Buying Guide
The Best Graphics Cards for Call of Duty
Six current cards for high-refresh Call of Duty play, compared on memory, size and power needs.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read6 products evaluated
Activision publishes separate PC requirements for each Call of Duty release, and they rise over time. For competitive play on a high-refresh monitor, a current card with 12GB or more is a safe base.
Check the requirements for the release you play. We do not quote frame rates. We compared listed specifications from the card makers and retailer listings; we did not benchmark these cards.
Quick Picks
Which of the 6 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Best Match for Call of Duty
MSI RTX 5070 Ti Ventus 3X PZ OCAn SFF-Ready RTX 5070 Ti with 16GB.
Best for: High-refresh 1440p.
Check price for MSI RTX 5070 Ti Ventus 3X PZ OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best AMD Pick
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16GA 16GB RX 9070 XT.
Best for: Radeon high-refresh builds.
Check price for GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best 12GB NVIDIA Pick
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 OC EditionAn ASUS TUF RTX 5070.
Best for: 1440p with DLSS.
Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best Value AMD Pick
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming EditionA 16GB RX 9070.
Best for: 1440p on a smaller budget.
Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best 1080p NVIDIA Pick
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OCA 16GB RTX 5060 Ti.
Best for: High-refresh 1080p.
Check price for ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best Budget Pick
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OCA 249mm, 16GB RX 9060 XT on one 8-pin connector.
Best for: Budget competitive builds.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best Match for Call of Duty1 of 6
MSI RTX 5070 Ti Ventus 3X PZ OC
MSI's Ventus 3X PZ is an SFF-Ready card with three TORX Fan 5.0 fans and nickel-plated core pipes.
Best for
- High-refresh 1440p.
Skip if
- Pass if a published cooler thickness matters; this one has none.
Why we like it
It is one of the more affordable triple-fan RTX 5070 Ti models here. On video memory it ties with the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the XFX Swift RX 9070, the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at 16GB. An RTX 5070 Ti gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC uses an RX 9070 XT gpu.
No other pick in this guide offers a 2482MHz boost clock; compare the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, which has a 2632MHz (OC mode) boost clock. No dimensions are published for the MSI Ventus 3X; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Only the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 6 picks.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 5070 Ti
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Boost clock
- 2482MHz
- SFF-Ready
- Yes
- Outputs
- 3 x DisplayPort 2.1a, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- Nickel-plated square core pipes
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
The catch
There is no published cooler thickness figure, whereas the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes in at 2-slot.
Best AMD Pick2 of 6
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16G
Gigabyte's RX 9070 XT Gaming OC pairs AMD's top RDNA 4 chip with 16GB of GDDR6 and a WINDFORCE cooler.
Best for
- Radeon high-refresh builds.
Skip if
- The maker gives no cooler thickness, so skip it if that figure decides your choice.
Why we like it
At the time of writing it cost about half as much as the RTX 5080 cards we researched, which makes it the strongest value in the upper tiers. It matches the MSI Ventus 3X, the XFX Swift RX 9070, the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB on video memory (16GB). You also get server-grade thermal conductive gel and RGB lighting.
No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC with the maker. Its price falls between the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and the ASUS TUF RTX 5070, based on our last check.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans
- Server-grade thermal conductive gel
- RGB lighting
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
The catch
Buyers who need a confirmed cooler thickness should compare it with the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, which comes in at 2-slot.
Best 12GB NVIDIA Pick3 of 6
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 OC Edition
The ASUS TUF RTX 5070 trades size for cooling, with a 3.125-slot heatsink and three axial fans.
Best for
- 1440p with DLSS.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: its 3.125-slot cooler covers the slots below.
Why we like it
The GPU Guard bracket helps against sag and the PCB carries a protective coating. Its 12GB video memory is the smallest in this group; the MSI Ventus 3X leads at 16GB. On cooler thickness it trails the group at 3.125-slot, while the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes in at 2-slot.
