The best RX 7600 graphics cards consist of the Navi 33 GPU at the heart of the new GPUs. It is built on AMD’s latest RDNA3 architecture with the addition of new AI Cores, 2nd Gen Raytracing, and 2nd Gen Infinity Cache. All of that sounds great, but is it worth picking up at MSRP considering the VRAM issue that is plaguing modern Triple-A titles? 

In this roundup, that’s the question we’ll be trying to answer while also looking at some of the best AMD RX 7600 graphics cards available to buy right now. We’ll be testing a number of cards and comparing the performance, features, and thermals against each other to figure out which one is worth your money. 

Before we move, we’d also like to mention that this card is very close in price to the best RX 6700 XT Graphics cards. Keep a close eye on the prices and performance differences between the two so you get the best deal.

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card	Editor's Choice	33 Reviews Check Price
2		XFX Speedster QICK308 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card	Best Triple-Fan RX 7600 Graphics Card	114 Reviews Check Price
3		XFX Speedster SWFT210 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card	Sleekest Design	125 Reviews Check Price
4		PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7600 Gaming Graphics Card	Best for Thermals and Noise	848 Reviews Check Price
5		PowerColor Hellhound AMD Radeon RX 7600 Gaming Graphics Card	Best for Small Form Factors PCs	848 Reviews Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card
Award	Editor's Choice
Details	33 Reviews Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	XFX Speedster QICK308 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card
Award	Best Triple-Fan RX 7600 Graphics Card
Details	114 Reviews Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	XFX Speedster SWFT210 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card
Award	Sleekest Design
Details	125 Reviews Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7600 Gaming Graphics Card
Award	Best for Thermals and Noise
Details	848 Reviews Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	PowerColor Hellhound AMD Radeon RX 7600 Gaming Graphics Card
Award	Best for Small Form Factors PCs
Details	848 Reviews Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 18:31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Factors to Consider When Buying The Best AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card

While you’re on the hunt and choosing from the best AMD Radeon RX 7600 graphics cards, there are several factors that you need to consider. A good GPU will give you consistent framerates across the board, while also maintaining consistent performance in terms of thermals and acoustics. However, that’s only possible if you know what you’re looking for when buying a graphics card.

Higher-End GPU Roundup: 9 Best NVIDIA RTX 4090 Graphics Card In 2024

With that being said, it can sometimes be a bit of a hassle to find the right graphics cards for your needs. While Radeon RX 7600 graphics cards are excellent for gaming, you’ll need to take factors such as compatibility, performance, thermals, and cooler design into account. Sticking with our recommendations is a good idea, but that might not always be possible. Products often go out of stock, get discontinued, or increase in price. In that case, we’ve put together some factors that you should be aware of so that you get the best deal.

After testing several RX 7600 graphics cards and sifting through all the different AIB designs, we came across some obvious factors that can make or break a good graphics card. These are the things that you should do when you’re planning on getting an RX 7600 graphics card for your gaming PC.

Compatibility

This is true for the best AMD Radeon RX 7600 graphics cards but also applies to any video card in general. Before you go about buying a GPU, make sure that it is compatible with your case and power supply. Most ATX and Micro-ATX cases should have no problem with fitting in a dual-slot or even a triple-slot graphics card. Triple-card fans can be relatively long and heavy, so make sure that your case has enough room to house it comfortably.

Of course, this won’t be as big of a problem when you’re buying an RX 7600. It’s a budget gaming GPU, so it’s usually smaller than something like a 4070 or 4080. Just keep in mind that some bigger GPUs will not fit into ITX cases at all. You’re better off getting a dual-fan design or a low-profile compact graphics card. 

Once you’ve figured out compatibility with the case, you’ll need to worry about the maximum power draw of the GPU. The RX 7600 has a TDP of 165W. However, at full load, it can draw 15-20W more than that. The average still sits at a comfortable 165W. This means that you can get away with a relatively low-tier power supply with a total power of 450W. Higher-end GPUs like the 3080 need a beefier power supply, so it’s good to see that you won’t need to upgrade your PSU.

With that said, even if you can get away with 450W, we don’t recommend that. That sort of wattage is enough for low-end systems, but if you have a relatively powerful CPU along with other power-hungry components, things are going to be tight. It’s also not a good decision if you plan on upgrading in the future. For that reason, we recommend that you have at least a 500-550W power supply for this graphics card.

CPU Bottleneck

If you’re buying this GPU, it is highly likely that you will be playing games at 1080p. On lower resolutions, games are more CPU-bound than GPU-bound. If your CPU is not strong enough, you’re going to face stuttering, frame drops, and other performance issues. That’s why it’s important to calculate the bottleneck between your CPU and GPU. 

Generally speaking, if you pair the Radeon RX 7600 graphics card with a relatively modern CPU with six cores, you should be good to go. Even 4-core CPUs like the Core i3 13100F or the Core i3 12100F will be fine. However, if you have something older like an i3 9100F or an i5 6600K, it’s a good time to upgrade. You can get a decent CPU for $100-$150 these days. For example, the Ryzen 5 5600X is the best option. Finding motherboards for the 5600X is relatively easy as well. 

Finally, you should also make sure that you have enough RAM for the CPU to take advantage of. In 2024, 8GB of memory is cutting it very close. You should at least have 16GB of RAM for Triple-A titles, as that tends to be the sweet spot these days.

Thermal and Acoustic Performance

When most people buy a graphics card, they tend to focus on the specs and performance. While that’s a valid approach, considering the thermal performance is just as important. A lot of these newer graphics cards rely on thermal data to properly boost to max speed. This is also known as GPU boost. 

Fortunately, as the RX 7600 graphics card does not draw too much power, this is not something to worry about. Even though modern GPUs can be sensitive to temperature, the RX 7600 boosts very well. It also has a good bit of room for overclocking and such. Just keep in mind that the airflow in your case can heavily affect the overall performance. If your components are tightly packed into a small case, you will notice higher temps and performance issues.

Acoustic performance goes hand in hand with thermal performance. A lot of cards these days are known to have issues with coil while. It’s a power-related issue that’s caused by electric surges. It causes capacitors to vibrate at a high frequency, and this sound is known as coil whine. Check reviews for any graphics card that you plan on buying to make sure it does not have this issue. 

Aesthetics

While not everyone thinks that aesthetics is as important as performance, a lot of people will beg to differ. Aesthetics impact the look of your rig but also say a lot about how much you care about your rig. A good-looking card can make your build look incredible, and it’s nice to show off your gaming station every now and then.

Fortunately, graphics cards come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. A lot of the best RX 7600 graphics cards have a sleek black look, but we are yet to see variants with a lot of RGB. Of course, that is to be expected with budget and mid-range cards, so you’ll have to make do with the aesthetics. Still, there are some exceptions. The ASROCK Steel Legend and Gigabyte OC variants are good examples. Unfortunately, those cards are not yet available in most retailers.

Price and Value

This can be a bit tricky when it comes to third-party vendors for graphics cards. Each variant will differ in pricing depending on the raw performance, thermal performance, and design. It’s relatively easy to find video cards near the recommended MSRP point. A lot of them are priced exactly at MSRP. For a budget card like the RX 7600, this should not be much of a problem.

Vendors such as PowerColor, Sapphire, and XFX all have cards that are at MSRP or at least close to it. You’ll see this for yourself when we get to the roundup. Of course, we also have high rollers. Premium variants of these cards show off the best of the best from these vendors. This includes cards like the ASUS ROG Strix or MSI Suprim for cards like the RTX 3070. 

However, since the card we’re looking at today is a budget variant, this is less of an issue. Manufacturers simply don’t produce these higher-end variants for these budget cards. If you do come across a few exceptions, you’ll notice that they’re relatively higher in price. Try to find the right balance between price and performance. If you spend too much, you’ll find that you could have bought a higher-tier card by paying a tad bit more. It’s a common mistake made by many, so be wary of this. 

Why You Should Trust Us

At Appuals, we are dedicated to providing you with the most reliable and informative reviews on all graphics cards. Our team of experienced PC hardware enthusiasts tests each product diligently. We always take factors such as performance, pricing, thermals, and acoustics into account to make sure our readers buy the best product that fits their budget. We understand the importance of reliability when it comes to video cards and our extensive testing reflects our high standards. Read more about us.

1. Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card

Editor's Choice

Pros

• Great cooling performance
• Classic Sapphire design
• Competitive price
• Works with almost any case

Cons

• Color scheme might be boring to some people

33 Reviews

Shading Units (Cores): 2048 | Boost Clock: 2644 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1

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Kicking off the list is the Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 7600. When it comes to reliability, performance, and value, this is arguably the best RX 7600 Graphics card that money can buy. It’s excellent for 1080p gaming, features that classic design we’ve seen from Sapphire in the past, and the thermal performance is superb. 

Like all RX 7600 graphics cards, this one features 8 Gigabytes of GDDR6 memory and is based on the RDNA3 architecture. In terms of design and build quality, the Sapphire Pulse features a sleek design with high-quality materials all around. It features a dual-fan design that keeps the card cool even during intense gaming sessions. For the NAVI 33 GPU inside, the composite heat pipes and fans are fine-tuned for maximum heat dissipation. This ensured that thermal performance is as expected. 

More Budget GPUs: Best RTX 3060 Graphics Cards for Entry-Level Gaming PCs

In terms of performance, the Sapphire Pulse delivers on our expectations. Performance in games is great at 1080p, and while the RX 7600 is not intended for ray tracing, it’s a great GPU for eSport titles. As for the video output, it features an HDMI 2.1 output as well as three DisplayPort 2.1 outputs. The card also supports PCIe Express 4.0, allowing for faster data transfer speeds.

The only con with this one is that it has a bit of a generic color scheme. For most people, the black/red combo is played out at this point. As such, the design might bore some people away. However, considering that this a cheap card that delivers on performance without sacrificing thermals, that’s a minor drawback. We highly recommend this card, especially since it’s near MSRP.

One more thing worth mentioning is that if you buy certain AMD cards on Amazon right now, you’ll get a free copy of the Resident Evil 4 remake. That deal also applies to this card, making the value even better. 

2. XFX Speedster QICK308 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card

Best Triple-Fan Option

Pros

• Triple-Fan design
• Incredible cooler performance
• Lots of room for overclocking
• High factory boost clock

Cons

• Unuseable for ITX cases

114 Reviews

Shading Units (Cores): 2048 | Boost Clock: 2755 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1

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The XFX Speedster QICK308 takes everything that’s great about the best RX 7600 graphics cards but turns things up a notch. It has a higher factory clock, a beefy cooler, and a sleek triple-fan design. This QICK308 is the ultimate form of this GPU. The sleek design and performance speak for themselves.

It features a modern and slick design that is both aesthetically pleasing and great for cooling. The card uses high-quality materials along with a triple-fan design that leaves a lot of room for incredible. Thermally, this card has no issues keeping up with the performance. That’s likely why it features a slightly higher boost clock at 2755. With good airflow in your case, you should have no problems overclocking this beast to an even higher boost clock.

With a little bit of memory overclocking, you’re looking at almost 6700 XT-like performance. The only thing that’s holding it back is the 8GB of VRAM. But we can’t really blame XFX for that, as that’s all that AMD has given them to work with. This behemoth of a GPU will look stunning in a stealthy case, maybe even with a little bit of water-cooling thrown into the mix.

It certainly looks more expensive than it actually is. If aesthetics mean anything to you, then this is the obvious card to buy. It will work with almost any build, and since black goes with everything, you’ll have an easy time building a color scheme around this card. 

Other than that, there’s no noticeable coil whine and the fans are almost silent even under full load. The design is a bit overkill for the Navi 33 GPU, but considering it’s still cheap, we’re not complaining. If you have an ITX case, you might want to avoid this one because of the size. For ATX and microATX cases, this is a budget dream come true. 

3. XFX Speedster Swift 210 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card

Sleekest Design

Pros

• Sleek design
• Great for small form factor PCs
• Great thermal performance
• Works with most Linux distros

Cons

• Not the best for overclocking

125 Reviews

Shading Units (Cores): 2048 | Boost Clock: 2655 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1

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Under the hood, the XFX Speedster Swift 210 is just your ordinary RX 7600 graphics card. It features the same 8GB of VRAM, 2048 shading units, and a TDP of 165W. What makes it stands out from the competition is its slick and aesthetically pleasing design. In terms of design, this is the best RX 7600 graphics card out there. The Swift 210 is powerful, looks great, and works with a wide variety of cases.

XFX has nailed its design philosophy perfectly with the Swift series. In a world where everything is about RGB, this GPU takes a stealthier approach with its looks. It features an all-black design apart from the white Radeon and XFX branding. Those subtle white accents give this GPU a lot of personality, and this also shines through with the backplate.

The backplate features a cutout XFX logo along with a perforated design. The heat pipes aren’t that visible either, which further adds to the stealthy look. Other than that, it features an aggressive angled design that complements the almost industrial appearance. 

This is a dual-fan card that should have no problem fitting into almost any case. It works well with budget PC cases while also adding to the looks. Apart from the design, the dual-fan cooler construction does a great job of keeping the card cool under full load. It doesn’t have much in the way of overclocking headroom, but the fact that this one works flawlessly with most Linux distros is another plus point.

All in all, if you care about the design and want the sleekest-looking RX 7600 on the block, this is your answer. It might not be as impressive as the XFX’s triple-fan card that we looked at above, but it certainly looks even better. 

4. PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card

Best for Thermals and Noise

Pros

• Small footprint
• Great thermal performance
• Overclocks quite well
• Very Quiet

Cons

• Boring and generic design
• Basic-looking backplate

848 Reviews

Shading Units (Cores): 2048 | Boost Clock: 2655 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1

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The PowerColor Fighter is a formidable contender for being one of the best RX 7600 Graphics cards. While there’s not much difference in terms of the specs and performance, this GPU sets itself apart thanks to its outstanding thermal and noise performance. This is the best that we’ve seen so far on this list, apart from the triple-fan XFX QICK308.

Let’s dive into the Fighter’s impressive thermal management. Equipped with an advanced cooling system, this card ensures optimal temperatures even during intense gaming sessions.

The dual-fan configuration works wonderfully with the precision-engineered heat pipes, effectively dissipating heat away from the NAVI 33 GPU. This results in improved thermal efficiency, allowing the Fighter to maintain consistent performance without compromising stability.

More GPU Roundups: 7 Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards In 2024

Apart from the thermals, another impressive feature is the whisper-quiet operation. The cooling fans are intelligently designed to minimize noise while effectively cooling the card. Whether you’re engrossed in an intense gaming session or working on resource-intensive tasks, the video card won’t annoy you with coil while or loud fans. 

In addition to its remarkable thermal and noise performance, the Fighter boasts excellent overclocking capabilities. Enthusiasts seeking that extra performance boost will be pleased with the headroom this card provides. With careful tweaking and monitoring, you can extract additional power from the Fighter and achieve even better framerates.

While it exceeds the technical aspects, it does have a few drawbacks in terms of design. First off, it is very boring and generic at first glance. You can’t shake that feeling even when you’ve had the card for a while. It’s easy to tell that this is a budget card. While that’s not always a bad thing, it doesn’t even look similar to the cards we looked at above.

This one is definitely for those who care more about having better thermals and acoustic performance, as well as room for overclocking. If you’re looking for great design, you want to go for the XFX Speedster. Still, this is an excellent RX 7600 Graphics card considering it’s very close to MSRP. 

5. PowerColor Hellhound Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card

Best for Small Form Factor PCs

Pros

• Perfect for compact PCs
• Superb cooling performance
• Overclocks well enough
• Backlit fans

Cons

• Coil whine
• Fans can get loud

848 Reviews

Shading Units (Cores): 2048 | Boost Clock: 2695 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1

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The PowerColor Hellhound has quite an aggressive name, and it’s fitting for a card that features superb cooling performance. Like the PowerColor Fighter above, this one has a lot of thermal headroom allowing you to overclock the GPU as much as you’d like. If you’re looking for a compact graphics card that doesn’t compromise performance, this is the one to get. However, there are a few issues that might hold you back.

One of the standout features of the Hellhound is its compact size, making it an ideal choice for space-constrained builds. Whether you’re constructing a mini-ITX gaming rig or looking to optimize airflow in a smaller case, the Hellhound should fit with no problems.

Despite its small size, the Hellhound doesn’t skimp on cooling performance. The dual-fans do a great job along with the heat pipes to dissipate heat and keep temperatures in check. You can easily push this RX 7600 graphics card to its limit without worrying about overheating issues. 

Looking for more performance? Check out the Best RTX 3080 Graphics Cards For 4K Gaming.

While it may not offer extreme overclocking potential, it does provide sufficient headroom for users to squeeze out additional performance. With careful tweaking and monitoring, you can optimize the card’s settings to unleash its full potential.

Adding a touch of visual flair, the Hellhound features backlit fans. The fans are accented by LEDs that light up in a subtle icy blue color. Not exactly the color we’d choose for an AMD build, as blue is Intel’s color, but it looks good nonetheless. 

While the cooling performance is incredible it does come at a cost. These fans tend to get quite loud, and there’s a noticeable coil whine with this GPU. However, you can quickly adjust the fan curve and make them quieter.

With that said, not everyone is going to be familiar with that. Most people just want a card that they can plug in and enjoy without worrying about stuff like this. That’s the only reason why this card is at the bottom of our list. Other than that, it’s still a decent option.

How We Picked and Tested the Best Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Cards

As Nvidia’s 40-series appears to be quite unpopular right now, we reckon that this sub-$300 graphics card from AMD is going to be very popular. Normally, picking from various different aftermarket variants of a GPU is very difficult. However, this entire ordeal was easier than usual considering that there were only a handful of these variants available with most retailers.

Our primary factor to consider was the thermal performance. Most graphics card variants perform about the same, and the only thing that separates the best RX 7600 graphics from the rest is how well they perform thermally. Of course, acoustic performance is also just as important. You don’t want something that ends up sounding like a jet engine when it’s at full throttle.

Apart from that, power delivery and power consumption is not as big of an issue with these cards. Considering the RX 7600 has a relatively low power draw of 165W, we rarely noticed any power spikes when testing with various different PSUs. Aesthetics are subjective, but we did pay attention to them as a lot of people care about design and build quality.

Ultimately, the price tag and value proposition are what really matters. In our opinion, the best card is one that looks good, performs well, and is close to the MSRP. Each of our RX 7600 cards more or less fit those standards and our time of highly skilled experts put them through a rigorous testing process. The thorough gauntlet of testing involved thermal, acoustic, as well as performance tests in various real-world scenarios.

At the end of it all, our time of hardware experts, writers, and editors got together to curate the ultimate guide to the best RX 7600 graphics cards out there. The results are driven by a lot of data, feedback from users, as well as subjective opinions from our writers and editing team. 

The VRAM Situation with the Best RX 7600 Graphics Cards And Benchmarks

Before you buy any new graphics card, it is important to check how much VRAM you currently have and how much you would need in the future so that the upgrade is actually substantial. While the RX 7600 is an excellent card for 1080p gaming, there is valid concern around the VRAM limitations. For once, both AMD and Nvidia seem to be in agreement. The situation is that both companies believe that 8GB of VRAM is enough for 1080p gaming.

While that’s mostly true, considering that a lot of newer Triple-A games are being developed for next-gen consoles that have 16GB of VRAM, that statement is a bit skewed. A lot of Triple-A games are made for consoles first, and then later ported to PC. Consoles are the bigger market, so it makes sense why this is the case. However, it’s very difficult to optimize a game for PC hardware. This is especially true considering how many different configurations of gaming PCs exist in the world.

As such, a lot of games have been recently pushed out to the PC world that demand more VRAM. Games like The Last of Us Part 1 Remake, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and The Callisto Protocol all use more than 8 gigs of VRAM at certain resolution. This is also true for 1080p. There’s a growing list of games that use more than 8GB VRAM, with titles like Dead Space Remake using up to 13 gigs!

Moving forward, 12GB of VRAM might be the new minimum for those seeking the latest and greatest experience. Even at 1080p, when you have higher settings and stuff like raytracing turned on, 8 gigs do not seem to be enough. 

Now, we can’t give AMD too much flame for this as Nvidia is selling the 4060 Ti for $400 with a measly 8GB of VRAM. That card is supposed to be a 1440p gaming beast, but the 8 gigs are holding it back a lot. The cheaper RX 7600 is a great budget gaming card, but make sure that you have your expectations in line. You will have to turn down the setting for some of these newer titles.

Alternatively, you can also get the RX 6700 XT which is likely the more sensible purchase. While it is slightly more expensive, you get more VRAM and better performance. Of course, seem will still lean towards the newer architecture and the benefits that come with that. 

The post Best AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Cards In 2024 appeared first on Appuals.

These cards might be more viable over the RTX 3060 Ti or even the RTX 3070, especially when it comes to 4K gaming. Of course, neither the 3080 Ti nor the 3090 come cheap, but you might find a good price for both considering the launch of the newer 4000 series.

Both cards are great and deliver excellent performance with features like Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and ray tracing. You should look at these cards if you want 60fps at a native 4K resolution.

However, there is an obvious difference in pricing. This detailed analysis should help you figure out which card is the right choice for your needs.

Where To Buy RTX 3080 Ti and 3090

#	Preview	Product Name	Details
1		Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti	Check Price
2		Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090	Check Price

#	1
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Product Name	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Details	Check Price

#	2
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Product Name	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
Details	Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 13:29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

RTX 3080 Ti vs 3090 – Specifications

Whether you’re upgrading your pre-existing gaming PC or building a new one, both the RTX 3080 Ti and 3090 are excellent graphics cards. These are two of the best GPUs for playing games at 4K with high settings. However, you need to consider the fact that these cards are close in performance, especially in games.

They share the same architecture, and while there are a few differences in specs here and there (VRAM, RT Cores, etc), the real-world performance in games is not that different. Sure, there’s a difference in hash rate as well, but we won’t be talking about mining in this comparison.

These cards also turn out to be viable choices when upgrading from something like an RTX 2060 (or 2060 Super), and if you happen to be upgrading from the GTX 1080 Ti, then you’ll notice a gigantic jump up in performance. Even coming from an RTX 3060 Ti will show you considerable performance gains.

Take a look at the specs below to get a general idea of whether you should get the RTX 3080 Ti or the 3090.

As you can see, there’s no major difference between the RTX 3080 Ti and 3090 when it comes to the specs. This translates to real-world performance as well. While the latter is a higher-end card, the former is by no means inferior in any aspect. The differences in specs are insignificant, apart from two aspects that may or may not be important to you.

More GPUs: Best 5600 XT Graphics Cards

One of these is the difference in the amount of VRAM. While the RTX 3080 Ti has an impressive 10 gigabytes of GDDR6X VRAM, the 3090 bumps that up to a whopping 24 gigabytes. However, a small handful of games will come close to even using 12 gigabytes of VRAM. So, gaming performance is not affected by this memory difference.

After the gaming benchmarks, we’ll take a look at how VRAM affects workloads in professional programs for video editing, 3D rendering, and animation.

RTX 3080 Ti vs RTX 3090 – Gaming Performance

So, after going over the specs for the two graphics cards, you can probably guess that the RTX 3080 Ti and 3090 are going to be quite close in terms of gaming performance. While the 3090 is the better overall video card, the 3080 Ti does not lag far behind. Both cards are excellent, and they will perform well beyond most gamers’ requirements.

Read More: Best GPU Support Braces

To see how these cards stack up against each other, we’ve aggregated benchmarks from Benchmark Lab. When we put the cards through the paces ourselves, the results were in-line with the benchmarks we have aggregated below.

PC Specifications

Both graphics cards were tested by putting them in a PC with the following specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core i7 10700K
• Motherboard: ASRock Z590 PG Velocita
• CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280
• RAM: G.Skill Trident Z Royal 32GB DDR4 3200MHz
• Storage: Samsung EVO 970 500GB
• Power Supply: Super Flower Leadex Platinum 1000W

The important thing of note here is that this PC uses the Intel Core i7 10700K. While this processor is somewhat, it is still more than capable for modern titles at high settings. This CPU features 8 cores, and 16 threads, and can turbo up to 5.1GHz when Intel’s Thermal Velocity Boost comes into play. It’s an excellent processor for gaming and pairs well with the 3080 Ti and 3090.

