Buying Guide
The Best Graphics Cards Under $800
Six cards priced under $800 at the time of writing, from RX 9070 XT to RTX 5070, compared on memory and power.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read6 products evaluated
Under $800 at the time of writing, RX 9070 XT cards compete with the RTX 5070 and older RX 7900 XT and 7800 XT cards.
Prices move often, so check current listings. We compared listed specifications from the card makers and retailer listings; we did not benchmark these cards.
Quick Picks
Our 6 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Best RX 9070 XT Under $800
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16G
A Gigabyte Gaming OC RX 9070 XT with 16GB.
Best for: 1440p and entry 4K.
Our take Check price for GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16G (opens in a new tab)
Best ASRock RX 9070 XT
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Challenger 16GB OC
An ASRock Challenger RX 9070 XT.
Best for: ASRock builds.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Challenger 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Best XFX RX 9070 XT
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT Triple Fan Gaming Edition
An XFX Swift RX 9070 XT.
Best for: XFX builds.
Our take Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT Triple Fan Gaming Edition (opens in a new tab)
Best NVIDIA Under $800
MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC
An RTX 5070 with GDDR7.
Best for: DLSS 4 users.
Our take Check price for MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC (opens in a new tab)
Most Memory Under $800
ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White 20GB OC
20GB of VRAM with a white finish.
Best for: White builds and high-resolution textures.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White 20GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Best Output Layout
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7800 XT Gaming OC 16G
Two HDMI and two DisplayPort outputs.
Best for: TV and monitor setups.
Our take Check price for Gigabyte Radeon RX 7800 XT Gaming OC 16G (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best RX 9070 XT Under $8001 of 6
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Gigabyte's RX 9070 XT Gaming OC pairs AMD's top RDNA 4 chip with 16GB of GDDR6 and a WINDFORCE cooler.
Best for
- 1440p and entry 4K.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White cost less when we checked.
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 ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC on video memory (16GB). Like the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger and XFX Swift RX 9070 XT, it has an RX 9070 XT gpu, while the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses an RTX 5070 gpu.
It also offers 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 price falls between the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & 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
- Costs more than the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White at the time of writing
Best ASRock RX 9070 XT2 of 6
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
ASRock's RX 9070 XT Challenger gives an all-AMD build 16GB of memory on a 256-bit bus and a triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop.
Best for
- ASRock builds.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
Three DisplayPort 2.1a outputs suit high-refresh monitors. On video memory it ties with the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC at 16GB. Like the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT, it has a 2970MHz boost clock, while the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X uses a 2557MHz boost clock.
You also get 64 compute units. No dimensions are published for the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger with the maker. At our last price check it topped the group, with the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC the nearest cheaper option.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9070 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 2970MHz
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1a, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 64 compute units
- 256-bit memory bus
- Triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White at the time of writing
Best XFX RX 9070 XT3 of 6
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
XFX's Swift RX 9070 XT uses AMD's top RDNA 4 chip with 16GB of memory and a 2970MHz boost.
Best for
- XFX builds.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It is the card to choose for a 240Hz 1440p monitor. It matches the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger and the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC on video memory (16GB). Like the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC and ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger, it has an RX 9070 XT gpu, while the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White uses an RX 7900 XT gpu.
It shares a 2970MHz boost clock with the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger; the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC goes with a 2565MHz boost clock. It also comes with an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its price falls between the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC and the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9070 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Boost clock: 2970MHz
- Outputs: 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler
- An XFX Swift RX 9070 XT
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White at the time of writing
Best NVIDIA Under $8004 of 6
MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Ventus 3X is MSI's plain take on the RTX 5070: three TORX fans, a copper baseplate and 12GB of GDDR7.
Best for
- DLSS 4 users.
Skip if
- Skip it if video memory matters most to you; the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White offers 20GB.
Why we like it
Three DisplayPort 2.1a outputs and one HDMI 2.1b cover most monitor setups. Its 12GB video memory is the smallest in this group; the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White leads at 20GB. It is the only pick here with an RTX 5070 gpu; the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT has an RX 9070 XT gpu instead.
