When you’re getting down to construct a gaming PC, probably the most consequential resolution you’re going to make is selecting the most effective graphics card to your construct. There are plenty of choices on the market, however selecting an AMD graphics card makes plenty of sense, particularly when you don’t wish to fork over plenty of extra cash for gimmicky extras. All of AMD’s current-generation graphics playing cards assist ray tracing and have assist for FSR, or FidelityFX Super Resolution, an upscaling methodology supported by most main PC video games.
While there are extra highly effective graphics playing cards on the market, AMD graphics playing cards just like the Radeon RX 9070 XT present wonderful 4K efficiency, however with out a price ticket that often sneaks into the $2,000 vary. And when you’re out there for a mid-range graphics card for 1440p, Team Red notably shines, delivering wonderful efficiency for the cash you’re spending.
TL;DR: These Are the Best AMD Graphics Cards
Plus, it needs to be stated that AMD’s graphics structure powers each the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, which makes it simpler on builders to optimize for AMD’s {hardware} when console video games make their method over to PC. This under no circumstances ensures good optimization on PC video games while you’re operating an AMD graphics card, nevertheless it does assist. Of course, AMD isn’t the one GPU maker on the town, so when you’re extra eager about Team Green’s choices, head over to my information to the most effective Nvidia graphics playing cards.
Like with some other graphics card, selecting the most effective AMD GPU isn’t nearly getting the quickest card in the marketplace and calling it a day. Instead, you’ll want to resolve what decision you wish to play your PC video games at and, extra importantly, how a lot you’re keen to spend on a graphics card.
Graphics Card Basics
Graphics playing cards are, by their very nature, extremely complicated gadgets. While you don’t must know all the things about them to seek out an excellent GPU, there are some things it’s best to know forward of time. For AMD graphics playing cards, the very first thing it’s best to preserve a watch out for is whether or not or not it is a current-generation half.
Unfortuantely AMD simply fully modified its naming conference. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT simply launched as Team Red’s top-end graphics card, succeeding the RX 7900 XTX. Not solely did AMD skip the 8, nevertheless it swapped a number of the numbers round. The most necessary factor to know is that any AMD card with a ‘9’ as the primary digit is a current-generation card, with ‘7’ and ‘6’ being the previous generations.
Some AMD graphics card mannequin numbers will likely be adopted by an “XT” or an “XTX.” This simply signifies that the graphics card is a step up, however with out fairly being within the subsequent efficiency class.
This naming conference is comparatively new, beginning with the Radeon RX 5700 XT in 2019. Before that, the widespread naming conference for AMD graphics playing cards was three digits as a substitute of 4, just like the AMD Radeon RX 580 or RX 480. These graphics playing cards are previous information at this level, so it’s best to keep away from shopping for one, except you discover it for $100 or much less.
As a normal rule, you may observe a normal rule of “larger quantity = higher efficiency,” however there are specs you may drill down into to additional decide efficiency.
The best spec to grasp is the VRAM, brief for video reminiscence. Typically, having extra VRAM is best, particularly while you’re taking part in at the next decision. If you play at 1080p, 8GB goes to be greater than sufficient for almost all of PC video games. At 1440p, although, you’re going to wish to purpose for 12GB–16GB of VRAM, particularly for extra graphically intensive video games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Black Myth: Wukong. If you wish to play at 4K, although, it’s best to get as a lot VRAM as you may afford. At this decision, you actually can’t get an excessive amount of reminiscence, which is why the Radeon RX 9070 XT comes with 16GB.
You may also take a look at what number of compute models a graphics card has. Every graphics card may have a number of compute models, every of which may have dozens of streaming multiprocessors. These are generally known as shaders, or CUDA cores for Nvidia graphics playing cards. For the most recent AMD graphics playing cards, every compute unit may have 64 Streaming Multiprocessors. So, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which has 96 Compute Units, has a complete of 6,144 SMs.
The previous couple of generations of AMD graphics playing cards have additionally included devoted {hardware} for ray tracing in every Compute Unit. In the most recent playing cards, every CU has 1 RT Core, totalling 96 for the 7900 XTX. As a normal rule, the extra RT Cores a card has, the higher it’ll be at dealing with ray tracing.