Related Read: Best RTX 2080 Graphics Cards

That CPU is cooled by the excellent Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280. When it comes to overall performance, this cooler is hard to beat considering the value it brings to the table. We recently ranked the 240mm version of this cooler as one of the best CPU coolers for the 13900K.

As for the motherboard, this PC uses the AsRock Z590 PG Velocita. It’s a great-looking board with support for Intel’s 10th and 11th Gen processors. This board features two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, two dual M.2 slots, and plenty of RGB. It performs well and looks great doing so.

Related: 7 Best Motherboards For Ryzen 5 5600X 

In addition to that, we have 32 GB of DDR4 memory running at 3200MHz with a CAS latency of CL16. The kit in question is the G.Skill Trident Z Royal, a great-looking kit that also overclocks quite well. For storage, the PC is using a Samsung 970 Evo PCIe 3.0 SSD. It is reliable, fast, and surprisingly affordable these days.

To top it all off, the PC is using a high-end Super Flower Leadex Platinum 1000W power supply. The 3080 Ti and 3090 are power-hungry cards, and this PSU can handle them with ease. Now, let’s finally get to the benchmarks.

3080 Ti vs 3090 – Testing Methodology

As using both the 3080 Ti and 3090 for gaming at 1080p does not make sense, we decided to only go with 4K benchmarks for our comparison. Sure, a lot of people will also be using these GPUs for 1440p gaming, but considering they perform so well at 4K, there’s not much to worry about.

Testing the cards at 4K allows us to push the cards to their limit, especially when we turn on ray tracing and crank all the settings to Ultra. This gives us a better idea of what to expect when it comes to the maximum performance yield from both the 3080 Ti and 3090.

Note: We’re also throwing the RTX 3080 into the loop to see how it keeps up with the best of the best from Nvidia. The results might surprise you. We wanted to test the RTX 3070 as well, but that GPU is not within the performance bracket of the 3080 Ti or 3090.

We’ll be comparing frame rates, power consumption, memory usage, and other empirical metrics to determine which is the better of the two. 

Cyberpunk 2077

To start things off, let’s take a look at arguably one of the most infamous games of the decade. While the reception to the game was a major disappointment, you have to admit that this is a beautiful-looking game. Night City is at its best when you turn up the settings and turn on ray tracing. The vibrant nightlife in this game is truly a sight to behold.

However, this is a highly demanding game, which proves to be perfect for our testing. In this benchmark, the game is running at Ultra settings, with ray tracing turned on, and DLSS set to quality. You can still play the game natively at 4K but turning on ray tracing along with DLSS set to quality gives us the perfect blend of performance and image quality.

Budget GPU Options: Best GTX 1060 Graphics card

As you can see from the benchmarks, both the 3080 Ti and 3090 perform well, with the 3080 not lagging that far behind. The 3080 Ti gives an average of 58fps at 64°C. Meanwhile, the 3090 is giving us a 63fps average at 64°C. Both the 0.1% and 1% lows are also similar. The performance difference between the two is a mere 8.6% if we’re talking about the average framerate.

Surprisingly, the RTX 3080 is not that far behind at 55fps. In conclusion, all three cards perform surprisingly well, and the difference in performance is not huge. You could go with either the 3080 or the 3080 Ti and still be happy with the performance.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Next up in our comparison of the RTX 3080 Ti vs 3090, we’ll be testing one of the greatest games of the past decade. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It also happens to be one of the best-looking games out there. This game is graphically intensive, so testing it on these GPUs was a no-brainer for us.

Everything is cranked up to eleven for this test. The game is running natively at 4K with Ultra settings. RDR2 has graphically demanding textures, and while it does not feature ray tracing support, the lighting effects in this game are impressive. It’s a well-optimized game, but one that is hard to run at 4K with the settings in this test.

AMD GPUs: Best AMD RX 5700 XT Graphics Cards

Fortunately, both the RTX 3080 Ti and 3090 perform well here. The 3080 Ti gives us an average of 70fps, and the max temperature is 68°C. Not too bad at all. Unfortunately, it’s hard to justify the RTX 3090 here, as it only manages to match the performance of the RTX 3080 Ti. Again, we’re getting an average of 70fps at around the same temperature as the 3090.

Even the RTX 3080 manages to keep up in this test. We’re looking at an average frame rate of 61fps, but the temperature is a bit higher and averages at around 70-75°C in this test.

In conclusion, both the RTX 3080 and 3080 Ti are the obvious choices here. You’re getting a 14.75% increase in performance with the 3080 Ti compared to the regular 3080.

Battlefield V

Next up in our RTX 3080 Ti vs 3090 comparisons, we’ll be taking a look at Battlefield V. This is an online shooter, and you would not think that it is that graphically demanding. However, when you crank things up to the Ultra settings, this is a spectacular visual delight. For our testing, we turned on ray tracing and tested it at 4K.

With those settings turned on, the game becomes surprisingly demanding. Playing through the campaign in these settings is quite the experience. So, both the 3080 Ti and 3090 performed well in this test. However, as you can see for yourself, the performance difference is negligible.

The 3080 Ti gives an average frame rate of 73fps, while the 3090 is at 75fps. That’s barely an increase of 2.7% if you can even call that an improvement. On the other hand, the 3080 also fared well at 66fps.

So, the trend continues. These tests show that the 3080 Ti can comfortably keep up with the RTX 3090.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Sony has been porting a lot of their games to PC recently. Considering most of Sony’s first-party exclusives are cinematic experiences, they turn out to be excellent tests for gaming at high settings. Horizon Zero Dawn is a great example, especially considering how demanding it was at launch. 

For this test, the game is running at 4K with all the settings at Ultra. The does not have any support for ray tracing but does feature support for DLSS. DLSS is turned off for this test, and the benchmarks are in native 4K.

Again, the RTX 3080 Ti comfortably keeps up with the RTX 3090. We’re looking at an average frame rate of 83fps and 88fps respectively. The 3080 Ti does run a bit hotter here, creeping up to around 70°C when under full load. The 3090 provides a performance uplift of 6%. Meanwhile, the RTX 3080 also performed well, averaging out at 75fps.

Keep in mind that the performance uplifts so far are all under 10% (some are under 5%). It’s not looking good for the 3090, especially considering it costs at least 25% more than the 3080 Ti (at MSRP).

Minecraft RTX

That’s right, you can now experience Minecraft in all its Ray tracing glory. It even features support for DLSS. If you haven’t already, check out Nvidia’s showcase for this game. The difference is like night and day, and it arguably might be the best ray tracing showcase so far. It’s also surprisingly graphically demanding.

For this test, the game is running at Ultra settings in native 4K. Of course, ray tracing is enabled by default for this one. The RTX 3080 Ti performs well here, giving us an average frame rate of 80fps. On the other hand, the RTX 3090 provides a performance uplift of 6%, averaging 85fps.

The RTX 3080 (non-Ti) is 13% slower than the 3090 in this test. Then again, the RTX 3090 costs twice as much, if not more, than the RTX 3080. 

In conclusion, this is another win for the RTX 3080 Ti considering the value it brings to the table.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Next up, we’ll be taking a look at Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is the type of game that can bring your gaming PC to its knees. Running this game at 4K with Ultra settings is no easy task. That is exactly why it’s such a good fit for our comparison.

So, the game is running at native 4K here, with all of the settings turned to Ultra. Running this game was a bit of a struggle, as frame rate drops are not uncommon for this one. Let’s take a look at the results.

In this test, the RTX 3080 Ti manages to average 50fps at 4K. Unfortunately, the RTX 3090 does not provide a performance uplift here and only manages to match the 3080 Ti in this test. On the other hand, the RTX 3080 averages 40-43fps.

As you can see for yourself, the 0.1% and 1% lows are not looking good for any of the graphics cards here. This is simply because Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most demanding titles out there. That might also be why the monthly player count is a bit low for this Xbox exclusive.

So, the battle between the 3080 Ti vs 3090 remains at a standstill in this test. Still, considering the price, we can chalk this up as a win for the 3080 Ti.

Metro Exodus 

Last but not least, we are using Metro Exodus as a final example in our comparison of the RTX 3080 Ti vs 3090. This is not the “enhanced” version of the game, which features better ray tracing and is more graphically demanding. Still, the standard version of this game looks great with ray tracing enabled, even if the global illumination is not up to par when compared with the enhanced edition.

The game is running at 4K with all of the settings at Ultra. Ray tracing is enabled, and DLSS is also turned out for the best combination of performance and image quality. Here are the results:

So, the RTX 3080 Ti gives us an average of 78fps at a max temperature of 68°C. Unfortunately, the 3090 only manages to match the “cheaper” GPU in this test. Surprisingly, sometimes the 3080 Ti even managed to beat the 3090 in this test. Performance for the RTX 3080 is also in-line with our expectations, averaging 68fps.

To conclude, add this as another win for the RTX 3080 Ti.

3080 Ti vs 3090 – Performance Verdict

To sum it up, the results of these benchmarks speak for themselves. These tests show that the RTX 3080 Ti is a beefed-up RTX 3080, and you could also say that it is “almost” a 3090 at that point. If your only concern is gaming at 4K with Ultra settings and ray tracing enabled, then the RTX 3080 Ti is the wiser choice here. 

With that being said, there are some situations where the RTX 3090 makes sense. While you should not be buying this GPU just for gaming, the higher VRAM capacity does make it better for professional workloads. Apart from that, the 3080 Ti is by far the better graphics card in nearly every aspect, considering the price.

Also, pairing the 3080 Ti with a processor like the 12900K will give you excellent performance for both games and productivity. If you want to with that combination, check out the best motherboards for 12900K. 

The VRAM Situation

As you’re probably aware by now, the major difference between both of these cards is in the VRAM. If you are someone who works with a lot of professional applications, then that’s where you’ll benefit from the 24GB of available VRAM with the RTX 3090. 

So, if you’re building a PC for 3D rendering, modeling, or animation, the GPU needs to be up to snuff so that it keeps up with your requirements. If you are rendering frames in real-time, you need to have a good amount of VRAM. Of course, scene complexity, polygon count, texture resolution, and other effects also come into play here.

When you start using features such as more shader effects, SSAO, depth of field, and real-time reflections, that’s when you’ll start to notice the need for more VRAM. This is also true for video editing and motion design in some cases.

Programs like Premiere Pro don’t take advantage of higher VRAM. However, other editing tools such as DaVinci Resolve, or Fusion are the exact opposite. In serious professional workloads, you will reap the benefits of the 24 Gigabytes of VRAM with the RTX 3090.

RTX 3080 Ti vs RTX 3090 – Final Verdict

So, as the evidence shows, the conclusion that we’re drawing here is correct in every aspect. After rigorous testing, it is quite apparent that the RTX 3080 Ti is the better buy for most people. If you want to play games at 4K with the highest settings possible, then this is the one that you should buy when choosing between the two.

It keeps up with the RTX 3090 with ease, and there’s no real-world difference when it comes to gaming performance. Even for professional workloads, only the most demanding use cases will see the benefits of the presence of an RTX 3090.

While the RTX 3090 is an incredibly impressive GPU, it is hard to recommend to consumers. It is highly expensive, requires a robust power supply, and is only marginally better than the 3080 Ti when it comes to games.

There’s also a strong case to be made for the RTX 3080 (non-Ti). It still delivers excellent performance when gaming at 4K, even with ray tracing enabled. If you want to save some money, the 3080 is an even better value than the 3080 Ti. 

The RTX 3090 is for people who don’t need to worry about budget and want superb performance for professional workloads. However, the RTX 3080 Ti will give you the same level of performance, and it’s not like you’ll ever think it is “slow” for professional workloads either. It’s an easy win here.

Things You Should Know About The 3080 Ti and 3090

So, it’s clear from our performance testing and benchmarks that the 3080 Ti can comfortably keep up with the RTX 3090. However, there are a few common things people wonder about when it comes to graphics card reviews or comparisons. Let’s run through them quickly.

DLSS 2.0

DLSS 3.0 is Nvidia’s latest version of their upscaling technology. Deep Learning Super Sampling, or DLSS, uses AI-based upscaling. It renders images at a resolution lower than your monitor’s native resolution, then upscales it with AI to recreate sharp high-quality images.

The difference in visual quality is barely noticeable, yet the performance increases up to 2 times. This especially comes in handy when you turn on ray tracing, which can bottleneck your framerate a bit.

So, the latest version of this technology is DLSS 3.0. It delivers up to 4x better performance, sharper upscaling, and a lower effect on latency. Unfortunately, DLSS 3.0 is exclusive to the RTX 40 series. While DLSS 2.0 is still quite good and you will have no complaints in terms of performance, do not get it confused with DLSS 2.0.

Ray Tracing

We talked about ray tracing a lot during this comparison. If you’re not aware of this technology and haven’t had the chance to experience it yet, then you are missing out. It works by simulating (to an extent) actual light rays. The new lighting technology uses an algorithm to trace the path of light similar to how light rays work in the real world.

With this technology, game designers can make light bounce off objects, cast better-looking shadows, and almost lifelike craft reflections. When a game uses this technology right, the results are utterly incredible. Minecraft RTX and Cyberpunk are both great examples.

However, while gaming at 4K, this will affect performance quite a bit. Fortunately, both the 3080 Ti and 3090 can deliver high-end performance even with ray tracing enabled. So, if you want to play 4K games with ray tracing turned on, these are the cards to get.

Power Connectors

Many people might be concerned with the power consumption of both of these graphic cards. Rightfully so, as you need a great power supply for both the RTX 3080 and 3090. If you’ll take a look at the specs table above, you’ll find that both graphics cards can draw up to 350W from the wall. So, if you want to push these GPUs to the limit, you will need a great power supply.

There’s more to the story. If you get the founder’s edition of both of these cards, those will need a 1×12 pin PCIe 4 cable for power. Most power supplies have two or three eight-pin connectors. However, Nvidia does include a 12-pin to dual 8-pin adapter in the box. Variants of these cards made by ASUS, MSI, EVGA, and others usually only need three 8-pin cables, so there’s no need for an adapter.

The post 3080 Ti vs 3090: Which Is Better In 2024? appeared first on Appuals.

You should know which RTX 4080 model is the best if you want to spend $1200 or more on this premium graphics card. Due to the abundance of aftermarket RTX 4080 graphics cards, finding the right one for your PC setup might be challenging.

This is why we have compiled a list of the best RTX 4080 graphics cards currently on the market, as determined by our team of hardware experts. You can find the ideal RTX 4080 model for your needs by consulting this highly specialized list based on testing results.

Be sure to check out our selection of the best RTX 4090 graphics cards as well.

The Best RTX 4080 Graphics Cards – Our Picks

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		Gigabyte AORUS Master GeForce RTX 4080	Best Overall RTX 4080	Check Price
2		ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 OC	Best Premium RTX 4080	Check Price
3		MSI GeForce RTX 4080 SUPRIM X	Best Overclocking RTX 4080	Check Price
4		MSI GeForce RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio	Best Looking RTX 4080	Check Price
5		ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080	Best Value RTX 4080	Check Price
6		ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO	Best RGB RTX 4080	Check Price
7		PNY GeForce RTX 4080 XLR8	Most Unique RTX 4080	Check Price
8		ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 Trinity	Best Budget RTX 4080	Check Price
9		MSI GeForce RTX 4080 VENTUS 3X	Best Entry Level RTX 4080	Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	Gigabyte AORUS Master GeForce RTX 4080
Award	Best Overall RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 OC
Award	Best Premium RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	MSI GeForce RTX 4080 SUPRIM X
Award	Best Overclocking RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	MSI GeForce RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio
Award	Best Looking RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080
Award	Best Value RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	6
Preview
Product Name	ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO
Award	Best RGB RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	7
Preview
Product Name	PNY GeForce RTX 4080 XLR8
Award	Most Unique RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	8
Preview
Product Name	ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 Trinity
Award	Best Budget RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

#	9
Preview
Product Name	MSI GeForce RTX 4080 VENTUS 3X
Award	Best Entry Level RTX 4080
Details	Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 19:35 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Why you should trust us

Here at appuals.com, we are enthusiastic about all sorts of PC hardware. However, it would be a lie if we said there was any piece of hardware more exciting to us than a graphics card. These magical accessories give us access to a whole world of gaming, which is why our team is obsessed with graphics card testing and reviews.

Our leading PC hardware expert, Hassam Nasir, boasts an extraordinary experience in the field of graphics card reviews which spans back to the days of the Nvidia GeForce GT 340 and AMD Firestream 9270. Hassam loves to break a graphics card down to its very basics, and separates all the marketing gimmicks from the things that actually matter.

Led by Hassam’s expertise, our team of highly specialized hardware experts puts every graphics card through a rigorous testing process. We analyze all the important empirical metrics without any inherent bias, and then rank the cards based on a plethora of factors. Whether you are looking for a value-oriented option or the absolute king of the hill when it comes to graphics cards, we can help you find what you need.

1. Gigabyte AORUS Master GeForce RTX 4080

Best Overall RTX 4080

Pros

• Great Thermal Design
• Quiet Fans
• Attractive RGB Lighting
• Factory Overclocked

Cons

• High Price

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2550 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 357 x 163 x 75mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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The Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4080 is one of the very best RTX 4080 options available, despite the fact that Gigabyte’s marketing for this specific graphics card can occasionally be downright juvenile. If you’re looking for the finest RTX 4080 that money can buy, you should take a look at this high-end aftermarket model.

Cooling is undoubtedly at the top of the list of areas where the AORUS Master RTX 4080 shines. The RTX 4080 GPU is cooled by Gigabyte’s Windforce GPU cooler, and it does an excellent job of it. Gigabyte has utilized 13 copper heat pipes and a sizable vapor chamber, which is in direct contact with the GPU die to maximize the heat dissipation abilities of the cooler.

While Gigabyte’s marketing for its GPU fans is pretty absurd, the “Bionic Shark Fans” actually perform rather well. In an effort to lower temperatures and boost heat dissipation, their shape and design have been modified to optimize the airflow and pressure of the fans. Naturally, to reduce turbulence, the middle fan rotates in the opposite direction from the other two.

The factory overclock provided by Gigabyte seems to be very modest for such an advanced aftermarket GPU. While the AORUS Master RTX 4080’s 2550 MHz boost clock is only 30 MHz higher than the factory clock, you still have a lot of room to overclock this card. This is where the expanded power budget and improved cooling of the AORUS Master RTX 4080 really come into play.

The RTX 4080 AORUS Master from Gigabyte has an LCD display mounted on the side of the card, which is a highly distinguishing feature. You can add your own text, images, and GIFs to this display to make it more personalized. The display can provide GPU temperature and other graphics card information. It is a small but charming accent to an unimaginative overall design.

Regarding about the design, the Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4080 tends to fall short in this regard. Although aesthetics are a personal concern, the consensus regarding the design of this card appears to be quite unfavorable. Despite the colorful RGB implementation in the fan slots, the card’s overall appearance is pretty underwhelming.

This is purely a subjective concern, so unless it matters to you personally, it shouldn’t really affect your decision to buy. For those of you who are enthusiasts, mounting the card vertically does make it appear pretty spectacular. Therefore, you may consider taking that approach.

The Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4080 is, in essence, one of the most extravagant iterations of the Nvidia GPU available. However, the high price is a major factor to take into account before you make your final decision.

The AORUS Master RTX 4080 takes home the prize for the best overall RTX 4080 in our roundup owing to its innovative cooling system and exceptional feature set.

2. ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 OC

Best Premium RTX 4080

Pros

• Superb Cooling Performance
• Silent Operation
• Superb Aesthetics
• Lots of Overclocking Headroom

Cons

• Extremely Expensive

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2625 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 750W

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The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 OC, the company’s flagship model for this GPU, is the next pick in our roundup. The ROG Strix series has consistently been a favorite among enthusiasts, and this iteration seems to be upholding the norm. The ROG Strix RTX 4080 OC is our choice for the best premium RTX 4080 currently available.

Gamers and enthusiasts alike will appreciate the fact that the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 excels in terms of performance and thermals. The GPU is kept cool even under high load thanks to the card’s enormous vapor chamber, which has machined slots for seven heat pipes. Additionally, the fans are superbly crafted, with a particular emphasis on ventilation through the heatsink.

As a result, even when overclocked, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 is one of the coolest-running RTX 4080 cards around. Due to the card’s outstanding thermal performance, gamers may use it to its full potential without stressing about thermal throttling. As a result, anyone looking for a top-of-the-line graphics card should consider the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080, if they can afford it.

Acoustics and thermal performance are closely related, and the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 performs superbly in both areas. Three Axial Tech fans, which are specially made to move air silently and effectively, are featured on the card. Additionally, the fans stay completely silent when the card is under low loads in order to improve acoustics.

ASUS has taken the liberty to overclock the GPU out of the box due to the increased thermal overhead and a better power budget. The 2625 MHz boost clock is a huge improvement over the factory frequencies, and manual GPU overclocking allows you to raise it much higher. Additionally, the card offers Dual BIOS functionality that can be useful when overclocking.

The ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 has an exceptionally gorgeous design. Numerous RGB lighting fixtures compliment the card’s streamlined look and clean lines to provide a genuinely distinctive appearance. The card is also exceptionally well-constructed, with a durable metal shroud. Although the aesthetics are a little less striking than in prior iterations, they are nonetheless spectacular.

There is no denying that the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 has a top-notch appearance that will be noticed when put in a gaming rig, especially in a vertical mount.

A similar ASUS variant was selected in our roundup of the best RTX 3090 graphics cards.

Ultimately, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 OC is one of the most expensive aftermarket RTX 4080 graphics cards that is currently being offered. There is simply no other model on the market that demands such a price premium, which is why it is hard to recommend as our top choice.

Still, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 is an excellent option for professionals and gamers that demand the finest. The features and performance of the card make it a very enticing product, despite the price tag.

3. MSI GeForce RTX 4080 SUPRIM X

Best Overclocking RTX 4080

Pros

• High Power Budget
• Unique Design
• Impressive Thermals
• Factory Overclocked

Cons

• Very Expensive

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2640 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 336 x 142 x 78mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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The most expensive model of the RTX 4080 GPU that MSI currently offers is the SUPRIM RTX 4080 X. Due to the exceptional functionality and style of the cards in this series, the SUPRIM line has rapidly risen in popularity. The SUPRIM RTX 4080 X fits into this trend as well.

Similar MSI options were selected in our roundup of the best RTX 3070 graphics cards.

For this RTX 4080 model, MSI installed an incredibly large 3.5-slot cooler to the PCB. The Tri-Frozr 3S cooler design of the SUPRIM RTX 4080 results in excellent thermal performance. The SUPRIM has no trouble cooling down the power-hungry RTX 4080 GPU, despite the challenge that it represents. The GPU can even be overclocked without any concern about overheating.

MSI has included three fans to help with heat dissipation in addition to the large heatsink’s raw thermal performance. The TORX Fan 5.0 is the most recent version of MSI’s distinctive TORX design, and the company says that it will provide up to 23% more airflow than a conventional GPU fan. Leaving marketing out of the conversation, the fans indeed move a lot of air at low RPMs and are remarkably silent.

Regarding aesthetics, the SUPRIM series from MSI has historically generated some debate. Some tend to despise the design and want something a little more generic, while other people appreciate the design’s raw aggression and risky approach. The SUPRIM X RTX 4080 will undoubtedly be a conversation point, irrespective of your stance.

The use of RGB lighting by MSI in this particular card is pretty distinctive and amazing. Three RGB strips next to the fans on the front of the aluminum shroud give the card a highly unique look. Thanks to the RGB lighting on the front, this model looks quite nice when mounted in a vertical GPU mount.

Additionally, the MSI SUPRIM X RTX 4080‘s power budget has been slightly increased, giving you more room to boost the clock speed. The card also has a factory boost clock that can reach 2640 MHz out of the box. Additionally, you have Dual BIOS support, which is a useful feature to have in particular when overclocking a GPU.

