AMD gaming revenue decline

Just recently AMD reported a 48% drop in its gaming revenue for the first quarter year on year, even though its shares in the market have risen. That might just show the slowdown in the market overall. However, AMD also talks of not expecting a recovery till next year in 2025. So it might not even be the next-generation RX 8000 GPU releases that are going to help resolve this. That's contrary to seemingly its CPU market that has been pretty strong including the 7800X3D that leads the way.

But then as Tech Jesus Gamers Nexus goes over, its competition from Nvidia is just flooding the market with its own products. With its wild success in the AI sector and general power in products, it is no surprise it is able to target a wide range of price points and be such a well-known brand. Especially as you really don't stop hearing about Nvidia, constantly being in the news spotlight and being a well-known brand in the sector.

Also previously AMD's GPUs had been known for driver issues, but even now there are some driver issues that pop up every so often that won't exactly be good for its brand. Whilst Nvidia is known for its stability, and day zero drivers, and is the first choice you see wherever you look, flooding out even AMD out of the picture. Especially for those casual buyers who might not be up to date on all the news and finding what's actually a better value.

What AMD can do about it?

The first thing is to target the top end, for the most part, it doesn't make sense. Although the 7900 XTX of the current generation was powerful, it couldn't match the 4090 at all. That's where the casual looker will look, seeing the best graphics card right at the top and going for something they can afford in that generation instead. So AMD getting out an 8900 XTX blazing past a 4090 would be ideal. However, it seems AMD is taking a break from a whole range of RDNA 4 cards with only key mid-range cards planned.

It also just has to go for the price to perform even more. Although it does attempt that currently, it's not quite good enough, it would have to undermine Nvidia quite severely. Something like offering a 4080 performance at the price of a 4070 would really make it an easy recommendation and hard to not choose for as a great value GPU.

Also going for exposure is one way to do so. As Nvidia is everywhere you look and the primary look AMD really has to be on par to get itself out there and be known as a good choice. But unfortunately, that's a hard battle to go up against. AMD might not have the same resources for silicon or marketing which makes it a lot harder to battle the giant that just seems to keep accumulating more and more, that seems to be getting more powerful each time. We can only hope that AMD is at least in RDNA 5 as everyone's moved on already or Intel Battlemage has a good go of knocking down the giant.

1. Size

The first thing we saw with the release of the best RTX 4090 graphics cards is the sheer size of them. Releasing with a thickness of four slots in some cases as in our 4090 review, makes them rather over-the-top components. Having to find the right PC case to actually fit it in makes picking the right one for you a lot more restrictive and having to consider cooling and sizes a lot more.

Even sizing down to a mATX case was possible with smaller cards as long as the bottom of the case didn't restrict the GPU fans. Now a four-slot card makes that a bit more difficult without causing issues along with the length as well and that can come into problems as well. Along with the bigger size, you may experience GPU sag and may need to opt for a GPU support bracket to help prevent it with the absolute weight of the cards making them bend down and distort permanently. So the 5090 should aim to downsize at least a bit to keep things a bit neater and with a lot less issues.

2. Power consumption

Kind of leading on from the size is the power, it's what causes the sizing of the cards considering the cooling they have the jam on top of the PCB. As the 3090 had a TDP of 350W, and the 4090 increased that to 450W, it's hard to see the 5090 jumping up another 100W. That would be insane and requiring so much power in your PC is unfathomable.

It would certainly put a dent in your power consumption and is over the top for a gaming PC on your desk. That could even increase the PSU suggestion up to a whole kilowatt, and now that's a lot of power that is way more than necessary. The 5090 should look to utilize its power and components to higher efficiencies instead of pumping more and more power through it.

3. Power connector

One of the big dangers of the massive GPU is also its power connector. To this day RTX 4090 power connectors are still melting. As Nvidia opted for a 12VHPWR connector and required a native ATX 3.0 PSU or using a ridiculous octopus power adapter puts a lot of power through that cable and burns it, causing damage and breaking the card requiring fixing. Even possibly causing even more damage to the rest of your system.

What the 5090 needs to do is change it, I doubt Nvidia will go back to the trusty 8-pin, but it will have to improve the current one. PCI-SIG already has modified the 12VHPWR to 12V-2x6 so that should help the 5090 power through without hurting itself in confusion but it should definitely not stick to what it has now as that's a lot of headaches.

4. Provide the latest display standard

Being the top of the line hardware it should keep up with the latest standards as well. In that case, the 5090 should feature the DisplayPort 2.1 standard so it can utilize its power to its full potential as well. That also applies to HDMI 2.1b although most cards only come with one of those anyway so it's less likely to be used. But DP being the main port you should get the most out of it especially when you're paying so much for the card, you should expect the best out of it.

DisplayPort 2.1 will allow the card to even run 4K 240Hz, and higher refresh rates throughout its resolutions and higher ones too. That was where the 4090 lacked as even though it had 4K capabilities the FPS might be high but the screen needed to match.

5. Pricing

It is the top-spec card and we can expect it to be pricey, but that applies to Nvidia's whole lineup. The 40 Super release made that offering a bit more good value and even dropped the price of the 80 series. Well now the RTX 4090 is still expensive and selling for above MSRP, likely the only current card to be doing so.

This likely comes from the AI boom Nvidia is in the middle of. As its stock prices rise and its selling enterprise hardware, it's GeForce gaming lineup might suffer from it. As those who can't afford the big card, the 4090 can bring that on the consumer level. This means it's in demand even at this price and level, so the 5090 should come down or at least not increase as a consumer-grade GPU shouldn't be costing more than a decent build.

6. Availability

Another struggle for the 4090 has been the stock throughout its product cycle. Either at the beginning or in the middle, there have been plenty of times that it has been out of stock and everyone wanted it. Even if the price is high there's clearly a demand for it and as a GeForce card, it should go to gamers or consumers so making enough cards to satisfy that instead of going to enterprise cards is key and makes us believe Nvidia won't forget us gamers when their AI sector outgrows us. The RTX 5090 should be available and go to the right hands as well.

7. Less AI reliance

Alongside the RTX 40 series launch, we got DLSS 3 introducing frame generation and AI creating extra frames in between what's actually there. But as the top-level card, it should be performing excellently without the need for AI to improve it. Yes it's fun for big numbers to get bigger but with the cost the 4090 had on it, you shouldn't need to rely on frame generation and AI to get it higher.

Don't get me wrong it's a great tech innovation but you want to get a strong performance no matter what from everything that's been built into it. The 5090 should, and likely will run everything native but allowing it to thrive without extra is kind of key at this price point.

Final word

Overall, we expect the RTX 5090 to be an absolute unit once again. But my worry is Nvidia forgetting the gaming market and it is a second thought. As it thrives in AI and other sectors, my hope is the 5090 improves the 4090 in these ways and actually brings something new and exciting to the market once again

We've picked out some of our favorites ideal for XDefiant, GPUs of which we've done some hands-on testing with. There are great options from Nvidia, AMD, and even relative newcomer Intel to choose from. We imagine most players will be sticking to 1080p or 1440p, which won't be a struggle for most modern GPUs, and we've also thrown in a 4K option for good measure. For further reading, you can also check out our XDefiant system requirements page.

What GPU do you need for XDefiant?

As Ubisoft put it, XDefiant is a free to play arena shooter, which sort of implies right off the bat that the game should be accessible for a wide range of systems. This is generally the case with competitive titles, and with some closer inspection of the system requirements on the Ubisoft website, this is definitely the case. They also put out recommend specs for 1440p and 4K configs here if you're interested. Looking at 1080p though, we can see that an RX 5500 (8GB) or GTX 1060 (6GB) is recommended for 60 FPS at high graphics settings.

Those two cards are not too impressive by today's standards, so you can look forward to high framerates if you have much newer hardware. That's what we're going to focus on, as upgrading to a new GPU should mean you're set for years to come. Given the lenient hardware recommendations, you can go for a budget-friendly option such as the RTX 4060 or RX 7600 XT if you wish, or even look back to the previous generation.

Kicking things off with the RTX 4060 Ti, a GPU which belongs to Nvidia's increasingly popular 40 series. For XDefiant, this card will be a real winner for 1080p and 1440p - two resolutions which we expect the majority of competitive gamers to stick to for the foreseeable future. We benchmarked the card in our RTX 4060 Ti review and found that it achieved smooth performance pretty much across the board, though it didn't fare as well in 4K. We tested the 8GB model, but you also pick up the 16GB version if you want some extra memory headroom.

"As far as the gaming performance goes, the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti excels across the board in 1080p and 1440p with some impressive figures, especially for the sub-$400 price point"

It will be a superb upgrade if you're currently working with generations-old hardware. Plus, the benefit of DLSS tech - particularly DLSS 3 frame gen, is a big selling point for the 40 series that will help extend its lifespan. This GPU sits around the sub-$400 price range and offers good value for money if you want a latest-gen option. For XDefiant, this is a top pick from Nvidia.

What users say

Looking at Amazon reviews of the Zotac card we tested ourselves, we can see that there is real buzz around it. In addition to the solid gaming performance, one user proclaims it to be a "productivity powerhouse" - something we noticed too in synthetic and encoding benchmarks, though we'd probably opt for the 16GB model for this to double your memory pool.

At launch, it made a whole lot more sense to go for the 7800 XT given just a $50 price difference between the two, but now we can confidently recommend the RX 7700 XT as it offers good value for money thanks to recent price cuts. In our RX 7700 XT review, we note that this GPU delivers on its promise to perform well at QHD at 60FPS and above. As a more competitive game, XDefiant is less taxing and should allow you to enjoy much higher frames. For example, our tests showed the 7700 XT average 102 FPS in AC Valhalla, whereas Overwatch 2 hit 186 FPS, both at 1440p.

"Considering the available memory pool, the RX 7700 XT is fairly conservative on power usage with a 245W TDP, meaning you’ll want at least a 550W PSU to avoid any issues. Though, we’d recommend at least a 600W power brick to give yourself a little overhead if overclocking"

If you're happy with going with Team Red, we think this is the most suitable selection. Sure, you can aim a little higher if you have the budget to do so, but the 7700 XT is a solid mid-range option which caters to the popular 1440p resolution. On the flip side, if you are looking to upgrade to a 4K monitor for gaming in the not so far future, then we'd probably stay away from this one.

What users say

The Sapphire Pulse series is a popular choice for AMD users, so we took a look at Amazon reviews of their RX 7700 XT card. Many users are happy with the upgrade from older hardware, such as the RX 580. It is described as a solid budget video card, and we'd have to mention that the 12GB of VRAM is a good step up from the usual budget 8GB level.

You may have not considered Intel for your next GPU upgrade, but they are now a solid option - especially within the low end to mid range for budget builders. In our review of the Intel Arc A770, we saw excellent performance when benchmarking at 1080p, with good figures in 1440p as well. Considering you can pick up this card for less than $300, it is fantastic value for money which most established GPU brands such as Nvidia and AMD struggle to compare to, especially the former.

"In 2024, more games are supporting Intel’s GPUs and XeSS as developers become more familiar with the Xe-HPG architecture and the Xe Vector engines for performance gains and performance uplift"

If you do opt for the A770, there are a couple things you'll want to know about. First of all, we wouldn't recommend this GPU if you don't have access to ReBAR (resizeable BAR) - you need an Intel Core 10th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen, or newer for this feature. Without this, the potency of the card is hindered and it becomes a hard sell. Driver support is another thing often cited as a worry, but this has rapidly improved since launch to make the Intel Arc range a solid pick for XDefiant.

What users say

We read through user reviews for the Acer Predator model we personally reviewed to gather some more opinions on it. Straight away, we see one buyer calling in "fantastic bang for your buck" which is exactly what we'd expect. Others go on to report that the performance is great considering the price, with another person calling it the "most underrated GPU". There is one mention of driver problems, but overall it is well received.

For 4K gaming, there are a limited amount of video cards which can really boast smooth gameplay, especially in the most graphically-intensive games. In the case of XDefiant though, we'd like to suggest the 4070 Super as a card that can achieve this without having to go all out. In our RTX 4070 Super review, we noticed an impressive level of performance in the targeted 1440p, but it had the legs to provide smooth framerates at 4K, even in the likes of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

"The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price. If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024"

If you do want to target higher frames though, we'd probably go for the RTX 4080 Super at most, unless money is no object and you can easily afford the flagship 4090. The 4070 Super also performs well with ray tracing on, and outside of gaming it's good for productivity workflows with strong figures in our benchmarks. Overall, a solid 4K pick that doesn't have to cost a fortune.

What users say

The ASUS TUF 4070 range is a popular choice, with a 4.7/5 rating on Amazon. Looking at the newer Super model though, we can can see buyers are more than happy with what it provides. Users report that it excellent for 1440p and keeps up with 4K, reflecting our own benchmarks. One thing you'll need to consider though, especially with the ASUS TUF, is the size of the card - you'll need a suitable PC case for RTX 4070 Super to fit it in.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for XDefiant

Before you buy any GPU, you'll want to take a look at a few things to consider. We explain what you need to know below.

