Buying Guide
The Best GPUs for 1440p Gaming
Five cards with 12GB to 16GB of VRAM for 1440p, the resolution where mid-range and upper mid-range cards overlap most.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
1440p asks more of VRAM than 1080p, and recent games at high texture settings can pass 10GB. Every card here carries 12GB or more.
We compared VRAM, thickness and power connectors from each listing and the chipmakers' specifications, without running our own benchmarks.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Best for High-Refresh 1440p
ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB OCAn RX 9070 XT with a 3030MHz OC-mode boost.
Best for: 1440p at 165Hz and up.
Check price for ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best Balanced 1440p Card
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming EditionAn RX 9070 with 16GB of GDDR6.
Best for: 1440p at high settings.
Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best SFF 1440p Card
ASUS SFF-Ready Prime GeForce RTX 5070A 2.5-slot RTX 5070 with the SFF-Ready label.
Best for: Compact 1440p builds.
Check price for ASUS SFF-Ready Prime GeForce RTX 5070 on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best 12GB AMD Pick
ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC EditionAn RX 9070 GRE with 12GB of GDDR6.
Best for: 1440p at a lower price than the RX 9070.
Check price for ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best 16GB Entry to 1440p
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge OCA 2-slot RTX 5060 Ti with 16GB and one 8-pin connector.
Best for: Moving up from 1080p.
Check price for ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best for High-Refresh 1440p1 of 5
ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB OC
ASUS's Prime RX 9070 XT lists the highest boost clock among these Radeon cards and keeps to 2.5 slots.
Best for
- 1440p at 165Hz and up.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
A quiet/performance BIOS switch and 0dB fan stop make it easy to live with. On video memory it ties with the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge at 16GB. It matches the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 and the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE on cooler thickness (2.5-slot).
You get an RX 9070 XT gpu here, which sets it apart from the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge and its an RTX 5060 Ti gpu. Like the XFX Swift RX 9070 and ASUS Prime 9070 GRE, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 uses GDDR7 memory. It is the only pick here with a 3030MHz (OC mode) boost clock; the XFX Swift RX 9070 has a 2700MHz boost clock instead.
It also offers dual-ball fan bearings. When we checked, only the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 and cheaper picks cost less, and the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge cost more.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- Boost clock
- 3030MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Quiet/performance BIOS switch
- 0dB fan stop
- Dual-ball fan bearings
Cons
- Costs more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the time of writing
Best Balanced 1440p Card2 of 5
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition
The RX 9070 keeps 16GB of memory but costs less than the XT.
Best for
- 1440p at high settings.
Skip if
- The maker gives no cooler thickness, so skip it if that figure decides your choice.
Why we like it
XFX's Swift version uses a triple-fan cooler with a 2700MHz boost and three DisplayPort outputs. It is the RX-97SWFB3B9 model with one HDMI port and three DisplayPort outputs, and it carries 16GB of GDDR6 under a triple-fan cooling solution. It matches the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge on video memory (16GB).
A 2700MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE uses a 2880MHz (OC mode) boost clock. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift RX 9070; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the XFX Swift RX 9070 with the maker. Its price falls between the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE and the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070, based on our last check.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Boost clock
- 2700MHz
- Outputs
- 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler
- RX 9070 gpu, the only one here
- 2700MHz boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the time of writing
The catch
Buyers who need a confirmed cooler thickness should compare it with the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge, which comes in at 2-slot.
Best SFF 1440p Card3 of 5
ASUS SFF-Ready Prime GeForce RTX 5070
The ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 is a 2.5-slot card with 12GB of GDDR7, a dual BIOS and a three-year warranty listed.
Best for
- Compact 1440p builds.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It suits 1440p in a compact case. On video memory it ties with the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at 12GB. It matches the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE on cooler thickness (2.5-slot).
You get an RTX 5070 gpu here, which sets it apart from the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge and its an RTX 5060 Ti gpu. Like the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge, it has GDDR7 memory, while the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT uses GDDR6 memory. It also comes with a phase-change GPU thermal pad.
The ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. When we checked, only the XFX Swift RX 9070 and cheaper picks cost less, and the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT cost more.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 5070
- VRAM
- 12GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- SFF-Ready
- Yes
- Outputs
- HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- Dual BIOS
Cons
- Costs more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the time of writing
Best 12GB AMD Pick4 of 5
ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC Edition
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 GRE has 12GB of GDDR6 and a 2880MHz boost in OC mode, with a phase-change thermal pad.
Best for
- 1440p at a lower price than the RX 9070.
Skip if
- Skip it if video memory matters most to you; the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT offers 16GB.
Why we like it
It matches the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 on video memory (12GB). On cooler thickness it ties with the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 at 2.5-slot. It shares GDDR6 memory with the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and XFX Swift RX 9070; the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge goes with GDDR7 memory.
You get a 2880MHz (OC mode) boost clock here, which sets it apart from the XFX Swift RX 9070 and its a 2700MHz boost clock. It also comes with a dual BIOS switch. The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case.
Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE with the maker. It undercut the XFX Swift RX 9070 and every other pick on price at the time of writing.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070 GRE
- VRAM
- 12GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- Boost clock
- 2880MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Phase-change GPU thermal pad
- Dual BIOS switch
- RX 9070 GRE gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Video memory trails the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT (16GB)
- Cooler thickness trails the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge (2-slot)
The catch
The trade-off is video memory; for more, the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT offers 16GB.
Best 16GB Entry to 1440p5 of 5
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge OC
Zotac's RTX 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge OC is a 2-slot, SFF-Ready card powered by a single 8-pin connector.