So all in all, our choice for the best overclocking RTX 4080 is the MSI SUPRIM X. This GPU stands out from the competition when it comes to overclocking thanks to its superb cooling system and large power budget.

However, the MSI SUPRIM X RTX 4080’s extraordinarily high pricing is one of its biggest drawbacks. The SUPRIM model of the RTX 4080 is exceedingly pricey compared to the MSRP, making it a complicated buy. It is up to the prospective consumer to decide whether the extra expense for an aftermarket variant like the SUPRIM is worthwhile.

4. MSI GeForce RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio

Best Looking RTX 4080

Pros

• Superb Aesthetics
• Unique RGB Implementation
• Great Cooling
• Impressive Acoustics

Cons

• Relatively Pricy

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2610 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 337 x 140 x 67mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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In contrast to their SUPRIM version, MSI’s RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio is a slightly more affordable high-end variant of the RTX 4080. The price of the Gaming X Trio is in line with similar products like the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 and the ZOTAC Trinity OC RTX 4080. It is by no means a cheap card, but it offers a bit more than the aforementioned variants when it comes to value.

The majority of the high-end features present in the SUPRIM line have been carried over to the Gaming X Trio version by MSI, which is outstanding. This is another example of the Tri Frozr 3 thermal design, which is at the core of the cooling system for the RTX 4080 GPU in this graphics card. Eight copper heatpipes and a vapor chamber design make up the cooling system, which transfers the heat from the GPU.

This graphics card also has three TORX 5.0 fans fitted by MSI. Compared to standard GPU fans, these fans are slightly modified and distinctive in their design, which increases airflow through the fins by about 23%. (as claimed by MSI). The fans are of great quality and provide a silent experience even when the card is under some load, marketing claims aside.

The same variant was also selected in our roundup for the best RTX 3060 graphics cards.

The MSI RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio is overclocked right out of the box even though it is not the company’s flagship model of the RTX 4080. The 2610 MHz factory boost doesn’t change the game by any means, but it gives you a good place to start when manually overclocking. The card does have a decent power budget, even though it is not extraordinary by any means.

The Gaming X Trio is remarkable in terms of appearance. Although aesthetics are a matter of opinion, we believe that MSI’s RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio is the best looking RTX 4080 on the market. It has a really modern, angular design that is neither garish nor boring. The fan shroud has the optimal amount of character lines to distinguish this card from the competition.

The interesting feature of this particular card is its RGB lights. On the front, MSI has only included three diagonal RGB light strips, but they are the perfect number to adequately illuminate the card. Due to its beautiful fan shroud, this model would be a fantastic fit for vertical GPU mounting. Of course, the Mystic Light software ties all the RGB together.

Altogether, the MSI RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio is unquestionably one of the most enticing models of this specific GPU available. The MSI RTX 4080 Gaming X Trio is just a great choice if the price fits your budget. Although it may not perform as well as some of the more expensive models featured on our list, it is definitely not far behind.

5. ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080

Best Value RTX 4080

Pros

• High Value for Money
• Solid Thermal Performance
• Quiet Fans

Cons

• Minimal RGB Lighting
• No Factory Overclock

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2535 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 348.2 x 150 x 72.6mm (3.65 Slot) | Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 750W

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When it comes to AIB options, the TUF Gaming line from ASUS has always been aimed at the mid-range, and the RTX 4080 model is no exception. Despite not being as flashy or extravagant as its ROG Strix counterparts, the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 performs admirably and offers outstanding value for money.

Thanks to ASUS’s vapor chamber layout, the TUF Gaming version offers an extremely effective cooling solution. On paper, the card is thicker than the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080, spanning a whopping 3.65 slots. However, the majority of that width is concealed by the enormous heatsink. The substantial heatsink removes heat from the GPU and memory components. Of course, there are numerous copper heatpipes that aid the heatsink in its task.

Three Axial tech fans are also present in the heatsink assembly. Given its unique design, ASUS claims that the current iteration of Axial Tech has 23% better airflow than its predecessor. The fact that the fans are so quiet and circulate so much air through the heatsink fins helps the card’s thermal performance.

The TUF Gaming line also emphasizes durability, and ASUS does so by putting “military-grade” 20K capacitors on the PCB that have a 20,000-hour lifespan at 105 degrees Celsius. Even if we choose to put marketing aside, this can unquestionably increase the lifespan of the PCB components. This card is also offered in an “overclocked” variant, but we chose the standard model due to its lower price.

Related Roundup: Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards

The ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 is standard in terms of visuals. The premise of the entire series is toughness and durability, and looking at the metallic exoskeleton makes that point quite clear. Additionally, the card has very little RGB lighting, with the only visible spectrum being contained under the ASUS TUF logo. More areas of RGB lighting would have been beneficial from an aesthetic point.

You definitely wouldn’t choose this card based on its appearance or aesthetics. On the other hand, it is perfect for those who want a discrete and subtle RTX 4080 model that offers all the performance but does not appear garish. It does appear right at home when installed in a professional workstation machine.

When compared to the other options on the market, the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 appears to be a good deal. It might not have all the bells and whistles of the more expensive ROG Strix model, but for a relatively modest price premium, it has an excellent cooling system and quiet fans.

Our choice for the best value RTX 4080 currently on the market goes to the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 thanks to its unbeatable value.

6. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO

Best RGB RTX 4080

Pros

• Superb Cooling Performance
• Lots of RGB Lighting
• Overclocked

Cons

• Quite Expensive
• Controversial Shape

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2565 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 355.5 x 149.6 x 72.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 750W

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Despite having a moniker that is difficult to pronounce, ZOTAC’s most powerful version of the RTX 4080 is called the AMP Extreme AIRO, and it is a capable piece of graphics hardware. Models like the Gigabyte AORUS Master and the ASUS ROG Strix provide competition for the AMP Extreme AIRO RTX 4080, which is available at a premium price point.

We found the RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO to have one of the finest cooling systems available. The GPU die is cooled by nine precision-machined copper heatpipes that go through a 3.5-slot thick heatsink array in the “IceStorm 3.0” cooling system. The ZOTAC RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO is able to maintain its extreme cooling thanks to this design, even under heavy workloads.

The cooling approach is rounded out by three “Freeze Tech” fans, which run quietly when the GPU isn’t under heavy load but turn off entirely otherwise. A common feature among the fans of these high-end GPUs is that the central fan rotates in the opposite direction of the others to minimize turbulence.

ZOTAC offers a reasonable standard bump above stock clocks with their RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO model’s factory overclocked setting of 2565 MHz. However, this variant’s increased power reserves and enhanced cooling capabilities allow for competent manual overclocking. ZOTAC suggests a minimum of a 750W power supply for this card, so be sure you have one installed.

The ZOTAC RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO has a unique look that not everyone appreciates. Its shape and RGB execution are both novel and appealing, yet at first glance, the design seems odd and unsightly. The card’s plastic casing is less angular and more rounded than what we’re used to seeing on current graphics cards.

On the other hand, the RGB lighting is brilliantly executed. The massive RGB bar that is located around the edge of the graphics card will be visible in its entirety if the card is installed in the case on its side. Its RGB approach is both innovative and aesthetically pleasing, and as a result, it easily earns our selection as the best RGB RTX 4080 in this roundup.

The RTX 4080 is also one of the best graphics cards for video editing, and this ZOTAC variant is no exception.

The ZOTAC RTX 4080 AMP Extreme AIRO, being a high-end variant of the RTX 4080, naturally comes with a significant price premium over the company’s suggested retail price (MSRP). Despite this, purchasing one of these is still a more cost-effective option than purchasing one of the really lavish Strix or SUPRIM versions.

Although the graphics card itself is not inexpensive, the total package may be justifiable in the long run despite the expense.

7. PNY GeForce RTX 4080 XLR8

Most Unique RTX 4080

Pros

• Decent Thermals
• Unique RGB Implementation
• Attractive Design

Cons

• Relatively Loud Fans
• Small Factory Overclock

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2505 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 331.7 x 136.9 x 71.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 750W

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Even though they aren’t as well-known as the other AIBs on our list, PNY offers several fantastic graphics card variants. Perhaps the worst-named product ever, the PNY GeForce RTX 4080 16GB XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB OC Triple Fan graphics card nevertheless has several redeeming features that earn it a place among the best in this list.

The PNY RTX 4080 XLR8 (yes, we refuse to write the full name) is equipped with a robust heatsink assembly, much like the majority of other RTX 4080 variations on the market. The RTX 4080 GPU requires this since it generates a lot of heat and consumes a lot of power even when not manually overclocked. To effectively eliminate heat from the GPU, a number of copper heat pipes work in tandem with a heatsink that occupies roughly 3.5 of the available slots.

In order to dissipate the heat generated by the heatsink’s fins, the XLR8 features three front-facing fans. The central fan rotates counterclockwise to the outside fans, which levels out the airflow and makes it more efficient. When under light load, the card’s fans aren’t very noisy, but they do start to spin at a higher rate as the temperature rises.

This model of PNY’s RTX 4080 is their strongest offering and has a factory overclock. This variant’s boost clock can be manually adjusted from its default of 2505 MHz, which is modest compared to other available alternatives. Due to its superior cooling and increased power budget, the card allows for a reasonable overclocking experience.

The PNY RTX 4080 XLR8 is aesthetically one of the most striking video cards available. It doesn’t accomplish anything especially novel or unconventional, but it does manage the uncommon feat of nailing every aspect of design on an aftermarket card. The “X” created by the diagonal RGB light strips on the front of the card is a nod to the card’s XLR8 logo, and it’s a sight to behold.

When it comes to RGB, this card has an outstanding and well-considered RGB lighting solution. The addition of the front RGB strips makes the card appear a lot nicer when mounted vertically. This RTX 4080 version is visually distinct from the rest of the pack and hence receives the most unique RTX 4080 award.

On a related note, the RTX 4080 is also one of the best graphics cards for VR, and the PNY variant may be the ideal choice for it.

The PNY RTX 4080 XLR8 is a midrange graphics card that can compete with the likes of the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080. As a result, if you’re interested in giving PNY a go, you might want to think about getting this specific card because of the great quality it provides. It’s not the finest option out there, but if you’re shortlisting your options, you should consider it.

8. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 Trinity

Best Budget RTX 4080

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent Thermals
• Relatively Compact

Cons

• Unremarkable Acoustics
• Controversial Shape

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2505 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 356.1 x 150.1 x 71.4mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 750W

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The Trinity is the most basic and stripped-down version of ZOTAC’s RTX 4080 graphics cards. For anyone looking to purchase an RTX 4080 variant without spending more than the MSRP, this model should be an excellent option. The ZOTAC RTX 4080 Trinity is our top pick for the best budget RTX 4080 owing to its very modest price premium.

We also selected a similar budget variant in our list of the best RX 6800 graphics cards.

There is a sizable vapor chamber and multiple composite copper heat pipes in the RTX 4080 Trinity, making it a reliable cooling solution despite its budget-friendly pricing. Although it isn’t as big or as effective as the heatsink assemblies on more expensive models, this one does a fine job of keeping things cool. Overclocking might be a bit restrictive, even though the card operates at reasonable temperatures when left at the factory defaults.

ZOTAC’s bespoke fans provide ventilation, although they’re simply the same ordinary graphics card fans you’d find on any budget model. Under light GPU usage, they are reasonably silent, but when the card is being taxed, the noise level increases noticeably. The third fan, like other most modern Nvidia GPU models, forces air through the heatsink assembly and out the opposite side.

The Trinity model, despite having a lower base price point, nevertheless has some cool extras to offer customers. It is handy to be able to overclock with this graphics card because it supports dual BIOS. In addition to that, it includes a solid metal backplate, which is an unusual feature in cards priced at this level. On the other hand, there is no overclock applied by the manufacturer.

The design of the RTX 4080 Trinity does not have a lot of aesthetic appeal. It is a straightforward and unpretentious card, and the RGB lighting is really subdued, which is a trait that is becoming more typical of recent graphics cards. The design of the card is adequate, but it will not appeal to those who like the appearance of their graphics cards to be more eye-catching.

On the other hand, if you want your workstation PC to have a covert appearance or you simply favor an all-black build, then this card is an excellent option for you to consider.

If you need an aftermarket version of the RTX 4080 but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on it, the entry-level solution that ZOTAC offers is one you should explore further. This card is still fairly competent and has the potential to deliver amazing value, despite the fact that it lacks some of the more exciting attributes.

9. MSI GeForce RTX 4080 VENTUS 3X

Best Entry Level RTX 4080

Pros

• Minimal Price Premium
• Acceptable Thermals

Cons

• No RGB Lighting
• Mediocre Acoustics
• No Factory Overclock

CUDA Cores: 9728 | Boost Clock: 2520 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 22.4 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 322 x 136 x 63mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 750W

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Our last selection for the day is MSI’s entry-level RTX 4080 VENTUS 3X model. The VENTUS was a bargain variant with a few extra bells and whistles in earlier generations, but the RTX 4080 version has changed that. The RTX 4080 VENTUS 3X now attempts to meet the GPU’s MSRP set by Nvidia, which necessitates cutting the card down to its bare essentials.

MSI uses a substantial cooling system with a sizable vapor chamber and copper heat pipes underneath the metal shroud. This is a very typical aftermarket graphics card solution for powerful GPUs like the RTX 4080. Although this specific variant’s thermal performance is pretty respectable, it does not match that of the more expensive options on our list. Given that the price premium is also very minimal in perspective, the performance is to be expected.

When the card is under light loads, the three front-mounted TORX 4.0 fans on the MSI RTX 4080 VENTUS perform admirably in terms of noise. The fans do have a tendency to compensate pretty aggressively as the load increases, however, and the noise level increases to a discernible level. If the card is mounted in a closed chassis, it might not be intrusive, but it is undoubtedly more obvious than the other choices on this list.

As anticipated, this specific version of the MSI RTX 4080 VENTUS does not come factory overclocked. There is an overclocked version of this card, although it costs a little more and does not aim for the MSRP price. This card’s manual overclocking capabilities may also be somewhat constrained because of its unremarkable cooling and power efficiency.

The MSI RTX 4080 VENTUS 3X has a similar aesthetic as the VENTUS products of earlier generations. The card features an industrial design with a silver metallic shroud and no RGB lighting. The design is simple and straightforward, which is in line with the budget-oriented position of this particular variant. However, not everyone will like this look, and the lack of RGB lighting may also be a deal-breaker for some buyers.

The card does feature a metal backplate, which adds to the aesthetics of the card. Moreover, the build quality is rather premium for a graphics card that is aimed at MSRP.

Overall, the low projected price premium of the MSI RTX 4080 VENTUS results in excellent value for money. Although it makes some minor compromises here and there, as a whole, it is still rather well-rounded. Due to its MSRP price goal and good value for money, we suggest this model as the best entry level RTX 4080.

How we picked and tested

It was a tedious process to select the best of the best among the myriad aftermarket variations of the RTX 4080 that AIB partners have filled the market with. To separate the best RTX 4080 graphics cards from the rest of the pack, we adhered to a stringent vetting procedure.

The thermal qualities of the RTX 4080 under evaluation constituted our main deciding factor. The RTX 4080 GPU can produce a lot of heat that needs to be appropriately handled because it is an extraordinarily powerful processor with a massive power budget. In light of this, we gave priority to the variations with the best thermal performance and design.

Along with any factory overclock that the manufacturer may have modified, we also emphasized the power delivery of the particular graphics card. Also taken into account were other features like dual BIOS, extra onboard ports, and fan headers.

Highly comparable in importance to the card’s thermal performance is its acoustic performance. We only chose the RTX 4080 models with good baseline acoustic performance because there is no point in getting a high-end card that sounds like a jet engine while running.

Although aesthetics are a matter of choice, they are very crucial when choosing an aftermarket graphics card. We also paid attention to feedback from consumers in general on the design of the specific RTX 4080 cards.

The ultimate deciding factors for the RTX 4080 variants were their pricing and value appeal. The price-to-performance ratio of the card eventually becomes a crucial aspect because different variants demand different premiums over MSRP.

Our talented team of hardware experts rigorously tested each of the RTX 4080 models we ultimately chose. Thermal, acoustic, and performance tests were conducted in a variety of real-world scenarios as part of the rigorous testing process.

Finally, our editors and hardware specialists collaborated to compile the definitive ranking of the best RTX 4080 graphics cards available. Numerous statistical points, customer reviews, and the editorial staff’s subjective judgments all played a role in creating this ranking.

What is DLSS 3.0?

Back in 2018 with its RTX 2000 series of graphics cards built on the Turing architecture, Nvidia unveiled the ground-breaking DLSS or Deep Learning Super Sampling technology. It has undergone numerous generational changes throughout the years, and with the RTX 4000 series, we receive DLSS 3.0 in its most recent form.

The Nvidia RTX 4000 series GPUs can employ DLSS 3.0 to significantly increase their gaming performance because of the new fourth-generation Tensor Cores and the built-in Optical Flow Accelerator. Even when it is rendering at a different resolution, DLSS, which is essentially a super-sampling technology powered by AI, is incredibly effective and produces results that are very comparable to native resolution.

Of course, Nvidia asserts that DLSS 3.0 offers even greater performance enhancements than DLSS 2.0 thanks to artificial frame generation backed by AI, but games have not yet adopted this technology in a widespread manner. When this technology is extensively available, we will have to test it to check the validity of Nvidia’s claims.

As of right now, DLSS 3.0 appears to be just as promising as DLSS 2.0, if not more.

Things to know about the RTX 4080

The new Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card that is among the fastest gaming graphics cards the company has ever developed. It is a part of Nvidia’s new RTX 4000 series of GPUs based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. As a result, there are several new features and generational improvements in the RTX 4080 over previous iterations.

Let’s walk through some of the key new features of the RTX 4080.

Architecture                     

The new AD103 GPU die, which is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, is the brain of the new RTX 4080. Compared to the previous Ampere design, this new architecture offers generational gains in both performance and efficiency.

First, according to Nvidia, the Ada Lovelace design improves performance per watt by up to two times. Additionally, compared to the previous generation, the new third-gen RT cores can give up to a 2x performance boost in Ray Tracing applications.

With its fourth-generation Tensor Cores, Nvidia also promises advancements in the realm of artificial intelligence. The domains of machine learning and supercomputing will benefit greatly from these new cores, which can give up to 2x the AI performance of previous-generation Tensor Cores.

Power Connectors

All of the graphics cards in the RTX 4000 series, including the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, employ a brand-new 16-pin power connector called the 12HPWR connector. Whilst 16 pins (12 pins plus 4 data pins) is an absurd quantity for a graphics card, this new connector can deliver up to 600W of power which is a major advantage over the older standard.

The Founder’s Edition graphics cards as well as all aftermarket AIB variations will include this new power connector. You won’t need to purchase a new power supply just yet because all RTX 40 series graphics cards will have a 16-pin adapter that will combine three or four 8-pin power connectors into a single 16-pin connector.

However, if you want to purchase an RTX 4080, it might be time to start considering a new power supply. The majority of RTX 4080 versions require a power supply wattage of 850W, and even the most basic ones need to have a 750W power supply at the very least.

It could be advised to look for a high-wattage power supply for this card given the possibility of overclocking and overhead for other components.

Buyer’s Guide

The market for graphics cards is all over the place right now, and it can be really challenging to find the perfect RTX 4080 variant for your build. Fortunately, there are certain tips and guidelines that you can keep in mind to streamline the buying process.

The following factors are specifically tailored to the RTX 4080 but can be considered loosely for all other graphics cards as well.

Cooling Design

Most buyers pay attention to the features and performance when choosing a graphics card, which is logical. However, it’s also crucial to take the card’s thermal performance into account. Employing the GPU Boost technology, the latest GPUs modify their boosting behavior based on temperature readings.

When looking at thermals, there are various things to keep an eye out for. Check the dimensions and construction of the heatsink first. Typically, a bigger heatsink will do a better job of cooling the GPU. The quantity of heat pipes in the heatsink assembly is another thing you might look into.

Next, evaluate the fans. High-quality fans will increase airflow and lower temperatures. High airflow and silence are frequently achieved by premium graphics cards, which is only possible with high-quality fans.

Moreover, consider how easy it is to include extra cooling components, like water blocks or aftermarket fans. These components may be needed down the line, and it always helps if the process of replacing the included cooler is straightforward.

It is important to note that heat is one of the biggest enemies of electrical components, and when GPUs are under heavy load, they produce a lot of heat. Poor thermals will likely cause a graphics card to overheat and throttle, which will impair performance.

Modern graphics cards, like the RTX 4080, can instantly adjust their boost clocks in response to temperature fluctuations since they are so sensitive to them.

Silence and Acoustics

It may be said that the acoustic performance of a graphics card is just as significant as its thermal performance. High-end GPUs, like the RTX 4080, may easily produce a lot of noise, which is very annoying for both gamers and everyday users.

In light of this, acoustics should be a top priority when choosing a graphics card. The good news is that there are a few things you can check for to make sure your card will operate quietly. A good starting point is to find out how many fans are being used by the card. Variants with fewer fans tend to be quieter since fewer fans generally make less noise.

Next, consider the airflow layout. By moving air more effectively through the card, an optimal airflow design reduces noise. For instance, old blower-style graphics cards are no longer widely used because of how much noise they produced, due to the way the airflow was structured.

Finally, check the card’s cooling system. A properly cooled card has a lower likelihood of overheating and making excessive noise. Temperature reduction is the best approach to lowering a graphics card’s noise because noise and temperature are directly correlated.

Value for Money

Pricing for different graphics card configurations can be a little challenging. Notably, Nvidia is extremely picky about the pricing of the various partner graphics cards in relation to its MSRP. However, a variety of partner GPUs are still available at a multitude of price points around the MSRP.

First, there are those versions whose MSRP is exactly what they are priced at. There won’t be many of these, and finding one will be exceedingly difficult for a high-end card like the RTX 4080. Typically, they offer basic cooling and are a touch low on added features. If you have a limited budget, they may be useful to you.

Next, there are certain alternatives that, in theory, provide an improvement over the basic Founder’s Edition card. These variants, which may be obtained for anywhere between $20 and $80 more than the MSRP, typically have more features and superior cooling abilities. Any one of these variants would satisfy the majority of users perfectly.

The premium variants make up the last group. The finest options from the AIB partners are represented by these premium variants. These include cards with a lot more functionality and lots of cooling, such as the ASUS ROG Strix, Gigabyte AORUS Master, or MSI SUPRIM. They have extremely high prices and usually ridiculous margins.

When purchasing a graphics card, it’s critical to find the ideal compromise between price and performance. Sometimes it makes sense to spend an extra $10 to $20 to gain a premium variant’s enhanced cooling and quieter operation, but it is also silly to spend $100 to $200 over MSRP if you can’t use all the advantages those cards have to offer.

Case Compatibility

When purchasing a graphics card, it is crucial to confirm that it will fit in your specific case and is the right size. You must ensure that you have enough clearance for the card in terms of both length and width, especially with modern GPUs like the RTX 4080.

Additionally, make sure there is enough room underneath the card for proper airflow. If the graphics card occupies the first three PCIe slot spaces, you must ensure that the space beneath the card is free of obstructions and that no other PCIe devices are placed there for ventilation concerns.

Most of the RTX 4080 variants will take up at least 3 slots quite easily. Gone are the days of small form factor graphics cards that you could install even in a single slot. Nowadays, even a two-slot variant can be seen as a unicorn in the current market.

Therefore, considering case compatibility is now more important than ever. You do not want to be stuck with a graphics card that does not get the airflow it needs in your case, or even worse, does not fit to begin with.

Design and RGB Lighting

If you play PC games, you are aware of how crucial visuals are. They not only affect how your rig appears, but they can also give you self-assurance. These days, it’s quite important to take aesthetics into account when picking a graphics card. The right card may enhance your gaming experience while also making your setup look stunning.

There is a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes for graphics cards. Numerous RGB lighting and color-changing effects are available on the majority of current RTX 4080 graphics cards. It’s important to pick a card that complements your own style if you want your setup to appear at its finest. To prevent it from looking out of place, make sure your graphics card matches the aesthetic of your specific setup.