Price

Set yourself a budget to understand what kind of graphics card your money can get you. If you only wish to play at 1080p, you can go for a cheaper option, while bringing it up to 1440p and then 4K will ask more for your budget respectively. At the entry-level, we'd recommend looking around the $300 mark for a new GPU, unless you want to opt for a previous generation or even shop second-hand. Since XDefiant won't be the most demanding game in the world, your money can go relatively far.

Clock speed & memory

A graphics card's clock speed will vary depending on the manufacturer, with some coming with a factory overclock for improved performance, however marginal. You can also overclock the GPU yourself, but take into account the added power draw. As for memory, 8GB VRAM is generally the minimum recommended for 1080p these days, but we'd suggest 12GB or 16GB if you can afford it for a more future-proof system.

Power requirement

Upgrading your GPU generally means getting something more powerful. This could be more taxing on your system, so be sure you understand what the recommended PSU for your new graphics card is. On the plus side, cards are generally getting more efficient with each generation - the mid-range of the GeForce 40 series is a good example of this.

Final word

Shopping for a new GPU can be a confusing task given the wide selection to choose from these days. To help you out, we've hand-picked some of our favorites which are ideal for XDefiant, Ubisoft's free to play arena shooter. If you want to learn more about how we pick and choose, our how we test GPUs article is a good place to start. Or you can take a look at our whole testing lab, home to benchmarking for our GPU reviews.

With system requirements for the game readily available on the Steam page, we have a good understanding of what is required of your gaming PC. Additionally, the PC port brings with it a good range of support for the latest GPU technology, making full use of what the latest generations from Nvidia, AMD, and even Intel have to offer. Let's jump straight into our top picks.

What GPU do I need for Ghost of Tsushima?

As we said above, the Steam page does reveal the Ghost of Tsushima system requirements, but with further digging we found a full list on the PlayStation blog which gives us a clearer picture of performance targets from 720p up to 4K. So, sticking with 1080p to represent most users, we can see that game recommends either a GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 5600 XT, this jumps up to the RTX 3070 and RX 6800 when playing at 1440p.

So, the game isn't exactly the easiest to run smoothly (60 FPS being the benchmark) once going above 1080p, but that's to be expected. In the grand scheme of things, it's not too bad - you can run Ghost of Tsushima with a wide variety of hardware and that's reflected in our selection today.

First up is the RTX 4070 Super, a graphics card that is a winner for pretty much any game you throw at it. Designed for 1440p, it breeze through modern titles at this resolution and even showed playable framerates at 4K. This is based on in-house benchmarking you'll find in our RTX 4070 Super review. As such, Ghost of Tsushima should cause no problems. Given the fact that the game supports DLSS 3 and Reflex technologies, you can achieve high framerates from the 40 series-exclusive tech.

"The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price. If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024"

More reasons to consider the 4070 Super include the excellent encoding performance as well as ray tracing, an effect of the increase CUDA cores in this model. Though, worth noting that Ghost of Tsushima does not feature ray tracing support at the time of writing. Regardless, the 4070 Super is also an efficient card with a 220W TDP - that's the same as the 3070, but with much better performance to boot. If you want a card that will impress in any game for years to come, this is the one.

What users say

It's no surprise to see that this Nvidia GPU is a fan favorite, as we can see from its Amazon reviews. Customers are impressed with what the card has to offer, though make sure your PC case is spacious enough to fit this in if you're upgrading. One thing to remember is that the 4070 Super uses a 16-pin connector, so you may be better off with the original 4070 if you wish to avoid it.

For fans of Team Red, we've selected the impressive RX 7800 XT. We did consider the cheaper 7700 XT as an alternative - and if you want to save some cash, it's a solid pick. But as we discovered in our RX 7800 XT review, this card is a monster in terms of bang for your buck and it lives up to its "ultimate 1440p upgrade" billing. Considering the 'high' system requirements for Ghost of Tsushima recommends an RX 6800, this is one generation newer and provides a sufficient uplift.

"No matter how you slice it, maxed-out 1440p for under $500 is impressive, even if the RTX 4070 Super pulls ahead as a whole, not entirely unexpected from a GPU costing at least $100 more"

The 7800 XT proves its worth for QHD gaming as we witnessed in our benchmarks, though it did fall a little short in 4K when you compare it to Nvidia's equivalents. Regardless, the 16GB VRAM is more than enough and the high amount of memory will keep it relevant for many years. One downside of going with this AMD option is the worse encoding and ray tracing performance, though the latter is not relevant for Ghost of Tsushima.

What users say

Again, looking at what customers have to say is a good way of gauging quality and user reviews are the best way of doing this. Many are very happy with their upgrade to the 7800 XT, whether that be from an older AMD GPU or even an Nvidia card. The price to performance is a big selling point and for those focused on 1440p gaming in the latest games, this is a fantastic choice.

Despite not much changing between the original 4080 and 4080 Super, the availability of the latter and new price drop makes it the obvious choice between the two. If you want to focus on 4K gaming, we fully recommend this GPU as the best choice. For Ghost of Tsushima, the recommended specs reveal that it should achieve a steady 60 FPS at 4K as part of the 'very high' preset. If you want to learn more about this video card, see our RTX 4080 Super review.

"The RTX 4080 Super effectively erases any reason to go out and buy the original RTX 4080 with slightly increased performance and a much more palatable price point. It delivers across the board in terms of high-end gaming performance in 1440p and 4K while being just as powerful for content creators, too"

If you don't have the funds to go all out on the RTX 4090 or care for the added productivity performance it brings, your next best choice is the 4080 Super and it is a sweet-spot for gamers for 4K across all titles. Other benefits of this GPU is of course the high amount of memory, allowing for top performance at high resolutions. On the flipside, this is also a great pick high refresh rate 1440p gaming if that's more your kind of thing.

What users say

Despite reviewing the Gigabyte model, we can look at the more popular variant from PNY and the user reviews reinforce why this graphics card deserves a spot on this list. Others agree that it is a basically a sweet-spot for 4K. Furthermore, the price is praised as a much-needed drop from the original version, though it is still a pricey affair.

Since Ghost of Tsushima makes the most of Nvidia's DLSS 3 technology (available on the 40 series), including frame generation, we think that the RTX 4060 makes a fine pick. It is the cheapest option in the 40 series and is increasingly popular, particularly in prebuilt gaming PCs. If you're looking to pick one of these up and keep costs low, do note that you'll want to seek out a cheaper SKU. For instance, the ASUS ROG Strix we featured in our RTX 4060 review is one of the more expensive variants.

"Considering the humble hardware here, the Nvidia RTX 4060 is far from power-hungry with a tame 115W TDP and a recommended PSU of just 300W. That positions this video card as an ideal choice for a small form factor build or a budget machine"

The RTX 4060 offers great performance in 1080p, with enough power to reach for 1440p too - especially when utilizing DLSS where supported. One of the biggest benefits of the 4060 to us is its incredible efficiency, boasting a low 115W TDP. That makes it fit right in a wide range of systems without needing to upgrade your power supply. There is a drawback in the fairly lackluster memory, just 8GB compared to the 3060's 12GB, but this shouldn't be a drawback in the majority of games. The real pull for Ghost of Tsushima is DLSS 3.

What users say

The user reviews on the ROG Strix model show us that this RTX card is fantastic for both gaming and productivity, as has come to be expected from Nvidia. Many users are also impressed with just how lightweight the card is, not running into the recent problem of GPU sagging. Finally, the price is also "wallet friendly" according to one user, but do shop around and you can get the 4060 much closer to its $299 MSRP.

Things to consider with the best GPU for Ghost of Tsushima

Before you buy a GPU, you should always consider a few key details - especially if it's a major upgrade.

Price

The pricing of graphics cards can vary quite a lot depending on the manufacturer and model. For instance, whether you want a dual fan or triple fan design will affect the price. In this guide, we've featured a varied range to choose from to cater to different budgets.

Both Nvidia and AMD have cards ranging from the entry-level to the high end, so be sure to set a budget and search within that tier. Our budget picks tend to sit around the $300-$350 mark, with a niche example being the Intel Arc A770 if you wanted to give Team Blue a chance.

Memory

There are multiple factors to think about when it comes to memory including the bus width, memory clock, and bandwidth, but one specification is generally easiest measurement: VRAM. For gaming these days, we'd recommend at least 8GB for 1080p, and 1440p at a stretch. A high amount of memory will always be more future proof as games use up more memory, especially at higher resolutions, where you'll want 12GB or 16GB.

Power requirement

It's safe to say that your new GPU will be better than the last one. That translates to more power, which can translate to a higher power draw. On a positive note, the likes of Nvidia's 40 series is impressively efficiently, meaning your current PSU may still be good enough despite upgrading. Before you buy any GPU, make sure your power supply has the recommended or higher wattage to support it.

Final word

Now that we've come to the end of this guide, hopefully we've found the right GPU for you. If not, then at least you're on the right track - whatever kind of performance you wish to target in Ghost of Tsushima. We've stuck to Nvidia and AMD for now, but Intel is definitely emerging as a contender as well.

If you want to read more about how our team determines the best GPUs for the job, see our how we test GPUs guide or check out our testing lab for a closer look. Additionally, if you're putting together a full build, you might want to stop by our best CPU for Ghost of Tsushima guide.

Our experienced team has been busy with GPU reviews, including plenty of hands-on testing in each and every one of them to help score the best. Homeworld 3 is a somewhat demanding game, though not on the level as others we've seen this year. Keeping that in mind, we had picked out the best from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel.

What GPU do you need for Homeworld 3?

One good way of gauging what GPU you need is by looking at the Homeworld 3 system requirements. There we can see that the minimum requirements ask of a Nvidia GTX 1060, AMD R9 480, or the newer Intel Arc A380. Recommended specs instead suggest a GTX 1080 Ti, RX 5700 or Arc 580.

Though those Intel GPU suggestions are more modern given their relatively recent entry to the discrete graphics, the AMD and Nvidia options are a bit dated. Not that they aren't capable, but sourcing one of these older cards generally means looked for a used one, so we're going to bring you up to date with some much newer options which you can enjoy for years to come. Below we can present our hand-picked selection for a variety of budgets.

We'd like to recommend the 4070 Super as a solid choice at any resolution. Even though the card is built for 1440p first and foremost, it showed acceptable 4K performance in our benchmarks, with smooth framerates in many modern titles. You can see our RTX 4070 Super review for a closer look. Furthermore, with access to Nvidia's full 40 series feature set including DLSS 3 and frame generation, you can easily enjoy a smooth experience with supported games. To clarify though, Homeworld 3 is shipping with DLSS 2 support on day one for now.

"We can see that the RTX 4070 Super performs well in many demanding modern games in not only 1440p, but also in 4K as well"

You should have no problem handling Homeworld 3 in 1440p or 4K with the 4070 Super, and we'd recommend it for these resolutions. Sure, you can also play on 1080p if you want to maximize your framerate - especially in more competitive games. It boasts 7,168 CUDA cores which allows for strong encoding and ray tracing performance and the 12GB of VRAM is a much-needed step up from 8GB.

What users say

Since we reviewed the ASUS TUF model, we took to the Amazon user reviews to see what people are saying about it. The performance is obviously praised, with many users picking it up for 1440p. For this particular SKU, the cooling is complimented as well as the operating volume. Do keep in mind though that this is a particularly bulky card comparable to some others.

Now for one of our favorites from AMD's RX 7000 series - the 7800 XT. When we put together our RX 7800 XT review, we found it to be a highly capable card for 1440p in our benchmarks and the price tag makes it a real winner if you're looking for great value while targeting the QHD resolution. We noted that it is less impressive at 4K compared to what Nvidia has to offer, but nothing too dismal. Plus, the 16GB of VRAM is a nice bit of headroom. Not that Homeworld 3 is too memory-intensive outside of 4K as you'd expect.

"This GPU leads in terms of QHD holding its own against the more expensive RTX 4070 family. Every single game we tested achieved at least 60fps, with some titles pushing far beyond the 100fps mark when maxed out"

Overall, this Radeon card is an excellent option if you want strong rasterization performance. Keep in mind though that ray tracing won't be as good as Nvidia's alternatives if this is something you wish to benefit from a lot. The 7800 XT wasn't much more expensive than the 7700 XT when it released, but pricing has changed since then, so the model just below is also a good alternative if you prefer to save some pennies.

What users say

Taking to Amazon reviews of the XFX model, we can see that the 7800 XT is highly regarded. Mention of the outstanding price given the performance is a recurring theme. We also see many people reporting that it provides a solid upgrade, one example being from the previous-gen RX 6650 XT.

We delve into benchmarking and more in our Intel Arc A770 review, concluding that it's a fantastic card for those of you on a more limited budget. We enjoyed excellent performance in 1080p with enough power for respectable figures in 1440p. It will offer a great upgrade for many people, though there is the problem of ReBAR support. For this, you'll need an Intel Core 10th Gen or AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen processor or newer, and without ReBAR enabled, the effectiveness of the card suffers - making it a must-have.

