Buying Guide
The Best Graphics Card to Buy
Six cards from $260 to $1,700 at the time of writing, each the pick we would choose at its tier from AMD, NVIDIA and Intel.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read6 products evaluated
There is no single best card for everyone, so we picked one per tier. The ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend is our top pick because 16GB of VRAM covers 1440p and entry 4K at a mid-range price at the time of writing.
We compared VRAM, cooler thickness and power from each listing and the chipmakers' specifications; we did not benchmark these cards.
Quick Picks
Our 6 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Our Top Pick
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB
An RX 9070 XT with 16GB and a 2970MHz boost.
Best for: Most 1440p and entry 4K builds.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB (opens in a new tab)
Best High-End Pick
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5080 EVO 16GB OC
A 2.5-slot RTX 5080 with the SFF-Ready label.
Best for: 4K in cases that can't take a thick card.
Our take Check price for ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5080 EVO 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Best Upper Mid-Range NVIDIA
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti OC
An RTX 5070 Ti with 16GB of GDDR7.
Best for: 4K with DLSS.
Our take Check price for ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti OC (opens in a new tab)
Best 12GB Card
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 12GB OC
An RTX 5070 with a 2587MHz OC-mode boost.
Best for: High-refresh 1440p.
Our take Check price for ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 12GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Best Mid-Range 16GB
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition 16GB
An RX 9060 XT with 16GB of GDDR6.
Best for: 1080p and 1440p.
Our take Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition 16GB (opens in a new tab)
Best Budget Card
ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC
10GB of GDDR6 with a single 8-pin connector.
Best for: Low-cost 1080p builds.
Our take Check price for ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Our Top Pick1 of 6
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
ASRock's RX 9070 XT Steel Legend is the AMD route to 4K, with 16GB of GDDR6 and a reinforced metal frame.
Best for
- Most 1440p and entry 4K builds.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: calls for a 800W or larger PSU.
Why we like it
It uses two 8-pin plugs, which suits power supplies without a 16-pin cable, but the maker recommends 800W. On video memory it ties with the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO, the ASUS Prime and the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB at 16GB. Its 2.9-slot cooler thickness is the thickest in this group; the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO leads at 2.5-slot.
An RX 9070 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO uses an RTX 5080 gpu. Like the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB and Arc B570 Challenger, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO uses GDDR7 memory. It is the only pick here with a 2 x 8-pin power connector; the ASUS Prime has a 16-pin 12V-2x6 power connector instead. It was priced above the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB and below the ASUS Prime RTX 5070 at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9070 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Length: 298mm
- Thickness: 2.9-slot
- Recommended PSU: 800W
- Power connector: 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock: 2970MHz
- Outputs: DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 64 compute units
- Polychrome SYNC lighting
- Reinforced metal frame
Cons
- Calls for a 800W or larger PSU
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
- Cooler thickness trails the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO (2.5-slot)
Best High-End Pick2 of 6
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5080 EVO 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO fits NVIDIA's second-fastest chip into 2.5 slots with the SFF-Ready label.
Best for
- 4K in cases that can't take a thick card.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the Arc B570 Challenger was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
A MaxContact heat spreader and 0dB fan stop round it out. On video memory it ties with the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, the ASUS Prime and the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB at 16GB. You get an RTX 5080 gpu here, which sets it apart from the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB and its an RX 9060 XT gpu.
Like the ASUS Prime and ASUS Prime RTX 5070, it has GDDR7 memory, while the Arc B570 Challenger uses GDDR6 memory. It is the only pick here with a 2685MHz (OC mode) boost clock; the ASUS Prime has a 2527MHz (OC mode) boost clock instead. You also get a quiet/performance dual BIOS.
At our last price check it topped the group, with the ASUS Prime the nearest cheaper option. If you want a confirmed card length, look to the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend instead: it comes in at 298mm, while this one gives no figure.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5080
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Boost clock: 2685MHz (OC mode)
- SFF-Ready: Yes
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- MaxContact heat spreader with 5% more contact area
Cons
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
Best Upper Mid-Range NVIDIA3 of 6
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Prime is the best-documented card here: ASUS offers a 306mm length, a 2.5-slot cooler, a 750W minimum power supply and a 2527MHz OC-mode boost.
Best for
- 4K with DLSS.