You get GDDR7 memory here, which sets it apart from the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and its GDDR6 memory. A 2557MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC uses a 2565MHz boost clock. It also comes with a vented metal backplate.
No dimensions are published for the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its price falls between the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White and the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RTX 5070
- VRAM: 12GB
- Memory: GDDR7
- Boost clock: 2557MHz
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 2.1a, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Faster GDDR7 memory
- Three TORX Fan 5.0 fans
- Nickel-plated copper baseplate
Cons
- Video memory trails the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White (20GB)
- Costs more than the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White at the time of writing
Most Memory Under $8005 of 6
ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White 20GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Phantom Gaming White is ASRock's white 7900 XT, with a white shroud and backplate on a 320-bit memory bus.
Best for
- White builds and high-resolution textures.
Skip if
- Look at the other picks if you need a feature not covered above.
Why we like it
A reinforced metal frame keeps the card from sagging in the slot. On video memory it leads this guide at 20GB, ahead of the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC (16GB). An RX 7900 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT uses an RX 9070 XT gpu.
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White with the maker. It cost the least of the 6 picks at the time of writing, with the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X the next step up.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7900 XT
- VRAM: 20GB
- Memory: GDDR6
Pros
- 20GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- White shroud and backplate
- 320-bit memory bus
- RX 7900 XT gpu, the only one here
Best Output Layout6 of 6
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7800 XT Gaming OC 16G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Gigabyte's Gaming OC offers a 2565MHz boost and two HDMI plus two DisplayPort outputs under a triple-fan Windforce cooler.
Best for
- TV and monitor setups.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
On video memory it ties with the Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC, the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT at 16GB. You get an RX 7800 XT gpu here, which sets it apart from the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT and its an RX 9070 XT gpu. It is the only pick here with a 2565MHz boost clock; the ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger has a 2970MHz boost clock instead.
No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC: the maker suggests a PSU of 700W or more. When we checked, only the MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X and cheaper picks cost less, and the XFX Swift RX 9070 XT cost more.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 7800 XT
- VRAM: 16GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Recommended PSU: 700W
- Boost clock: 2565MHz
- Outputs: 2 x DisplayPort, 2 x HDMI
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- Two HDMI and two DisplayPort outputs
- WINDFORCE triple-fan cooler
- RX 7800 XT gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White at the time of writing
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- GPU and memory
- We compared the chip, video memory capacity and memory type stated in each listing.
- Cooling and extras
- We checked cooler design, fan-stop modes, dual BIOS, support brackets and display outputs.
- Power
- We noted the power connector and recommended power supply where listed.
- Price tier
- We grouped picks by price at the time of writing rather than by listed clock speed.
What to Look for in a GPUs Under $800
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Check length and thickness
Partner cards of the same GPU can differ by several centimetres. Compare the card's length with the case's GPU clearance, allowing for front fans or a radiator, and check how many slots it covers.
How to Choose a GPUs Under $800
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1440p and entry 4K | Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC | A Gigabyte Gaming OC RX 9070 XT with 16GB |
| ASRock builds | ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger | An ASRock Challenger RX 9070 XT |
| XFX builds | XFX Swift RX 9070 XT | An XFX Swift RX 9070 XT |
| DLSS 4 users | MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X | An RTX 5070 with GDDR7 |
| White builds and high-resolution textures | ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White | 20GB of VRAM with a white finish |
| TV and monitor setups | Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC | Two HDMI and two DisplayPort outputs |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
Figures as each maker states them.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Boost clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| ASRock RX 9070 XT Challenger | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2970MHz |
| XFX Swift RX 9070 XT | RX 9070 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2970MHz |
| MSI RTX 5070 Ventus 3X | RTX 5070 | 12GB | GDDR7 | 2557MHz |
| ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White | RX 7900 XT | 20GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| Gigabyte 7800 XT Gaming OC | RX 7800 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2565MHz |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
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.
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.
Do partner cards of the same GPU perform differently?
Only slightly. Factory overclocks add a few percent at most; cooling, noise, size and price differ more.
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
An RX 9070 XT, such as Gigabyte's Gaming OC, is the strongest choice under $800. MSI's RTX 5070 Ventus is the NVIDIA option, and ASRock's white RX 7900 XT has the most memory.