"There is a lot that’s worth praising, such as the low power draw and the frame rates taken as a whole when compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. There are ray-tracing units and a solid memory bandwidth with the 16GB GDDR6 memory pool"

Driver support is sometimes seen as a worry for these Intel Arc cards, but it's better than ever and seeing rapid improvements on a regular basis. Support for Homeworld 3 from Arc graphics drivers was put out promptly after the game's release as you'll see here. So, if you're putting together a more modern system and want a cost-effective graphics card, then the A770 is a fabulous choice. Its high amount of memory is a big bonus for just a cheap card that frequently drops below $300.

What users say

Now for what customers have to say in the Amazon reviews. Generally speaking, reception is good and the low price tag is clearly one of the biggest selling points. One user says it was "better than I expected", showing how aggressive the pricing is. There is a lingering issue with drivers for some people, though this seems to be a minority.

For a budget model, we're skipping past the RTX 4060 and jumping straight to the RTX 4060 Ti, which will remain relevant for longer amount of time. Homeworld 3 will be a breeze to run on this card, especially while utilizing DLSS to achieve solid performance at 1440p, or even 4K. It gives you access to DLSS 3 frame generation, though this isn't (yet) relevant to Homeworld, but other titles do support it. Conversely, ray tracing is available in the game and the third-gen RT cores are a big help here. You can read more about performance ion our RTX 4060 Ti review.

"The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is an excellent graphics card for 1080p and 1440p with some good entry-level performance in 4K if you can smartly utilize DLSS 3 Frame Generation"

If you are going with the 4060 Ti, we do suggest you steer towards the 16GB model, as this offers a little extra headroom - important as games get increasingly memory-heavy. It does come at an added cost, so do note that the 8GB model will be perfectly fine for Homeworld 3 if you don't plan on any extra intensive games. Our comparison of 4060 series gives you clearer picture of how this tier shapes up.

What users say

Since we reviewed the Zotac model (with a unique Spider-Man design), we took to its user reviews to see what customers had to say. One person calls it a "productivity powerhouse", lending to the great AI tech in the 40 series and performance in encoding or synthetic benchmarks we witness in our in-house tests.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for Homeworld 3

Now with our selection wrapped up, we want to talk about a few things you'll want to consider before you buy. Purchasing a new GPU requires a little extra research to find the right video card for you.

Price

Just like with anything, buying a GPU means setting a suitable budget for your needs. If you're building a PC for gaming, usually the graphics card is the most expensive part of the system. At the entry level, we can look around the $300 mark for a modern card, or lower if you wish to go back a generation or shop second-hand. Decide on what you can afford to spend and consider all models within than price tier.

Power requirement

Chances are, your new GPU will be more powerful than your last. That could mean more power draw and in turn a higher requirement for your PSU (measured in wattage). Before you buy a new GPU, make sure your power supply is at least the recommended wattage to support it. If not, you'll need to upgrade. Luckily, many capable cards are getting more efficient.

Resolution / performance

Deciding on a GPU often means targeting a certain resolution. If you simply want to game at 1080p or push to 1440p, then budget models are capable of this. For high refresh rate 1440p gaming, you'll need to step it up - and for 4K, you're looking more towards the high end. This affects in-game performance a lot so you can check out benchmark for games you wish to play.

Final word

Homeworld 3 is pretty average in terms of system requirements for a game released in 2024, so you can afford solid performance without going all out. We aim to cater our suggestions to a wide range of budgets, so hopefully we can put you right on track. All three major GPU manufacturers have something to give.

If you want to learn all about our reviewing process, you can check out how we test GPUs, or have a browse through what our testing lab has to offer.

We've put together many GPU reviews as of late to give you a good look at today's market in 2024. Whether you've only just heard of V Rising or have finally decided to give it a go now that early access is over, it's a good time to upgrade. So, without further ado, below we can jump straight into our selection - with more detailed analysis down below.

What GPU do you need for V Rising?

Now that the game has been fully launched, we can take a look at the recommended specs as of version 1.0 as it has now left early access. The V Rising system requirements tell us that Stunlock Studios recommend either a GeForce GTX 1070 or Radeon RX 590, both of which are 8GB cards. As for the minimum requirements, it goes much further back with a Nvidia "Maxwell or newer" GPU listed.

We're going to stick to the latest on offer here as to not steer you towards an option which will soon be outdated. Plus, the Steam page does note that these requirements may change in future as the game develops. Luckily, the game isn't incredibly demanding, so you can enjoy a smooth framerate on a modest budget.

Having a read through our RTX 4070 Super review will give you a detailed look at this Nvidia GPU. It's a real winner for both gaming and productivity - the latter thanks to its brilliant encoding performance. It is classified as a 'leading 1440p GPU' but our hands-on testing proved that it is also capable at 4K, this should be the same in V Rising if you wish to upgrade to that resolution. With a fast clock speed and suitable 12GB VRAM, this card will be a powerhouse for some time to come.

"Generally speaking, this new card holds up significantly better than its predecessor and we can see its leading performance in the likes of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora as evidence"

We'd suggest that you don't need anything more powerful than the 4070 Super for something like V Rising, especially considering the recommended specs. So, it claims the top spot as our best right now. Furthermore, we'd argues it's good value for money as far as the 40 series goes and the efficient 220W TDP makes it a strong upgrade path for many existing builds.

What users say

Since we reviewed the ASUS TUF model, we took to its Amazon user ratings to have a closer look at what people have to say. Outstanding performance is the main takeaway here, with many people also praising how cool this triple-fan SKU runs. Do note though that there are cheaper alternatives if you're looking to spend around $50 less.

We see the RX 7800 XT as one of the best 1440p GPUs right now - you could push it to 4K in many optimized titles if you wish, though it does fall behind in 4K for more graphically-intensive games. Regardless, the competitive price tag and large amount of memory are the two big selling points here. In our RX 7800 review, we gave it a strong rating as it truly is a top pick for gaming. You may also want to consider the cheaper RX 7700 XT as an alternative for 1440p gameplay on a more restricted budget.

"No matter how you slice it, maxed-out 1440p for under $500 is impressive, even if the RTX 4070 Super pulls ahead as a whole, not entirely unexpected from a GPU costing at least $100 more"

There are a couple of areas where the 7800 XT falls behind compared to something such as the 4070 Super. Nvidia's AI chips have proven to be excellent for encoding and other demanding tasks such as ray tracing, though the latter is not relevant to V Rising as it doesn't (currently) support it. So, the price tag is a real winner here, as we mentioned in our review.

What users say

The XFX Speedster model is a great option that's inexpensive and features triple-fan cooling. Looking at user reviews for this popular model reveal that it proved to be a large upgrade for many people. Plus, the price to performance ratio is great with many boasting smooth gameplay at 1440p, maxed out.

Moving on to a more niche option from Intel, who are relatively new to the discrete GPU market. Back when it released, the disparity in driver support compared to the well-established Nvidia and AMD was a concern, but that has consistently improving to finally make Intel worth recommending here. In our Intel Arc A770 review, you'll find that the card is quite comparable to the likes of the RX 7600 XT or RTX 4060 Ti, falling slightly behind overall. However, it often costs less than $300 to more than make up for it.

"Since its launch, the Intel Arc A770 has been something of an outlier in the GPU market. While it’s hard to stomach at its MSRP, factoring the price drop in, it becomes a far more viable video card"

We'd recommend this graphics card for 1080p gameplay first and foremost, but it does have the power to aim for 1440p if you wish - which should be easily achievable in the likes of V Rising. One thing we definitely have to mention is that we'd only go for the A770 if your system supports Resizeable BAR (ReBAR), as this does have a significant effect on the performance of these Intel Arc cards if not enabled. For reference, that generally means any Intel Core 10th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen, or newer processor.

What users say

The A770 is rated fairly well on Amazon reviews, and this overclocked variant from Acer we tested is a great choice. As you'd expect from a budget card, users comment on the "fantastic bang for your buck" and "great performance at [a] low price" - both solid 1080p and 1440p performance is reported.

Dropping down to the budget-pick from the 40 series, we have the RTX 4060. Generally speaking, it isn't hailed as the very best value for money, but you can find it for a decent price from the right manufacturer. For example, the ASUS ROG Strix model we feature in our RTX 4060 review is definitely overpriced in our opinion, but that's an outlier. If you want to stick to Team Green and make the most of the Ada Lovelace architecture, this is the most cost effective way of doing so. It will offer strong 1080p and 1440p in a game like V Rising.

"The benchmarks show that Team Green has enough under the hood to pull ahead, especially if you’re moving on up from older GTX models that lack RT cores and Tensor cores altogether"

Unfortunately V Rising doesn't support DLSS frame generation at the time of writing, though you always need to consider any other games you'll be playing. Its 8GB of VRAM is a little lackluster, but suitable for nearly every game when playing at 1080p, which is what this GPU targets. Furthermore, the RTX 4060 is a great upgrade path for those using modest (or small form factor) hardware as the 115W TDP is incredibly efficient and fits right into most builds without need for further upgrades.

What users say

Since we'd say that the ROG Strix we reviewed is pretty pricey, we instead look at some user reviews for the ZOTAC Twin Edge and many say it is a "great GPU for the price". We see that many people are targeting 1080p, and it offers a sizeable upgrade for those that finally want to upgrade - up from the GTX 1060 is one good example we spotted.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for V Rising

V Rising doesn't require the best hardware on the planet on the run, though you'll want a decent rig for a smooth experience. Before you buy though, we'd recommend reading through of our 'things to consider'.

Price

Having a budget you can afford is relevant to any purchase you make, and GPUs are no different. There is a wide range of models to choose from, but luckily V Rising will run well on pretty much anything released in the past few years. As such, low-cost cards such as the RTX 4060 or Arc A770 we recommend here are great if you're building a gaming PC on the cheap. If you're targeting 4K though, then you'll want to look higher up.

Memory

The recommend specs for the game are quite lenient by today's standards, though not surprising given the game is actually a couple of years old now. Both the GPUs they recommend feature 8GB of VRAM, which has long been the standard for 1080p gaming. If you want to move on up though, 12GB is the next best thing and 16GB will allow for extra headroom if you wish to play more memory-hogging games in future. For V Rising though, at least 8GB is perfectly good.

Power draw

Before buying a video card, make sure your system is capable of handling it. Chances are, your new GPU is going to be significantly more powerful than the last - Nvidia offers excellent efficiency in the 40 series at least. Either way, you'll want to ensure your PSU has the recommended wattage (or more) for your new GPU to avoid bottlenecking your system.

Final word

Now that we're at the end of our guide to the best GPUs for V Rising, you should have all the resources you need to make your next purchase. If your current system has lackluster in-game performance, you're probably due a much-needed upgrade and there is a lot on offer these days. If you want to learn more about how our team operates, see our how we test GPUs guide or take a look at our in-house testing lab.

We've been busy reviewing and testing GPUs, so we have a solid selection to take you through today. Given its easy-to-run nature, you can afford to go for some more budget options with Hades 2, which is reflected in our picks. If you want something even more powerful for more graphically-intensive games as well, then we also have that covered.

What GPU do you need for Hades 2?

As we explained in our introduction, Hades 2 is far from a demanding title. Looking at the Hades 2 system requirements tells us that the recommended specs suggest either a GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 5600 XT. Both of these graphics cards are a few generations old now, and target the more entry-level market. Additionally, they suggest the Intel Arc A580 from Intel's Arc 5 mid-range.

If you're buying a new graphics card today, you'll probably want something more modern and relevant for all kinds of games going forward. Plus, seeking out older generations of GPUs generally doesn't offer great value for money unless you look on the used market. Given the game's requirements, we'd suggest a budget-friendly card from current or last gen.

We've done some extensive testing of this GPU in our RTX 4060 Ti review, and it proves to be a great value pick. More than enough for Hades 2, but if you want something which will remain relevant for years to come, this is a solid option. While the specific SKU we reviewed features 8GB of VRAM, you can also look around for 16GB models if you want a higher amount of memory as games get increasingly demanding. Fortunately, Hades 2 will have no problems in this regard. The 4060 Ti is a good way of unlocking Nvidia's frame generation technology if you're also going to play graphically-intensive titles in contrast to Hades.

"Considering the value for money at the sub-$300 price tag, even with 8GB VRAM, you should be very happy with what this video card can do with the latest and most demanding PC games"

If you do want to save a little bit of cash, then we can instead also recommend the RTX 4060, which is one step down from the Ti. Generally speaking, it doesn't offer the same value for money at MSRP, but well worth picking up for a budget build - especially whenever its on sale. It'll easily run games like Hades II and benefits from the same feature list thanks to Nvidia's Ada Lovelace architecture for the 40 series.

What users say

For the unique Spider-Man design model we reviewed, taking a look at the Amazon reviews reveals that it has been well received. As an upgrade from generations-old hardware or for a brand-new build, it has proven to be a popular choice. One reviewer calls it a 'productivity powerhouse', many thanks to the AI chips that Nvidia is pushing with these newer RTX cards.

For fans of Team Red, we'd like to suggest the RX 7600 XT. In a similar way to the 4060 Ti, this is AMD's upgraded version of the RX 7600, offering double the VRAM and providing solid value for money. For Hades II, this GPU will suit all your needs while providing a generous amount of memory for extra headroom. In our RX 7600 XT review, we note that it holds its own in 1080p in demanding games, as well as playable framerates at 1440p. In much more lightweight games like Hades though, it provides a surplus of power to drive smooth performance at any resolution.

