version is Intel’s, and I’d recommend starting there if you’re curious about the platform. I’m in the process of acquiring one so we can share benchmarks.

The Best High-End Graphics Card:

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (7/10, WIRED Recommends):You'll have to spend at least $2,500 for the top-end offering from Nvidia, not to mention the other parts to complement it, and that's if you're lucky enough to find one in stock. I don't think most people will need anywhere near this much power, and that $1,000 difference between this and the RTX 5080 can go a long way toward a more balanced system. Still, you cancheck out my reviewif you want to know how the 1 percent game.

Another Mid-Tier Option:

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 8GB: I tested this card for the RX 9060 XT review, but there's only an 8-GB model. It performed well at 1080p but fell behind the similarly priced Radeon option at 1440p and in newer, more demanding games. I'm working on a full review, but for now, I'd recommend the Radeon instead if you're trying to stay under $400.

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