It is the only pick here with an RTX 5070 gpu; the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB has an RTX 5060 Ti gpu instead. It shares GDDR7 memory with the MSI Ventus 3X and ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB goes with GDDR6 memory. A 2640MHz (OC mode) boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the XFX Swift RX 9070 uses a 2700MHz boost clock. Its price falls between the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and the MSI Ventus 3X, based on our last check.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 5070
- VRAM
- 12GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Thickness
- 3.125-slot
- Boost clock
- 2640MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Military-grade components and a protective PCB coating
- ASUS GPU Guard bracket against sag
Cons
- Its 3.125-slot cooler covers the slots below
- Video memory trails the MSI Ventus 3X (16GB)
- Cooler thickness trails the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB (2-slot)
The catch
If video memory is your priority, the MSI Ventus 3X (16GB) is the stronger choice.
Best Value AMD Pick4 of 6
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 on a smaller budget.
Skip if
- Skip it if you need to know its cooler thickness before buying; the maker doesn't publish one.
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. On video memory it ties with the MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at 16GB.
You get an RX 9070 gpu here, which sets it apart from the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 and its an RTX 5070 gpu. Like the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 uses GDDR7 memory. It is the only pick here with a 2700MHz boost clock; the MSI Ventus 3X has a 2482MHz boost clock instead.
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 ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
The catch
If you want a confirmed cooler thickness, look to the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB instead: it comes in at 2-slot, while this one gives no figure.
Best 1080p NVIDIA Pick5 of 6
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC
The ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB is the lower-cost NVIDIA route to 16GB at 1440p.
Best for
- High-refresh 1080p.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It is a 2.5-slot card with 0dB fan stop and dual-ball fan bearings. It matches the MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB on video memory (16GB). On cooler thickness it sits mid-pack at 2.5-slot: the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB comes in at 2-slot, and the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 comes in at 3.125-slot.
It is the only pick here with an RTX 5060 Ti gpu; the XFX Swift RX 9070 has an RX 9070 gpu instead. It shares GDDR7 memory with the MSI Ventus 3X and ASUS TUF RTX 5070; the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC goes with GDDR6 memory. Its price falls between the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, based on our last check.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 5060 Ti
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- Boost clock
- 2632MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Quiet/performance dual BIOS
- 0dB fan stop
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB at the time of writing
Best Budget Pick6 of 6
ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC
ASRock's Challenger gives the RX 9060 XT a full 16GB of memory in a two-slot, 249mm card.
Best for
- Budget competitive builds.
Skip if
- Look at the other picks if you need a feature not covered above.
Why we like it
The maker offers a 550W power supply and a single 8-pin plug, so it drops into most existing builds. On video memory it ties with the MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at 16GB. Its 2-slot cooler thickness is the slimmest here; the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB comes next at 2.5-slot.
An RX 9060 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC uses an RX 9070 XT gpu. No other pick in this guide offers a 3290MHz boost clock; compare the XFX Swift RX 9070, which has a 2700MHz boost clock. You also get 32 compute units and 0dB fan stop at light load. It cost the least of the 6 picks at the time of writing, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9060 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Length
- 249mm
- Thickness
- 2-slot
- Recommended PSU
- 550W
- Power connector
- 1 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 3290MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Short 249mm length suits compact cases
- Dual-slot cooler leaves the next slot free
- A modest 550W PSU recommendation
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 lined up six cards on GPU, video memory, memory and cooler thickness, using each maker's published specs. We did not test them in-house, and cooler thickness and boost clock are missing for at least one pick.
- What every pick has in common
- All 6, from the MSI Ventus 3X to the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, state GPU, video memory and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and the XFX Swift RX 9070 give no cooler thickness; the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC gives no boost clock.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB ($500 to $1000) to the MSI Ventus 3X ($1000 to $1500).
What to Look for in a GPUs for Call of Duty
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
How much video memory you need
Here video memory runs from 12GB on the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 to 16GB on the MSI Ventus 3X, a 33% spread. The Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC comes second at 16GB, in the $500 to $1000 tier against $1000 to $1500 for the MSI Ventus 3X.
Cooler thickness
Across these 3 picks cooler thickness spans 3.125-slot (the ASUS TUF RTX 5070) to 2-slot (the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB). The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB is the pick for cooler thickness. The MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and the XFX Swift RX 9070 give no cooler thickness figure, so 3 of 6 picks are compared here.
