Cases for the virus that has taken the world by storm have affected us in so many ways we could not have ever expected. The pandemic’s touch has negatively influenced many industries, but few have been hit harder than the tech industry. Technology is such a massive part of our world, and the irony of our reliance on it heavily showed this past year. The demand for computer technology has explicitly skyrocketed now that more and more people are staying home. If you’re building a gaming PC, it won’t be easy to find all the pieces to that very complex puzzle you’ve sought to solve. One of those coveted pieces is the graphics card, and COVID-19 has not been easy on that industry. So while we wait for its grip to let up and return things to normal, we want to help you by sharing our pick for the top 8 graphics cards for PC gamers in 2024.
1. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Source: sk.rs
- Stream Processors: 4,864
- Core Clock: 1.41 GHz (1.67 GHz boost)
- Memory: 8 GB GDDR6
- Memory Clock: 14Gbps
- Outputs: HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
- Power Connectors: 1x PCIe 8-pin (adapter to 1x 12-pin included)
Pros
+ Stellar 1080p performance
+ Ray tracing performance is satisfactory
Cons
– Entry-level 4K performance
It’s not often you get this quality of power at this low a price. This graphics card has satisfactory ray tracing, which is impressive for its price range. The 1080p performance is stellar, as well. Although this is the latest addition to the RTX 3000 product line, the affordability and performance make this an accessible option for most PC owners.
2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
Source: theverge.com
- Stream Processors: 8,704
- Core Clock: 1.44 GHz (1,71 GHz boost)
- Memory: 10 GB GDDR6X
- Memory Clock: 19Gbps
- Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin
- Outputs: HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
Pros
+ Stellar 4K gaming performance
+ Low temperatures
Cons
– Relatively pricey
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 touts among the most extreme generational jumps in the history of GPU. With it comes accessible 4K gaming at lower temperatures than some of its competitors. Although many consider its raw power an excellent value for PC gaming in this climate, it’s a bit pricey.
3. AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
Source: ign.com
- Stream processors: 3,584
- Core clock: 1,506
- Memory: 11GB GDDR5X
- Memory clock: 10Gbps
- Power connectors: 2 x 8-pin
- Outputs: 1.4 with DSC DisplayPort, HDMI with 4K60 Support
Pros
+ Ahead of its time performance
+ Surprisingly affordable
Cons
– No ray tracing
– 6GB of VRAM
The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT is one of the best graphics out there for 1080p gaming. With a surprisingly affordable price comes high frame rates and software features that compete with the equally mighty Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060. While it doesn’t have ray tracing and other more advanced features owned by competitors, it does offer tons of raw power for what you pay.
4. AMD Radeon RX 6800
Source: tekcek.info
- Stream Processors: 2,560
- Core Clock: 2.32 GHz (2.58 GHz boost)
- Memory: 12GB GDDR6
- Memory Clock: 16 Gbps
- Power Connectors: 8 pin + 6 pin
- Outputs: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC
Pros
+ Stellar output
+ AMD with ray tracing
Cons
– Design is a bit quirky
Finally, there is an AMD graphics card with ray tracing. While AMD’s products tend to avoid the more highly valued tech advances in the PC gaming market, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 manages to deliver solid 4K gaming performance without the premium price. It also offers 1440p ray tracing, and with its VRAM, it beats the value of its direct competitor, the RTX 3070, which is no small feat.
5. MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio
Source: pcworld.com
- Stream Processors: 3,840
- Core Clock: 1.82 GHz (2.10 GHz boost)
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- Memory Clock: 16Gbps
- Power Connectors: 2 x 8 pin
- Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, HDMI 2.1 VRR and FRL
Pros
+ Super powerful, like really powerful
+ Beautiful RGB
Cons
– Ridiculously expensive
A machine as powerful as the MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio needs to come with equally as much cooling power. If not, your tower will melt with the amount of power this thing can pump out. Arriving at about the same price as an entire PC build, this behemoth of a graphics card handles 4K gaming like a Sumo wrestler carries grocery bags.
7. Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G
Source: techsmagic.com
- Stream processors: 2,176
- Core clock: 1,650
- Memory: 24GB GDDR6X
- Memory clock: 19.5Gbps
- Power connectors: 3 x 8-pin
- Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4a x3, HDMI 2.1
Pros
+ Affordable
+ Solid performance for entry-level
Cons
– Lackluster GDDR5 memory
Sometimes, PC gamers and builders overlook some more affordable options due to being blinded by the graphics card market’s more extensive and shinier beasts. However, the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G shows us that you can get a healthy factory overclock and outstanding 1080p performance from some of the more budget-friendly choices out there.
8. PNY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC
Source: trustedreviews.com
- Stream Processors: 1,408
- Core Clock: 1,530MHz
- Memory: 6GB GDDR5
- Memory Speed: 8Gbps
- Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin
- Outputs: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0
Pros
+ Budget-friendly
+ Stellar 1080p performance
Cons
– Bandwidth of memory is limited
Like the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1600, the PNY GeForce GTX 1600 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC brings PC gamers next-generation performance as one of the best graphics cards for any gamer who is playing on a 1080p display. Not only is it great at running most esports games at 60fps, but it comes at a very accessible price for those looking to upgrade or build their machine.
Which graphics card do you own?
It’s a difficult time procuring the right graphics card for your machine in this climate. However, more stock is being revamped as the months progress. If you have one of these powerful graphics cards, let us know in the comments how it has been treating you in your gaming sessions.
Also, don’t forget to visit Eldorado.gg. Many games you might be playing on your machine are being serviced on that site. We know you spent a lot of money building or upgrading your PC, so it’s about time you earn some of that money back. With Eldorado.gg, you can trade in-game currency and earn real life. Of course, it takes a little patience, but you could be building a profitable portfolio from the games you play every day.