"The main selling point of the AMD RX 7600 XT is the bump up in VRAM, which doubles the original model’s 8GB GDDR6 all the way to 16GB GDDR6 instead. In theory this should provide a significant amount of overhead to crank games up in 1080p and 1440p"

One of the best things about the 7600 XT is the price, offering a solid entry-level option for a wide range of gamers. These Radeon cards do fall behind in aspects such as ray tracing (compared to Nvidia), but this isn't relevant for Hades, so the money you'll save by going for the 7600 XT over something like the 4060 Ti is a noteworthy benefit.

What users say

Looking at user reviews for the RX 7600 XT tells us many buyers are happy with the performance to price ratio. Plus, it is a suitable upgrade if you're still working with much older hardware and have finally decided that it's time to upgrade to something modern.

As we mentioned earlier, the required specs point towards the Intel Arc A580. But if we're going to recommend an Intel graphics card, we have to go for the Arc A770. This is from the Arc 7 tier and the flagship model of the Alchemist generation, but that doesn't translate to a 'flagship' price in the same sense as AMD or Nvidia. As per our rasterization benchmarks, it falls marginally behind the 7600 XT and 4060 Ti, but since you can find one for less than $300 these days, it is a solid contender. If you want a detailed look, see our Intel Arc A770 review.

"There is a lot that’s worth praising, such as the low power draw and the frame rates taken as a whole when compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. There are ray-tracing units and a solid memory bandwidth with the 16GB GDDR6 memory pool"

Driver support is generally a concern with these Intel graphics cards, but it is constantly improving. They are catching up to their rivals in this area and the value will only improve with time. On the flipside, it has been proven that access to ReBAR (resizable BAR) is a must-have if you want strong performance. That means having a 10th Gen Intel or 3rd Gen Ryzen CPU to unlock compatibility - keep this is mind if you're upgrading your GPU but otherwise have older hardware.

What users say

People are coming round to the idea of using an Intel GPU, and looking at some user reviews is a good display of this. Again, this is another card which is praised for its bang for your buck. Though, as expected, there is a warning against driver support - especially in the case of VR gaming.

As an alternative, we'd also like to recommend one of our favorite Nvidia GPUs as of late, the RTX 4070 Super. This is a powerful GPU which offers good value for money across all resolutions and won't struggle one bit with games like Hades II. We always like to make it clear that you should also consider the other games you'll be playing with your new GPU, so this is a powerful all-rounder if you want to try out some of today's more resource-hogging titles in any resolution.

"If you’re after a leading 1440p GPU but also want to check out 4K without an eyewatering MSRP, then it’s a card you should consider in 2024"

In our RTX 4070 Super review, we put it to the test with benchmarks and found worthy of a respectable four-star rating. It's worth noting that we also reviewed the original RTX 4070, which has now dropped in price given the introduction of the Super SKU. So that's something to consider, though the performance uplift for the Super card makes it the more appealing option to us.

What users say

The ASUS TUF model we reviewed is one of the more expensive variants, but looking at the reviews on Amazon reveals that not too many people are disappointed with their purchase. Customers are more than happy with the performance it offers, though there is one running theme: size. It's a bulk card, so you'll want to make sure it'll fit in your rig.

Things to consider before you buy a GPU for Hades 2

Upgrading your GPU comes with a whole host of things to consider, no matter if you're seeking a flagship or entry-level model. If you're upgrading for Hades 2, here's what you need to know.

Price

Knowing that Hades 2 isn't a difficult game to run, price is one key thing to think about before you buy. We suspect that many of you will be sticking to a more budget-friendly level if running a lightweight game like Hades is high on your agenda. As such, there are great options from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel in this price tier. Make sure you set yourself a budget you can achieve and compare rival cards around that level.

Clock speed

When comparing different manufacturers' cards for the same GPU, clock speed is a noticeable difference between them. Different overclock rates are applied depending on the model, which offers slightly better performance while driving up the price. For Hades 2, there's not really any need for go for an expensive model; you could even underclock one of our suggestions and run the game with a smooth framerate.

Power requirement

Understanding the power draw of your next graphics card is important. Upgrading your GPU may mean that the rest of your system is outdated in comparison. As such, you'll want to make sure that your PSU provides enough power (wattage) to support the card you're upgrading to, be sure to check the recommended PSU for any new graphics card before you buy.

Final word

Now that we've come to the end of our guide, hopefully you are now equipped with the know-now to pick out your next GPU. Hades 2 released into early access on May 6th, 2024, much to the delight of fans of the original. Thankfully we aren't running into any annoying early access performance issues compared to games such as Gray Zone Warfare, as Hades remains lightweight with a stylized art style that looks great.

As part of our GPU reviews, any card that we have personally rated goes through our testing lab for benchmarking to determine a score, making it easy for you to make an informed decision.

For further reading, you may want to check out our best CPU for Hades 2 guide. From our own testing, we figured that the game can run well even on good integrated graphics, so this would be the best value for money if you've decided you don't want to spend big on a new GPU.

As a MOBA game - a genre that is generally targeted towards more of an esports/competitive crowd - we don't suggest you'll need the very best graphics card out there, so there's plenty of choice for a range of budgets. Today, we're going to look into the very best from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel. We regularly test GPUs at our testing lab here at PCGuide, so we have a lot of hands-on experience - from the flagship models to the more entry-level alternatives.

What GPU do you need for Smite 2?

Looking at the Smite 2 system requirements, only minimum specs have officially been published so far. According to these, you'll be able to run Smite 2 with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or AMD Radeon RX 560. Both of these cards are outdated by today's standards, so we'll be recommending much newer GPUs which are much better and easier to find these days. Without official recommended specs just yet, we'll have to speculate a little on what kind of hardware you'll need.

If you've been playing on an old PC which is just about suitable for Smite 1, you'll definitely want to upgrade - keep in mind that the original launched over a decade now, and hardware has changed a lot since then. Even still, we don't expect the game to be too demanding, as this genre usually aims to cater for a wide range of players on different hardware - so many budget picks can work.

The RTX 4070 Super is a fantastic choice of graphics card in 2024. It released at the start of the year and provides a refreshed look at the original non-Super model. In all honesty, this GPU is great for more than just Smite 2, so if you want something that will work well in more demanding games you play or you'll be playing at up to 4K, it's a solid choice without straying too far into the high-end. In our RTX 4070 Super review, we benchmarked its performance in a number of modern games and wasn't disappointed. For example, it hit averages of 256FPS (1080p), 150FPS (1440p), and 73FPS (4K) in The Finals - another Unreal Engine 5 game which falls into the competitive category that likes to focus on optimized performance.

"The RTX 4070 Super finally justifies the ‘4070’ MSRP. If you’re after a card to handle 1440p without issue, then this is the top pick"

We will say that not everyone will need this kind of GPU if they're simply playing on 1080p and/or don't mind play on low settings, but the 4070 Super is versatile and deserves its place here. It is a good future-proofing option thanks to the 12GB VRAM that helps it sustain performance at higher resolutions. Plus, the efficiency is top-notch with just 220W TDP - that's 5W lower than the previous-gen 3060 Ti.

What users say

Taking user reviews for the 4070 Super into account is important, so we always like shout them out. For the ASUS TUF version we reviewed, people are praising the performance, especially for 1440p. Plus, this is one of the premium SKUs, so the cooling solution is great and runs quietly. Do remember to consider a wider range of manufacturers though, as prices will vary.

For an alternative from Team Red, we'd like to suggest the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, a relatively affordable option that is one step above of the RX 7600 XT and a real winner for either 1080p and 1440p resolutions which we suspect most Smite 2 players will be gaming at. While AMD tends to fall behind in areas such as ray tracing, this generally isn't seen as a focus for a competitive game like this, so no worries there for most players. In our RX 7700 XT review, we do note that the next step up (7800 XT) was better value, especially at launch, but the market has since combatted that as the 7700 XT is getting cheaper.

"The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT features enough VRAM for today’s games with its respectable hardware as a mid-range RDNA 3 architecture card"

If you're looking for value in terms of raw performance to the price, this GPU is a great option available to you. It's priced much cheaper than Nvidia's equivalent and will be a great choice for games such as Smite 2. In our in-house benchmarking, the RX 7700 XT breezed through optimized games like Overwatch 2 or Doom Eternal, even offering above 60 FPS at 4K in these examples.

What users say

The Sapphire Pulse model that we reviewed has a bunch of Amazon user reviews to read through if you want to see what people think. To summarize, people praise the performance and the generous 12GB of VRAM, even if there's no fancy RGB lighting to be found. A massive upgrade for anyone still working with generations old hardware.

You may have not thought about Intel for your next GPU upgrade, but they are becoming more and more relevant. The Arc A770 is a excellent option if you're on a limited budget, as Intel has priced it aggressively to help solidify its place on the market against well-established brands such as Nvidia and AMD. These days, you can see it dropped below the $300 mark. In our Intel Arc A770 review, it was quite comparable to the likes of the RX 7600 XT or RTX 4060 Ti in terms of performance. It also offers 16GB of VRAM to help out in some modern games which hog memory.

"It offers a ton of value for money with its price-to-performance ratio especially in 2024 after a series of price drops and driver fixes"

Driver support for these Intel cards has always been a worry, but it has been improving - enough to the point that we can confidently recommend buying one. Do keep in mind though, that support for Resizable BAR is seen as a must to unlock the best performance. If you have a 10th gen Intel CPU or 3rd gen Ryzen CPU (or newer), then you're good to go.

What users say

We reviewed the Acer Predator BiFront overclocked card, and by looking at the user reviews on Amazon, we can see that the price to performance is what's mentioned most. Some people this GPU underrated and even better than expected, showing that Intel is making at name for themselves on the GPU market.

Our RTX 4060 review highlights that this GPU isn't going to impress anyone looking for high-end performance, but for optimized titles, it won't cause you any trouble. We've opted for this card as it represents a modern alternative that can push above its weight thanks to the inclusion of DLSS 3 and its frame generation tech. Granted, this shouldn't be necessary for something like Smite 2, but it's a nice addition. It already offers excellent 1080p and solid 1440p rasterization performance, and the addition of AI tech like this only boosts that further.

"The Nvidia RTX 4060 is far from power-hungry with a tame 115W TDP and a recommended PSU of just 300W. That positions this video card as an ideal choice for a small form factor build or a budget machine"

Another important factor is catering for your build. If you're interested in a budget GPU, chances are your other hardware also caters for a limited budget. As such, the efficient RTX 4060 will work well with a wide range of CPUs without much bottlenecking and the low 115W TDP is even 55W less power draw than the 3060. This makes it easy to keep cool and cater for, fitting into a machine with just a 300W PSU - it's also great for a small form factor build.

If you do want another budget alternative, we'd recommend the previous-gen RTX 3060. You do miss out on DLSS 3 frame gen, but it does boast better 12GB VRAM instead.

What users say

We reviewed the ASUS ROG Strix edition, which you can find some user reviews for right here. We'd say that this custom AIB is fairly overpriced, as you can get the 4060 for much cheaper from a different manufacturer. Be sure to keep that in mind if sticking to a budget is one of your main concerns.

Things to consider with the best GPU for Smite 2

As always, we like we recommend a few things before you buy. Plenty of research goes a long way when upgrading your GPU, so here are some things to consider.

Price

First of all, for a game like Smite 2, you're not going to need a flagship model to achieve great performance. With that in mind, you can afford to drop your budget (if you so wish) and go for a cheaper card. Everyone should have a budget that they can afford, so we've tried to include a good range of options here. For the entry level to mid-range, we'd suggest around the $250-$300 mark, going upwards of $600 if you want more than enough power for most modern games at max settings.

You can always go back a gen or two if you really want to save cash, or check out the second-hand market if you can find something of good quality at the right price, but the latter can produce mixed results.

Performance target

You should know what kind of performance you're targeting. For Smite 2, we'd expect that most people are playing at 1080p or 1440p - with 4K much less common for competitive gamers. As such, again, you don't need the very best GPU on the market to achieve this. Also take into account whether you're comfortable with turning down settings in the name of maximizing FPS - if so, any modern budget pick is more than enough.

Power requirement

Before you buy a GPU, make sure you know how much power it requires from your power supply. If you purchase something particularly beefy and find out your PSU isn't cut out for it, then you'll need to upgrade. Additionally, it could mean you need better cooling in your system via the case / case fans.

Final word

So, you've finally made it to the end of our guide to the best graphics cards for Smite 2, Titan Forge and Hi-Rez Studios' long awaited sequel, though it did come as quite a surprise to many. Even though it's running on the shiny Unreal Engine 5, you don't have to worry a whole lot about gaining performance. As an example, The Finals runs great on the engine and is well optimized, showing that even competitive gamers can maximize their framerate without going all out.

Going out and simply buying the best graphics card on the planet is unrealistic for most people, so we've tried to cater to a wide range of budgets. On top of that, you'll find great options from both Nvidia and AMD - no matter which brand you prefer. So, without further ado, let's take a look at our top picks.

