2023 is a pretty good year for gaming. Lots of good games came out, and at least one more huge project ahead. So this year, the question of upgrading your PC is a big one for a lot of people. In the future, Starfield will be a real test for your PC. The best thing you can do to improve your performance is to buy a new video card.
So let me tell you what I think about modern graphics cards, and I think I can help you to choose the right card because there are a lot of nuances that should be taken into account. First, your budget and how much you’re willing to spend on a graphics card. Let’s deal with everything in order and first look at the significant manufacturers of video cards.
Should you buy an AMD or Nvidia GPU?
There is an “internet war” going on between Nvidia and AMD fans. They have a range of graphics cards in all price segments. They have their pros and cons. And PC users all over the world are arguing about which one is better.
I would say that AMD graphics cards are cheaper but inferior to Nvidia in terms of performance and technology. Unlike processors, AMD has a bit of a problem with video cards. Still, it’s a great affordable option if you’re not interested in technologies like RTX and want to save money.
There’s no clear answer as to which graphics card you should buy. If you want the most powerful graphics card, it’s Nvidia. If you want a more budget-friendly but reliable graphics card, you can look towards AMD (although Nvidia also has budget options).
What AMD GPUs are worth buying right now
I’ve never been on the “red team” in terms of graphics cards. However, I use an AMD processor that does a great job. I also have a few friends who are fans of AMD cards. From their opinions, I have highlighted 3 graphics cards that I would recommend buying for any budget:
- RX 7900 XTX – it’s worth looking at if you want to maximize your gaming performance. This is a top-of-the-line graphics card. It will cost you around 900-1000 dollars. It’s worth buying if you have a 4K monitor and want to play 4K games at maximum settings.
- The Radeon RX 7900 XT is a slightly cheaper graphics card that costs around $770. It will suit you if you are interested in playing at 2K and max settings. It’s also good enough for various graphics tasks or streaming.
- The RX6700 XT and RX6800 XT are two very similar graphics cards (yes, I know I only promised 3, but I decided to add an additional graphics card). They cost around $500 and $350 respectively. These are pretty much the lowest-end graphics cards in the current generation. They will be enough for even a 2K game at medium settings, but I recommend using them with 1080p to maximize performance.
Note that there are no “junior” models in the 7000 series of graphics cards from AMD yet. So I advise you to keep an eye on the latest news, as we may soon be expecting the release of several new graphics cards from AMD, which may change things.
What Nvidia GPUs are worth buying right now
Since I am a member of the “green team,” I am much closer to these video cards. There are a lot of models here that are worth looking at. Although they are more expensive than AMD’s competitors, you get technologies like RTX or DLCS.
- RTX 4090 is the most powerful graphics card of the current generation. Its price is too steep at the moment, and I’d say it’s more of a choice for professional streamers or video editors. However, right now, it can be purchased for about $1,600. It will allow you to play all games in 4K with retracing enabled comfortably. This is the optimal solution for those who are not sorry to spend such a large sum.
- RTX 4070 is a mid-range graphics card that will play all possible games in 2K. You will also be able to use RTX. However, I can say that at max settings, it doesn’t always perform as well as you’d like it to. It will cost you around $700.
- The RTX 4060 or RTX 4060 Ti are more budget-friendly graphics cards that are great for those who still play at 1080p or 2K but with some lower settings. In this case, with DLSS enabled, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of RTX. They will cost around $300 and $380, respectively.
Nvidia is unlikely to release any more unexpected models in the near future, so for now, it’s not worth waiting for something new from Nvidia to be released soon.
What about Intel ARC GPU
Also, after the recent release of Intel ARC graphics cards, I was asked if I should buy one. According to Intel, they are pretty powerful and cost much less than their green and red counterparts. In reality, it is not so clear.
The biggest question regarding Intel graphics cards is their performance and compatibility. There are still quite a few reviews from real users of these graphics cards. I can not advise you to buy them as it is not clear what will happen with future drivers and support for them.
I can tell you that these graphics cards look very interesting and tempting for now. If Intel can support them well, they could become the third big player in the graphics card market. I hope that will happen.
What GPU do I use and suggest to buy
If you ask me if the hardware on my computer is powerful, I will disappoint you a little bit. I’m still using an old RTX 2060. And I can tell you that it’s still good enough for 1080p. Of course, sometimes you have to make some compromises, and I can only dream about the RTX, but at this price, it more than meets its requirements.
However, I’m going to be upgrading my PC soon. When I was looking closer at which graphics card to buy, I opted for the RTX 4070. Since I have always been “green,” I didn’t hesitate to choose Nvidia.
Why this particular graphics card? I believe that comfortable 4K gameplay at maximum settings is more of a dream than a reality. Therefore, the RTX 4070 is the choice where you get maximum performance in 2K and even more in 1080p for a reasonable price. In addition, it offers DLCS 3.0 technology, with which you will have to compromise on picture quality, but you can even get RTX.