Additionally, make sure the card’s RGB lighting is compatible with the other components of your setup. For instance, if the other RGB components in your system are compatible with MSI Mystic Light, your graphics card would need to work with the same software.

The importance of aesthetics should never be underestimated when selecting a graphics card. With a little bit of browsing, you can be sure to discover the ideal card for your rig thanks to the abundance of choices available.

The post 9 Best RTX 4080 Graphics Cards – Expert Reviews appeared first on Appuals.

If you are willing to fork out a whopping $1600 or more for this premium graphics card, you will need to know which one is the best RTX 4090 variant out there. The market is flooded with aftermarket RTX 4090 graphics cards of all shapes and sizes, and it can be quite difficult to pick the ideal one for your particular build.

This is why our expert team of hardware specialists has curated a list of the very best RTX 4090 graphics cards currently available on the market. This highly specialized list based on testing data will help you to pick the best RTX 4090 variant that suits your needs.

Lastly, if you think the RTX 4090 is a bit out of your budget then you might be interested in our selection of the best RTX 4080 graphics cards.

The Best RTX 4090 Graphics Cards – Our Picks

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC	Best Overall RTX 4090	276 Reviews Check Price
2		MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X	Best Overclocking RTX 4090	114 Reviews Check Price
3		Gigabyte AORUS Master GeForce RTX 4090	Best Cooled RTX 4090	45 Reviews Check Price
4		ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO	Best RGB RTX 4090	150 Reviews Check Price
5		MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio	Best Looking RTX 4090	165 Reviews Check Price
6		ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC	Best Value RTX 4090	188 Reviews Check Price
7		PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8	Most Unique RTX 4090	143 Reviews Check Price
8		Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Windforce	Best Budget RTX 4090	9 Reviews Check Price
9		ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity	Best Entry Level RTX 4090	22 Reviews Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC
Award	Best Overall RTX 4090
Details	276 Reviews Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X
Award	Best Overclocking RTX 4090
Details	114 Reviews Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	Gigabyte AORUS Master GeForce RTX 4090
Award	Best Cooled RTX 4090
Details	45 Reviews Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO
Award	Best RGB RTX 4090
Details	150 Reviews Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio
Award	Best Looking RTX 4090
Details	165 Reviews Check Price

#	6
Preview
Product Name	ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC
Award	Best Value RTX 4090
Details	188 Reviews Check Price

#	7
Preview
Product Name	PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8
Award	Most Unique RTX 4090
Details	143 Reviews Check Price

#	8
Preview
Product Name	Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Windforce
Award	Best Budget RTX 4090
Details	9 Reviews Check Price

#	9
Preview
Product Name	ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity
Award	Best Entry Level RTX 4090
Details	22 Reviews Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 12:02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Why you should trust us

Here at appuals.com, we are enthusiastic about all sorts of PC hardware. However, it would be a lie if we said there was any piece of hardware more exciting to us than a graphics card. These magical accessories give us access to a whole world of gaming, which is why our team is obsessed with graphics card testing and reviews.

Our leading PC hardware expert, Hassam Nasir, boasts an extraordinary experience in the field of graphics card reviews which spans back to the days of the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX and AMD Radeon HD 2900 XT. Hassam loves to break a graphics card down to its very basics and separates all the marketing gimmicks from the things that actually matter.

Led by Hassam’s expertise, our team of highly specialized hardware experts puts every graphics card through a rigorous testing process. We analyze all the important empirical metrics without any inherent bias, and then rank the cards based on a plethora of factors. Whether you are looking for a value-oriented option or the absolute king of the hill when it comes to graphics cards, we can help you find what you need.

1. ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC

Best Overall RTX 4090

Pros

• Superb Cooling Performance
• Very Quiet Fans
• Impressive Design
• High Factory Overclock

Cons

• Very Expensive

276 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2640 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 1000W

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Kicking off our roundup is the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC which is the flagship variant from ASUS for this particular GPU. The ROG Strix series has always been a fan favorite among enthusiasts, and the trend seems to continue with this generation. The ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC is the best overall RTX 4090 currently available.

A similar ASUS variant was selected in our roundup of the best RTX 3080 graphics cards.

With the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090, gamers and enthusiasts have a premium graphics card that delivers on both performance and thermals. The card features an extremely large vapor chamber with milled slots for seven heat pipes, which do an excellent job of keeping the GPU cool even under heavy load. The fans are also well-designed, with a special focus on airflow through the heatsink.

As a result, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 is one of the coolest-running RTX 4090 cards on the market, even when overclocked. This impressive thermal performance means that gamers can push the card to its limits without worries about thermal throttling. Consequently, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a top-of-the-line graphics card that can handle even the most demanding games.

Thermal performance is directly linked to acoustics, and the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 also excels in this department. The card features three Axial Tech fans that are specifically designed to move air quietly and efficiently. In addition, the RTX 4090 also includes a special fan mode that allows the fans to be completely silent when the card is idling. This results in a much quieter overall experience, even when gaming for longer durations.

Thanks to the upgraded thermal performance and improved power budget, ASUS is able to overclock the GPU from the factory. The 2640 MHz boost clock is a significant upgrade over the stock clocks, and you can increase it even further through manual overclocking. The card also has a Dual BIOS feature, which can come in handy while overclocking.

The design of the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 is absolutely stunning. The clean lines and sleek aesthetics are complemented by plenty of RGB lighting, which gives the card a truly unique look. The card is also incredibly well-built, with a solid metal shroud that ensures durability. The aesthetics are a bit toned down from previous generations, but they are still unmistakably ASUS.

As a result, the design of the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 is top-notch, and it’s sure to turn heads when installed in a gaming rig.

In essence, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC is one of the most premium aftermarket RTX 4090 graphics cards currently available. The RTX 4090 offers incredible performance and features that are simply unmatched by any other variant on the market. However, its ridiculously high price tag is a point of concern that detracts from its overall value.

Still, for gamers and professionals who demand the very best, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 is worth every penny.

2. MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X

Best Overclocking RTX 4090

Pros

• Excellent Thermal Performance
• Solid Construction
• Great Acoustics
• High Boost Clocks

Cons

• Quite Pricy

114 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2640 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 336 x 142 x 78mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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The MSI SUPRIM RTX 4090 X is the most premium variant of the GPU currently offered by MSI. The SUPRIM line has gained a lot of popularity in a short time, thanks to the incredible design and features of the cards in this series. The SUPRIM RTX 4090 X is no exception to this trend.

MSI has installed an extraordinarily hefty 3.5-slot cooler onto the PCB for this RTX 4090 variant. The SUPRIM RTX 4090 delivers superb thermal performance as a result of this Tri-Frozr 3S cooler design. It is not easy to cool down the power-hungry RTX 4090 GPU, but the SUPRIM has no problem doing just that. You can even overclock the card without worrying much about temperatures.

In addition to the raw thermal performance of the massive heatsink, MSI has installed three fans to aid with the heat dissipation process. The TORX Fan 5.0 is the latest edition of MSI’s unique TORX design, and it promises up to 23% increased airflow compared to a standard GPU fan according to MSI’s claims. Marketing aside, the fans are exceptionally quiet and do move a lot of air at low RPMs.

The SUPRIM series from MSI has always been a little controversial in terms of aesthetics. Some absolutely adore the raw aggressive design language and sharp angles, but others tend to dislike the design and want something a bit simpler. Whichever way you lean, the SUPRIM X RTX 4090 will surely be a talking piece and a standout component of your PC build.

Related Roundup: Best RTX 3070 Graphics Cards

MSI’s implementation of RGB lighting is quite unique and very impressive in this particular card. The front of the metal shroud has three RGB strips located adjacent to the fans, which provide a very unique look to the card. This variant looks very attractive when installed in a vertical GPU mount thanks to the RGB lighting on the front.

The power budget of the MSI SUPRIM X RTX 4090 is a bit expanded as well, leaving you with more overclocking headroom. Moreover, the card comes with a factory boost clock of up to 2640 MHz. You also get Dual BIOS support which is a great feature to have especially when you are overclocking a GPU.

One major disadvantage of the MSI SUPRIM X RTX 4090 is its extremely high price tag. The RTX 4090 is already a very expensive GPU at MSRP, but the SUPRIM variant demands a significant premium over the recommended price. It is up to the potential buyer to judge whether or not the additional cost is worth it for an aftermarket variant such as the SUPRIM from MSI.

All things considered, the MSI SUPRIM X RTX 4090 is our pick for the best overclocking RTX 4090 award. Its unique Tri Frozr 3S cooling solution and extensive power budget allow this GPU to stand out from the crowd when it comes to overclocking.

3. Gigabyte AORUS Master GeForce RTX 4090

Best Cooled RTX 4090

Pros

• Cool and Quiet Operation
• Lots of RGB Lighting
• Sizeable Power Budget
• Factory Overclocked

Cons

• Premium Price Tag

45 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2550 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 358.5 x 162.8 x 75.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 1000W

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Even though Gigabyte’s marketing about this particular graphics card is downright childish at times, that does not take away from the fact that the Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4090 is one of the best options out there. It is another high-end aftermarket variant that you should consider if you are looking for the very best RTX 4090 out there.

The AORUS Master RTX 4090 excels at many things and cooling is probably at the top of that list. The Windforce GPU cooler from Gigabyte is responsible for the cooling of the RTX 4090 GPU, and it does a fantastic job. Gigabyte has used a large vapor chamber directly in contact with the GPU die, as well as 13 copper heat pipes together to improve the heat dissipation capabilities of the card.

Gigabyte’s marketing for its fans is quite comical, but the “Bionic Shark Fans” are actually quite decent in operation. Their shape and design have been customized to improve the airflow and pressure of the fans, all in a positive effort to reduce temperatures and increase heat dissipation. Of course, the middle fan spins in the opposite direction of the other two in order to minimize turbulence.

For such an overpowered aftermarket GPU, the factory overclock provided by Gigabyte is quite minuscule. The 2550 MHz boost clock of the AORUS Master RTX 4090 is only 30 MHz higher than the factory clock, but you do get a lot of overclocking headroom with this card. The expanded power budget and improved cooling of the AORUS Master RTX 4090 should allow you to maximize its potential.

A very unique feature of the RTX 4090 AORUS Master is that Gigabyte has installed an LCD display on the side of the card. The display can show GPU temperature and other graphics card information, and you can also customize this display with your own text, pictures, and GIFs. It is a neat little addition to an altogether uninspiring design.

Speaking of the design, this is one area where the Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4090 seems to fall flat. Aesthetics are a subjective matter, but the general opinion about the design of this card seems to be a bit negative. Despite the attractive RGB implementation within the fan slots, the overall card is quite dull and unimpressive in terms of visuals.

This is a totally subjective matter and it should not really impact the buying decision unless it does for you. The card does look really impressive if it is installed on a vertical mount, so that route may be worth exploring for the enthusiasts among you.

In essence, the Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4090 is definitely one of the most premium variants of the Nvidia flagship out there. It is really expensive though, so that is a key point of consideration before you finalize your purchase decision.

The unique cooling design of the AORUS Master RTX 4090 and its superb thermal performance earns it the award of the best cooled RTX 4090 in our roundup.

4. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO

Best RGB RTX 4090

Pros

• Unique RGB Implementation
• Impressive Cooling
• Quiet Fans
• Small Factory Overclock

Cons

• Expensive

150 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2580 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 355.5 x 149.6 x 72.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 1000W

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ZOTAC’s best variant for the RTX 4090 is the AMP Extreme AIRO, which is a very competent graphics card despite its unreasonably long name. The AMP Extreme AIRO RTX 4090 falls in the premium price bracket and thus competes with the Gigabyte AORUS Master and ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 variants.

The RTX 4090 is also one of the best graphics cards for video editing, and this ZOTAC variant is no exception.

The cooling system implemented in the RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO is one of the best we have seen in any RTX 4090 variant. The “IceStorm 3.0” cooling system comprises a 3.5-slot thick heatsink array with nine precision-machined copper heatpipes that make direct contact with the GPU die. This allows the ZOTAC RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO to stay extremely cool even during high load scenarios.

Complementing the cooling solution we have three fans with “Freeze Tech” features, which basically means that they operate in silent mode most of the time and turn off when the GPU is under light load. The central fan rotates in the opposite direction to the other fans in order to reduce turbulence, which is a common theme among fans of these high-end GPUs.

ZOTAC ships this RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO variant with a factory overclocked setting of 2580 MHz which is a respectable standard boost over the stock clocks. You can, however, overclock the card manually using the extra power budget and improved cooling of this particular variant. Just make sure you have at least a 1000W power supply in your system because that is what ZOTAC recommends for this card.

The design of the ZOTAC RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO is a bit of a polarizing one. While it does have a unique shape with attractive RGB implementation, it also looks a bit unorthodox and unattractive at first glance. The plastic shroud of the card is more curved than angular, which is not a trend we are used to in modern graphics cards.

Nonetheless, the RGB lighting implementation is top-notch. The large RGB bar on the side of the graphics card looks particularly impressive if the card is mounted sideways in a case. This unique and attractive RGB implementation earns it the award of the best RGB RTX 4090 in our roundup.

Since the ZOTAC RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO is a premium variant of the RTX 4090, it does charge a hefty price premium over the standard MSRP. With that said, it is still a bit more reasonable than the aforementioned ASUS and MSI options. It is not a cheap graphics card by any means, but the overall package is well worth considering.

5. MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio

Best Looking RTX 4090

Pros

• Incredibly Design
• Superb RGB Implementation
• Great Thermal Performance
• High Boost Clocks

Cons

• Relatively Pricy

165 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2595 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 337 x 140 x 77mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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MSI’s RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio is a high-end variant of the RTX 4090, but it is a bit more reasonable than their SUPRIM option. The Gaming X Trio falls just under the likes of the ASUS ROG Strix and Gigabyte AORUS Master options, and the price reflects it. It is certainly not a cheap card by any means, but it is relatively more affordable.

The same variant was also selected in our roundup for the best RTX 3060 graphics cards.

What is impressive about the Gaming X Trio variant is that MSI has retained most of the premium features found in the SUPRIM line. The Tri Frozr 3 thermal design makes another appearance here, and it is at the heart of the cooling solution for the RTX 4090 GPU in this graphics card. The cooling solution consists of a vapor chamber design along with eight copper heatpipes that carry the heat away from the GPU.

MSI has installed three TORX 5.0 fans on this graphics card as well. These fans are slightly customized and unique in their shape and function, which results in around 23% more airflow through the fins when compared to regular GPU fans (as claimed by MSI). Keeping marketing material to one side, the fans are high quality and deliver a quiet experience even when the card is experiencing some load.

Even though the MSI RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio is not the flagship variant of the RTX 4090 from MSI, it is still overclocked from the factory. The 2595 MHz factory boost is not game-changing by any means but it gets you to a decent starting point for your manual overclocking endeavors. This card is a bit limited in power budget as compared to the SUPRIM variant so don’t expect to break any records.

Aesthetically, the Gaming X Trio is a stunner. Visuals are a subjective matter, but in our subjective opinion, the RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio from MSI is the best looking RTX 4090 on the market. It has a really sleek, angular design that is not over-the-top and not bland either. The fan shroud has just the right amount of character lines to distinguish this card from the crowd.

Especially the RGB lighting on this particular card makes it special. MSI has only provided three diagonal RGB light strips on the front, which provide just the right amount of illumination to the card. This variant would be a great fit for vertical GPU mounts thanks to its attractive fan shroud. You can also customize the RGB using the MSI Mystic Light software.

Overall, the MSI RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio is definitely one of the most competitive variants of this particular GPU out there. Its performance may not be as high-end as some of the more expensive variants mentioned on this list, but it is not far off either. If the price is right for you, the RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio from MSI makes a lot of sense.

6. ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC

Best Value RTX 4090

Pros

• Excellent Value for Money
• High Factory Overclock
• Impressive Cooling

Cons

• Minimal RGB Lighting
• Plain Looks

188 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2595 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 348.2 x 150 x 72.6mm (3.65 Slot) | Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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The TUF Gaming series from ASUS has always targeted the mid-range when it comes to AIB prices, and the RTX 4090 version is no exception. The ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC might not be as flashy or over-the-top as its ROG Strix brethren, but it gets the job done just fine and provides excellent value for money.

With the TUF Gaming variant, you get a very competent cooling solution thanks to the vapor chamber design implemented by ASUS. The card spans a whopping 3.65 slots which is even thicker than the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 on paper, and most of that thickness is covered by the massive heatsink. The heat from the GPU and memory components is whisked away by the large heatsink assembly thanks to numerous copper heat pipes.

The heatsink assembly is further complemented by three Axial tech fans. With this generation of Axial Tech, ASUS is claiming a 23% improvement in airflow as compared to its previous generation thanks to a custom design. In effect, the fans are very quiet and move a lot of air through the heatsink fins which ultimately benefits the thermal performance of the card.

The TUF Gaming series is also focused on durability, and for that purpose, ASUS is using “military-grade” 20K capacitors on the PCB that are rated to last 20,000 hours at 105 Celcius. Keeping marketing to one side, this can definitely prolong the life of the PCB components. ASUS ships this card with a small factory overclock as the TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC can boost up to 2595 MHz straight out of the box.

When it comes to visuals, the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4090 is nothing special. The theme of the whole series centers around ruggedness and durability, and that is quite obvious when you take a glance at the metallic exoskeleton. There is also barely any RGB lighting on the card, with the only bit of rainbow being concentrated within the ASUS TUF logo on the very edge of the card.

This is certainly not a card that you want for its design or aesthetics. On the flip side, however, it is ideal for those users who want an understated and stealthy RTX 4090 variant that delivers all the performance but does not look straight out of an episode of My Little Pony. Users who want to install an RTX 4090 in their work machines can look at this variant.

Useful Read: Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards

All things considered, the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC looks like a bargain when compared to the rest of the options on the market. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the premium ROG Strix variant, but it delivers an excellent cooling system coupled with quiet fans at a relatively reasonable price premium.

The unmatchable bang for the buck earns the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4090 our award for the best value RTX 4090 currently available on the market.

7. PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8

Most Unique RTX 4090

Pros

• Unique Design
• Decent Cooling
• Nice RGB Implementation

Cons

• Minimal Factory OC
• Mediocre Acoustics

143 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2565 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 331.7 x 136.9 x 71.1mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 1000W

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PNY has some excellent graphics card variants even though they are not as well-known as the other AIBs on this list. The PNY GeForce RTX 4090 24GB XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB OC Triple Fan graphics card might just be the most horribly-named product in existence, but it has a lot of positives that warrant its inclusion in this roundup.

On a related note, the RTX 4090 is also one of the best graphics cards for VR, and the PNY variant may be the ideal choice for it.

Just like most of the RTX 4090 variants on the market, the PNY RTX 4090 XLR8 (yes that is what we are going to call it) comes equipped with a beefy heatsink assembly. This is necessary for the RTX 4090 GPU as it can draw a lot of power and subsequently output a lot of heat, even without manual overclocking. The 3.5-slot heatsink does an excellent job of dissipating heat from the GPU, in conjunction with several copper heat pipes.

As expected, the XLR8 has three fans on the front that drive air through the heatsink assembly in order to expel the heat from the fins. The middle fan rotates in the opposite direction of the adjacent fans, reducing turbulence and improving the airflow pattern. The fans are relatively quiet under low loads, but they do tend to get a bit loud once the card gets hotter.

This particular variant is the most premium option for the RTX 4090 from PNY, and therefore comes with a factory overclock. The standard boost clock for this particular variant is 2565 MHz which is not that high when you compare it to the other options on the market, but you can manually adjust it as well. The card gives you the freedom of manual overclocking thanks to its impressive cooling and expanded power budget.

Visually, the PNY RTX 4090 XLR8 is one of the most unique cards on the market. It doesn’t do anything particularly striking or unorthodox, but it gets all the design elements just right which is rare to see in an aftermarket card. The front of the card is particularly impressive thanks to the “X” formed by the diagonal RGB light strips, an ode to the XLR8 branding of the card.

Speaking of the RGB, this card’s implementation of RGB lighting is extremely impressive and well thought out. The front RGB strips just elevate the card to another level when it is installed on a vertical mount. The aesthetics of this variant earn it the award of the most unique RTX 4090 in our roundup.

The overclocked RTX 4090 XLR8 from PNY falls in the mid-range category with the likes of the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4090. This means that the value proposition offered by this particular card is quite impressive, and it should be considered if you are willing to give PNY a try.

It is not the very best of the best, but it certainly should be on your list if you are shopping within a limited price bracket.

8. Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Windforce

Best Budget RTX 4090

Pros

• Low Price Premium
• Basic Design
• Decent Cooling

Cons

• No RGB Lighting
• Loud Fans

9 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2520 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 331 x 150 x 70mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 850W

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The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Windforce is the most basic and barebones offering from Gigabyte in the RTX 4090 lineup. This variant is targeted at or near MSRP and is ideal for those potential buyers who want an RTX 4090 variant without spending more than the manufacturer’s price. Its low price premium makes the Gigabyte RTX 4090 Windforce our choice for the best budget RTX 4090 on the market.

Despite its value-oriented price tag, the RTX 4090 Windforce features a solid cooling solution composed of a large vapor chamber and eight composite copper heat pipes. This heatsink assembly is not as big or as efficient as the ones found on premium variants, but it certainly gets the job done. It does have some limitations when it comes to overclocking, but the temperatures are just fine under stock settings.

For airflow, Gigabyte is using its “3D Active” fans, which are just regular graphics card fans that you can find on pretty much any basic variant. They are relatively quiet when the GPU is under low load, but noise levels rise pretty significantly once the card is under high load. Just like most RTX 3000 and RTX 4000 aftermarket variants, the third fan pushes air straight through the heatsink assembly and out from the other side in order to improve heat dissipation.

The Windforce variant does have some cool features despite its budget-oriented positioning on the market. It has Dual BIOS support, which can come in handy when overclocking. Moreover, it comes with a full metal backplate which is not something to be taken for granted, especially on budget models. It does not, however, come with any factory overclock.

Aesthetically, the RTX 4090 Windforce does not have a lot going for it. It is a pretty basic and understated card, and it doesn’t even have RGB lighting which is pretty rare on modern GPUs. The card does not look bad at all, but it is not for those consumers who prefer their graphics cards to have a bit more personality and flair.

On the other hand, it will go perfectly with an all-black build or in a workstation PC where you do not want to draw any attention to it.

We also selected a similar Gigabyte variant in our list of the best RX 6800 graphics cards.

Gigabyte’s entry-level offering is definitely one to consider if you are looking for an aftermarket variant of the RTX 4090 without completely breaking the bank. Despite not having all the fancy features, it is a pretty competent card that can provide a lot of value for your money.

9. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity

Best Entry Level RTX 4090

Pros

• Impressive RGB Lighting
• Targeted at MSRP

Cons

• No Factory Overclock
• Mediocre Cooling
• Unremarkable Acoustics

22 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 16384 | Boost Clock: 2520 MHz | Memory: 24GB GDDR6X | Memory Speed: 21 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | Dimensions: 356.1 x 150.1 x 71.4mm (3.5 Slot) | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 1000W

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Our last pick of the day comes from ZOTAC with their entry-level RTX 4090 Trinity variant. In previous generations, the Trinity was a mid-range variant that had a few extra bells and whistles, but that is no longer the case with the RTX 4090 version. Now the RTX 4090 Trinity aims to hit the MSRP of the GPU as set by Nvidia, and that means stripping down the card to its basics.

Under the metal shroud, ZOTAC is using a hefty cooling solution comprised of a large vapor chamber with copper heat pipes. This is a pretty standard solution for aftermarket graphics cards in high-end GPUs like the RTX 4090. The thermal performance of this particular variant is quite decent, but not at the level of the premium offerings on this list. That is to be expected since the price premium is also quite low in comparison.

From the standpoint of noise, the three fans on the front of the ZOTAC RTX 4090 Trinity do a respectable job when the card is under low loads. However, as the load ramps up the fans tend to compensate quite aggressively, and the noise floor rises to a noticeable level. It may not be annoying if the card is installed in a closed chassis, but it is certainly more noticeable than the other options on this list.