Skip if
- Pass on it if needs a 16-pin 12V-2x6 power cabl rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
A dual BIOS switch toggles quiet and performance modes, and the fans stop at light load. It matches the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO and the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB on video memory (16GB). On cooler thickness it ties with the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO and the ASUS Prime RTX 5070 at 2.5-slot.
No other pick in this guide offers an RTX 5070 Ti gpu; compare the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, which has an RX 9070 XT gpu. A 16-pin 12V-2x6 power connector is unique to it among these picks, while the Arc B570 Challenger uses a 1 x 8-pin power connector. Power for the ASUS Prime comes through 16-pin 12V-2x6, with 750W the maker's minimum PSU. On price it sat fifth of 6, between the cheaper ASUS Prime RTX 5070 and the pricier ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO, at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5070 Ti
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Length: 306mm
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Recommended PSU: 750W
- Power connector: 16-pin 12V-2x6
- Boost clock: 2527MHz (OC mode)
- SFF-Ready: Yes
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- Dual BIOS switch between quiet and performance modes
Cons
- Needs a 16-pin 12V-2x6 power cable
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
Best 12GB Card4 of 6
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 12GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Prime RTX 5070 is a 2.5-slot, SFF-Ready card with a quiet/performance BIOS switch.
Best for
- High-refresh 1440p.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the Arc B570 Challenger cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
Its 12GB of GDDR7 is enough for most games at 1440p, though less than the 16GB AMD cards here. Its 12GB video memory ranks fifth of 6 here, behind the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend (16GB) and ahead of the Arc B570 Challenger (10GB). On cooler thickness it ties with the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO and the ASUS Prime at 2.5-slot.
It is the only pick here with an RTX 5070 gpu; the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend has an RX 9070 XT gpu instead. It shares GDDR7 memory with the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO and ASUS Prime; the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB goes with GDDR6 memory. Its price falls between the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend and the ASUS Prime, based on our last check. Buyers who need a confirmed card length should compare it with the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, which comes in at 298mm.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5070
- VRAM: 12GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Boost clock: 2587MHz (OC mode)
- SFF-Ready: Yes
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Carries NVIDIA's SFF-Ready label
- Quiet/performance dual BIOS switch
Cons
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
Best Mid-Range 16GB5 of 6
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
XFX's Swift RX 9060 XT is the cheapest 16GB card in this guide, with a dual-fan cooler and a 3320MHz boost.
Best for
- 1080p and 1440p.
Skip if
- Its cooler thickness is not published, which rules it out if you need that number.
Why we like it
It suits 1440p at medium to high settings. It matches the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO and the ASUS Prime on video memory (16GB). No other pick in this guide offers an RX 9060 XT gpu; compare the ASUS Prime RTX 5070, which has an RTX 5070 gpu.
It shares GDDR6 memory with the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend and Arc B570 Challenger; the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO goes with GDDR7 memory. You get a 3320MHz boost clock here, which sets it apart from the ASUS Prime and its a 2527MHz (OC mode) boost clock. On price it sat second of 6, between the cheaper Arc B570 Challenger and the pricier ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its card length; if that figure matters, the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend comes in at 298mm.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9060 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 3320MHz
- Outputs: 1 x HDMI, 2 x DisplayPort
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- XFX SWFT dual-fan cooler
- RX 9060 XT gpu, the only one here
- 3320MHz boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the Arc B570 Challenger at the time of writing
Best Budget Card6 of 6
ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Arc B570 is the B580's cheaper sibling with 10GB of memory on a 160-bit bus.
Best for
- Low-cost 1080p builds.
Skip if
- Skip it if video memory matters most to you; the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend offers 16GB.
Why we like it
It was the least expensive card here at the time of writing and still offers three DisplayPort 2.1 outputs. Its 10GB video memory is the smallest in this group; the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend leads at 16GB. No other pick in this guide offers an arc B570 gpu; compare the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO, which has an RTX 5080 gpu.
It shares GDDR6 memory with the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend and XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB; the ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO goes with GDDR7 memory. A 1 x 8-pin power connector is unique to it among these picks, while the ASUS Prime uses a 16-pin 12V-2x6 power connector. You also get 0dB fan stop.
No dimensions are published for the Arc B570 Challenger; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. It undercut the XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB and every other pick on price at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: Arc B570
- VRAM: 10GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Power connector: 1 x 8-pin
- Boost clock: 2600MHz
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1a
Pros
- 10GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- A single 8-pin power connector
- 160-bit memory bus at 19Gbps
- 0dB fan stop
Cons
- Video memory trails the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend (16GB)
- No published cooler thickness
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Cooling and extras
- We checked cooler design, fan-stop modes, dual BIOS, support brackets and display outputs.
