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You need a potent graphic card if you want to play titles at 4k resolution and at best refresh rates. GPUs become your ground reality if you are an avid gamer. Although gaming at 4K can be a problem for you if you have no extra bucks, if you want the top-notch visual experience, you should definitely go for it.
You can achieve excellent frame rates with a crisp visual display that to such powerful graphic cards. Nowadays, there are several options available as the best GPU for 4k gaming, and it has become difficult to get your hands on the best one.
Moreover, with new inventions every day, there is now more affordable unit available for 4k gaming. So here we have the five best GPUs for 4k gaming!
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition
- Nvidia RTX 3090
- XFX RX 6800 XT
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Quick Comparison of Best GPU for 4K Gaming
| Graphics Cards | Ram | CUDA | Video Output | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti | 12 GB GDDR6X | 10240 Cores | DisplayPort v1.4 (3) / HDMI 2.0b x 1 | Check Price on Amazon |
| Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition | 11 GB GDDR | 4352 cores | 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C | Check Price on Amazon |
| Nvidia RTX 3090 | 24 GB GDDR6X | 10496 cores | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Check Price on Amazon |
| XFX RX 6800 XT | 16 GB GDDR6 | 4608 cores | x3 HDMI 2.1 | Check Price on Amazon |
| AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 24GB GDDR6 | 6144 cores | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C | Check Price on Amazon |
You may also Like: Best GPU for 1080p 144hz Gaming 2022-23
Our Picks for Best GPU for 4K Gaming
After reviewing a number of different GPUs for 4k gaming, we came up with the following best picks. So let us show you why these graphics cards are the best.
1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
editors picks
Reasons to Consider
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is one of the fastest graphics cards at a reasonable price point. Games and 4K gaming can easily be handled by its 10240 CUDA and fast VRAM clock. Aside from its unique features, it is also a budget pick.
Specifications
- Ram: 12 GB GDDR6X
- Video Output: DisplayPort v1.4 (3) / HDMI 2.0b x 1
- CUDA: 10240 Cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1655 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1365 MHz
- Bandwidth: 19 GB/sec
- Memory Interface: 384-bit
If you don’t want a massive 24GB or higher VRAM but still want 4K gaming to handle all gaming endeavors, this card is the best choice.
With 12 Gb of GDDR6X VRAM and a boost clock speed of 1655MHZ, this graphic card is quite impressive for a card in this price range. The NVIDIA Ampere Architecture is another great feature of this card.
With this graphic card architecture, multiprocessing and Ray Tracing cores are available, making 4K gaming faster and more accurate. Since the Ampere architecture leverages artificial intelligence instead of manual rendering, it is suitable for real-time rendering.
Furthermore, it has 10240 CUDA and 80 RT acceleration cores that make 4K gaming a breeze.
Be prepared to encounter heating problems with this graphic card even though it handles complex tasks seamlessly. For the price, this is one of the best graphics cards for 4k gaming.
2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition
high end gpu
Reasons to Consider
If you have a few bucks in your pocket to spend on a potent graphic card for 4k gaming, then go for Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition. However, its 11 GB VRAM can also run most modern titles. You can achieve better frame rates of 144hz video or higher with max resolution settings.
Specifications
- Ram: 11 GB GDDR
- Video Output: 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C
- CUDA: 4352 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1635 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1350 MHz
- Bandwidth: 616 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 352-bit
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders edition is a successor to GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and offers much-improved performance. Although it has a hefty price tag than its predecessor, it also provides unrivaled performance.
The 4k gaming performance of the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders edition is improved owing to Turing architecture and the RTX platform than the Pascal-based one. Moreover, you get crisp and unlagged gameplay at refresh rates as high as 240Hz at 4k resolution.
On top of that, you get lag-free performance with its ray tracing technology. And if you are ready for some immersive gaming, its 635MHz boost clock speed can be a great help for you.
In addition, this GPU comes to VR ready as you can plug and play headsets driven by NVIDIA VRWorks. It’s a complete package for gaming GPU since it has 11GB GDDR6 VRAM coupled with 4352 CUDA cores and up to 616GB/sec bandwidth.
And don’t worry about overheating since dual-axial 13-blade fans with a revolutionary vapor chamber that guarantees cool and quiet performance despite heavy processing.
All in all, if you are up for real-life lighting and graphics, look no further than this ray-tracing GPU.
3. Nvidia RTX 3090
enthusiast-level gpu
Reasons to Consider
NVIDIA RTX 3090 is the best GPU for 4k 144hz and a good reason. But remember, you must be generous about the budget if you consider this GPU. Nevertheless, with its 24 GB VRAM and massive 10496 cores, you can get unparalleled gameplay. You can take your gaming to the next level with this GPU.
Specifications
- Ram: 24 GB GDDR6X
- Video Output: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
- CUDA: 10496 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 1695 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1395 MHz
- Bandwidth: 936.2 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 384-bit
NVIDIA offers its enthusiast-level graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3090 if you want to take your gaming to another level. This card has a lot of amazing features that are the reason for its hefty price tag. With its features like 24Gb VRAM and 10496 shading units, you can achieve the best gameplay at amazing framerates.
NVIDIA RTX 3090 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and provides the best performance with a GA102 graphics processor. So if you want to enjoy immersive gameplay for all modern titles this will not disappoint. Moreover, you can also tweak the settings for games, such as hardware ray tracing, variable-rate shading, and other features, thanks to DirectX 12 Ultimate.
In addition, this VR-ready card also contains 82 acceleration cores for ray tracing so you can get the best performance for your games. In addition to ray tracing, the GeForce RTX 3090 has 24 GB GDDR6X RAM from NVIDIA connected through a 384-bit memory interface.