As expected, the ZOTAC RTX 4090 Trinity does not ship with a factory overclock in this particular variant. There is a variant of this card that is overclocked, but that is a bit more expensive and as a result, does not target MSRP pricing. Manual overclocking may also be a bit limited on this card since it is not the best in terms of cooling or power budget.

The design of the ZOTAC RTX 4090 Trinity is in line with the rest of the ZOTAC lineup for the RTX 4000 series. The shape of the card is a bit controversial, but the RGB implementation is quite smart and balances out the look of the card. Still, this aesthetic is not for everyone and it is not one you will want to display on a vertical mount.

All in all, the ZOTAC RTX 4090 Trinity delivers great value for money thanks to its low expected price premium. It cuts a few corners here and there but it is still quite well-rounded as a total package. We recommend this variant as the best entry level RTX 4090 due to its MSRP price target and excellent bang for the buck.

How we picked and tested

The market has been flooded with countless aftermarket variants of the RTX 4090 by AIB partners, and it was quite a tedious task to narrow down our selection to the best of the best. We followed a strict vetting process to filter out the better RTX 4090 graphics cards from the rest of the crowd.

Our primary factor of consideration was the thermal performance of the RTX 4090 in question. Since the RTX 4090 GPU is an incredibly powerful chip with a really high power budget, it can put out a lot of heat that needs to be properly managed. This is why we prioritized variants that had the best thermal performance and design.

The acoustic performance of the card is almost equally as important as the thermal performance. There is no point in buying a high-end RTX 4090 card that sounds like a jet engine in operation, which is why we selected only the variants that had decent baseline acoustic performance.

We also focused on the power delivery of the graphics card in question, as well as any factory overclock that may be tuned by the manufacturer. Additional features such as dual BIOS, extra onboard connectors, and fan headers were also taken into consideration.

Aesthetics are a subjective matter, but they play a significant role in the buying process for an aftermarket graphics card. We also paid attention to general consumer feedback about the aesthetics of the particular RTX 4090 cards.

Ultimately, the price tag and value proposition of the RTX 4090 variants were the final deciding factors. Different variants demand different amounts of premium over MSRP, so the price-to-performance ratio of the card ultimately becomes a key factor.

Each of our selected RTX 4090 variants was put through a rigorous testing process by our highly skilled team of hardware experts. The thorough gauntlet of testing involved thermal, acoustic, as well as performance tests in various real-world scenarios.

Finally, our editors and hardware experts got together to curate the ultimate list of the very best RTX 4090 graphics cards out there. This list is driven by lots of data, consumer feedback, as well as subjective opinions of our editing team.

RTX 4090 – What’s New

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is the new king of the hill when it comes to consumer desktop GPUs. It spearheads the Nvidia RTX 4000 series based on the brand-new Ada Lovelace architecture and therefore brings with it a plethora of new features.

Here are some of the key generational improvements that Nvidia brings with its new RTX 4000 series.

New Architecture

At the heart of the new RTX 4090 is the new AD102 GPU die, which is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. This new architecture brings generational improvements in both performance and efficiency as compared to the outgoing Ampere architecture.

Firstly, the Ada Lovelace architecture brings up to 2x improvement in performance-per-watt numbers as claimed by Nvidia. Not only that, the new third-gen RT cores can deliver up to 2x performance in Ray Tracing applications over the last generation.

Nvidia is also promising improvements in the field of AI thanks to its fourth-gen Tensor Cores. These new cores can deliver up to 2x the AI performance of last-generation Tensor Cores, which is a great boon to the fields of machine learning and supercomputing.

DLSS 3.0

DLSS or Deep Learning Super Sampling is the revolutionary technology that Nvidia introduced with its RTX 2000 series based on the Turing architecture. Over the years, it has gone through several generational improvements, and with the RTX 4090, we get the latest iteration of DLSS 3.0.

Thanks to the new fourth-gen Tensor Cores and the inbuilt Optical Flow Accelerator, the Nvidia RTX 4000 series GPUs can use DLSS 3.0 to massively improve their gaming performance. DLSS is effectively a super-sampling technology powered by AI, but it is wildly effective and delivers close to native quality even when it is rendering at a different resolution.

Nvidia claims that DLSS 3.0 provides even more performance improvements than DLSS 2.0 by artificial frame generation powered by AI, but that is yet to be supported by games. We will have to test this technology when it is widely available but for now, DLSS 3.0 seems to be just as promising as DLSS 2.0, if not more.

Power Connectors

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 and all the other RTX 4000 series graphics cards use a new 16-pin power connector known as the 12HPWR connector. This new connector can deliver up to 600W of power via 16 pins (12 pins plus 4 data pins) which is an insane number for a graphics card, but here we are.

This new power connector will not only be found on the Founder’s Edition graphics cards but all the aftermarket AIB variants as well. All RTX 40 series graphics cards will come with a 16-pin adapter that will convert three/four 8-pin power connectors into a single 16-pin connector, so you don’t need to buy a new power supply just yet.

But maybe it is time to start thinking about a new power supply if you want to buy an RTX 4090. The recommended power supply wattage for most RTX 4090 variants is 1000W, and even the basic ones demand an 850W power supply at the minimum.

Considering the potential for overclocking and overhead for other components, it may be a wise idea to look for a high-wattage power supply for this card. You should also consider the best airflow PC cases to keep your RTX 4090 cool and quiet.

Buyer’s Guide

Shopping for aftermarket variants of graphics cards can be a bit of a challenge. Especially with a graphics card as power-hungry and premium as the RTX 4090, you have to be careful with your selection. Choosing an inferior AIB variant can lead to overheating, incompatibility, and general instability down the line.

Here are some of the factors that you should keep in mind when shopping for graphics cards.

Thermal Performance

When it comes to buying a graphics card, most people focus on the specs and performance, which is valid. However, it’s also important to consider the thermal performance of the card. Newer GPUs depend on temperature data to alter their boosting behavior, according to GPU Boost technology.

Modern graphics cards such as the RTX 4090 are very sensitive to changes in temperature, and they can immediately respond to said changes by increasing or decreasing their boost clocks.

Moreover, heat is one of the biggest enemies of electronic components, and GPUs generate a lot of heat when they’re under load. If a graphics card doesn’t have good thermals, it will likely overheat and throttle itself, leading to lower performance.

There are several things to look for when considering thermals. First, check the size and design of the heatsink. A larger heatsink will usually be better at cooling the GPU. You can also take a look at the number of heat pipes in the heatsink assembly.

Second, take a look at the fans. Good quality fans will help to keep temperatures down and improve airflow. Premium graphics cards often strike a balance between high airflow and silent operation, which can only be done through good-quality fans.

Finally, think about how easy it is to add additional cooling components, such as aftermarket fans or water blocks. By taking thermals into account when choosing a graphics card, you can help ensure that your card will stay cool and perform at its best.

Acoustic Performance

The acoustic performance of a graphics card goes hand in hand with its thermal performance, and it can be considered equally as important. A card with a high-end GPU such as the RTX 4090 can easily generate a lot of noise, making it a major annoyance for gamers and general users alike.

That’s why it’s important to strongly consider acoustics when buying a graphics card. Fortunately, there are a few things you can look for to ensure that your card will run quietly. First, check to see how many fans the card has. More fans generally produce more noise, so cards with fewer fans tend to be quieter.

Second, look at the airflow design. A good airflow design helps to reduce noise by directing air more efficiently through the card. For example, traditional blower-style graphics cards tend to generate a lot of noise because of their airflow design and are largely out of favor nowadays.

Finally, make sure that the card has good cooling. A well-cooled card is less likely to overheat and generate noise. Noise and temperature have a direct relationship, so the best way to reduce the noise of a graphics card is to reduce its temperature.

By considering these factors, you can help ensure that your RTX 4090 graphics card runs quietly and doesn’t become a nuisance.

Size and Compatibility

Let’s face it, most graphics cards nowadays are absolutely huge. Gone are the days when you could get small form factor variants of premium GPUs that could fit in compact PC cases. Most high-end cards nowadays can easily cross the 3-slot barrier, and nowhere is this trend more evident than in the RTX 4090 market.

Even the Founder’s Edition RTX 4090 graphics card is an absolute behemoth at well over 3.5 slots. Not only that, but you also have to take into account its overall dimensions just to make sure that it fits in your case.

Whenever you’re shopping for a graphics card, it is very important to check its size and compatibility with your particular case. Especially with modern GPUs such as the RTX 4090, you have to make sure that you have enough clearance for the card in terms of both length, and width.

Moreover, you should also make sure that you have enough space underneath the card for adequate airflow. If the graphics card takes up the four initial PCIe slot spaces, then you have to make sure that the area underneath the card is clear and that there are no additional PCIe devices in that zone, for airflow purposes.

Aesthetics

If you’re a PC gamer, you know that aesthetics are important. Not only do they impact the look of your rig, but they can also instill confidence in you. When choosing a graphics card, it’s quite crucial to consider aesthetics nowadays. The right card can make your rig look amazing, and it can also improve your gameplay experience.

Graphics cards come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors. Most modern RTX 4090 graphics cards come with tons of RGB lighting and color-changing effects. If you want your rig to look its best, you need to choose a card that fits your unique style. Be sure to complement the theme of your particular rig with your graphics card so it doesn’t look out of place.

Moreover, you should also check the RGB lighting compatibility of the card with other components of your rig. For example, if the rest of your RGB components are compatible with ASUS Aura Sync, then your graphics card should be compatible with the same software as well.

Aesthetics are important, and they should definitely be considered when choosing a graphics card. With so many options available, you’re sure to find the perfect card for your rig that matches your aesthetic preference.

Price and Value

Pricing is a bit tricky when it comes to graphics card variants. Nvidia especially is very particular about the pricing structure of the different partner graphics cards in relation to its MSRP. However, you still can find a range of partner GPUs at multiple price points around the MSRP mark.

Firstly, there are those variants that are priced exactly at MSRP. For a premium card such as the RTX 4090, these will be very few and quite hard to find. Usually, they are a little light on extra features and have *good enough* cooling. They can work for you if you are working with a strict budget.

Next, there are some variants that offer an upgrade over the standard Founder’s Edition card, or at least they try to. These variants can be found anywhere from $30-$100 over the MSRP, and they have some additional features and usually better cooling capabilities. Most users would be perfectly content with one of these variants.

Finally, we have the high rollers. These premium variants represent the best of the best from AIB partners. These include cards like the ASUS ROG Strix and Gigabyte AORUS Master or MSI SUPRIM, variants with a lot more features and tons of cooling. They are priced really high, and often at unreasonable margins.

Striking the right balance of price and performance is important when buying a graphics card. Sometimes, it is beneficial to spend the extra $20-30 to get the better cooling and silent operation of a premium variant, but it is also foolish to spend $200-300 over MSRP if you can’t take advantage of all the features offered by those cards.

The post 9 Best NVIDIA RTX 4090 Graphics Card In 2024 appeared first on Appuals.

It’s been some time since Nvidia’s RTX 3000 and AMD’s RX 6000 series were released. Initially, it was quite challenging for PC enthusiasts to get their hands on these high-end graphics cards since all of them were mostly out of stock. But, now that the dust has settled and these cards are mostly back in the stock, you can easily get a card for your dream PC build.

The graphics cards from Nvidia’s RTX 3000 series like the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 are quite expensive, as almost all of them cost more than $1000, but for people who’re looking for a slightly affordable option, the RTX 3060 Ti is the best choice.

Despite being the most affordable option out of the RTX 3000 series, the 3060 Ti, which is based on the Ampere architecture, offers comparable performance to any of the previously released high-end cards by Nvidia, even the RTX 2080 Super, and the RTX 2080 Ti.

It’s also true that the prices of the RTX 3060 Ti’s have gone up since launch, and it’s near impossible to find the card at launch price today. But still, we’ve put together this list to help you know which variant of the RTX 3060 Ti you should be looking for and which RTX 3060 Ti would be the best for you.

How we choose The Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards

The Nvidia Ampere RTX 3060 Ti is an excellent mid-range card from the RTX 3000 series, and selecting its best variants is not an easy task. We had to keep in mind several things while selecting the best RTX 3060 Ti graphic cards.

One thing we had to focus on was the overall aesthetic and design of the GPU. There were many plain-looking 3060 Ti’s out there, with only a few cards standing out with their looks and performance.

We also had to keep in mind the overclocking capacity of these cards. As we know, Nvidia’s cards usually offer a far bigger boost than their advertised boost clock. It is the same for RTX 3060 Ti, but still, there was a big difference between the overclocking ability of some cards compared to the others.

Cooling was also an essential factor. We had to check the temperature of these graphics cards under load to get a taste of the cooling capabilities of a 3060 Ti. Most 3060 Ti cards were generally quiet, but a few AIBs made more noise than their competitors.

We’d also like to mention that most cards in this list are LHR versions. It’s not an issue for your gaming performance and overall GPU usage unless you’re looking for a 3060 Ti specifically for mining.

It’s no news that the modern Nvidia and AMD cards are massive in size. The same goes for 3060 Ti. But, you’ll notice that a few AIBs have managed to cut down the size by reducing the cooling factor. The dual-fan variants of the 3060 Ti are much smaller and quieter, but they offer lower performance compared to the triple fan AIBs.

It is also important to note that the triple fan variants of the 3060 Ti tends to make more noise, but these manufacturing companies have adopted 3D active fan, Axial-tech fan design, and many other similar technologies to reduce the overall noise of your PC.

That being said, we’ve listed down what we considered the top 3060 Ti variants. However, no card is absolutely perfect. You’ll notice that each of the following cards excels at one thing and is mediocre at something else. But, all in all, this list will give you an idea about what you should go for and what you should expect when looking for a 3060 Ti. And, if you want to upgrade to a better high-end card, you can check out our guide on the best RTX 3080 graphics card.

1. Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC

Best Overall RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Great Value
• Decent Design
• Silent Operation
• Solid Thermal Performance

Cons

• Minimal RGB Lighting

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1665/1740 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a

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Kicking off the list we have the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC, which is a mid-range variant from Gigabyte that prioritizes value for money. It offers impressive thermal performance and is targeted towards gamers who are looking to maximize their bang for the buck. The Gaming OC is also overclocked, as the name suggests, which is a nice little bonus that can give you that extra bit of performance while gaming.

The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC has a triple-fan cooling system that keeps the GPU running cool under load. The card also features a large heatsink with several heat pipes, which helps dissipate heat quickly. Gigabyte also employs the pass-through cooling technique in this variant, which allows the air to pass straight through the heatsink for better heat dissipation. In essence, the thermal performance of the card is decent and should keep the GPU temperatures under control even during long gaming sessions.

The triple-fan cooling system on the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC does an excellent job of keeping the card cool while also remaining quiet. The card features a special fan-stop mode, which turns off the fans when the GPU is idle or under low loads, making it almost silent. The 3D Active fans spin in an alternate configuration, which minimizes turbulence and allows for a smoother airflow pattern.

Moving on to aesthetics, the design of the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC is simple and understated. The card features a black and silver color scheme, with minimal RGB lighting. The card looks great and should fit in well with most PC builds, but users who prefer a lot of RGB lighting on their components may be left a bit disappointed in this regard.

At the end of the day, the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC offers excellent value for money, providing impressive thermal and acoustic performance for its price. It is a great choice for gamers who want to buy an RTX 3060 Ti graphics card without paying a heavy premium for the variants. The affordable nature of the Gaming OC makes it a default recommendation for the RTX 3060 Ti.

The Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 3060 Ti may not have all the bells and whistles of the more premium variants, but it gets the job done perfectly well. It cuts a few corners here and there but those compromises do not hurt the end-user experience in a noticeable way. This is why we recommend the Gigabyte Gaming OC as the best overall RTX 3060 Ti 8GB variant.

2. GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Best Looking RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Highly attractive design
• Comes with silent mode feature
• Lots of temperature regulation features
• Comes with 4-year warranty

Cons

• Lacks Overclocking Potential
• Fans remain off during idle state

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1410/1785 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a bit different from other variants for the same card as it uses a 1x 8-pin connector and 1x 6-pin connector to power up, which makes this 3060 Ti fall behind in terms of heavy overclocking. However, it is one of the best-looking 3060 Ti’s that you could find out there.

An off topic, but great read: Best motherboards for the i5 13600k

This card is about 11.4 inches long and is equipped with some RGB LEDs that offer up to 16.7 million possible color options and effects for you to customize. This 3060 Ti uses the WINDFORCE 3X Cooling System and the Axial-tech fan design, where the middle fan spins in the opposite direction from the rest.

Keep in mind that the fans of this GPU only start spinning under load or whenever the temperature goes above 46-47 °C. It happens so the card doesn’t make much noise during idle, which is a decent feature in general, but the stopped fans make this card look a little less beautiful. You can also set the fans on silent running mode, but you’ll have to switch it on manually as the card comes with overclocked mode by default.

To increase the thermal performance even more, we would recommend a case with good airflow to allow for good heat regulation.

The card has five copper heat pipes and an extended heatsink for temperature regulation. This 256-bit RTX 3060 Ti comes with a 4-year warranty, but you’ll have to register it online on their site after buying.

Overall, the neo-punk style of this GPU makes it stand out a lot compared to the other 3060 Ti’s. It is designed to last for years due to its durability. You can also monitor everything, including clock speed, voltage, and fan speed, by using the AORUS ENGINE.

3. MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Ventus 3x OC

Best Value RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Highly attractive design for gamers
• Good for Value
• Features lots of reinforcing
• Good temperature control options

Cons

• Lacks Overclocking Potential
• Only 1x HDMI 2.0 port

568 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1410/1695 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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While the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Ventus 3x OC might not be the cheapest option on this list, it does offer excellent value for money. The card offers a fantastic metallic look with subtle RGB lighting, combo this with good aRGB fans and you will have a clean looking build. Though, make sure you have aRGB support, the Z690 and are great options.

The sharp edges on this card’s design and the overall metallic theme of this GPU fit very well for gamers.
In terms of temperature regulation, this card features a triple fan following MSI’s award-winning TORX Fan 3.0 technology that allows the fan blades to alternate between traditional and dispersion modes for better airflow.

The card also uses ZERO FROZR technology that shuts the fans down if it is below a certain temperature and starts it again as the card heats up. The unique heatsink design and several thermal pads on the PCB of this GPU all add up to reducing the temperature during load.

Helpful read : Best GPU coolers

The card uses a single 8-pin connector, drastically limiting its overclocking potential. It is advertised to reach 1695 MHz on OC, but it’s recommended that you don’t push the overclocking too hard on this GPU.

Unlike other variants of the 3060 Ti, this GPU only features one HDMI 2.1 video output port which can be an issue for people who use multiple screens.

The build quality of this GPU is excellent. It features an attractive-looking reinforcing backplate and is designed in such a way that it will never bend because of its own weight. You can also use the support bracket that comes with the GPU for additional reinforcement. We also have a detailed guide on how to mount your GPU vertically.

4. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Twin Edge

Best Budget RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Good for Small form factor builds
• Affordable than other options
• Durable Design

Cons

• Can run hot during overclocking
• No RGB Lighting

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1410/1665 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Twin Edge was one of the cheapest 3060 Ti’s out there. Despite being affordable, this card does offer excellent performance, even if it looks pretty basic.

The fan of this 3060 Ti graphics card utilizes the 11-blade IceStorm 2.0 cooling solution, which ensures that the temperature always remains under control. Despite all that, it can hit up to 70 °C during overclocks.

This is a smaller card, so it can easily fit inside your micro-ATX case. It uses a 1x 8-pin connector, but it’s reasonable considering the size of this GPU, but a single 8-pin connector indeed brings this card down on the overclocking charts.

It will be a better idea to go for some other option on this list if your main goal is overclocking since this is a budget 3060 Ti and has a lower overclocking capacity than the other 3060 Ti’s. Even if it does provide a big boost, the card won’t be able to keep it stable for long since it is lacking in cooling capacity.

Note that this 3060 Ti doesn’t feature any RGB lighting other than the ZOTAC logo that glows up at startup. The card also doesn’t support Nvidia SLI and features only one HDMI port.

Overall, it is an excellent option for smaller form factor builds. If you have a limited budget and want a solid 3060 Ti for 1080p gaming, then go for this card, as it won’t disappoint.

5. EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FTW3 Ultra

Best Overclocking RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Highest Factory Boost Clock
• Comparable performance to 3070
• Good Framerates at 4K
• Stylish look with minimal RGB

Cons

• Features only one HDMI port
• Can be too large for some PC cases

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1410/1800 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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EVGA is a well-known brand when it comes to high-end GPUs, and their GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FTW3 Ultra is nothing less than a piece of art. It is an excellent GPU and an excellent choice for anyone looking for an overall good card that is comparable to the RTX 3070 but at a reasonable price.

It is a pretty big card that’s about 11.23 inches long, so you’ll need an ATX or EATX PC case to install it. The all-black shroud with a minimal ARGB LED logo makes it look good in some PC cases.

Despite being advertised with an 1800 boost clock, this 3060 Ti also can reach the highest factory boost clock settings out of all 3060 Ti’s, as it can hit up to 2000+ MHz. The GPU features an increased power limit, so you can further tweak it to reach even higher overclocking numbers, but don’t expect much as the card’s factory boost is so great that manual tweaking won’t give you that big of an increase.

The card uses the EVGA iCX3 Cooling technology, which keeps your PC cool. It can hit up to 68 °C at maximum load. It is a quiet card, even if it has triple fans. One thing we didn’t like about this GPU is that despite being so feature-packed and large, it only has one HDMI port which can be an issue for people using multiple HDMI screens.

It is a great GPU with excellent framerates in many AAA titles at 4K resolution compared to any other 3060 Ti. If you’re looking for a card that is durable, stylish with minimal RGB, and can run games at 4K resolution consistently, then this card is the perfect choice for you.

6. ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC Edition

Best Thermal RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Best Cooling RTX 3060 Ti
• Quiet GPU
• Solid Build Quality
• Attractive Design

Cons

• Slightly Expensive
• Can be too large for some PC cases

161 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1410/1785 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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It wouldn’t be a lie if we said the ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC Edition is TUF’s one of the best cards ever. They certainly outdid themselves with all the things this card has to offer. It also has the best cooling features out of all 3060 Ti variants out there.

The card features a TUF cooler along with Axial-tech fan design technology. The triple fans are also quite durable due to the dual ball fan bearings it offers. The card has massive heatsinks that make sure all the heat efficiently dissipates out of it, keeping the card temperatures always under the limit.

This 3060 Ti features no RGB options besides the glowing TUF GAMING logo, but the all-aluminum shroud makes the card look beautiful even without any RGB. The card utilizes what few RGB options it has to provide you with a wide variety of color options as well as unique effects.

Another unique part of this GPU is its metal backplate. You won’t find any thermal pads here, but they left a little vent for better airflow.

The card may be lacking in terms of overclocking since it only requires a single 8-pin connector, and the power limit is set to 200. You can reach higher numbers than the advertised boost clock if you increase the power limit manually.

The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC Edition can hit around 58 to 60 °C during heaving gaming, which makes this card one of the coolest ones. The low overall temperature of this card also results in the fan spinning at a low RPM, which reduces the system noise and keeps the PC quiet.

7. GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Vision

Best White RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

Pros

• Attractive White-themed GPU
• Quiet Operation
• Solid Build Quality
• Decent Cooling Features

Cons

• Could use more RGB features
• Lacks overclocking capacity

CUDA Cores: 4864 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1410/1755 MHz | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin, 1x PCIe 6-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a

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If you’re looking for a high-end 3060 Ti for your white-themed PC, or are just genuinely looking for a good-looking GPU, then the GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Vision is the perfect choice for you.

The looks aren’t the only defining feature of this GPU, as it is perfectly capable in terms of performance as well. This card comes with the WINDFORCE 3x Cooling System, along with Axial-tech fan design technology to keep your GPU’s temperatures under control.

Like most other modern GIGABYTE cards, this one also features the 3D Active Fan technology. The 3D Active Fan technology makes sure that the fans only start spinning if the GPU heats up a bit.