A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die Memory
The MSI Ventus 3X, the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 and the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB list GDDR7; the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB list GDDR6. Sort out memory before price: it splits 6 stated picks into groups of 3 and 3.
Boost clock
The MSI Ventus 3X lists 2482MHz; the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 lists 2640MHz (OC mode); the XFX Swift RX 9070 lists 2700MHz; the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB lists 2632MHz (OC mode); the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB lists 3290MHz. Settling boost clock first narrows 5 picks to 1, 1, 1 or 1 or 1.
Setup checks
No dimensions are published for the MSI Ventus 3X; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. The ASUS TUF RTX 5070 occupies 3.125 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Measure for 249mm and 2 slots before ordering the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB.
How to Choose a GPUs for Call of Duty
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| High-refresh 1440p | MSI Ventus 3X | An SFF-Ready RTX 5070 Ti with 16GB |
| Radeon high-refresh builds | Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC | A 16GB RX 9070 XT |
| 1440p with DLSS | ASUS TUF RTX 5070 | An ASUS TUF RTX 5070 |
| 1440p on a smaller budget | XFX Swift RX 9070 | A 16GB RX 9070 |
| High-refresh 1080p | ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | A 16GB RTX 5060 Ti |
| Budget competitive builds | ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB | A 249mm, 16GB RX 9060 XT on one 8-pin connector |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The MSI Ventus 3X leads on video memory at 16GB, ahead of the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC at 16GB. "Not listed" marks cooler thickness where the MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and the XFX Swift RX 9070 leave the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSI Ventus 3X | RTX 5070 Ti | 16GB | GDDR7 | Not listed |
| Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASUS TUF RTX 5070 | RTX 5070 | 12GB | GDDR7 | 3.125-slot |
| XFX Swift RX 9070 | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | RTX 5060 Ti | 16GB | GDDR7 | 2.5-slot |
| ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2-slot |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB was the lowest-priced pick ($500 to $1000) and the MSI Ventus 3X the highest ($1000 to $1500) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| About $500 to $1000 | ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, XFX Swift RX 9070, ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, ASUS TUF RTX 5070 |
| About $1000 to $1500 | MSI Ventus 3X |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the slimmest cooler thickness: the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB or the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB?
Between the top two, it is 2-slot on the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB against 2.5-slot on the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, a 20% difference. The spread runs down to the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 at 3.125-slot. The MSI Ventus 3X, the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and the XFX Swift RX 9070 are left out of this ranking because their cooler thickness isn't stated; 3 of 6 picks are ranked.
Why is the XFX Swift RX 9070 our Best Value AMD Pick?
It carries the badge for a 16GB RX 9070. It makes sense for 1440p on a smaller budget.
Do the MSI Ventus 3X and the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC differ on GPU?
The MSI Ventus 3X uses RTX 5070 Ti; the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC uses RX 9070 XT; the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 uses RTX 5070; the XFX Swift RX 9070 uses RX 9070; the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB uses RTX 5060 Ti; the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB uses RX 9060 XT.
Will the MSI Ventus 3X work with my setup?
No dimensions are published for the MSI Ventus 3X; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the MSI Ventus 3X with the maker. In this guide it ranks first of 6, as our Best Match for Call of Duty pick, and first of 6 on video memory (16GB).
What extras do the MSI Ventus 3X and the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC include?
The MSI Ventus 3X: nickel-plated square core pipes. The Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC: a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans. The ASUS TUF RTX 5070: military-grade components and a protective PCB coating.
Bottom Line
MSI's RTX 5070 Ti Ventus 3X is the strongest match for Call of Duty here, with Gigabyte's RX 9070 XT the AMD alternative. The RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RX 9060 XT 16GB cover budget high-refresh 1080p.
Related Guides
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards for 1440p Gaming
- Related guideThe Best CPUs for Gaming
- Related guideThe Best RTX 5070 Ti Graphics Cards: Partner Models Compared
- Lower budgetThe Best GPUs Between $280 and $400
- Similar guideThe Best GPUs for Heavy Workloads
- ExplainerHow Much VRAM Do You Need?
- ExplainerGPU Power Connectors Explained
- Check compatibility: power suppliesHow to Choose a Reliable Power Supply
- Similar guideThe Best Graphics Cards
- 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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