Best for
- Moving up from 1080p.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It matches the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the XFX Swift RX 9070 on video memory (16GB). On cooler thickness it leads this guide at 2-slot, ahead of the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT (2.5-slot). No other pick in this guide offers an RTX 5060 Ti gpu; compare the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070, which has an RTX 5070 gpu.
It shares GDDR7 memory with the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070; the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE goes with GDDR6 memory. You also get two 90mm fans with FREEZE fan stop and a metal backplate. The Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge occupies 2 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. It was the highest-priced of the 5 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the rest.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 5060 Ti
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Thickness
- 2-slot
- Power connector
- 1 x 8-pin
- SFF-Ready
- Yes
- Outputs
- 3 x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Dual-slot cooler leaves the next slot free
- A single 8-pin power connector
Cons
- Costs more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the time of writing
How We Chose
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- The figures behind the order
- We compared five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and cooler thickness, using each maker's published specs. These are research figures, not bench results: 1 of 5 picks leave out cooler thickness.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT to the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The XFX Swift RX 9070 gives no cooler thickness; the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 and the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge give no boost clock.
- Price range
- From the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE to the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a GPUs for 1440p
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
How much video memory you need
Across these 5 picks video memory spans 12GB (the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE) to 16GB (the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT). For less, the XFX Swift RX 9070 is the runner-up at 16GB.
Cooler thickness across these picks
Here cooler thickness runs from 2.5-slot on the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE to 2-slot on the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge, a 20% spread. Start with the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge if cooler thickness decides it. The XFX Swift RX 9070 gives no cooler thickness figure, so 4 of 5 picks are compared here.
The circuit board on the back of a graphics card Memory
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT, the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE list GDDR6; the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 and the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge list GDDR7. Sort out memory before price: it splits 5 stated picks into groups of 3 and 2.
Boost clock
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT lists 3030MHz (OC mode); the XFX Swift RX 9070 lists 2700MHz; the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE lists 2880MHz (OC mode). Settling boost clock first narrows 3 picks to 1 or 1 or 1.
Setup checks
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift RX 9070; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
How to Choose a GPUs for 1440p
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1440p at 165Hz and up | ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT | An RX 9070 XT with a 3030MHz OC-mode boost |
| 1440p at high settings | XFX Swift RX 9070 | An RX 9070 with 16GB of GDDR6 |
| Compact 1440p builds | ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 | A 2.5-slot RTX 5070 with the SFF-Ready label |
| 1440p at a lower price than the RX 9070 | ASUS Prime 9070 GRE | An RX 9070 GRE with 12GB of GDDR6 |
| Moving up from 1080p | Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge | A 2-slot RTX 5060 Ti with 16GB and one 8-pin connector |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT leads on video memory at 16GB, ahead of the XFX Swift RX 9070 at 16GB. "Not listed" marks cooler thickness where the XFX Swift RX 9070 leaves the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
| XFX Swift RX 9070 | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 | RTX 5070 | 12GB | GDDR7 | 2.5-slot |
| ASUS Prime 9070 GRE | RX 9070 GRE | 12GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
| Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge | RTX 5060 Ti | 16GB | GDDR7 | 2-slot |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT compare with the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge on cooler thickness?
Between the top two, it is 2-slot on the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge against 2.5-slot on the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT, a 20% difference. No cooler thickness figure is published for the XFX Swift RX 9070, which leaves 4 of 5 picks ranked here.
Is the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge worth paying more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE?
The spec sheets show video memory (16GB against 12GB) and cooler thickness (2-slot against 2.5-slot) in its favour. Both sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked, so the gains in video memory and cooler thickness cost little extra by tier.
What makes the XFX Swift RX 9070 the Best Balanced 1440p Card?
The label rests on an RX 9070 with 16GB of GDDR6. It suits 1440p at high settings.
Do the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the XFX Swift RX 9070 differ on GPU?
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT uses RX 9070 XT; the XFX Swift RX 9070 uses RX 9070; the ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 uses RTX 5070; the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE uses RX 9070 GRE; the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge uses RTX 5060 Ti.
What should I check before buying the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge?
The Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge occupies 2 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Power for the Zotac 5060 Ti 16GB Twin Edge comes through 1 x 8-pin. In this guide it ranks fifth of 5, as our Best 16GB Entry to 1440p pick, and third of 5 on video memory (16GB).
Beyond the specs, what sets the ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT and the XFX Swift RX 9070 apart?
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT: a quiet/performance BIOS switch. The XFX Swift RX 9070: an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler. The ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070: a dual BIOS.
Bottom Line
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 XT suits high-refresh 1440p, and the XFX RX 9070 is the balanced choice. The ASUS SFF-Ready Prime RTX 5070 fits compact cases, the RX 9070 GRE costs less, and the Zotac RTX 5060 Ti 16GB is the entry point.
Related Guides
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards for 1440p Gaming
- Related guideThe Best CPUs for 1440p Gaming
- Related guideThe Best Mid-Range GPUs
- Lower budgetThe Best NVIDIA Gaming GPUs Under $300
- Higher budgetThe Best High-End GPUs
- ExplainerHow Much VRAM Do You Need?
- ExplainerGPU Power Connectors Explained
- Check compatibility: power supplies12V-2x6 vs 12VHPWR vs 8-Pin PCIe: What Your PSU Needs to Provide
- Similar guideThe Best GPU for Gaming
- Topic hubAll graphics cards guides
About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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