This RTX 3060 Ti also features an extended heatsink which provides much better heat dissipation than regular heatsinks. It also has the RGB FUSION 2.0, which lets you customize the color and effects of the GIGABYTE logo on the side. You can also choose to synchronize the lighting if you have any other AORUS devices installed on your PC.

The overclocking capacity of this GPU is mediocre. Like other RTX 3060 Ti’s, you can get the numbers much higher than the advertised value, but it still won’t be as good as some other variants on this list.

This is a fairly big card at 11.06 inches in length, so you’ll need a big enough PC case to accommodate it. The design and construction of this graphics card are also quite good. It will fit perfectly well with a white PC case and will last for years if you take care of this card.

Helpful roundup : Best RX 5700XT

Buyers Guide

If you’re looking to buy a 3060 Ti, you need to know which AIB you should go for. There are many different variants of the 3060 Ti available in the market, but some of them are much better than others. You also have to know what you’re looking for if you want to figure out which 3060 Ti would be the best for you.

There are a lot of things that you have to consider before buying an RTX 3060 Ti. But, we’re here to help you with your decision. We’ve discussed some of the important factors below that the buyer should know before picking out a 3060 Ti.

Price:

The cards from the RTX 3000 series all come with a hefty price tag. However, the 3060 Ti is one of the mid-range options from the RTX 3000 series. It still costs a lot. Most GPUs in our list aren’t that far apart in terms of price.

We’ve also included a budget and a value option for people who’re either short on their budget or want a good value card for their money. Keep in mind that the budget cards are no way near the premium ones when it comes to performance and gaming benchmarks despite costing only $50 less than other more effective AIBs.

It would be better to just save up and spend that extra money on a better quality 3060 Ti since the price gap isn’t that huge, and a GPU is like a one-time investment for the next 4-5 years.

Now, in case you have the budget and want an enthusiast-grade high-end card, then we suggest you check out our list of the best AMD RX 6800 Graphics cards and the best RTX 3090 Graphics cards.

Cooling:

Each manufacturing company features a different cooling solution in their AIBs listed in this guide. You’d want your 3060 Ti to have excellent cooling capability since the card holds great overclocking potential, and you wouldn’t want your card to heat up 5 minutes into overclocking.

It is also important to note that running a GPU at a high temperature and without a proper cooling solution can reduce the life of your graphics card and can even ultimately damage it in some cases. If your card doesn’t feature good cooling solutions, you’ll have to use a PC case with good airflow to make up for the cooling requirements.

Luckily, all 3060 Ti AIBs in this list are equipped with efficient cooling techniques and technologies to ensure that the card’s temperatures remain under control.

Other than that, you might have to make a choice between a double-fan setup and a triple-fan setup. If you have a small PC chassis, then you should go for a double-fan setup. But, in almost every other case, the triple-fan setup is a better option.

Size and dimensions:

Most 3060 Ti variants that you’ll find in this list are massive in size with about 11.23 inches in length. We’ve also included some smaller options for people with smaller form factor PC cases. Overall, you’ll have to check if the card will even fit inside your PC case before buying.

If you’re going for a triple-fan version of the card, you’ll get improved cooling but increased size, weight, and noise coming from the GPU. The 3060 Ti AIBs feature unique triple-fan technologies and silent modes that allow you to reduce the fan noise drastically. But, there are still not many options that can help you deal with the size of the card, except getting a bigger PC case.

A smaller card will easily fit inside any PC, but the two-fan setup AIBs usually have mediocre cooling capabilities and might not be able to offer as good performance as their three-fan set up counterparts.

Overclocking Capacity:

The RTX 3060 Ti holds great overclocking potential. It has a base clock of 1410 MHz, but some AIBs can push it far beyond 2000+ MHz. The overclocking capability is different for each variant of the card. The cards also feature a factory boost clock count that helps you figure out how far that GPU can push beyond the base clock while staying stable at factory overclock.

The overclocking capacity is also proportional to the cooling capabilities of your GPU, as well as the power limit. If your 3060 Ti uses 2x 8-pin connectors, it will have better overclocking potential than a 3060 Ti AIB that uses a single 8-pin connector since a 2x 8-pin connector can draw much more power from the PSU.

On the topic of power supply, the RTX 3000 series is fairly demanding and power-hungry. Fortunately, we’ve listed some of the best PSUs for Nvidia RTX 3000 series. Pairing your GPU with a good power supply will ensure the longevity, performance, and reliability of your GPU, as well as increase its overclocking potential.

The post 7 Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards In 2024 appeared first on Appuals.

This move seems to be an answer to the Radeon RX 6800 and 6700 series cards from AMD which include 16GB and 12GB memory buffers respectively. If the RTX 3080, 3090, and other variants are not part of your plan, and you want a budget graphics card or one which offers a lot of value, this Best RTX 3060 Buying Guide will assist you when going for shopping. Our Experts have prepared the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics Card list based on preferences and factors, as such Budget, Performance, Value, RGB, Looks, and overall choice for consumers.

However, predictably, the glaring and obvious ongoing stock issue plagues the new RTX 3060 as well. Although Nvidia took the special step of limiting the crypto-mining performance of the RTX 3060 in order to deter crypto miners, the demand levels were still too strong for the initial supply of the RTX 3060. Scalping and low stock levels seem to be the norm for the RTX 3000 series and Radeon RX 6000 series, unfortunately, and the situation has not improved since.

Best RTX 3060 Graphics Cards You Can Buy Today

While the situation may not be ideal as of the time of writing, this list should help potential buyers in the future when the RTX 3060 and its various AIB partner cards are available at MSRP with abundant stock levels.

With that out of the way, here are the 5 best Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics cards to buy in 2021.

#	Preview	Model	Award	Details
1		ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3060 OC	Best Premium RTX 3060	189 Reviews Check Price
2		MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 3060	Best Looking RTX 3060	117 Reviews Check Price
3		ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 3060	Best Budget RTX 3060	256 Reviews Check Price
4		Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 3060	Best RTX 3060 Alternative	129 Reviews Check Price
5		Zotac Twin Edge RTX 3060 OC	Best Entry-Level RTX 3060 From Zotac	4,047 Reviews Check Price

#	1
Preview
Model	ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3060 OC
Award	Best Premium RTX 3060
Details	189 Reviews Check Price

#	2
Preview
Model	MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 3060
Award	Best Looking RTX 3060
Details	117 Reviews Check Price

#	3
Preview
Model	ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 3060
Award	Best Budget RTX 3060
Details	256 Reviews Check Price

#	4
Preview
Model	Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 3060
Award	Best RTX 3060 Alternative
Details	129 Reviews Check Price

#	5
Preview
Model	Zotac Twin Edge RTX 3060 OC
Award	Best Entry-Level RTX 3060 From Zotac
Details	4,047 Reviews Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 22:39 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

1. ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3060 OC

Premium Variant of a Midrange GPU

Pros

• Big Heatsink Design
• Quiet Operation
• Impressive Aesthetics
• Large Factory OC

Cons

• Very Expensive

189 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 3584 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1320/1882 MHz | Memory: 12GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 15 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The ASUS ROG Strix line has always been at the very top of the stack when we talk about the AIB partner variants of a particular graphics card. ASUS has done an excellent job with the design of their RTX 3000 series coolers for the Strix line, and this one is no exception. ASUS has used the same shroud and cooler design for the RTX 3060 as its bigger brothers, although with slight modifications that optimize it for the power draw and heat output of the 3060 itself.

The card features a 2.7-slot wide heatsink which is becoming the norm for premium variants of high-end GPUs nowadays. The cooling solution of the Strix has always been top-notch, and this implementation is no exception. The large heatsink features a precision machined surface for improved contact with the GPU die as well as with other heat-generating components such as the VRM components and memory modules. The heat is carried away towards the large heatsink via a complex system of numerous heatpipes that maximize heat dissipation efficiency.

The cooling is supplemented by 3 Axial Tech fans that are optimized for downward air pressure and low noise output. The fans feature an alternate spinning mechanism, in which the outer fans spin in the opposite direction to the inner fan, and that removes turbulence from the air and makes the airflow much more streamlined. The fans also turn off under low load or at idle, and that increases their lifespan and improves their acoustic performance. The ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 3060 OC is our choice for the Best Premium RTX 3060.

ASUS has overclocked the Strix to a hefty 1882MHz which is quite a substantial factory overclock. The Strix also has a high power budget for overclocking and also has Dual BIOS support, a feature that should be standard on high-end cards. Aesthetically, the card looks beautiful with tasteful RGB implementation and an industrial design on the fan shroud that really makes it look and feel premium. The large RGB bar on the side of the Strix can be customized via the Aura Sync software.

Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix delivers on all grounds as we have come to expect from the Strix. The only catch is the hefty price premium, which really makes the buyer wonder whether or not the premium is worth it over a more nominally priced alternative.

2. MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 3060

Another Premium Alternative

Pros

• Impressive Thermals
• High Power Budget
• Impressive Acoustics
• Nice RGB Implementation

Cons

• High Price

117 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 3584 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1320/1852 MHz | Memory: 12GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 15 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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MSI’s most premium offering for the RTX 3060 is their venerable Gaming X variant, this time offered in both the 2 fan and 3 fan configurations. The 3 fan variant makes a little more sense if you are looking for extra cooling performance and a bit of an aesthetic bump, however, the 2 fan variant shares a lot of the same internal design cues as the Trio. MSI does not seem to have any plans to release the SUPRIM X variant for the midrange RTX 3060.

Coming to the MSI Gaming X Trio itself, the card features a large heatsink with MSI’s famed Tri Frozr 2 cooling system. The Tri Frozr fans feature a unique blade design that helps channel the air more efficiently downwards through the heatsink. The heatsink assembly also features six heatpipes that direct the heat away from the large contact surface towards the heatsink fin array. The fans offer quiet operation even under load, and at idle they turn off to prolong their lifespan and improve acoustics.

Aesthetics-wise, the Gaming X Trio is one of the better-looking cards on the market. The 3-fan Trio variant looks especially hefty and powerful, with an industrial design that features intricate styling over the fan shroud. Perhaps the best element of the aesthetics is this card’s RGB implementation. Three strips of lighting are placed diagonally around the central fan, which makes the front of this card look especially beautiful. This is one of the cards that would look much better in a vertical mount. All in all, if you are looking for aesthetics, the MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 3060 is the Best Looking RTX 3060 out there for buyers.

MSI has provided a decent factory overclock for the Gaming X Trio, bumping up the boost clock to a respectable 1852 MHz. The Gaming X Trio also features an increased power budget, with dual 8-pin power connectors. This would improve the overclocking headroom on the card a little bit. The card is quite long and heavy though, coming in at 327mm in length, therefore potential buyers with small and compact cases should take this into account.

All in all, the MSI Gaming X Trio is another one of the premium variants of the RTX 3060. It does not have quite the flair of the ASUS ROG Strix OC, but it is also a little cheaper than the premium ASUS offering so it should be a somewhat easier pill to swallow.

3. ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 3060

An Affordable Option from ASUS

Pros

• Relatively Affordable
• Impressive Cooling Performance
• High Boost Clocks

Cons

• Lack of Lighting
• Relatively Low OC Headroom

256 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 3584 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1320/1882 MHz | Memory: 12GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 15 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The ASUS TUF series has become an immediate fan-favorite among PC Gaming enthusiasts due to its incredible build quality, premium PCB design, and relatively affordable price. The TUF Gaming series is supposed to be a comparatively approachable variant as opposed to the incredibly premium ROG Strix series. The ASUS TUF RTX 3060 is no exception to this rule, as it offers solid build quality, great performance, and quiet operation at a cost much lower than the ROG Strix RTX 3060.

ASUS has provided the same Axial Tech fan design in the TUF as its bigger brother, and that means that the central fan spins in the opposite direction to the other two as well. This reduces turbulence in the airflow and allows the fans to direct the air directly downwards through the heatsink to increase the efficiency of the cooling. The heatsink has a 2.7-slot width which is the same as the ROG Strix variant. Most of the internal heatsink components are also shared with the ROG Strix, which is an excellent thing at this price point. The fans are also exceptionally quiet, which is to be expected from the Axial Tech fans.

As far as looks go, the TUF Gaming is not the most attractive card out there, but it is by no means ugly. The fan shroud features an industrial design that looks great in blackout builds. The only area where the TUF Gaming RTX 3060 lacks is the RGB implementation. The lighting on the card is close to none, with the only lighting zones being confined to the TUF logo on the side with a little sliver underneath. This might not be ideal for those who are looking to synchronize the lighting of their system to their heart’s content. If you are short on budget, and want max value, the ASUS TUF Gaming offers the Best Budget RTX 3060 In the market as of 2021.

One of the best features of the ASUS TUF Gaming is its super-high 1882MHz boost clock which is the same as the much more expensive ROG Strix variant. The card also features a decent power budget and dual BIOS feature which comes in handy when overclocking. ASUS has only provided a single 8-pin connector for this card however, therefore it might be a bit restricted in terms of overclocking headroom.

The ASUS TUF Gaming is definitely the card to buy if you want premium components, a robust PCB design, and high performance but in a relatively affordable package. The aesthetics are a bit uninspiring for some people, but that is definitely a subjective matter.

4. Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 3060

Just the Basics

Pros

• Affordable Variant
• Decent Cooling Performance
• Nice Aesthetics

Cons

• Minimal Lighting Area
• Low Power Budget

129 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 3584 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1320/1837 MHz | Memory: 12GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 15 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2xHDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a

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One of the more affordable variants on the list, the Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 3060 carries forward the DNA of the Gaming OC series which targets a lower price point but definitely delivers on all the basic grounds. The Gaming OC is Gigabyte’s base variant which is targeted at or near MSRP, and it aims to provide a complete RTX 3060 experience without completely breaking the bank.

Even though the Gaming OC is a more entry-level variant, that does not mean that you have to compromise on the cooling performance. The Gaming OC RTX 3060 features a sizeable cooling solution with a triple fan design that can definitely handle the heat output of the RTX 3060. The card employs the Windforce 3X cooling solution with three fans that spin in opposite directions for a more streamlined airflow. The heat is carried from the large copper baseplate to the heatsink fins via a network of three heatpipes. The fans themselves are decently quiet even under load.

Aesthetically, the card is a bit plain and uninspiring. The fan shroud is quite simple with a couple of silver accents here and there. The RGB lighting is confined to the Gigabyte logo on the side, which might be a deterrent for lighting enthusiasts. That is understandable, however, due to the competitive pricing of the Gigabyte Gaming OC. The lighting can be controlled via the RGB Fusion 2.0 software. Despite its flaws, we award the Gigabyte Gaming OC as the Best RTX 3060 Alternative, if you are willing to compromise, and cannot find other variants.

While the Gaming OC might not be the strongest overclocker in the world due to its limited power budget, it is still a competitive offering at or near MSRP for those who are looking for a decent performer without paying for various bells and whistles.

5. Zotac Twin Edge RTX 3060 OC

A Decent Entry-Level Variant

Pros

• One of the Cheapest Variants
• Impressive Boost Clocks

Cons

• Unremarkable Cooling Performance
• Can get Loud
• Only Two Fans

4,047 Reviews

CUDA Cores: 3584 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1320/1852 MHz | Memory: 12GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 15 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1xHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The only dual-fan card on our list, the Zotac RTX 3060 Twin Edge is a competitive offering from Zotac that is meant to target the RTX 3060’s MSRP of $329. The OC variant might be a little bit more expensive than that, but the only difference will be a modest factory overclock. The Twin Edge might be the card to buy for those potential buyers who have a compact case or are looking for an RTX 3060 variant that performs well but does not demand a price premium.

The card might not be the strongest performer in terms of thermals or acoustics, but its performance in these areas is definitely enough to keep the heat output of the RTX 3060 in check. The card features Zotac’s IceStorm 2.0 cooling solution which includes two fans with an 11-blade design for improved stability and airflow. The heatsink is also relatively well-built, with 4 heatpipes carrying the heat away from a large baseplate. The fans also turn off when the card is idle in order to improve acoustics.

The Zotac Twin Edge RTX 3060 does not look especially beautiful or breathtaking, but it definitely does not look unattractive either. For a two-fan design, the card is decently built with aggressive styling of the fan shroud and decent RGB implementation on the side. The lighting can be controlled by the Firestorm utility.

Of course, the Twin Edge does not have an impressive power budget, therefore its overclocking headroom will be a bit limited. The factory boost clock of 1852 MHz on the OC variant is quite impressive for a card in this price category. The card also features just a single 8-pin PCIe power connector so one should not expect the highest overclocks with this variant of the RTX 3060. All things aside, the Zotac Twin Edge RTX 3060 is our choice for the Best Value RTX 3060.

All in all, the Zotac Twin Edge OC is another solid offering if you are looking for an RTX 3060 at or near MSRP. The three fan alternatives like the Gigabyte Gaming OC do outperform the Twin Edge when it comes to thermals, but the Twin Edge OC has a higher boost clock so it is up to the potential buyer to decide based on their preferences.

The post 5 Best NVIDIA RTX 3060 Graphics Cards for Entry-Level Raytracing appeared first on Appuals.

This is where comes the concept of low profile computers which not only consume less space on your desk but also have a lot of lower power requirements than a fully equipped gaming PC. Certainly, we cannot fit massive components, especially the humongous graphics card in our low profile PCs that are built using compact mini-ITX cases. To fill this particular need, manufacturers have been designing low-profile cards having half-height than a normal one though still providing adequate graphical performance. You should pick the low profile graphics card for your use case if you want the ideal experience from these compact cards since they are often not that powerful to compensate for their size.

Best Low Profile Graphics Cards You Can Buy Today

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti LP	Best Overall Low Profile Graphics Card	Check Price
2		MSI RX 560 4GT LP OC	Best Low Profile Graphics Card For Gaming	Check Price
3		GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1050 OC LP	Best Nvidia Low Profile Graphics Card	Check Price
4		MSI RX 550 4GT LP OC	Best Low Profile Graphics Card For HTPC	Check Price
5		GIGABYTE GeForce GT 1030 LP 2GB	Best Budget Low Profile Graphics Card	Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti LP
Award	Best Overall Low Profile Graphics Card
Details	Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	MSI RX 560 4GT LP OC
Award	Best Low Profile Graphics Card For Gaming
Details	Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1050 OC LP
Award	Best Nvidia Low Profile Graphics Card
Details	Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	MSI RX 550 4GT LP OC
Award	Best Low Profile Graphics Card For HTPC
Details	Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	GIGABYTE GeForce GT 1030 LP 2GB
Award	Best Budget Low Profile Graphics Card
Details	Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 16:55 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Low Profile graphics cards are some of the more complicated choices when it comes to the general graphics card buying experience. While yes, most of these are older cards so you might not have to deal with the ongoing stock shortage situation, but still, you might have to consider a ton of factors before making your pick. The low profile card for your particular use case might differ wildly from someone else’s, so make sure to consider this purchase decision from all angles. Keeping that in mind, here are some of the recommended low profile graphics cards that you should consider.

1. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti LP

Best Overall Low Profile Graphics Card

Pros

• Solid Gaming Performance
• Good Thermal Management
• Dual Fan Design
• Acceptable Acoustics
• High Compatibility

Cons

• Minimum Fan Speed Locked To 45%
• Relatively Expensive For HTPC Use

Memory Buffer: 4GB | Core Clock / Memory Clock: 1392 MHz / 1750 MHz | Slots: 2

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Nvidia GTX 1050 TI is a mid-end graphics card that is favored by a lot of people and it is probably one of the most sought out GPUs in the 10 series lineup. This particular design of Zotac packs a beefy enough heat-sink to handle the heat of GPU while being thin enough to fit in the SFF computer cases.

It has a boost clock of 1392MHz, equipped with a 128-bit memory bus and a 4GB GDDR5 memory. Certainly, this graphics card cannot max out the latest stunning AAA titles but almost all the games can be played on 1080p resolution with medium settings. However, for anything above 1080p resolution, this graphics card is not suitable and the lag-free gaming experience cannot be achieved. Since this card does have some gaming potential, you might want to consider our picks for the best low profile CPU coolers as well, to make a powerful compact gaming PC.

Zotac has locked the minimum fan speeds for the graphics card at a 45% minimum which creates noise even when idle. Since this is a low-profile GPU, the fans are also smaller than high-profile graphics cards, which results in high-frequency noise which can be a deal-breaker for people sensitive about acoustics. Even customizing your fan curve doesn’t help much since the minimum speed is locked. The graphics card hosts a 1x DP port, 1x HDMI port, and 1x DVI port while consumes around 75 watts at max.

Zotac also enriches the market with a “mini” edition of the same model which features a full-height PCB but comes with a single slot bracket. This specific model, however, does not provide the single slot bracket and cannot be used in cases with only a single slot space available. Most of these are mini-ITX cases that differ from micro-ATX cases (you can learn about the differences between mini-ITX and micro-ATX cases here). However, the half-height bracket is included in the accessories of the GPU.

In benchmarks, we found that this graphics card was as good as the standard GTX 1050 Ti though the temperature was a bit higher, especially in comparison to standard dual-fan models, making it the perfect choice for almost anyone. Certainly, this 1050Ti LP is our choice overall for the best overall low profile graphics card if you want a decent all-rounder.

2. MSI RX 560 4GT LP OC

Best Gaming Low Profile Graphics Card

Pros

• Factory Overclocked
• Impressive Value Proposition
• Decent Gaming Performance
• Dual Fan Design
• Good For HTPC Use

Cons

• Noisy Fans
• Mediocre Thermal Performacne

Memory Buffer: 4GB | Core Clock / Memory Clock: 1196 MHz / 1750 MHz | Slots: 2

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AMD RX 560 is also a mid-end graphics card targeted towards mediocre-level gamers rivaling Nvidia’s GTX 1050 TI. It is based on 14nm lithography (2nm smaller than that of Nvidia’s 10 series) which is very suitable for efficient working leading to lower Thermal Design Power (TDP) than the previous generations.

MSI‘s low profile edition of RX 560 has a boost clock of 1196MHz, equipped with a 4GB GDDR5 memory buffer and a 128-bit memory bus. This graphics card has slightly lower performance than its Nvidia Counterpart, GTX 1050 TI, but also comes with a lower price tag which can be a good sacrifice for a lot of people. This GPU is not suitable for gaming above 1080p resolutions and a blend of low and medium settings is recommended.

MSI’s low profile edition has slightly high thermals despite being fitted with a dual-fan design. Contrary to Nvidia, RX 560 graphics cards can be used in pairs with crossfire technology. This GPU provides a selection of 1x DP port, 1x HDMI port, and 1x DVI port and has a TDP of 60-watts.

You might be interested in our picks for the best RX 5500XT graphics cards if you are looking for something more powerful and modern from AMD.

FreeSync is also a major advantage of using an AMD product which can ensure a stutter-free experience while G-Sync, and Nvidia implementation, is costly and not suitable for low to mid-end gamers. Accessories of the graphics card also include a half-height bracket though it is still a dual-slot bracket.

This graphics card provided us with very similar results to GTX 1050 Ti, especially in DirectX 12 and Vulcan titles as AMD graphics cards are optimized greatly for these APIs. If you want a more powerful gaming graphics card, check out our picks for the best RX 590 graphics cards. The temperature of the graphics card stayed under the limit as MSI has used a beefy heat-sink for this tiny graphics card. This is also helped by the fact that the RX 560 LP does not require much power. To conclude, the MSI RX 560 RG LP OC is one of the Best Low Profile Graphics Card for gaming.

This graphics card is a great alternative to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with almost the same performance while providing a different adaptive sync technology. So, if you do not have enough money or GTX 1050 Ti is not available, then this will be your safest bet.

3. GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1050 OC LP

Best Nvidia Low Profile Graphics Card

Pros

• 4x Display Output Options
• Impressive Acoustic Performance
• Good Gaming Performance
• Affordable

Cons

• Only 2GB VRAM
• High Temperatures
• Single Fan

Memory Buffer: 2GB | Core Clock / Memory Clock: 1506 MHz / 1750 MHz | Slots: 2

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Nvidia GTX 1050 is considered the younger brother of GTX 1050 TI with somewhat lowered specifications such as 640 shader processing units instead of 768 on the TI model. However, it is equally good in terms of memory performance as those specifications are identical to those of 1050 Ti though the memory buffer is reduced to half i.e. 2GB. Gigabyte‘s low profile model has a boost clock of 1506MHz.