What GPU do you need for Gray Zone Warfare?

The Gray Zone Warfare system requirements reveal that you'll need a pretty good GPU to play, at least smoothly. Some user reviews at the moment do discuss performance issues as well, though this is not too surprising for a game in early access, something that could 'span several years' according to the developers. We've already got a guide to the best settings for Gray Zone Warfare if you want to optimize performance.

Either way, the minimum requirements are either the GeForce GTX 1080, or the Radeon RX 5700. As for the recommended, the RTX 3070 Ti and RX 6800 are listed. No performance benchmarks are mentioned, so we can't be sure which resolution, graphics settings, or frame rate is being targeted here. Regardless, we're going to suggest some newer hardware to future-proof your system for a game like GZW which is not even fully released yet.

The Super edition of the RTX 4070 Ti arrived in early 2024 and provided some useful upgrades, namely the boost from 12GB to 16GB VRAM. This extra headroom will be useful at higher resolutions, especially with modern titles becoming particularly memory-hungry alongside the need to deal with early access performance issues. Our RTX 4070 Ti Super review notes that it is compelling choice for both 1440p and 4K.

"If you want a bit more edge than the original RTX 4070 Ti, better value, and higher framerates than a regular 4070 where smooth 4K gaming is far more feasible (and expected across many titles), then yes – the RTX 4070 Ti Super is worth it"

If you do want something a little cheaper, but not quite 'budget' level, then we'd recommend the 4070 Super instead, especially for 1440p or even 1080p. We've opted for the extra VRAM and performance boost in the 4070 Ti Super to ensure you can enjoy smooth performance in the face of demanding system requirements.

What users say

Looking at the user reviews for this card, specifically the ASUS ROG Strix model we reviewed, paints it in a positive light. The high price is discussed, but no-one can be disappointed with the performance on offer here if you're aiming for a mid-high range GPU.

AMD has a ton of great options, often offering better value for money than Nvidia. For the best AMD GPU, we have to go with the Radeon RX 7900 XT thanks to its strong performance and high amount of memory. You can read more about it in our RX 7900 XT review, where we praise the pricing and just how well it performs for gamers aiming at either 4K or 1440p.

"The RX 7900 XT is a high-end GPU now well below its original MSRP that’s more than just a viable alternative to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series"

Generally, we like to suggest the weaker 7800 XT as a value choice, but the extra power here is useful for a game like Gray Zone Warfare. Now that DLSS 3 is confirmed in GZW, this is one downside for the Radeon card, though their FSR tech is still relevant. Even so, the 7900 XT offers excellent framerates without the need for upscaling or frame generation - though it will fall behind as far as ray tracing goes.

What users say

We had a look at the Amazon reviews for the popular Sapphire RX 7900 XT and found that many people are more than happy with their purchase. Like we said, the price tag is appealing and you can find it for around $700 these days, a huge drop from its original $899 launch price.

The RTX 4060 Ti has become our go-to budget option when it comes to more demanding titles such as Gray Zone Warfare, which is built on the most recent Unreal Engine 5. We'd skip past the regular RTX 4060 here (unless you're really strapped for cash) and benefit from the extra performance available from the Ti. Plus, as a 40 series GPU, you have access to DLSS 3 frame generation.

"As far as the gaming performance goes, the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti excels across the board in 1080p and 1440p with some impressive figures, especially for the sub-$400 price point"

Feel free to read through our RTX 4060 Ti review if you want a closer look at some benchmarking, but the gist of it is that we witnessed excellent performance in 1080p. Even the most demanding games run pretty smoothly at 1440p. If you want a little extra headroom in terms of memory, we'd go for the 16GB variant, but 8GB is still sufficient for gaming at full HD. See our RTX 4060 Ti 16GB vs 8GB comparison for a clearer picture.

What users say

We reviewed the unique Spider-Man design Zotac card and the user reviews are positive. One user calls it a 'productivity powerhouse', which is something we'd agree on, especially at this price point.

If you want to be truly blown away by performance, then there's nothing better than the RTX 4090. The flagship of the 40 series will remain relevant for years to come and is the dream option for 4K gaming. For anything less, it's definitely overkill, and you'll need deep pockets in order to call it your own.

"Arguably what’s most exciting about the RTX 4090 outside of its huge amount of VRAM and CUDA core count is the 1,008 GB/sec bandwidth, just over 1TB/sec, which no other consumer-level graphics card can boast"

Our RTX 4090 review showcases all the impressive benchmarks associated with the card if you're interested. For Gray Zone Warfare, we'd recommend this GPU if you have no limit on your budget and a powerful gaming PC to back it up for 4K gaming, especially if you're interested in content creation too. The next best would be the RTX 4080 Super; also suitable for 4K.

What users say

Anyone with the pleasure of having an RTX 4090 in their gaming rig will of course comment on the performance. This is of course reflected in the Amazon user reviews, with plenty of warnings regarding the massive size of the card.

Gray Zone Warfare running one of our test rigs, captured by PCGuide

Things to consider for the best GPU for Gray Zone Warfare

Below we've put together a few things you'll want to consider before you buy. Whether that be a budget-friendly option or the current flagship model.

Performance & resolution

We'd suggest having some kind of performance target in mind before you buy. If you're happy playing at 1080p at 60FPS, then you'll have some great value options for you. Take a look at benchmarks online for Gray Zone Warfare to understand how well different GPUs perform in-game.

Due to the early access nature, performance issues are to be expected, so we'd recommend making the most of resolution upscaling tech to boost your framerate; Nvidia is best known for this in the 40 series. Likewise, Nvidia will be your best bet if you're interested in the likes of ray tracing.

Price

Working with a budget is recommended for pretty much anything you buy, and GPUs are no different. Upgrading your graphics card can be expensive, so you need to understand what's available within your budget. For most users, a mid-range card is good enough for gaming, especially if you're sticking to 1080p or even 1440p these days. Also keep in mind if you're building a whole new system, you'll need to cater other components to your GPU, which can add expense.

Power draw

GPUs have different power requirements. If you're going for something high-end, there's a good chance you'll need a suitable PSU to back it up. Before you buy, take a look at the graphics card's suggest PSU and its power efficiency (TDP).

Final word

You've finally made it to the end of this guide, hopefully with some insight into what the best graphics card for Gray Zone Warfare is. As it works its way through early access, we're sure that performance optimizations will be made in order to make the game easier to run, but having a GPU that will last you for years to come is always recommended. You may also want to find the best CPU for Gray Zone Warfare too, while you're here.

As it develops, we'll be back to update our top picks to reflect the current state of the game and GPU landscape. If you want to learn more about our testing process for reviews, take a look at our in-house testing lab.

Mounting a GPU vertically adds something new to your build, as almost all builds have horizontally mounted GPUs. However, mounting your GPU vertically isn’t as straightforward because the PC case and motherboard aren’t designed in that orientation. 

In this guide, we’ll take you through the process of vertically mounting a GPU. So, let’s get right into it. 

What you’ll need

Here are some tools you’ll need to get the job done. 

Here’s how you can vertically mount your GPU 

Follow these steps to successfully mount your GPU vertically.

Can you vertical mount a GPU inside any case?

You can’t vertically mount a GPU in any case, as it depends on how much space there is inside. For example, you might have enough space to mount the GPU vertically, but the positioning of the expansion slots might push the GPU near the side panel, which is less than ideal as it needs room to dissipate the hot air.  

Is it good to mount a GPU vertically?

Mounting a GPU vertically might look aesthetically pleasing, but from a functional perspective, it takes most, if not all, of the available PCIe slots, meaning you can’t install anything else in your PC, such as a sound card. 

Other than that, the positioning needs to be ideal so that the GPU isn’t cramped near the side panel or the motherboard. This is important because side panels generally don’t have vents, and hot air needs to be let out for adequate airflow and lower temperatures. 

Wrapping up

This was everything you needed to know about how to vertically mount a GPU, and we hope that our step-by-step guide helped you achieve your dream build. One thing to note is that a vertical GPU might look nice as it is different from the normal horizontal mount, but extra attention is required regarding its placement. It also takes up more space, meaning you can’t connect additional devices. 

That said, a large casing should help with the placement and airflow issues, and we’ve got you covered there as well. Check out our best full tower case guide for the top picks available. 

While many people prefer to let their system handle their GPU's fan speeds, taking control yourself can be beneficial. This is because adjusting the speed can aid in temperature regulation, noise reduction, and even performance optimization. Additionally, by managing temperatures through fan speed control, you can avoid GPU overheating issues.

As the process can be confusing for both new and old users, we'll go over two methods that can help you quickly adjust your GPU fan speeds.

How to control GPU fan speed using MSI Afterburner

To control your GPU's fan speed, you'll need to rely on third-party software. And for this purpose, the first one we recommend is MSI Afterburner. This is a great software with a well-designed interface, so you won't have a problem navigating through it.

How to control GPU fan speed using EVGA Precision

Another software that we'd recommend is EVGA Precision, and this one is also fairly easy to use.

Conclusion

As you can see for yourself, controlling your GPU fan speed isn't a difficult task if you have the right software. Such features can help you control the temperature and even the noise coming from the GPU. For instance, if you want it to operate quietly, you can bring the fan speed down, but make sure not to do this during GPU-intensive tasks.

We've seen a renewed interest in the franchise thanks to the Fallout TV series, and while 76 may have had a rocky launch originally, the game has since improved with an abundance of new content; the player count has exploded as of late. Here we're going to feature a range of up-to-date graphics cards depending on what kind of performance you're after - including Nvidia and AMD options.

What GPU do you need for Fallout 76?

Looking at the system requirements of Fallout 76 for PC, we can see that the game isn't exactly the most demanding out there. It did originally release back in 2018, so even the best GPU for Fallout 4 is similarly-matched when we look at the modern market. The recommended specs suggest a Nvidia GTX 970 4GB or AMD R9 290X 4GB graphics card, which are several generations old now.

We'd skip on trying to source one of these older GPUs these days, so we're going to focus on much newer hardware which is more than enough for Fallout 76 while being suitable for any other games you play. You're obviously not going to need something like the flagship RTX 4090, but having a future-proof GPU is of course recommended.

As a great all-rounder choice, we've gone with the RTX 4060 Ti. Yes, this GPU is more than you realistically need to run Fallout 76 alone, but it is one of the best options currently available to you from Nvidia's latest 40-series. It is a flexible choice too thanks to coming in 8GB or 16GB variants. Our RTX 4060 Ti review highlights it as an affordable option for 1080p or 1440p, but even 4K will be achievable in older games such as Fallout 76.

"The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is an excellent graphics card for 1080p and 1440p with some good entry-level performance in 4K"

Fallout 76 does miss out on support for the 40-series' latest DLSS implementation without mods, but this always runs a risk in online games since you are modifying files. Regardless, its pure rasterization performance is plenty enough for this game and the full feature list of the 4060 Ti will help carry its performance in even the latest titles as well.

What users say

We've had a quick look at the Amazon user reviews for this RTX 4060 Ti and found plenty of praise for the Zotac SKU. That being said, you don't have to go for exact same model, and you may even want to consider the 16GB variant, although it is around $50 more expensive at the time of writing. See our comparison of RTX 4060 Ti 16GB vs 8GB for further details.

If you have the cash to spare and fancy picking up a more powerful graphics card, then the Super-refreshed 4070 would be our go-to at the moment. In our RTX 4070 Super review, we explain that this GPU is a powerhouse for 1440p gaming that offers 'respectable and playable framerates in 4K' with its 12GB VRAM. This is in the context of the latest and most demanding titles, so for something less graphically-intensive such as Fallout 76, the 4070 Super is perfect for 4K.

"The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price"

You won't be able to make the use of the excellent ray tracing performance due to a lack of support in Fallout 76, but the 4070 Super will do a great job in games that do support it. Nvidia does of course have more powerful cards aimed at 4K, but these are simply overkill for older games.

What users say

The ASUS TUF model we reviewed is highly regarded according to the Amazon customer reviews currently holding a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating. Users praise the efficiency, noting that it runs cools and quiet.

We had a lot of positive things to say in our RX 7800 XT review, becoming our go-to AMD graphics card in many situations. It is more than you really need for a game like Fallout 76, but we like to class it as a fantastic all-rounder that offers great value for money, though you can always consider the cheaper RX 7700 XT if you find a great deal on it.

"It’s clear that this GPU leads in terms of QHD holding its own against the more expensive RTX 4070 family"

This Radeon graphics card was one of the later ones to arrive in the RDNA 3 generation, aimed at 1440p for the latest games on the market. It won't offer the same level of ray tracing or upscaling as Nvidia's alternatives, but this is not relevant to Fallout 76 due to its lack of support. So, for pure rasterization, not much comes close to the 7800 XT in terms of value as it drops under $500 when on sale. To top it off, the 16GB VRAM provides a cushion for high resolutions.

What users say

The XFX Speedster is one highly-rated model on Amazon and you'll find that many users compliment the price to performance, especially at 1440p or even ultrawide aspect ratios. If you're upgrading from a much older GPU, be sure you meet the recommended 700W PSU for this card.