- GPU and memory
- We compared the chip, video memory capacity and memory type stated in each listing.
- Fit
- We recorded length and slot thickness where the maker lists them, plus low-profile and SFF-Ready status.
- Power
- We noted the power connector and recommended power supply where listed.
What to Look for in a Graphics Card
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Match the card to your monitor
Resolution and refresh rate decide how much GPU you need. A 1080p screen at 144Hz asks far less than 1440p at 165Hz or 4K.
Buy for the monitor you use now or will buy soon, not for a resolution you may never run.
Treat 8GB of VRAM as the floor
Some recent games already push past 8GB at high texture settings. Cards with 12GB or 16GB give more room, especially at 1440p and above.
Two versions of the same chip can differ only in memory; check the capacity in the exact model name.
Count the display outputs
Most cards offer three DisplayPort outputs and one HDMI, but some swap that balance. Check that the ports match your monitors, TV or VR headset.
Plan the power connector and PSU
Cards use one or two 8-pin PCIe plugs or a single 16-pin 12V-2x6 plug. Confirm your power supply has the right cables and meets the maker's recommended wattage.
Pair it with a balanced CPU
A fast card with an old CPU can stall at high frame rates, especially at 1080p. At 4K the GPU does most of the work, so the CPU matters less.
Cooler size affects noise
Larger triple-fan coolers usually run quieter under load than compact dual-fan designs. A 0dB mode stops the fans at light load.
How to Choose a Graphics Card
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Most 1440p and entry 4K builds | ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend | An RX 9070 XT with 16GB and a 2970MHz boost |
| 4K in cases that can't take a thick card | ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO | A 2.5-slot RTX 5080 with the SFF-Ready label |
| 4K with DLSS | ASUS Prime | An RTX 5070 Ti with 16GB of GDDR7 |
| High-refresh 1440p | ASUS Prime RTX 5070 | An RTX 5070 with a 2587MHz OC-mode boost |
| 1080p and 1440p | XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB | An RX 9060 XT with 16GB of GDDR6 |
| Low-cost 1080p builds | Arc B570 Challenger | 10GB of GDDR6 with a single 8-pin connector |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
Figures as each maker states them.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 298mm |
| ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO | RTX 5080 | 16GB | GDDR7 | Not listed |
| ASUS Prime | RTX 5070 Ti | 16GB | GDDR7 | 306mm |
| ASUS Prime RTX 5070 | RTX 5070 | 12GB | GDDR7 | Not listed |
| XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB | RX 9060 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| Arc B570 Challenger | Arc B570 | 10GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
Prices change often; these tiers reflect Amazon prices when this guide was updated.
| Price tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| About $250 to $500 | Arc B570 Challenger |
| About $500 to $1000 | XFX Swift RX 9060 XT 16GB, ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, ASUS Prime RTX 5070 |
| About $1000 to $1500 | ASUS Prime |
| Over $1500 | ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an 8GB graphics card still enough?
For 1080p with tuned texture settings, often yes. For 1440p or high textures in new games, 12GB or 16GB is safer.
Will my CPU hold the card back?
It depends on resolution and the games you play. At 1080p and high refresh rates the CPU matters more; at 4K the GPU sets the limit.
How big a power supply do I need?
Use the maker's recommendation for your exact card, then add headroom if you run a high-power CPU. Also check the connectors, not just the wattage.
Will a PCIe 5.0 card work in a PCIe 4.0 or 3.0 slot?
Yes, the interface is backward compatible. Cards with a narrow x8 link can lose some performance on PCIe 3.0 boards.
Do I need a GPU support bracket?
Long, heavy cards can sag and stress the slot. Some come with a support stand or bracket; otherwise one is inexpensive to add.
Should I choose AMD or NVIDIA?
Compare price and memory at your budget first, then features such as DLSS or FSR support in your games and hardware encoding if you stream.
Bottom Line
The ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend is the card most buyers should start with. The ASUS Prime RTX 5080 EVO and Prime RTX 5070 Ti cover 4K, the Prime RTX 5070 and XFX RX 9060 XT 16GB cover 1440p, and the Arc B570 is the budget choice.