Related Read: The Best Mini Computers For Powerful KODI Rendering

This GPU is targeted towards people who play competitive titles which have good enough graphics but not much demanding so that a wide range of people can enjoy them, such as CS-GO, R6 Seige, Fortnite, etc.

The design of the graphics card feels normal with not many bells and whistles as it is supposed to be a low-end graphics card. Though the build quality of the GPU can be improved by a lot, especially the fan quality seems to be a consistent issue for a lot of people. The fan becomes a bit noisy after a few months though it won’t completely stop working leading to thermal throttle. This graphics card includes a 1x DP port, 2x HDMI port, and 1x DVI port, and under high loads, it can consume around 75-watts.

A good feature to compensate for this issue is that the GPU’s fan can be completely stopped while it is below a specific threshold. This threshold can also be customized by using the software utility provided by Gigabyte named XTREME Engine Utility. This graphics card can also support four displays due to rich outputs on the back.

If you are looking to build a low profile gaming setup, be sure to read our opinion on whether low profile keyboards are worth the extra cost.

This graphics card gave a tough competition to AMD RX 560. The FPS figures were slightly higher in DirectX 11 titles while in DirectX 12 and Vulcan-based titles GTX 1050 lagged behind.

This can be the best Nvidia best low profile graphics card for you if you own a GSync display, otherwise, you might also want to consider the AMD RX 560 that we mentioned before. Still, you would be hard-pressed to go wrong with either of these choices.

4. MSI RX 550 4GT LP OC

Best Low Profile Graphics Card For HTPC

Pros

• Impressive Price To Performance Ratio
• Extremely Low TDP
• Built for HTPCs
• Only Uses 1 Slot

Cons

• Sub-Standard Acoustic Performance
• Limited Connectivity Options
• Not Great For Gaming

Memory Buffer: 4GB | Core Clock / Memory Clock: 1203 MHz / 1500 MHz | Slots: 1

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AMD RX 550 is a cut-down version of RX 560, as expected comes with a lower price tag and provides lower performance. Unlike Nvidia’s GT 1030, this graphics card is coupled with a 128-bit memory bus and also with the same amount of GDDR5 memory buffer as that found on RX 560 and GTX 1050 TI.

It is still debatable though that this luxurious amount of memory buffer is not very helpful, for such a low-end product, in gaming but in certain applications, it still has its advantages. MSI has used two fans on this low profile design and a heat sink big enough to dissipate the heat efficiently. Also, a single-slot design is being used in combination with two display outputs.

RX 550 is among the most attractive products in the low-end graphics card market due to its low price and still having suitable performance while providing rich features. MSI has used military-class-4 components on this graphics card which ensures great life expectancy. This graphics card provides an HDMI port and a DVI port for display and consumes around 50-watts at full load. Since this card is aimed at HTPC use, check out our opinion piece on the benefits of a home theater PC (HTPC).

A half-height bracket is also included in the accessories for usage with SFF based systems. While it requires a costly G-Sync monitor to take advantage of G-Sync technology on Nvidia’s side, AMD users can enjoy the stutter-free experience with the FreeSync technology as long as the GPU is providing enough frames per second.

In certain scenarios, RX 550 is also at an advantage with Vulcan-based games where Vulcan is an Application Programming Interface (API) and AMD shines in this particular API comparing to Nvidia. This is the best low profile graphics card for HTPC use in our roundup. Speaking of which, you should definitely consider our picks for the best HTPC cases for this purpose, before making the purchase decision.

This graphics card gave similar results to GT 1030 in gaming benchmarks which is why we will not recommend this graphics card for any serious gaming session.  However, for low-end games, browsing, and watching UHD videos, this card is a sound choice. If you want an AMD card that is solid for gaming, you should instead check out our picks of the best RX 580 graphics cards. Nonetheless, the temperature of the graphics card was way under the limit as it is not a power-hungry graphics card.

5. GIGABYTE GeForce GT 1030 LP 2GB

Best Budget Low Profile Graphics Card

Pros

• Low TDP
• Single Slot Design
• Ideal For HTPCs

Cons

• Poor Gaming Performance
• Mediocre Acoustics
• Limited Outputs
• Sub-Standard Thermal Performance

Memory Buffer: 2GB | Core Clock / Memory Clock: 1506 MHz / 1502 MHz | Slots: 1

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Nvidia GT 1030 is the lowest end graphics card of the 10 series and it is targeted towards people with very basic graphical needs such as watching a video, browsing, and low-end games. It is not suitable for any game with mediocre graphics and will cause a lot of lag and stutter, though the resolution and settings can be adjusted to allow the user to enjoy old games at decent frame rates. For graphics cards more geared towards gaming, you should check out our picks for the best GTX 1650 graphics cards.

A resolution of 720p is recommended to use with this graphics card and anything above will be a hassle. Older games i.e. games before 2010 can still be enjoyed at rich 1080p resolution with suitable frames per second. Gigabyte’s low-profile design has a basic heat sink and a small fan since the TDP of the GPU is not very high. It is equipped with a 64-bit memory bus width and a 2GB frame buffer along with 384 shader processing units. It operates at a 1506MHz clock rate which is a bit higher than the stock clock speed of a GT 1030.

The design of the graphics card is too outdated with a small black heat sink and an unimpressive fan. Of course, there is no RGB lighting as you would expect. This saves a lot of manufacturing cost though which is why this graphics card is very cheap and an attractive product for people who pay less attention to the aesthetics and more about the actual features. There is only a 1x HDMI port and 1x DVI port for output and this graphics card can consume around 20-watts at max which shows that it is very power efficient.

Related Read: The Best GTX 1060 Graphics Cards

Another advantage of this graphics card is that it comes with a single slot design which is very handy for some people having only a single slot space in their cases. Since this is a graphics card from a recent generation, its architecture provides certain advantages which might appeal to a consumer such as hardware acceleration for the latest video codecs. Just stay away from GPU overclocking, since the power delivery definitely can’t handle it.

The gaming benchmarks of this graphics card were a little disappointing as there was a lot of stuttering in the latest titles even at lowered resolutions though it proved excellent during the UHD video playbacks.

While yes, this GPU does not make itself a serious contender for the title of the best budget low profile graphics card, but it still has its place. This graphics card should only be considered if you are more fond of browsing and watching videos than games. For anyone, who wants to enjoy the mind-blowing visuals of a game, should avoid this graphics card.

Facts About Low Profile Graphics Cards

Low-profile GPUs are nothing out of the ordinary. They are low-powered, often a step down from official GPUs. These GPUs are used as an alternative to CPUs integrated graphics which are usually slow or simply might not be available. Even the best APUs for gaming might not hold up to a dedicated GPU. They have a small footprint which makes for easy compatibility with cases of any form factor. These shouldn’t be mistaken as gaming components although some GPUs in our top list are fast enough to handle modern titles at reasonable frame rates.

Still, we see many people making mistakes while buying a low-profile GPU for their desktop. Every person has a unique use case so the low profile card for one user might be completely different from the next. Therefore, we will go through some factors you need to consider as you plan to get your low-profile GPU.

Usage Scenario

So far we have discussed how low profile cards are not meant for gaming. They can perform well enough in some titles at low settings but they have other purposes. If you want something for modern gaming, you should take a look at our picks for the best GTX 1070 graphics cards. The market offers these GPUs and can vary vastly in terms of price and performance. The card you need depends on your requirements although there might not be significant performance differences. What do you use PCs for? How much performance do you need?

For a normal home theater PC go for the cheapest option or one that has very low power consumption and footprint. If you do content creation or light gaming from time to time consider getting a more powerful option instead. This way you can avoid over or under spending on GPUs.

And so concludes our roundup of the low profile graphics cards one can buy right now. While these might not be the ideal choices for every particular use case, they give you a general idea of what you should look for in a low profile graphics card. Be sure to let us know in the comments which low profile graphics card takes your fancy, and whether or not you agree with our picks.

The post Best Low Profile Graphics Card for Compact PC Builds appeared first on Appuals.

Nvidia RTX 2060 Super is now one of the best mid-range graphics cards by Nvidia, providing 8-GB of GDDR6 memory along with a 256-bit bus, which is a substantial bump from the 6 GB 192-bit interface of the RTX 2060. The streaming processors are increased from 30 to 34 leading to higher pixel and texture rates, although the core clock of the graphics card is very slightly increased. All of these improvements are implemented in the graphics card without affecting the TDP of the graphics card, which is a really impressive job by Nvidia.

The Best RTX 2060 Super – Our Recommendations

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2060 Super	Best Looking RTX 2060 Super	Check Price
2		ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER OC	Best Overclocked RTX 2060 Super	Check Price
3		EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER XC Ultra Gaming	Best Cooled RTX 2060 Super	Check Price
4		MSI GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER Armor OC	Best Alternative RTX 2060 Super	Check Price
5		ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER MINI	Best Compact RTX 2060 Super	Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2060 Super
Award	Best Looking RTX 2060 Super
Details	Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER OC
Award	Best Overclocked RTX 2060 Super
Details	Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER XC Ultra Gaming
Award	Best Cooled RTX 2060 Super
Details	Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	MSI GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER Armor OC
Award	Best Alternative RTX 2060 Super
Details	Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER MINI
Award	Best Compact RTX 2060 Super
Details	Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 17:38 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The RTX 2060 Super graphics card is a mid-range or entry-level graphics card for Ray Tracing depending on your perspective. It is a small step from the regular RTX 2060 and a better value option when stacked against the likes of RTX 2070 and RTX 2080. The RTX 2060 Super has emerged as an extraordinary value against all odds due to the ongoing GPU stock shortage if you manage to find one at a reasonable price.

1. Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2060 Super

Best Looking RTX 2060 Super

Pros

• Exceptionally Pleasing Aesthetics
• Impressive Overclocking Performance
• Solid Acoustics
• Great Thermal Performance
• Lots of I/O Ports

Cons

• Relatively Lower Boost Clocks
• Expensive Variant

Boost Core Clock: 1845 MHz | CUDA Cores: 2176 | RT Cores: 34 | Tensor Cores: 272 | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Speed: 14000 MHz | Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s | Length: 11.42 Inches | No. of Fans: 3 | RGB Lighting: Yes | Graphics Outputs: 3 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort, 1 x USB Type-C | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin + 1 x 6-pin | Maximum Nominal Power Consumption: 160W

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GIGABYTE is now one of the most famous vendors of graphics cards whether they are by AMD or NVIDIA. GIGABYTE has revolutionarily changed their policies over the previous years and their new high-end series like Aorus-series is regarded as one of the best series one can get their hands on. GIGABYTE Aorus RTX 2060 Super is one of the most beautifully designed graphics cards, with exquisite RGB lighting on the front and top.

The card uses three 100mm fans while the rings of the fans are RGB lit, supporting RGB Fusion 2.0, and can be customized through the software. Meanwhile, the RGB logo on the top adds additional supremacy to the card, making it shine in the dark. The build quality of the graphics card is although much better than in the past but it is still one of the weakest points of GIGABYTE graphics cards while other vendors like ZOTAC provide ExoArmor front, etc.

The boost core clock of the graphics card is set at 1845 MHz which is not the best, as we believe that with a beefy cooler of this potential, this graphics card could have been designed with boost clocks around 1900 MHz. However, you do not need to worry, as you can easily manipulate the core clocks using the software utilities leading to real-world boost clocks as high as 2050 MHz, thanks to the 10+2 power phase and great cooling. Speaking of the cooling, we assure you that with such a huge GPU cooler and three 100mm WindForce fans, you will reach the architecture limit much sooner than the thermal throttling. A great advantage of this variant over other variants is that it provides a total of seven display outputs while most of the other variants provide around four or five display outputs.

Helpful roundup: Best RTX 3060ti

Overall, GIGABYTE Aorus is one of the best looking RTX 2060 Super, graphics card variants as it provides terrific aesthetics along with supreme performance, although you might look at other variants if you want your graphics card to be built like a tank.

2. ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER OC

Best Overclocked RTX 2060 Super

Pros

• Exceptional Boost Clocks
• Strong Cooling Performance
• Great Acoustics
• Impressive OC Headroom
• Attractive RGB Lighting

Cons

• Quite Expensive
• Older Gen Design

Boost Core Clock: 1860 MHz | CUDA Cores: 2176 | RT Cores: 34 | Tensor Cores: 272 | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Speed: 14000 MHz | Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s | Length: 11.8 Inches | No. of Fans: 3 | RGB Lighting: Yes | Graphics Outputs: 2 x HDMI, 2 x DisplayPort, 1 x USB Type-C | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin + 1 x 6-pin | Maximum Nominal Power Consumption: 160W

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ASUS is the champion of vendors when it comes to graphics cards, thanks to their perfectly balanced products with respect to looks, performance, and durability. ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 2060 Super although, looks more like a 10-series graphics card, as ASUS has used the previous generation design in RTX 2060 Super while the newer design is implemented in RTX 2070 Super and higher. That being said, it can not be stated that the graphics card looks ugly by any means, as you get RGB lights on the front of the card, supporting ASUS AuraSync. The ROG logo is present on the backplate of the graphics card, which is also RGB lit and adds a nice touch to the card.

Related Roundup: Best RTX 2080 Super 

This variant is one of the highest clocked variants of RTX 2060 Super and the boost clocks are set at 1860 MHz. The cooling solution of the graphics card is quite on par with the GIGABYTE variant leading to similar safe overclocking capabilities, although the latest design would have further enhanced the results, as that uses the axial fans.

Still, the TDP of RTX 2060 Super is very low to saturate the cooling capability of the STRIX cooler and you will find this variant among the coolest ones. The price of this graphics card is more than most of the other variants, which puts it lower than the likes of GIGABYTE Aorus edition graphics cards.

Overall, discarding its price, ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 2060 Super OC edition can fairly compete with the GIGABYTE Aorus edition, leading to similar performance, although the visuals are not as pleasing as the latter one. With its OC capabilities, the ROG Strix is the best overclocked RTX 2060 Super graphics card variant.

Make sure to pair this up with a good motherboard. Our best z690 round up has good options for Intel and the best b550 roundup has good options for AMD.

3. EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER XC Ultra Gaming

Best Cooled RTX 2060 Super

Pros

• Incorporates Famous iCX2 Technology
• Decent Cooling Performance
• High Power Budget
• Moderate OC Headroom

Cons

• Lack Of RGB
• Extremely Over Priced
• Quite Noisy

Boost Core Clock: 1695 MHz | CUDA Cores: 2176 | RT Cores: 34 | Tensor Cores: 272 | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Speed: 14000 MHz | Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s | Length: 10.5 Inches | No. of Fans: 2 | RGB Lighting: Yes | Graphics Outputs: 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort, 1 x USB Type-C | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin | Maximum Nominal Power Consumption: 160W

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EVGA is known as one of the most reliable graphics card variants due to its fine customer policies and many people prefer buying their products, despite offering lower performance or boring visuals. EVGA RTX 2060 Super XC Ultra Gaming is the flagship variant of the RTX 2060 Super by EVGA and uses a tri-slot design in combination with two fans.

The looks of the graphics card are much simpler than the previously mentioned editions, with a simple-looking transparent shroud having a black tint. The backplate of the graphics card is much better than the previously mentioned cards, as it helps to cool the card efficiently, thanks to a large number of air vents. As for the lighting is concerned, only the EVGA logo is RGB lit, which could have been done better.

The boost core clocks of the graphics card are set at 1695 MHz, which means that the graphics card is significantly slower than the previously mentioned variants, although Nvidia’s GPU boost greatly tries to mitigate this gap. The temperature of the graphics card on full load is quite similar to the previous two cards due to the tri-slot heatsink but the absence of a fan leads to a somewhat noisier operation. This can be customized through the software utility by changing the fan curve to be a bit passive, which might lead to higher temperatures. The graphics card supports the iCX2 technology, providing a lot of sensors to have eyes on but this comes at a great expense, making this graphics card much more expensive than other variants.

Related Read: Best RTX 4090 cards

Overall, EVGA RTX 2060 Super XC Ultra Gaming is a supremely capable card despite having boring looks and you should definitely check it out if you want to have full control over a graphics card’s parameters, although you might be able to find an RTX 2070 Super at this price. With the implementation of the interactive iCX2 sensor technology, it is the best cooled RTX 2060 Super from EVGA.

4. MSI GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER Armor OC

Best Alternative RTX 2060 Super

Pros

• Provides Simplistic Looks
• Quiet Torx 2.0 Fans
• Offers Slim Profile
• Decent Thermal Performance

Cons

• Minimal RGB
• Significantly Slower Boost Clocks
• Mediocre Build Quality

Boost Core Clock: 1680 MHz | CUDA Cores: 2176 | RT Cores: 34 | Tensor Cores: 272 | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Speed: 14000 MHz | Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s | Length: 9.84 Inches | No. of Fans: 2 | RGB Lighting: Yes | Graphics Outputs: 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin | Maximum Nominal Power Consumption: 175W

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MSI GeForce RTX 2060 Super Armor OC is although not the flagship variant by MSI, it is a fine graphics card, providing beautiful looks and a mediocre form factor. The graphics card uses a black and silver-themed shroud, along with two TORX 2.0 fans, which are known to be extremely quiet even at full loads. The smaller form factor of this graphics card lets it usable in most micro-ATX cases. The looks of the graphics card are although good, the RGB lighting is only present on the top of the card, where the MSI logo is present.

The boost core clocks of the graphics card are much slower than the other variants, as they are set at 1680 MHz, although the clocks are fairly balanced with the cooling solution. The cooling solution of this graphics card is of much lower quality than the previously mentioned variants which is why it runs around 5-7 degrees hotter than them. The overclocking capabilities are although quite the same, as the RTX 2060 Super is already being clocked very aggressively.

Overall, MSI RTX 2060 Super Armor OC is best suited for those people who do not want to spend a lot of money on the high-end variants but do not want to compromise on the cool looks and high performance. It is the best alternative RTX 2060 Super with factory overclocks to the likes of the ROG Strix mentioned above.

5. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER MINI

Best Compact RTX 2060 Super

Pros

• Wide Compatibility
• Handy Firestorm Utility
• Nice Aesthetics

Cons

• Mediocre Thermal Performance
• Gets Noisy At Full Loads
• Minimal RGB Lighting
• Restrictive OC Headroom

Boost Core Clock: 1650 MHz | CUDA Cores: 2176 | RT Cores: 34 | Tensor Cores: 272 | Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Memory Speed: 14000 MHz | Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s | Length: 8.3 Inches | No. of Fans: 2 | RGB Lighting: No | Graphics Outputs: 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin | Maximum Nominal Power Consumption: 175W

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ZOTAC has performed excellent over the past few years and now their graphics cards are ranked as high as the other variants like ASUS, GIGABYTE, etc. ZOTAC RTX 2060 Super Mini is one of the smallest variants of RTX 2060 Super, having a length of only 8.3 inches. That is why this graphics card is compatible with most of the cases in the market and if you own a mini-ITX case, this might be the only graphics card variant you could install in your case.

The design of the graphics card is quite simple but this particular color theme makes it very pleasing. The graphics card is quite durable, as it comes with a strong backplate, although it would have been fine even without a backplate.

Related Roundup: Best RTX 3070 

The core clocks of this graphics card are much lower than other variants, as expected, while the cooler keeps the card fairly cool. However, if you overclock the graphics card to full potential, the temperatures rise up very quickly, leading to overall results much worse than the other variants and you will have to suffer from noisy fans if you alter the fan curve. The Firestorm utility is very handy in customizing these things and provides a much better experience than using 3rd party applications.

Overall, ZOTAC RTX 2060 SUPER MINI is the best compact RTX 2060 Super option if you own a mini-ITX case but you do not need to worry about the card’s performance, as ZOTAC has taken care of these things very seriously.

Things You Must Know About Nvidia RTX 2060

Undoubtedly there are some things you ought to keep in mind while browsing the different RTX 2060 Super options that are available on the market. The most important thing is definitely the thermal and acoustic performance of the graphics card variant in question. Being a fairly power-efficient card, the RTX 2060 Super is not likely to give you major problems in terms of thermals, but you can’t leave this up to chance.

Many companies strive to use the best cooling solutions to pull heat from critical components such as VRMs, memory modules, and the chip itself. One simple way of judging thermal performance is by checking the heatsink design and fans. Theoretically heavy heatsinks with high count ventilation fins and cooling fans have acceptable cooling. Proper use of thermal pastes, good quality thermal pads, and pastes maintain contact with the surface area which results in efficient heat transfer.

In contrast to this, manufacturers are also designing special 0db fans to target minimal acoustics that remains off during idling. GPUs with good cooling headroom can overclock for high performance without breaking a sweat. Especially since the advent of technologies such as GPU Boost, a self-boosting algorithm, the temperature now has a direct impact on performance. Undoubtedly, we have a handful of bad apples on the market that have a reputation for notoriously bad thermal performance. It’s simple to avoid products like these if you check the individual reviews of these variants.

A case with good heat dissipation is recommended. Check out our detailed roundup of the best airflow cases in the market.

And with that concludes our roundup for the best RTX 2060 Super variants on the market. It is fairly straightforward to buy the most fitting RTX 2060 Super variant for your particular build if you keep in mind the aforementioned factors. Let us know in the comments which RTX 2060 Super variant you prefer the most out of our picks.

Helpful read : Best micro-ATX cases.

The post Best RTX 2060 Super Graphics Cards for Mid-Range Gaming PCs appeared first on Appuals.

Despite what you might initially think, the GPU isn’t the most important component for video editing. Your processor, RAM, and a fast SSD are what come first. Most applications like Premiere Pro or After Effects are CPU intensive requiring powerful productivity processors. You can also look into some slightly cheaper processors such as a gaming CPU that gets the job done.

Still, if you’re adding in motion graphics and other GPU-heavy stuff, you might benefit from a more powerful card. For some people, even a GTX 1650 or 1650 Super can be good enough for entry-level work. Then there’s the debate of AMD and Nvidia. If it’s just video editing you care about, neither manufacturers have major benefits over the other for that workflow. So AMD GPUs are just as good as Nvidia GPUs for video editing. With all that said, let’s have a look at the best graphics cards for video editing.

Best Graphics Card for Video Editing: Our Top Picks

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		Nvidia Titan RTX	Best Overall Graphics Card For Video Editing	100 Reviews Check Price
2		Nvidia Geforce GTX 1660 Super	Best Value Graphics Card For Video Editing	681 Reviews Check Price
3		Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super	Best High-End Graphics Card For Video Editing	716 Reviews Check Price
4		AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT	Best AMD Graphics Card For Video Editing	126 Reviews Check Price
5		Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super	Best Budget Graphics Card For Video Editing	908 Reviews Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	Nvidia Titan RTX
Award	Best Overall Graphics Card For Video Editing
Details	100 Reviews Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	Nvidia Geforce GTX 1660 Super
Award	Best Value Graphics Card For Video Editing
Details	681 Reviews Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super
Award	Best High-End Graphics Card For Video Editing
Details	716 Reviews Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
Award	Best AMD Graphics Card For Video Editing
Details	126 Reviews Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super
Award	Best Budget Graphics Card For Video Editing
Details	908 Reviews Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 12:45 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Which GPU to go for video editing is entirely dependent on your requirements. For some a low profile GPU is sufficient while others will require a proper graphics card to execute their production. In the era of global silicon shortages, it’s becoming much harder to buy new hardware at MSRP if you can find one. If you don’t own a PC and are looking to build one, then for the time being Best APUs with integrated Vega graphics can also be a much suitable option. Anyways, let’s jump right into our rankings for the all the graphics cards for video editing.