Even though it didn't score top marks in our RX 7600 XT review, we think that this AMD GPU remains a strong budget option, especially since you won't benefit from the comparable RTX 4060's DLSS 3 upscaling tech in a game such as Fallout 76. The 16GB of VRAM offers some more headroom which may be utilized in future games as AAA titles get more demanding each year.

"The main selling point of the AMD RX 7600 XT is the bump up in VRAM, which doubles the original model’s 8GB GDDR6 all the way to 16GB GDDR6 instead"

As a budget-friendly pick, the RX 7600 XT makes our best GPU under $400 list and is regarded as a fantastic choice for 1080p gaming in any title, with a little big of wiggle room for 1440p too. In the case of Fallout 76, you will net great performance in a range of resolutions as this modern GPU can easily handle the 2018 title, as will any other suggestion on this list.

What users say

The Gigabyte model we reviewed doesn't have a massive amount for customer reviews on Amazon (at the time of writing), but plenty of positives regardless. Many people are commenting on the great value for money and call it a solid upgrade if you seek a budget card.

Things to consider with the best GPU for Fallout 76

There's more to GPU shopping than simply picking out a card. There are quite a few things to consider, as we explain below.

Price

First up is price - pretty much everyone has a budget, and you're likely going to stick to it. We've featured graphics cards spanning different prices, so there should be something here for everyone. Consider what resolution you're targeting too, as you don't need to blow your budget on a high-spec card to simply play at 1080p.

Memory

We'd recommend at least 8GB of VRAM for gaming these days, even if Fallout 76 is not that intensive due to being an older title. Luckily, the most modern options on the market provide you this, but there are some great 12GB and 16GB cards (even in the mid-range) if you want the headroom in future.

Power draw

A graphic card's TDP (thermal design power) measures how much power it can consume while operating. You need to think about whether your PSU provides enough power to cater for it and your other components, so be sure to check the recommended PSU wattage on any GPU you buy.

In-game performance

Which resolution do you want to play at? How many frames per second are you happy with? Benchmark videos are always a good way of seeing how your prospective GPU will perform in-game at different resolutions. It's also worth mentioning here that a 60 FPS cap is in place by default in Fallout 76. It can be modified for smoother gameplay, but this Reddit comment does report on gameplay bugs if exceeding around 130 FPS, so be sure to apply a limit yourself.

Final word

Hopefully you can walk away from this guide with exactly the right GPU for you. All of our suggestions have been hand-picked and thoroughly tested by our expert team. You can read our page on how we select and review products as well as how we test GPUs to get a full understanding of the process.

Fallout 76 is Bethesda Game Studios' first online multiplayer game and a fun extension of the Fallout universe. It has seen something of a resurgence as of late, and since it isn't too difficult to run, a large amount of GPUs are up to the task.

High GPU memory usage can lead to different issues, including low performance, stuttering and lagging, increased heat, thermal throttling, and overall instability in the system. On top of that, this can also affect the lifespan of your graphics card. But how can you monitor your GPU's memory and clear it up?

This is where we come in. In this guide, we'll go over several methods through which you can quickly clear your GPU's memory.

How to free up GPU memory

If you're facing high GPU memory usage issues, you can try following these methods to free it up.

Conclusion

Clearing GPU memory can help you out in many ways, as it can improve the overall performance by making the graphics card process graphics-intensive tasks more effective. On top of that, it ends up reducing stuttering, lag, and memory leak issues. High memory also ends up putting more stress on the GPU, which can result in overheating. So by clearing the memory, you can bring the temperature down.

Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling is a feature that many Windows users don't know about. It can help reduce the burden on the CPU and make the GPU do all the work. This can help you out in many ways, but since the option is tucked away within a maze of settings, it can be challenging for you to locate it.

This is where we come in. In this guide, we'll go over two easy methods that can help you quickly enable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling.

How to enable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling using the settings

The quickest way to enable this feature is by going to the Display settings. Make sure to restart your PC after enabling it.

How to enable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling using the Registry Editor

Alternatively, you can also enable the feature through the Registry Editor. However, make sure to not make any changes other than the ones mentioned below, as messing up the files in Registry Editor can put you in a tight spot.

Should you enable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling?

Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling is a great feature that proves useful in scenarios where you want to shift the load from the CPU to the GPU. This reduces CPU utilization and results in less input lag as the GPU handles all graphical processing. Additionally, if you're constantly facing CPU overheating issues, enabling this feature can help solve them. This is because when the CPU isn't handling everything, it runs slower, resulting in less heat.

However, while there are certain benefits attached to it, Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling also comes with a few drawbacks. For instance, when you're placing all the burden on the GPU, it will consume more power, which can ultimately lead to GPU overheating. You can try different methods to cool the GPU, but the constant load will still negatively affect it in the long run. Also, with this feature enabled, the graphics card will struggle during GPU-intensive games at high settings, as it will now be doing the job of the CPU as well.

In short, Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling is useful for those who have a low or mid-tier card. But if you have one of the latest GPUs packed inside your system, then there's no need for you to enable it.

Is it time to upgrade your GPU?

If you find yourself struggling with GPU-intensive tasks, it might be a sign that it's time to consider upgrading your GPU. If you're having trouble selecting a suitable GPU for your rig, feel free to explore some of the options below that we've personally reviewed and tested.

Conclusion

As you can see, enabling Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling isn't difficult, but locating the option to do so can be tricky. Hopefully, thanks to our guide, you now know how to turn it on quickly and determine whether it's worth it for you or not

Our selection of GPUs reflects the modern market and we have a wide range of options to talk you through today. AMD, Nvidia, and even Intel cards are worth considering. As an older title, you can afford great 4K visuals without buying a flagship, so even a modest budget can go far here - our best settings for Fallout 4 guide will help you out there. Let's jump straight into our top picks.

What GPU do you need for Fallout 4?

Fallout 4 first came out way back in 2015, so you can imagine that it's no longer a demanding game given the kind of hardware available these days. Simply looking at the Fallout 4 system requirements will only help you so much, as it lists generations-old components. Looking at the recommended specs, we can find a GTX 780 or Radeon R9 290X - both outdated GPUs with 3GB and 4GB memory respectively. Instead, we're going to focus on much more modern hardware.

Given its age, you definitely don't need something like the RTX 4080 Super, or even close to that. However, if you're aiming for 1440p or 4K, then maybe you want to think about a great GPU which is up to the task in other games too. Just for Fallout 4 though, realistically any decent gaming PC from (close to) the past decade could work well.

We had a good look at this GPU in our RTX 4060 Ti review and found that it is a great performer for 1080p and 1440p in a wide range of modern games. So, for something older like Fallout 4, you won't have any performance woes. Above is the 8GB variant, but you can also opt for the 16GB VRAM model which will help out if you want to stretch to something like 4K or boost productivity workflows.

"As far as the gaming performance goes, the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti excels across the board in 1080p and 1440p with some impressive figures, especially for the sub-$400 price point"

Unfortunately due to the age of FO4, native DLSS or ray tracing support isn't there to make full use of the 4060 Ti's feature list, but there is always the modding route. Either way, this Nvidia GPU will crush Fallout 4 without much hassle. It is part of the 40-series generation on Ada Lovelace architecture and will remain a strong option for some time to come.

What users says

To get a wide range of opinions, we always like to have a closer look at the Amazon user reviews. At the time of writing, it holds a 4.6 star rating against 42 customer ratings, with plenty of praise. One user calls it a 'productivity powerhouse' and many recommend it as a great mid-range option.

In our RX 7800 XT review, we back up AMD's claim of this GPU being the "ultimate upgrade for 1440p gaming". However, given the high amount of memory combined with the lenient system requirements of Fallout 4, the 7800 XT will even perform well in 4K here. If you want a 'true' 4K card for modern games, then we'd be targeting something like flagships RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX, but value for money is always something to consider.

"Since its launch, the RX 7800 XT has been an incredibly aggressively priced and powerful video card with strong ray tracing prowess compared to the previous generation RX 6800 XT"

Compared to Nvidia alternatives, the RX 7800 XT does fall behind in terms of something like ray tracing performance or upscaling technology, but this isn't relevant to Fallout 4 at the moment outside of fan-made mods. As such, we chose to recommend a GPU with excellent raw performance (rasterization) at an attainable price.

What users say

Looking at the customer reviews on Amazon paints the RX 7800 XT in a positive light, again with many praising the performance compared to the price. We didn't want to go too overkill when searching for a great graphics card for Fallout 4, so this AMD card represents one of the most powerful options in this list without compromising much on price.

Intel is relatively new to the discrete GPU market and the Arc A770 is currently one of their best offerings, belonging to their Alchemist generation. On a tighter budget, this graphics card offers excellent performance and our Arc A770 review commends its 1080p and even 1440p performance. The latter will definitely be achievable in titles such as Fallout 4.

"There is a lot that’s worth praising, such as the low power draw and the frame rates taken as a whole when compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti"

Intel's GPU driver support is only getting better, making the A770 a more appealing option as time goes by. One thing we do need to remind you of though is that support for ReBAR is fully recommended if you want this Intel GPU working to its full potential. Intel has laid out some system requirements for the Arc A-Series which are a must-see for any potential buyer.

What users say

Moving on to customer reviews now and the Intel Arc A770 is unsurprisingly complimented on its great value for money. In the right system, this GPU works incredibly well and is more than suitable for those seeking smooth performance in Fallout 4. It is often on sale and currently holds a 4.1 stars with 145 ratings.

There's a good reason why the RTX 3060 remains in the top ranks of Steam's hardware survey, and it's staying power is pretty much unrivalled as of late. Yes, it's no longer part of the latest generation of Nvidia graphics cards, but that isn't required if you're shopping for a GPU to play Fallout 4. One recent benchmark video using a 12GB RTX 3060 like the one featured here shows that it can work well at basically any resolution.

Solid, reliable performance paired with excellent value for money means that the RTX 3060 remains relevant, even with the existence of the RTX 4060 - which doesn't provide much raw performance uplift at all, and drops down to 8GB VRAM. Since Fallout 4 does not currently feature native DLSS 3 support, a 30-series option like this is perfectly suitable.

What users say

You'll find plenty to read about regarding the RTX 3060 if you look at the user reviews on Amazon. It is highly popular even now, with many users discussing its excellent gaming performance compared to its modest price tag. One reviewer says they "couldn’t justify spending a fortune on a GPU when this one does it all very well" - and we fully agree for something like FO4.

Things to consider before you buy the best GPU for Fallout 4

Before you buy a GPU, there are a number of things you'll want to consider. Here are a few key pointers:

Resolution

Gaming performance is drastically different depending on what in-game resolution you'll be playing at. Since Fallout 4 is now considered an easy game to run, you have some leeway when it comes to playing at high resolutions. Most newer GPUs should be easily be able to run FO4 at higher resolutions such as 1440p or 4K, but it's always good to have a graphics card best suited for it. That means plenty of VRAM, ideally 12GB or above for future proofing in newer games.

Price

There's no need to go all out on an expensive graphics card if Fallout 4 is your target, so this opens up a whole list of budget-friendly options. Alternatively, you do also have to consider the other games you'll be playing - so budget yourself accordingly. Last-gen options will always provide strong value for money, but even current-gen GPUs are looking pretty good as the next generation (RTX 50 series, RX 8000 series, Intel Battlemage) isn't too far away.

Power requirement

Knowing how much power your GPU requires is important, regardless of what you opt for. Of course, more powerful GPUs will require plenty of power to back them up and you'll want a PSU that meets its requirements. If you're upgrading your system, then then pay attention to the GPUs TDP and recommended PSU wattage.

Final word

Realistically, there are a ton of options to go for when searching for a GPU that offers smooth FPS and stable performance in Fallout 4. That's just the result of the game being a number of years old and it works to your benefit if you've got a limited budget. In similar fashion, you can check out our best GPU for Fallout 76 guide if you want to take your adventure online.

As such, something like the best GPU for $300 will be more than enough for most users, but you also have to think about other games you play or productivity workloads. Many of our top picks have been thoroughly tested by our expert team, and if you want to learn more about that process, see our 'how we test GPUs' page.

The game is a medieval strategy city builder with battles and simulations where you play as a medieval lord. With the game coming out into early access, the performance may not be up to scratch yet, in which case you want to have the best GPU for the job and keep yourself covered. We've also had a look at the best CPUs Manor Lords, but with GPUs we bring you a range of options to pick from, both AMD and Nvidia provide a good range of options along with various price ranges to select.

What GPU do you need for Manor Lords?

The Manor Lords system requirements aren't anything too excessive, although it might seem like an intense game with plenty going on, you don't need the latest hardware to enjoy the game. At a minimum, you just need a GeForce GTX 1050 or Radeon RX 460; both only utilize 2GB of memory and came out in 2016. As for the recommended choice and what you should aim for, Manor Lords looks for a GTX 960 and RX 570. Both of which are also relatively old with only 2-4GB of VRAM.

That means you don't have to be sporting the latest RTX 4080 Super choice to get a good experience. If you've still got a gaming PC from the last 8 years, you're quite likely to have no issues in the game. But if you're out building a new system or upgrading here are the top choices we recommend.