Once you understand what graphics card you need, you’ll want to be sure that your PC can really deal with it. Measure your case to ensure it has area for it, particularly when you’re going for a high-end GPU. Also check out the ability provide – as graphics playing cards get extra highly effective, they want extra energy, so that you’ll wish to be sure that your PSU has sufficient wattage. Each graphics card may have a advisable energy provide listed, so simply be sure that yours is beefy sufficient.
If You Just Want the Best: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
6
The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a wonderful 4K graphics card that will not value you an arm and a leg
Streaming Multiprocessors
4096
Memory Bandwidth
644.6 GB/s
Power Connectors
2 x 8-pin
Excellent 4K gaming efficiency for the cash
Brings GPU costs right down to sanity (in idea)
The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT did one thing unimaginable: went again to the times when Team Red genuinely beat Nvidia graphics playing cards from a price perspective. And whereas proper now it is laborious to see that, given the shortages each current-generation graphics card is dealing with, that does not change the truth that this graphics card launched at $599, method cheaper than the $749 RTX 5070 Ti. What’s extra, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is quicker on common.
When I reviewed the Radeon RX 9070 XT, I discovered that it was on common 2% quicker than the RTX 5070 Ti throughout my complete take a look at suite. That’s not an enormous distinction, to make sure, however the truth that AMD’s graphics card beat the competitor’s extra costly possibility is a large win for Team Red. It finally ends up that it is a $599 4K graphics card that may even deal with ray tracing admirably – albeit not fairly in addition to Nvidia playing cards, although its getting nearer.
The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT additionally introduces FSR 4. Unlike FSR 3.1, which makes use of a conventional temproal upscaling resolution to enhance efficiency, FSR 4 makes use of AI to upscale video games to your native decision. There is a catch, although: I discovered that FSR 4 has round a ten% efficiency loss in comparison with FSR 3.1, however that is probably not the explanation to go for FSR 4 anyhow. Instead, FSR 4 provides a lot better picture high quality, which can make up for the small efficiency hit, particularly in single-player video games the place a super-high body price is not fairly as necessary.
It stays to be seen whether or not or not AMD will observe up on the success of the Radeon RX 9070 XT with a extra highly effective graphics card, nevertheless it does not actually need to. Right now, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT offers wonderful 4K efficiency for the cash, and that is all that actually issues.
Best For 4K: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
The finest 4K AMD graphics card
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7900 XTX
8
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is an especially highly effective graphics card, simply capable of energy most AAA video games at 4K max settings.
Streaming Multiprocessors
6144
Power Connectors
2 x 8-pin
Outputs
1 x HDMI 2.1a, 2 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x USB-C
Excellent efficiency at 4K
More VRAM than you may want for gaming
Can fall behind in ray tracing efficiency
Even if 1440p and 1080p are the preferred PC gaming resolutions, there’s at all times going to be the parents who wish to empty their pockets for the most effective gaming PC cash can purchase. If that’s what you’re going for, try the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. This is an costly graphics card, costing round $900, however you get unimaginable efficiency for that cash.
In his assessment, my colleague Bo discovered the Radeon RX 7900 XTX would both match or beat the dearer Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 in most assessments. While the 2 graphics playing cards had been priced extra competitively again then, lately the RX 7900 XTX is a transparent winner relating to its price-to-performance ratio.
As time has gone on, and I’ve retested the Radeon RX 7900 XTX repeatedly, the numbers proceed to impress me. When I threw the RX 7900 XTX in my take a look at bench for my RTX 4080 Super assessment, I discovered there have been plenty of video games the place AMD’s flagship continued to match or outpace Nvidia’s dearer card, notably in video games that didn’t depend on ray tracing. For occasion, in Forza Horizon 5, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Nvidia RTX 4080 Super are neck-and-neck with 158fps and 159fps, respectively. AMD’s card even takes the win in Total War: Warhammer 3 – by as much as 8%.
AMD has launched a successor of types, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT which does beat the 7900 XTX in plenty of video games at 4K. However, as a result of the 7900 XT has 24GB of RAM, there are going to be 4K video games that can at all times carry out higher on the 7900 XTX – these high-resolution textures are notably demanding on VRAM
If you’re keen to drop a thousand bucks on a single element, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX will get you probably the most to your cash, particularly when you’re taking part in plenty of video games that depend on conventional efficiency quite than ray tracing.