1. Nvidia Titan RTX

The Best Graphics Card For Video Editing

Pros

• Most Powerful Turing Consumer GPU
• Loads Of VRAM
• Excellent For Gaming Too
• Quite Future Proof
• Special Driver Privelages

Cons

• Very Expensive
• Hard To Find

100 Reviews

Boost Core Clock: 1770MHz | CUDA Cores: 4608 | Processor: TU102 | Memory: 24GB GDDR6

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If we’re talking about the absolute best performance you can get out of a consumer-level card, the Titan RTX is the one to look for. For gaming, it is truly an overkill for a lot of people. Where it really excels is in CAD work, machine learning, and of course, in video editing among other things.

You might have heard about the Quadro series from Nvidia. Those cards aren’t what you’d call consumer-level cards, as they are expensive and most people won’t benefit from them. Well, the Titan RTX is the closest you can get to that, at a much lower price.

It’s quite a powerful card, and it does require the horse-power for it. This beast uses two 8-pin connectors, so make sure you have a decent power supply. The only thing I don’t like about this is the fact that no vendors make aftermarket Titan RTX GPUs. This means you are stuck with Nvidia’s fan design and gold shroud. It does look good, however.

Let’s talk specs. The Titan has 4608 Cuda Cores, 576 Tensor Cores, a 1770MHz Boost Clock, and 24GB of GDDR6 memory. The VRAM is the most important aspect here, 24GB is plenty for processing high-resolution videos. It plows through rendering with ease. For gaming, it might not be that much better than the RTX 2080 Ti, but it does show its muscle in professional workflows. All in all, it is the best overall graphics card for video editing.

2. Nvidia Geforce GTX 1660 Super

Best Value Graphics Card For Video Editing

Pros

• Exceptional Value For Money
• Surprisingly Strong Editing Performance
• Very Versatile
• Great For 1080p Gaming
• Turing NVENC Encoder

Cons

• Only 6GB VRAM
• No RTX/DLSS Support For Gaming

681 Reviews

Boost Core Clock: 1785MHz | CUDA Cores: 1408 | Processor: TU116 | Memory: 6GB GDDR6

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We’re already switching things up a bit here. While some graphics cards on this list will give you more performance than the 1660 Super, there is a strong reason it’s high up on this list. That’s because a lot of people most likely won’t need more raw performance for video editing, and the 1660 Super can even handle 4K video editing.

Nvidia’s 1660 lineup has been incredibly popular among many PC enthusiasts. When it comes to price/performance they are exceptional in both gaming and productivity. You could get more performance out of the 1660Ti, but then we’re creeping close to the RTX 2060‘s price point. The 1660 Super actually uses the same TU116 processor as the 1660Ti, but the memory is a tad bit slower.

Almost none of that matters when it comes to video editing. Unless you are dealing with a lot of motion graphics, closed captions, and ProRes 4K footage, you’ll never run into any hiccups with this GPU. It can handle even RAW 4K footage, without slowing down all too much. If you have a blazing fast SSD, all the better.

Considering the 1660 Super is a mid-range consumer-level card, you also get the option to pick from a lot of aftermarket coolers. You don’t get that with higher-end professional GPUs. This card has 6GB of GDDR6 memory, which is plenty of headroom for most workflows. It’s also a 1080p gaming beast, which makes it the best value graphics card for video editing.

3. Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super

Best High-End Graphics Card For Video Editing

Pros

• Incredible Performance
• Enough VRAM For High-Quality Codecs
• Power And Thermal Efficient
• Excellent For 1440p Gaming

Cons

• AMD RX 5700 XT Offers Better Value
• Relatively Expensive
• Similar Editing Performance To 2060 Super

716 Reviews

Boost Core Clock: 1770 | CUDA Cores: 2560 | Processor: TU104 | Memory: 8GB GDDR6

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Picking a GPU for the third spot on this list wasn’t easy at all. When we start to get into the higher-end segment of the market, we get to point of diminishing returns. But if you do have some extra cash to burn, the RTX 2070 Super is perhaps the best option in its price range.

The 2070 Super comes in at an interesting price point. For a lot of people, it’s the most they’ll ever need for gaming, and it genuinely makes all the cards above it look like a terrible value. The same can be said for video editing. Unless you want to shell out the money for a Titan or Quadro card, this is the better option.

In all honestly, the 2070 Super doesn’t perform that much better than the RTX 2060 Super in video editing. However, it does have a clear-cut advantage. That just so happens to be in the VRAM department. With super fast 8GB of GDDR6 memory, this card can make quick work of even high-quality ProRes 4K footage.

If you have a high-end processor, you’ll definitely see some gains in raw performance. The 8GB of VRAM allows you to add in more motion graphics and makes graphics accelerated tasks much easier. Turing NVENC is an exceptionally capable hardware encoder as well, which makes quick work of tasks like streaming. Hence we nominate the RTX 2070 Super as the best high-end graphics card for video editing.

4. AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT

Best AMD Graphics Card For Video Editing

Pros

• Great For macOS
• Handles Lightweight 4K Footage
• Solid For 1080p Gaming
• Productivity Powerhouse

Cons

• Only 6GB Of VRAM
• Initial Run Had BIOS Issues
• Frequent Driver Problems

126 Reviews

Boost Core Clock: 1560 | Steam Processors: 2304 | Processor: Navi 10 | Memory: 6GB GDDR6

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The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT is certainly a very interesting graphics card. That’s largely in part due to how AMD has decided to price it. It’s cheaper than most variants of the RTX 2060, while close to how much an average 1660Ti costs. For pure price/performance, it’s a great video card. But it’s on this list for an unorthodox reason which we’ll get into.

Let’s quickly get the numbers out of the way. The 5600 XT is using the Navi 10 processor, 2304 Shading Units, 6GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192bit bus width. All of that means this card is an exceptional performer for both gaming and productivity.

It can handle 4K video, although you will have to tone down the motion graphics a bit. It’s also not as smooth while scrubbing through video as say, a 2070 Super. Still, there’s a considerable price gap between the two. I said above that this GPU was included for an unorthodox reason, and that happens to be macOS.

If you’re building a “Hackintosh” i.e gathering macOS compatible parts and installing macOS on it, this is the GPU to go for. But, let’s say you have a MacBook Air or Macbook Pro 13″ with a ThunderBolt 3 port. You can get an external GPU enclosure, pop in the RX 5600 XT, and see some massive performance boosts. Hence we nominate the 5700 XT as the best AMD graphics card for video editing.

5. Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super

Best Budget Graphics Card For Video Editing

Pros

• Great Entry-Level Card
• Good Editing Performance Overall
• Great For 1080p Gaming

Cons

• Struggles With DaVinci Resolve
• Low Amount Of VRAM
• No RTX/DLSS For Gaming
• Not For Intensive Editing

908 Reviews

Boost Core Clock: 1725MHz | CUDA Cores: 1280 | Processor: TU116 | Memory: 4GB GDDR6

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Let’s say you’re really strapped for cash and need a GPU that will work fine for video editing. Maybe you just spent all your money on a beefy processor, fast RAM, and a high-capacity SSD. Not a bad choice for an editing rig. So if you need an entry-level GPU, even if you plan to upgrade down the line, the GTX 1650 Super is a great choice.

On paper, the GTX 1650 Super is actually quite impressive. It’s using the TU116 processor, the same one found in the 1660 Super. It has 1280 Cuda Cores, a Boost Clock of 1725MHz, and 4GB of GDDR6 memory. Entry-level cards have never been this card. But how much performance should you expect from this card for video editing?

For both Adobe Premiere and After Effects, you’ll get pretty good performance out of it in 1080p videos and some lightweight 4K footage. If you pair it with a decent enough processor, it’s surprising how fluid your overall system can be. However, fire up DaVinci Resolve, and things get a bit shaky.

DaVinci Resolve eats up a lot of GPU resources, and the 1650 Super can keep up, but it’s not as smooth as one would want. If you use Adobe Premiere or other Adobe software though, this is quite the best budget graphics card for video editing.

Nvidia vs. AMD For Video Editing

There is a very common dilemma when it comes to buying the best graphics card for video editing and that is the choice between AMD and Nvidia for this specific purpose. Both companies use different architectures so there are certainly some differences in performance and optimization that you need to keep in mind when purchasing a graphics card for video editing.

Over the past few years, the differences between the two in terms of video editing performance have diminished. It used to be that Nvidia held a significant advantage over AMD due to its CUDA architecture which was widely supported and optimized for, especially in Adobe applications. However, nowadays the two options of Nvidia CUDA and AMD OpenCL are quite neck-and-neck when it comes to performance and optimization. Nvidia still holds a slight optimization advantage when it comes to Adobe Premiere Pro, but AMD is not far off in that program, while both perform similarly in DaVinci Resolve.

With that in mind, the graphics card choice should be leaning towards Nvidia a little bit if you plan to do serious video editing on Premiere especially. AMD is not a bad choice as well and if you are getting a better deal on a similarly performing AMD graphics card, then you should have no doubts about going down that route as well.

This was appuals buying guide for Video Editing Graphics Cards – while you are here, why not check out Best Graphics Cards For VR.

The post Best Graphics Cards For Video Editing PCs appeared first on Appuals.

The Radeon RX 6800 is currently the least powerful and the most affordable RX 6000 series graphics card out there. That does not mean, however, that the RX 6800 is slow by any stretch of the word. In pure gaming benchmarks in rasterized rendering, the RX 6800 is often about 8-12% faster than the GeForce RTX 3070. This impressive graphics card from AMD has an expected MSRP of $579, however, due to current stock problems and low availability issues the prices have been inflated. This guide is supposed to be a reference for future buyers when the stock and pricing situation finally normalizes.

Best RX 6800: Our Top 5 Recommendations

#	Preview	Product Name	Award	Details
1		Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800	Best Overall RX 6800	Check Price
2		ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 6800 OC	Best Looking RX 6800	Check Price
3		XFX Speedster MERC319 Radeon RX 6800	Best Overclocking RX 6800	Check Price
4		ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6800 OC	Best Value RX 6800	Check Price
5		Gigabyte Gaming OC Radeon RX 6800		Check Price

#	1
Preview
Product Name	Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800
Award	Best Overall RX 6800
Details	Check Price

#	2
Preview
Product Name	ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 6800 OC
Award	Best Looking RX 6800
Details	Check Price

#	3
Preview
Product Name	XFX Speedster MERC319 Radeon RX 6800
Award	Best Overclocking RX 6800
Details	Check Price

#	4
Preview
Product Name	ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6800 OC
Award	Best Value RX 6800
Details	Check Price

#	5
Preview
Product Name	Gigabyte Gaming OC Radeon RX 6800
Award
Details	Check Price

Last Update on 2024-03-05 at 13:23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The RX 6800 is a higher-end graphics card for those who want to get extraordinary performance at an ordinary cost. With an MSRP of $579, it’s not exactly cheap but a good runner-up option when stacked against the likes of RX 6800 XT and RX 6900 XT. At a shiny price point and amazing performance, it goes head to head with the RTX 3070 Ti and even the RTX 3080.

1. Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800

Best Overall RX 6800

Pros

• Impressive Cooling Performance
• Tasteful RGB Implementation
• Quiet Operation
• High Boost Clock
• Sizeable Power Budget

Cons

• High Price
• Case Compatibility Issues

Stream Processors: 3840 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1700/2190 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The Nitro+ from Sapphire has always been one of the top partner models for any AMD card and this one is no exception. The Sapphire Nitro+ RX 6800 features a big bulky heatsink for exceptional cooling performance while being one of the best-looking RX 6800 cards on the market. The card also features a really high boost clock of 2,190 MHz out of the box which is the highest of any RX 6800 model.

For the cooling system, Sapphire has gone with a really big GPU cooler with several copper pipes and a unique design to keep the temperatures down. The card actually features multiple heatsinks for the different heat-generating components like the GPU die, memory modules, and VRM components. The heatsink features a unique wave-shaped fin design with V-shaped cutouts to improve heat dissipation.

Acoustic performance has always been one of the strongest points of Sapphire’s Nitro+ series and the trend carries on with the RX 6800. Sapphire has gone with 3 fans on the fan shroud that feature an interesting design. The fan design is actually a hybrid of an axial fan and a blower fan which gives you the quietness of an axial fan combined with the higher airflow of the blower fan. This keeps the noise levels low while also increasing the heat dissipation ability of the card even under load. You can read more about downdraft, vapor chamber, and blower-style coolers in our opinion piece as well.

Sapphire has also included a triple BIOS with the Nitro+ RX 6800 which is great news for overclockers. The TDP of the GPU is also fairly high which will help achieve more stable overclocks as well. The additional cooling on the memory and the VRMs via the extra heatsink and heat pipes is also a great step in this process. The power delivery system of the Nitro+ is fairly robust, so overclocking on this card should be really fun.

Helpful Roundup: 5 Best Airflow Case Options to Buy 

Aesthetically, Sapphire has gone with a sleek industrial design that looks fairly modern and minimalistic at the same time. The main fan shroud is metallic silver while the backplate features a somewhat aggressive design. RGB is also plentiful while also being tasteful, and any lighting on the card can be controlled fairly easily via the TriXX software from Sapphire.

Overall the Nitro+ is a really fantastic aftermarket variant and the best overall RX 6800. It does come at a price premium, but the robust cooling and great performance make it a worthy investment.

2. ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 6800 OC

Best Looking RX 6800

Pros

• Massive Heatsink
• Low Temperatures
• Beautiful Aesthetics
• High Overclocking Headroom
• Low Noise Levels

Cons

• Really Expensive
• Case Compatibility Issues

Stream Processors: 3840 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1700/2190 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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One of the most premium variants of any graphics card on the market has always been the ASUS ROG Strix. Not only does the Strix have exceptional performance in terms of cooling and noise, but it is also one of the best-looking graphics cards out there. It often does come at a hefty premium, but buyers are willing to pay for the quality that the Strix brings to the table. A similar Strix model was also included in our roundup of the best RTX 3060 graphics cards.

The cooling system implemented in the ROG Strix RX 6800 is a really premium one that combines a large finned heatsink with some powerful and quiet fans. ASUS has installed a 2.9 slot thick heatsink in the ROG Strix that maximizes the surface area for heat dissipation. An array of heat pipes is also present in the heatsink that allows the heat to be carried from the heat-generating components to the heatsink itself.  The card also features a precision-cut baseplate with a large surface area that carries away the heat from the GPU die, the memory modules, and the VRM heatsink.

The ASUS ROG Strix is also one of the quietest aftermarket RX 6800 graphics cards due to its exceptional fan design. ASUS has installed 3 fans in the ROG Strix that use the Axial-tech fan design and are thus optimized for quiet operation. The fans feature 11 blades on the auxiliary units, while 13 blades are present in the central fan. The central fan spins opposite to the other fans in order to minimize turbulence. ASUS has optimized the fans for silent operation and thus they turn off under 55 degrees Celcius.

More AMD GPUs: Best 5700 XT Graphics Cards

The ASUS ROG Strix is also one of the best looking RX 6800 GPUs on the market that stands out immediately from the bunch. It features a slightly muted metallic finish on the shroud, while the side of the card features a huge RGB bar that spans the entire length of the card and almost spills to the front as well. The RGB on this card is truly beautiful, and it can be controlled via the Aura Sync software. This card will look great if it is installed on a vertical mount via any PCIe Riser cables on the market.

All in all the ASUS ROG Strix RX 6800 is another premium variant of the RX 6800 but it does offer some significant improvements over the reference model. Whether or not those improvements are worth the premium that this card demand is up to the potential buyer.

3. XFX Speedster MERC319 Radeon RX 6800

Best Overclocking RX 6800

Pros

• Good Thermal Performance
• High Power Budget
• Great Overclocking Headroom
• Minimalistic Design

Cons

• Expensive
• Lack of Lighting
• Long Shroud

Stream Processors: 3840 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1850/2190 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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One of the best variants for the RX 6000 series cards we have seen in this generation comes from XFX with their flagship Speedster MERC319 variant. This is a card that is built with high performance and stable overclocking in mind and it tries to set itself apart by presenting an industrial design with fewer frills than normal. The MERC319 RX 6800 is no exception as XFX tries to offer a card that combines both high performance and low noise levels with high overclocking headroom.

Related Roundup: Best 1440p Graphics Cards

Under the extremely long fan shroud, we find an extensive heatsink that spans the entire length of the card. The MERC319 is one of the longest gaming graphics cards ever released at 340mm and XFX had utilized that length by installing a long heatsink as well. The heatsink also features an array of 6 heat pipes that serve to take the heat away from the heat-generating components and towards the long heatsink for dissipation. The copper heat pipes are connected to a large base plate which makes direct contact with the GPU die, the memory modules, and the VRM components. There are several vents in the backplate of the card that allow a large amount of air to pass straight through the card to help in the heat dissipation.

The fans of the MERC319 are also well-built and optimized for silence. XFX has gone for the same 13-blade fan system as their other flagship models, and that is great news for those looking for a silent GPU. These fans are exceptionally quiet even under load and they turn off when the GPU is idle or performing a low-intensity workload. The fans also contribute a lot to the aesthetics of this card by giving a really solid industrial look to the fan shroud. Speaking of aesthetics, the MERC319 is a long, bulky graphics card with a minimalistic design. There is not a lot of RGB lighting on the card which may be a deal-breaker for some enthusiasts, however, the card does have the potential to fit stealthy builds quite nicely. The only lighting on the card is limited to the lettering on the side of the shroud.

Related Roundup: Best RX 580 Graphics Cards

The MERC319 is an exceptional performer out-of-the-box with a really high 1850 MHz base clock. This gives it a major performance boost at stock settings, while the higher TDP and exceptional cooling make it a prime candidate for overclocking as well. The card also features a 10+2 phase VRM design and Dual BIOS support which are features that are great to have for overclocking. This is definitely the best overclocking RX 6800 variant that overclockers should consider if they have the case clearance for it and can afford its premium price tag.

4. ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6800 OC

Best Value RX 6800

Pros

• Decent Heatsink
• Same Axial-Tech Fans as ROG Strix
• Affordable
• Good Thermal Performance

Cons

• Minimal Lighting
• Plain Design
• Lower Overclocking Headroom

Stream Processors: 3840 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1780/2190 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a

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The TUF Gaming series from ASUS is one of their more affordable line of partner graphics cards that still perform reasonably well in all departments. The TUF Gaming RX 6800 follows the same trend as it tries to bring some of the better features of the Strix line to a more competitive price point. It does not have all the bells and whistles of the ASUS ROG Strix RX 6800 but it does have some good core features. A similar ASUS TUF variant was also included in our selection of the best RTX 3090 models.

The cooling system of the TUF Gaming RX 6800 is also one of the best among any partner cards on the market. It is a 2.9 slot thick card that has a big, hefty heatsink with a large number of fins that increase the surface area of the card’s cooling solution for better heat dissipation. A large metal baseplate makes direct contact with the heat-generating components such as the GPU die, VRAM chips, and the VRM components. Several copper heat pipes direct the heat away from the baseplate and towards the big heatsink where the heat is dissipated with the help of airflow from the fans.

ASUS has included the same Axial-tech fans with the TUF line as are present in the much more expensive ROG Strix variant. The fans feature an 11/13-blade fan design depending on the position of the fan which helps to direct the airflow directly downwards and through the heatsink. The central fan also spins in the opposite direction as compared to the other fans and that reduces the turbulence of the airflow. The TUF Gaming turns off its fans when the GPU is idle or using less power which makes the card silent at that time. The fans are also exceptionally quiet under load which is a nice feature of this variant.

The ASUS TUF RX 6800 is certainly not the best-looking card among our group roundup today but that is to be expected at this price point. The card features a rugged and industrial design which is synonymous with the “TUF” branding of the card. There is almost no lighting on the card except a little zone on the edge of the card around the TUF logo. Lack of lighting might be a big deal-breaker for some enthusiasts, but it also might be a positive thing for those who are looking for a stealthy build. The backplate of the card is also relatively plain, although it should be noted that the card is not bad-looking at all.

More AMD GPUs: The Best RX 5600 XT Graphics Cards

Overall, the ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6800 is a great, affordable variant as the best value RX 6800. It might not have all the bells and whistles of the ASUS Strix variant but it does have the essentials like great performance and excellent cooling with quiet fans.

5. Gigabyte Gaming OC Radeon RX 6800

Best Budget RX 6800

Pros

• Affordable
• Reasonable Acoustic Performance
• Decent Design

Cons

• Average Cooling Performance
• Almost No Lighting
• Slightly Lower Clock Speeds
• Minimal Overclocking Headroom

Stream Processors: 3840 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1700/2150 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a

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If you are looking for an affordable RX 6800 graphics card on a tight budget, then the Gigabyte Gaming OC RX 6800 might be the card for you. Although it sits at the bottom of the stack for Gigabyte’s offering for this generation, only that does not necessarily mean it is a bad card. It may not possess the highest factory GPU overclock or the coolest operating temperatures, but it does deliver a well-built RX 6800 graphics card at an affordable price.

In terms of cooling, Gigabyte has opted for a simple yet effective cooling solution in the Gaming OC. It includes three 80mm fans that spin in opposite directions in order to reduce turbulence in the airflow. The main heatsink of the card spans across the entire length of the card and has a big contact plate for efficient heat transfer. The large metal baseplate contacts the GPU die, the memory modules, and the VRM of the card directly, and therefore transfers that heat to the heatsink. There are 5 copper heat pipes present in the cooling solution as well for optimal heat transfer, while additional dedicated heat pipes also cool the VRAM. The fans of the card turn off when the GPU is idling or consuming less power.

Gigabyte Gaming OC RX 6800 is not an exceptional performer out-of-the-box, giving mediocre base and boost clocks of 1700 MHz and 2150 MHz respectively. The card does feature a Dual-BIOS mode which can switch between performance and quiet modes. There is not a lot of safe overclocking headroom in the card due to its limited power budget and mediocre power delivery system. However, the Gaming OC is still a good bargain for stock operation. 

Aesthetically, the Gaming OC is unexceptional. It features a fairly unremarkable fan shroud with a metal backplate that has a few vents in it for airflow. The lighting on the card is next-to-none, with the only lighting being limited to the Gigabyte logo on the side of the card. The logo lighting can be controlled via the RGB Fusion 2.0 software from Gigabyte. Safe to say that there is nothing particularly remarkable over the card’s looks, but that is to be expected.

The Gigabyte Gaming OC is not the best performer in terms of boost clocks or overclocking headroom, but it is the best budget RX 6800 for stock operation at an affordable price target. Users who want to experience the power of the RX 6800 without breaking the bank should consider this variant over the reference model.

AMD Ray Accelerators vs. Nvidia RT Cores – Differences

AMD has entered the Ray Tracing race with their RX 6000 series and with that, they have also introduced a few key elements to the RDNA 2 architectural design that help with this feature. To improve the Ray Tracing performance of AMD’s RDNA 2 GPUs, AMD has incorporated a Ray Accelerator component into its core Compute Unit Design. These Ray Accelerators are supposed to increase the efficiency of the standard Compute Units in the computational workloads related to Ray Tracing. You can learn more about Ray Tracing in our detailed comparison piece which goes through the differences between Ray Tracing and Rasterized Rendering.

On the other hand, RT or Ray Tracing Cores are Nvidia’s dedicated hardware cores that are specifically designed to handle the computational workload that is associated with Real-Time Ray Tracing in games. Having specialized cores for Ray Tracing offloads a lot of workload from the CUDA Cores that are dedicated to standard rendering in games so that performance is not affected too much by the saturation of core utilization. RT Cores sacrifice versatility and implement hardware with a special architecture for special calculations or algorithms to achieve faster speeds.

The biggest difference that is immediately obvious while comparing the RT Cores and the Ray Accelerators is that while both of them perform their functions fairly similarly, the RT Cores are dedicated separate hardware cores that have a singular function, while the Ray Accelerators are a part of the standard Compute Unit structure in the RDNA 2 architecture. Not only that, Nvidia’s RT Cores are on their second generation with Ampere with a lot of technical and architectural improvements under the hood. This makes Nvidia’s RT Core implementation a much more efficient and powerful Ray Tracing method than AMD’s implementation with the Ray Accelerators. Moving on to our last phase of the best rx 6800 guide, let’s take a look at all the frequent questions.

This was appuals guide for the best RX 6800, for similar guides, check out our Graphics Card section.

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