Evaluating the card in our RTX 4070 Super review, we got to see the performance it brings to the table. It crushes many tasks while also making it a 4K contender without an asking price too high, even though it's still not achievable for everyone. It makes it a perfect pick for Manor Lords but also a strong card for more than just that, including those doing any work that benefits from CUDA and AI cores embedded in the graphics card.

The RTX 4070 Super is a powerful mid-range graphics card that packs in more under the hood than the original without raising the price.

Being on the Ada architecture as well, the 4070 Super also includes frame-generation technology and the ability to utilize DLSS 3. Of course, though you may not need it for Manor Lords specifically it's still a great option to have. Nvidia has confirmed Manor Lords comes with DLSS 2 support and you do need an RTX card at a minimum to utilize it. But if that doesn't quite meet your needs there are more choices below.

What users say

The Amazon user reviews give the card a strong recommendation for the build quality, as we found with the ASUS TUF model it makes sure it's built to last and gives plenty for your money. It also keeps noise down making it much better to use and implement. While it does not run hot it keeps temperatures under wraps with its strong cooling solution.

Being a late addition to the RDNA 3 lineup, the RX 7800 XT is a strong addition to AMD's graphics card range. Providing a top-value choice that doesn't skimp out on performance when it comes to gaming. As we found in our RX 7800 XT review, it is a top pick for 1440p gaming. It doesn't quite achieve 4K across the board, but it still offers excellent price to performance.

Every single game we tested achieved at least 60fps, with some titles pushing far beyond the 100fps mark when maxed out in this target resolution

However, being an AMD graphics card it does lack certain comforts and optimizations that Nvidia has on it. Not just the CUDA cores but the encoding and ray tracing performance, as our testing showed the boosts Team Green can offer with a lower tier option. So if you are looking for additional tasks beyond gaming the 7800 XT is to avoid. But for all else, it is a great choice for Manor Lords and others.

What users say

Amazon's reviews offer great insight into what the card offers, with a top choice for quality and value, making it a worthy purchase. As well as bringing strong graphics quality for performance, it is a top choice for a useful price-to-performance ratio.

A newer addition to the GPU market, Intel brought out its Alchemist range to fight what the big two have to offer. As we found in our Arc A770 review, it does offer up a strong 1080p performance across the board whilst coming in with a lower price than most of the choices surrounding it. With the high specs bringing 16GB of VRAM, it even rises above the rest of the cards surrounding it.

The Intel Arc A770 performs well enough but is outdone by both the RX 7600 XT and the RTX 4060 Ti in Cyberpunk 2077 in 1080p

However, that does come with some compromises and requirements to get the most out of this option. Firstly, you need to have Resizeable Bar enabled on your system. Since it is also a first-generation graphics card, Intel has struggled with its drivers, and that is also the case with some newer titles. They are working on them constantly, but there's still some catching up to do.

What customers have said

In the Amazon reviews, there is a strong consideration for the value on offer and the ease of installation. That comes with the compact size of the Predator Bifrost model itself, and the simplicity of it. However, it does come with the drawback of compatibility and noise, as the drivers do have issues from time to time - as well as the coil whine even we noticed during our testing.

The RTX 4060 Ti came out with two different options, the 8 and 16GB, dividing the market and gamers around. But it still is part of the strong generation of Nvidia GPUs that has plenty to offer - even as a lower-tier choice GPU. As we found in our RTX 4060 Ti review it is a good choice for 1080p and 1440p gaming, even touching on 4K. This makes it a strong contender for the value market at under $300.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is an excellent graphics card for 1080p and 1440p with some good entry-level performance in 4K if you can smartly utilize DLSS 3 Frame Generation.

The RTX 4060 Ti features the latest technology and tools from Nvidia, making it a strong pick for across the board for almost everything you need. It has access to DLSS 3 and CUDA cores, providing strength to productivity tasks so it's a fairly all-around component to build with.

What users say

In the reviews for the card you can find the praise for the card, and the strength it has to offer. A great jump in performance for those running older hardware, this is now a strong choice for your gaming needs. Even though it does come with less premium materials than other more expensive cards, it does offer a compact size, is a nice-looking choice, and is something different from the standard.

Things to consider for your best GPU for Manor Lords

When picking out the best GPU for Manor Lords there are plenty of considerations. To offer up our top choices you can read up on how we test GPU processes to make sure our recommendations are as good as they can be. But otherwise here are some of the things that matter for choosing a graphics card.

Clock rate

Depending on the model or graphics card, the clock rate will vary between options. Even between the same GPU, such as the 4070 there will be different overclocking rates for the higher clock rates. That also boosts the the framerate slightly, not always to a great success it does offer up a stronger value for the choice of GPU as well.

Price

One of the main considerations is how much you want to pay for the card. You want the best value for money as well as making sure not to overpay for what you need and getting all you need. There are various price ranges for different graphics cards, they offer different tiers of performance, and you should only go for what you need. If you're only running a 1080p monitor, you don't need to spend for a top pick of a GPU that will be overkill. But even different models for the GPU may vary, so find the right option for what you are after.

Power requirement

The graphics card is the main factor in how much power your system requires. As the TDP of them reaches hundreds of W, then your PSU needs to meet that requirement. So if you're upgrading or building out your system make sure the power supply is capable of supporting your new choice.

Final word

There you have the best GPU for Manor Lords, you can find the right choice for you with the range of options we have accumulated for you. If it is the best GPU under $500 or less there are good solutions to pick from, or not as Manor Lords is certainly not a high requirement game. Even still there is something for everyone on the list.

However, it can also be seen as a way of extending the life of your best GPU and playing the latest games with a somewhat better framerate. But it doesn't include every graphics card equally and can be rather restrictive as to who can actually benefit from it. That might even work for them as some gamers ask if it is worth changing GPUs to use DLSS. Even so, it brings with it plenty of opportunity when used right.

Even then there is some hate for DLSS, or more likely what it means for any new games coming out and the limitations it has on it. So is it something you should be worried about right now?

What DLSS has to offer

The technology is there for a boost in performance, it renders the game at a lower resolution and then uses AI to upscale it and make it look not too dissimilar from what it should be but without the heavy loads that your screen needs. That is further improved by more recent improvements and releases.

With the launch of the RTX 40 series, we saw the release of DLSS 3 and frame generation technology. That improves upon the tech further as it uses AI to render extra frames in between further improving the frame rate, but not natively which not everyone is a fan of as it may be seen as a bit of a cheat.

However, it is a great way of pushing your cards further, the ones that support it that is. As DLSS requiring AI integration is limited to just RTX cards, which means even if DLSS 3.7 is putting a nail in the coffin of performance. Those rocking an older Pascal card mean that you're not getting to enjoy the tech and get a boost.

The problems many have with DLSS

As u/LifeOnMarsden points out it is both a great thing and simultaneously a bad thing to come out. Although the tech might help some it certainly seems to be a big dependence for new games coming out. Especially if the optimization isn't what it should be like in recent releases where you won't get a good performance without the use of it. Such as when Remnant 2 was released and said it was on by default whilst the performance was patched in later on.

That is great for those who can run it, but the technology is locked behind a big paywall. Considering the pricing of graphics cards increasing it makes it unaffordable to many or those that really need it left behind. Especially with the different tiers as the 40 series is the only one with frame generation, and the lowest entry isn't even a relatively good choice of GPU.

As we delve into our RTX 4060 review, the card loses out on its value. Nvidia doesn't really improve upon the last generation, there are no leaps of what's on offer but a reliance on the rest of the package instead. But even then the basics don't quite satisfy modern-day needs and you'd have to look at something more expensive for a more valued choice. Even this low-end card was released at $299 but with only 8GB VRAM it might be lacking for graphics these days.

What does that mean for the next generation and what we think

In this case, we can expect plenty more games to be released with DLSS or other upscaling like AMD's FSR or Intel's XeSS. It will likely become a standard for being used in general, and if games keep releasing incomplete or with hard-hitting performance it is likely a standard.

Plus with the expected RTX 50 series release date on the horizon, we might see plenty more iterations of the technology and implementation of it. Whilst likely offering up improvements to what's available, whilst also hoping for an improvement to the bottom tier that might make it a bit more of a worthy upgrade as plenty of gamers aren't upgrading their GPUs.

In all honesty, we don't think it's all too terrible. It makes games a lot more playable when it comes to the hard hitters, the best example being Cyberpunk 2077, and the prime of modern Crysis benchmark if you want the game to look its part and play well that's the only way to do it. Even DLSS 2 is still a good choice and without frame generation, it still is a worthy enhancement.

In fact, according to the March 2024 Hardware Survey results, no RTX 40 series or RX 7000 series GPU even cracks the top five with the most popular GPUs still being the RTX 3060, followed by the RTX 2060, GTX 1650, RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070, and GTX 1060. Not only are Ampere and Turing dominating ranking, but even Maxwell is represented before Ada even gets on the board at a distant no. eight position.

When we finally get to Ada, the leading model accounting for 2.59% of the client's 120 million monthly active users (around 310,800) are running the mainstream RTX 4060. While an impressive card for the money, the budget offering is far from a powerhouse the likes of the RTX 4090 or RTX 4080, meaning that most PC gamers do not appear to be concerned with bleeding edge performance, high refresh rates, or gaming in higher resolutions, instead preferring value plays.

Based on this data, it's hard to paint an encouraging picture for the future of GPU technology when most people are content running older gear at higher price-to-performance ratios, and it's hard to blame people. This could be due to a combination of factors which I'll touch upon further down the page, including the semiconductor shortage that happened over the pandemic, the price increases in the market, and proprietary technology. It all culminates where people aren't convinced anymore, as the days of upgrading for each GPU generation may be finally done for good.

GPUs became scarce and then significantly more expensive

If I'm to map a starting point with how things could have turned out this way then you'll need to cast your mind back to the paper launch of the RTX 30 series. Everything was scheduled to happen just as it always did; Nvidia announced Ampere hardware would be coming out in September 2020, however, then unforeseen issues with the then-fledgling semiconductor shortage meant these video cards were in seriously short supply.

What was previously as easy as walking into a retail store or ordering online became a logistics nightmare. Everything from top-end RTX 3090s to entry-level RTX 3060 Tis became incredibly difficult to track down, and when you did, you were often faced with the grim reality of paying over the odds for the privilege. It wasn't just scalpers getting in on the action either, some retailers were even facilitating secondary sellers through their platforms to sell the GPUs at grossly inflated rates.

I covered the launch of Ampere at the time and closely followed the restocks as retailers fought hard with everything from virtual queues and strict limitations to try and cut down on the scalpers hoarding graphics cards. Those wanting to buy an RTX 3080 or RTX 3070 Ti for MSRP during this time window were frankly out of luck, as it meant paying close attention to the likes of Telegram pages, Discord servers, and stock trackers to try to get ahead. It was a truly horrific time to be a PC gamer, and it's not going to be forgotten any time soon.

GPU manufacturers seized the opportunity and gamers paid

Fast forward to the end of 2022 (two years later) and RTX 30 series cards were finally available for their respective MSRP, right until the RTX 40 series debuted and that's where the problems started. Nvidia had seen that consumers were paying over the odds for its hardware and this was met with price increases going from Ampere to Ada. For example, the RTX 3080 ($699) became the RTX 4080 ($1,119). This extended to 70-class, too, with the RTX 3070 Ti ($599) up to RTX 4070 Ti ($799).

Simply put, it was a sting in the tail that burned a lot of people who were holding out for GPUs to become cheaper and more available, only for the latest and greatest to roll out with a price hike. It's something that Nvidia itself would later attempt to course correct earlier this year with the RTX 40 series, in particular the RTX 4080 Super, which knocked $200 off the lofty MSRP of the original, but this was too little too late for some. It went to show that this generation wasn't exactly pro-consumer.

Asking gamers and creators to pay significantly more money for the new equivalents of what they had been pining for a few years had to sting. This was a time when I saw a change in real time from friends around me who upgraded every generation and decided that their mid-range RTX 3070 Ti or RX 6800 XT was good enough after all. That's before realizing that proprietary tech was also locked behind a paywall, too.

DLSS 3 Frame Generation is locked behind new GPUs

There's no faulting the performance of the RTX 40 series as the best graphics cards for gaming. However, one thing that burned a ton of people is the fact that DLSS 3's Frame Generation was only possible by upgrading. While Team Green had typically made performance increases generation by generation, not since the adoption of RTX with Turing in 2018 did it wall out an innovation. Even now, if you want Frame Generation, you need to upgrade, meaning you're artificially missing out.

It paints a picture that Nvidia could usher in a new technology and then solely lock it behind the RTX 50 series which is rumored to be releasing at the end of this year. In a sense, that takes away the agency from gamers and instead replaces it with a sense of urgency. Before, you would want to upgrade your hardware to play your games at higher framerates or higher resolutions, but now, a company is telling you that if you don't do it, you'll be left behind, removing the choice from you.