Best for 1440p: AMD Radeon RX 9070
Best AMD Graphics Card for 1440p
AMD Radeon RX 9070
5
While its priced uncomfortably near the RX 9070 XT, the Radeon RX 9070 is a wonderful 1440p graphics card for the cash.
Streaming Multiprocessors
3584
Memory Bandwidth
644.6 GB/s
Power Connectors
2 x 8-pin
Excellent 1440p gaming efficiency
Brings AI upscaling to an AMD graphics card
Priced a bit of too carefully to the RX 9070 XT
The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is a bit of outclassed by the 9070 XT. After all, you may theoretically spend simply $50 extra and get a extra highly effective GPU that may push into 4K gaming. But if you have already got your coronary heart set on a 1440p gaming monitor, that further $50 won’t be value it – in any case each GPUs nonetheless come strapped with 16GB of VRAM.
Because after I reviewed the AMD Radeon RX 9070, I used to be amazed by how properly it dealt with video games at 1440p, simply capable of hit triple-digit body charges in a lot of the video games I examined. And even within the video games the place it “solely” hit 70 fps at 1440p, you may simply flip off ray tracing and get a lot better efficiency. What’s extra, the 9070 makes a mockery of its direct competitors from Nvidia, the RTX 5070. Even although each playing cards ostensibly value the identical, the RX 9070 beats the 5070 by a median of 12% throughout my take a look at suite.
What’s extra, the AMD Radeon RX 9070, together with the 9070 XT, brings FSR 4 to AMD graphics playing cards for the primary time. This AI upscaling resolution does not essentially enhance body charges over FSR 3, nevertheless it is far more correct, resulting in a lot better picture high quality in video games that assist it. Luckily, FSR 4 is a wholly elective function, and you’ll flip it off within the AMD Adrenalin software program when you’d quite simply have the next body price and may stay with a softer picture.
Best for 1080p: AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT
Best AMD Graphics Card for 1080p
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC Windforce
6
With 16GB of VRAM, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT goes to energy top-end video games at 1080p for years to return.
Streaming Multiprocessors
2048
Power Connectors
1 x 8-pin
Outputs
1 x HDMI 2.1a, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1
Solid efficiency for the cash
Small sufficient to slot in any PC construct
Will wrestle in some super-demanding video games with ray tracing enabled
For higher or worse, 1080p stays the preferred decision for PC gaming. Both the displays and the graphics playing cards that energy them are extra reasonably priced at this decision, and it could nonetheless look fairly rattling good. You don’t want a high-end flagship at 1080p – as a substitute, a low-to-mid-range graphics card just like the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is ideal.
You can discover the Radeon RX 7600 XT for as little as $309 proper now, making it the right value for a high-end 1080p gaming PC. When I reviewed the Radeon RX 7600 XT, it didn’t impress me at larger resolutions, however there’s no denying its energy at 1080p.
In video games like Forza Horizon 5, this reasonably priced graphics card is ready to handle a median of 113fps with all of the settings cranked at 1080p. Likewise, it delivers 128fps at max settings in Far Cry 6. That’s sufficient energy for a high-refresh monitor in each of these video games.
Even when the Radeon RX 7600 XT doesn’t ship larger than 100fps in video games, it’s nonetheless aggressive. Total War: Warhammer 3 sees the 7600 XT managing 89fps at 1080p, which exhibits off the GPU’s energy in video games with out ray tracing.
In video games with ray tracing, it will get a bit extra sophisticated. While Forza Horizon 5 and Far Cry 6 each have ray tracing enabled every time I take a look at them, their ray tracing settings aren’t as intense as Cyberpunk 2077. In that sport, the RX 7600 XT nonetheless manages a median of 44fps at 1080p on the Ray Tracing Ultra preset. That’s playable, however when you actually wish to push your framerate in that sport, it’s best to flip down the ray tracing results a bit.
AMD additionally pairs the RX 7600 XT with 16GB of GDDR6, which is plenty of reminiscence for a 1080p graphics card. There are definitely video games round lately that may eat up that body buffer, however having 16GB on this card will make it final a bit longer. After all, PC video games are getting extra VRAM-hungry as time continues its inevitable march into the long run.
Best on a Budget: AMD Radeon RX 6600
Best AMD Graphics Card on a Budget
XFX Speedster SWFT Radeon RX 6600
5
The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is a last-gen graphics card, nevertheless it’s nonetheless capable of pump out the frames in 1080p video games, particularly when you play plenty of esports video games with associates.