Besides having a whooping VRAM of 24 GB, the GPU also has good clock speeds. It operates at a 1395 MHz base clock, which can be increased to 1695 MHz under extreme conditions. So don’t worry; you can also achieve 240 FPS for 4k gaming.
So, if you have some good cash to spend on a potent graphic card, look no further than this one.
4. XFX RX 6800 XT
low price gpu
Reasons to Consider
The XFX RX 6800 XT is the finest GPU for 4K gaming. The 16 GB VRAM of this GPU allows it to run at up to 8K resolution. Additionally, its overclocking capability allows it to run at 2340 MHz without lag. The most optimal in-game settings will give you the highest frame rate.
Specifications
- Ram: 16 GB GDDR6
- Video Output: x3 HDMI 2.1
- CUDA: 4608 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 2340 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1825 MHz
- Bandwidth: 512 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 256-bit
NVIDIA RTX 3080, for example, is outperformed by this GPU. Due to its lack of ray tracing and DLSS, however, the GPU is affordable.
Additionally, its boost clock of 2340 MHz makes the RX 6800 XT the most suitable GPU for most AAA titles. It is therefore possible to overclock a system to achieve maximum performance in extreme situations.
The other amazing feature of this GPU is its 16 GB VRAM, which is not found in any other GPU at the same price point. While its GDDR6 VRAM might raise an eyebrow, it still delivers unparalleled performance compared to other high-end graphics cards.
You should consider this GPU if you plan to play 4K gaming since it will boost your frame rates without sacrificing graphics. Due to its VRAM expansion capabilities, this GPU is worth purchasing.
With its massive clock speed and higher VRAM, this GPU wins even though its ray-tracing technology isn’t as enticing as NVIDIA Ampere.
Finally, if you’re looking to perform some high-end 3D rendering, this card is the way to go.
5. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
best choice
Reasons to Consider
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the best graphics card for the money. It offers the same performance as NVIDIA’S GPU but not for that many dollars. It features 24 GB DDR6 VRAM and 6144 cores that make for decent gameplay. Moreover, you can enjoy multi-display owing to its numerous output ports.
Specifications
- Ram: 24GB GDDR6
- Video Output: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C
- CUDA: 6144 cores
- Boost Clock Speed: 2499 MHz
- Base Clock Speed: 1855 MHz
- Bandwidth: 960 GB/Sec
- Memory Interface: 384-bit
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is one of the most powerful graphics cards from AMD for several reasons. It features more CUDA core processors and amazing clock speeds. However, a higher processor count and clock speed do not imply that it will take more power or size. It has the same classic AMD size and power demand of 350W max.
In addition, it also features more advanced ray tracing, amazing cooling technology, and modern AI accelerators, which is a recipe for an amazing gameplay experience. Currently, it is one of the best AMD GPUs, and though it might be expensive, you get great frame rates for most modern titles.
Even while this card performs significantly better than the other GPUs, such as the 6000 XT series, they are a bit less than the 4000 RTX series. The ray tracing technology of this GPU is better than the 6900 XT but not the RTX 4090.
In addition, it is also pretty quiet, despite the fact that this potent GPU does produce considerable heat. And the best thing is that this 1440p 144hz gpu is a real workhorse for next-level gaming since it comes with a significant technological upgrade over other AMD RX 6000 series cards.
Although this card is pricey a bit, this is the best choice for a real gamer who doesn’t want to compromise on gaming performance.
Related Article: Is SLI Worth It For Gaming & Rendering?
Things to know before buying a graphic card for 4K gaming
If you plan to play your games at 4k resolution, make sure you keep the following points in mind when purchasing the best GPU for 4K Gaming!
4K Monitor
Although this feature is known to many of you, if you want to get a 4K graphic setting, you certainly need a monitor to support it as well. If you buy a GPU but need a monitor that supports 4K imaging, it will be of no good. Check if your monitor supports a 4K display; if not, you should get a 4k compatible display first.
Price Factor
Suppose you have bought a graphic card before; you know that asks for handsome capital. If you are looking for a GPU that supports 4k gaming, you need to spend 500+ bucks in your pocket. Moreover, it is important to find the best price-to-performance ratio for the gaming card after knowing your budget. Since many GPUs offer equivalent performance to high-end cards but at lower prices. So know your cut and find the best GPU.
Technology
NVIDIA and AMD offer 4K gaming graphics cards with the most modern technology, such as DLSS and ray tracing. These are among the most cutting-edge methods for rendering videos. You can achieve much better frame rates with such graphics cards.
Video Memory and bandwidth
VRAM of the GPU is the indicator of its performance under extreme graphic processing. In short, the higher the number of GBs, the premium performance it will offer for 4k gaming. Moreover, you should also look for connectivity of the GPU since it ensures faster data transfer to the professor. For the best 4k gaming experience, you should look for the PCIe 4.0 slot since it copes with both past and current GPUs. Besides, you should also look for greater bandwidth since it determines how fast you can process graphics.
FAQs
Do I get a 4K capable graphics card?
You should only get a 4k graphic card if you know your monitor can handle it. However, before buying, you have to consider a few things, such as which titles you love and what FPS you wish to achieve.
Does Every GPU support 4K Resolution?
Yes, 4K resolution is possible with 600 and 700 series graphics cards of the NVIDIA GTX.
Conclusion
Graphic cards need a handsome amount of cash to invest. Whenever you buy a graphics card you need to keep a few things in mind, such as your budget, monitor compatibility, and price-to-performance ratio. Moreover, you should also not make a hasty decision and find the best one according to your budget. Lastly, we hope this review helps you in finding the best GPU for 4k gaming.