That's not exactly the best sell at a time when many countries are suffering from inflation where splashing out on pricey hardware is something that few people can justify. It also casts doubt around exactly how long a leading graphics card could be relevant, as while the RTX 4090 is a truly incredible GPU, it could be made obsolete by its successor should it do something proprietary, which could be a bitter pill to swallow for users splashing out anywhere from $1,599 to $2,000+ right now.

Where this leaves us in 2024

Looking through the statistics on how the older graphics cards are dominating the hardware survey, it's clear that these factors have had an impact on consumer spending habits. If you're not actively been given organic reasons to want to upgrade, instead of being essentially forced, it's going to make you less likely to open your wallet, especially in trying times. Combined with this the price increases and it makes buying a new graphics card every time a harder sell, even at the mainstream end.

How often should you upgrade your GPU?

Generally speaking, you should upgrade your GPU when the games you enjoy playing are no longer able to provide playable framerates in your chosen target resolution. This could be 60fps in 1080p, 1440p, or 4K respectively. Alternatively, you may be upgrading your monitor for a new model with a higher resolution and refresh rate and then after something more powerful. We recommend upgrading every five years to stay current with the console parity of console hardware.

In this RTX 3050 review, we go through all the necessary details you need to know about this card, including price, specs, design, and performance benchmarks to help you make the most informed decision. So, can this old-gen GPU hold up in today's market? Let's find out.

RTX 3050 price

The RTX 3050 is no longer a flagship GPU for Team Green, having taken a backseat behind the RTX 40-series giants like the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 Super. By taking a backseat, you would think the RTX 3050 would come quite cheap nowadays - and you would be right. Depending on the brand, most RTX 3050 GPU packages can be found for around or just under $200.

Originally launched in January 2022, the RTX 3050 started with an MSRP of $249 but has since been discounted due to Nvidia's shift in focus to more updated models. For this review, we have looked at the ASUS Dual RTX 3050 which currently retails for $179 on Amazon - certainly one of the lower-priced GPUs you will find pretty much anywhere on the market these days.

So, how does the RTX 3050 compare to its 30-series counterparts? The RTX 3060 comes in roughly $100-150 more expensive than the RTX 3060, the next card up in the series. Similarly, the RTX 3070 jumps another $100 from that card. As you can see, the RTX 3050 is sitting primarily at the lower end of the Nvidia GPU lineup in terms of price. This makes it prime real estate for anyone looking to get into the GPU space for the first time (entry-level users) and those who are a little tighter on budgets. However, with lower prices often comes lower performance. Let's see if that is reflected here.

RTX 3050 key specs

Regardless of the brand of RTX 3050 you decide to purchase, the basics remain the same throughout. At this point, it is also important to make a distinction between the RTX 3050 8GB and the newer RTX 3050 6GB option. For the sake of this review, we are focused primarily on the 8GB variant, meaning more VRAM and more room to play with. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 features 8GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit-memory bus with a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. It features a pretty standard 1552 MHz base clock and a baseline boost clock speed of 1777 MHz. This boost clock speed can vary based on the specific model you purchase and if the model has overclocking functionality. For example, the ASUS Dual OC has a clock speed of 1820 MHz, a 2.4% increase.

Furthermore, the RTX 3050 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. This means most modern games and titles will be able to run on this system and additionally guarantee the support of ray-tracing. While its competitor, the RTX 3060, boasts a fully active set of 3840 shader units, the RTX 3050 trims down on this power. Nvidia disables some shaders to achieve a specific target for the 3050. This card comes equipped with 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. Despite the adjustment, it still packs a punch for machine learning tasks thanks to its 80 tensor cores. Additionally, the 3050 features 20 ray tracing cores for enhanced visuals in-game. Ray tracing is also important for creatives, making it well-suited for other graphics-intensive tasks, such as video editing, 3D modeling, and streaming.

You may be wondering what you will miss out on by purchasing a 30-series card over a newer 40-series one. Well, as quoted by Nvidia, the 40-series "takes everything RTX GPUs deliver and turns it up to 11". Here is what they mean. With the RTX 3050, you will not have the new Ada Lovelace architecture, a significant upgrade from the standard Ampere. Alongside this architecture upgrade, the 3050 also does not feature DLSS 3.0, a crucial feature in defining the new-gen Nvidia GPUs. To translate, RTX 3050 users won't have the use of AI to create additional high-quality frames. It is difficult not to overstress the importance of these features in modern GPUs and how much of a difference they make to gaming and creative endeavors. Bare this in mind when purchasing an RTX 3050 as while everyone starts at an entry-level, an upgrade to this level of GPU is nearly inevitable in today's gaming world.

RTX 3050 design and aesthetic

The RTX 3050 measures up as a compact graphics card designed to fit comfortably into most modern PCs. Coming in at 242 mm x 112 mm x 40 mm, it shouldn't hog up too much space within your case. This is a major advantage for those building smaller form factor machines or cases with limited space. However, it's important to remember that the RTX 3050 occupies two PCI-Express slots due to its dual-slot cooler design. Make sure you have the necessary space in your case to accommodate this before pulling the trigger on this GPU.

While the exact aesthetics may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, you can expect a fairly standard design for the RTX 3050. The reference design from Nvidia utilizes a dual-fan cooler shrouded in a simple black casing. Some manufacturers may add their flair with RGB lighting or unique heat sink designs, but overall, the RTX 3050 prioritizes function over form. For example, the ASUS Dual RTX 3060 has a stainless steel bracket, which is harder and more resistant to corrosion. Additionally, the model is featured with subtle lighting changes like an illuminated strip that creates a stylish accent. While they aren't major impacts, they may sway you on the individual variant you buy.

RTX 3050 performance

When looking at benchmark results, two things become apparent about the RTX 3050's performance. Firstly, it is still able to deliver solid 1080p performance on most modern titles, for example, Doom Eternal, Evil Genius 2, and Resident Evil Village. However, this is about it regarding the impressive nature of the RTX 3050, as it falls significantly in 4K and 1440p. To demonstrate, the RTX 3050 scored 32 in Dirt 5, 30 in Call of Duty: Warzone and just 25 in Fortnite for 4K. Ultimately slamming the door shut on any potential for an achievable 4K performance.

Gaming benchmarks

Additionally, the RTX 3050 just about scrapes by in some titles for 1440p. In CS:GO and Rainbow Six Siege, the RTX 3050 achieves scores over 100, though these titles are less demanding graphically and this score is still behind the performance of most other graphics cards available. As a comparison with our RTX 3080, the CS:GO score for the RTX 3050 was 239, though the RTX 3080 scored 344 - a score even larger than the RTX 3050's 1080p performance on the same game. In addition, in more graphically demanding games like Fortnite, the RTX 3080 scored 128 at 1440p - over double the performance benchmark for the 3050. This is certainly not an ideal card for anyone wanting to hit the 1440p or 4K gaming level anytime soon.

Synthetic benchmarks

Conclusion

The RTX 3050 signifies the last major low-end GPU from Nvidia, but it doesn't do much more than that. For its low price, it certainly can deliver a reasonable standard of performance, particularly at 1080p. It can also handle most modern titles. However, if this is the standard by which we judge GPUs then all GPUs would receive pass marks. Unfortunately, we understand that most gamers and creatives will demand slightly more from their cards nowadays and the RTX 3050 barely makes the cut. It doesn't have amazing 4K or 1440p benchmark scores for popular titles like Warzone or Fortnite, nor does it have any major performance features that distinguish it from its competitors.

The Nvidia 3050 is only saved by its price point which may make it appropriate for GPU entry-level users who are simply testing the waters and getting themselves familiar with cards. However, without modern DLSS 3.0 and Ada Lovelace architecture, the longevity and future of this card is not bright. It will need replacing eventually, adding an extra $200 to the cost of a better card that could've been bought sooner and lasted longer.

Is the RTX 3050 worth it?

In short, although it’s better and cheaper than almost any older Nvidia GPU, it’s not worth buying at this point. While only released a few years ago, the card has not aged particularly well, especially given the competition within Nvidia's ranks. It certainly won't leave a gaping hole in your wallet, that much is true, but it also does not have much longevity and you will likely have to end up upgrading sooner and spending more.

Its performance at 1440p and 1080p is sufficient at best, but nothing to shout about. For example, at 1440p, you may have to lower the graphics settings to maintain a smooth frame rate, which isn't great. If you have a slightly higher budget and are looking for the best performance possible, you may want to consider higher-end graphics cards from the 30-series such as the RTX 3060 or 3070, or you could even make a leap to the 40-series though this requires a little more money.

However, over the last three GPU generations, it's gone from an optimal framerate boost to an essential tool for playable framerates especially as software optimization has been more hit-and-miss in recent years. This software has been steadily improved from its DLSS 2 state, available up to Ampere (RTX 30 series), but came into its down with DLSS 3 with Frame Generation, which took things to the next level by using generative AI to fill in missing pixels when upscaling the picture, with a catch.

That's because DLSS 3 is only able to be utilized by the most recent Nvidia GPU generation, the RTX 40 series, which essentially locked the next generation of the AI upscaling technology behind a paywall. It's a double-edged sword because it means that while developers will have access to boost framerates through the AI upscaler, it essentially sets the precedent that you'll need to upgrade every GPU generation to keep up, and drives a further nail into the coffin of native performance.

How Nvidia is using AI to replace native performance

More games are being made with DLSS in mind to bolster the numbers instead of through native performance and this is something that Nvidia itself confidently runs with. We can evidence this with the Alan Wake II DLSS 3.5 reveal trailer that shows the game running at about 30fps natively (which is poor) before before the tech is switched on boosting the figures all the way up to 112fps average. While there's minimal visual degradation, it shows Team Green's confidence in its tech, and less worry about how its cards perform from a raw power point of view.

Unlike with DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction, 3.7 is more about improving the overall quality of the picture to get closer to the native quality. We can see the differences in Cyberpunk 2077 comparing versions through 3.5 vs 3.7 (via Frozburn via YouTube). In the side by side analysis, the new preset version reveals less ghosting on distant moving objects and more definition on palm trees, buildings, street signs, and billboards. It's a similar story when the car's in motion as the reflections and shadows are sharper.

While this technology is undoubtedly impressive, it marks a shift away from prioritising hardware to run games natively and more so on a reliance on AI in order to provide playable framerates which I have mixed feelings about. On one hand, I love the tech and think that it's great as a way of bolstering up the high end cards to become even more impressive, but it feels more like a crutch for the mid-range and lower-powered GPUs.

The RTX 4060 is a good card for 1080p and light application in 1440p for its $299 price point. However, it really needs DLSS 3's Frame Generation in order to fully flourish. The problem then, however, is that you'll essentially be downsampling from 1080p down to 720p and then back up, which can have mixed results. Upscaling 1440p from 1080p native is more hit and miss but the only real solution to have playable framerates. It's here where the limitations start to show, you can find out more in our dedicated RTX 4060 review.

DLSS 4 could be locked behind RTX 50 series

Given the track record of Nvidia with DLSS 3 being exclusively available to the RTX 40 series, it sets the stage for this trend to continue with the RTX 50 series to run DLSS 4 and the potential next generation of Frame Generation 2.0. This isn't necessarily going to happen, as the likes of DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction and DLSS 3.7 Quality update have been applied to all RTX cards. However, Frame Generation, the biggest of these technologies, cannot be done on older cards.

Then we get onto the fact that the RTX 40 series marked a significant price increase over its predecessors which was met with a mixed reception from us and other critics. The key example was with the jump from RTX 3080 ($699) to RTX 4080 ($1,199) which is a massive increase just to have an 80-class card that can do DLSS 3 Frame Generation. We could, therefore, see the RTX 5080 priced even higher, unless Team Green does learns from its mistakes like with the RTX 4080 Super ($999).

Modern gaming without DLSS

It's certainly possible to game without the usage of Nvidia DLSS enabled with playable framerates but it's far more of a case-by-case basis when the software is concerned, with only the bleeding edge of hardware able to brute force its way through in higher resolutions. In our testing here at PC Guide we've noticed this trend firsthand as we've been reviewing all the graphics cards from not only Nvidia but also AMD and Intel, too, the latter two options with their answer to Nvidia's upscaling tech; FSR and XeSS respectively.

Our testing reveals the major weakness of today's current crop of graphics cards when doing 4K natively. Let's took at the RTX 4080 Super which is a premium GPU but can't quite do Cyberpunk 2077 maxed out in 2160p at 60fps even without ray tracing enabled. That extends to the RX 7900 XTX as well, which is available for the same price, which will able to do 70fps in Cyberpunk 2077, couldn't do Fortnite maxed out in 4K at 60fps, showing that native performance isn't consistent across the board.

What does the future of DLSS mean for native performance?

Simply put, considering technologies like DLSS are so prevalent as over 500 games support it (via Nvidia) it doesn't look good for the native performance of tommorrow's games. Top-end titles are beholden to AI upscaling in order to achieve playable framerates and that's only going to become more apparent in the next few years, as Intel and AMD have thrown their hats into the ring. Essentially, this could mean hardware manufacturers putting more emphasis on Tensor cores and AI accelerators than pushing the boundaries on ray tracing cores, and CUDA cores / Stream Processors / Xe cores.