Streaming Multiprocessors
1792
Power Connectors
1 x 8-pin
Outputs
1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a
It’s a last-gen graphics card
It is likely to be a bit older than different picks on this record, however the AMD Radeon RX 6600 continues to be an excellent possibility, particularly if you wish to discover a graphics card for lower than $200. Though, admittedly, it simply barely squeezes in beneath that restrict at round $199.
I reviewed the Radeon RX 6600 in 2021 for TechRadar, and I used to be stunned at how properly it was capable of sustain with dearer playing cards on the time at 1080p. And that was when the RX 6600 would run you $329. Fast ahead to 2024, and the 6600 continues to be being bought, however for a lot much less, and continues to be capable of sustain in PC video games – particularly if ray tracing isn’t a priority.
For occasion, in my assessment I discovered that it delivered 134fps in Final Fantasy XIV at 1080p. And in Horizon Zero Dawn, the RX 6600 delivered round 85fps at 1080p. It may need been a few years, however this graphics card can nonetheless simply deal with most PC video games at 1080p, particularly when you simply play plenty of lesser-demanding genres like MMOs, shooters, and MOBAs.
There are some extra demanding video games which have come out lately, like Black Myth: Wukong, that’ll trigger some issues for the Radeon RX 6600. But for most individuals who simply desire a serviceable graphics card to play multiplayer video games with associates, there aren’t many who the Radeon RX 6600 can’t max out lately, even three years later.
What is FSR?
FidelityFX Super Resolution, or FSR, is AMD’s resolution to upscaling tech on PC. This is a software program upscaler that takes info from current frames, in addition to movement vector info supplied by the sport engine, and upscales a decrease decision body to your native decision.
Before FSR 4, this was a software-based resolution, the brunt of the work is finished in the identical streaming multiprocessors that the remainder of the body is rendered on. This means there’s much less of a efficiency uplift than an AI-based mannequin that makes use of devoted {hardware} (like Nvidia’s DLSS), however FSR undoubtedly improves your framerate over rendering at the next decision natively.
This is just because operating the FSR algorithm as a post-process impact after rendering a sport at 1080p nonetheless takes a lot much less compute energy than rendering a sport natively at 4K. However, as a result of FSR is actually a post-process impact, it does go away some room for fuzziness in some frames. Luckily, AMD has labored round this, and applied options like contrast-adaptive sharpening, or CAS, to sharpen up photographs.
However, with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, AMD has up to date FidelityFX Super Resolution to FSR 4, which now makes use of AI accelerators within the GPU to upscale, as a substitute of a software-based temporal resolution. This does include a efficiency value, however its far more correct, and produces a a lot cleaner picture. You can swap between each variations of FSR when you select, choosing FSR 3 if you would like absolutely the most framerate, or FSR 4 when you simply desire a cleaner picture.
FSR has additionally applied a body era methodology to additional enhance efficiency. FSR body era takes the identical info from earlier frames, together with movement vector info and UI knowledge supplied by the developer so as to add further frames between every ‘actual’ body. This additionally drastically improves body price, however can introduce latency when you flip it on at a decrease body price. Instead, it’s best to solely activate FSR body era when you’re already getting 50–60fps.
What is Ray Tracing?
Ray tracing is a technique of realistically rendering mild in 3D scenes. Instead of getting a static mild supply that tasks mild solely the place the builders have particularly directed it, ray tracing permits mild sources to challenge mild naturally, tracing every ray of sunshine because it bounces across the scene. Naturally, this provides much more work for the GPU, particularly when it needs to be achieved in actual time.
For a number of years, this was addressed by ray tracing being restricted in video games. Early ray tracing video games like Battlefield 1 restricted ray tracing to simply reflections or shadows. This drastically improved these components, however each different side of the sport’s lighting was utilizing the identical oblique lighting strategies video games have been utilizing for many years.
More lately, as RT cores in graphics playing cards have superior, video games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong have began implementing full ray tracing, or path tracing, to their lighting engines. This fully replaces all mild sources with ray traced lighting, remodeling the sport’s presentation. This is simply attainable due to the RT Cores in AMD and Nvidia graphics playing cards, and nonetheless calls for an upscaling methodology like FSR for playable efficiency.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC parts queen. You can observe her @Jackiecobra
