The best graphics cards 2019: all the top GPUs for gaming

Now that Nvidia Turing heavy hitters like the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2060 are here, the best graphics cards are more powerful (and expensive) than ever before. So, do you splurge on an expensive flagship graphics card? Or, do you pick up a more budget friendly GPU like the Radeon RX 590 – perfect for 1080p gaming? No matter what you do, you’ll be able to use the best graphics cards to play the best PC games from Hitman 2 to Resident Evil 2.

Remember that the best graphics cards can vary wildly depending on what kind of PC you’re planning to build, so finding the best one can be hard. Luckily, we went ahead and gathered together all the best graphics cards on the market, at every price point and use case. So, before you go out to pick up one of the best graphics cards, we’ll help you find the perfect one for your rig.

Best graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060

Value comes to Turing

One of the biggest complaints we had about Nvidia Turing when it first launched was the astronomical prices. But, with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, Nvidia brings value to the Turing lineup – or, at least, more value than was there already. With the RTX 2060, you’ll be able to run pretty much everything at 1080p with max settings, comfortably experience 1440p and you’ll even be able to break into 4K. And, then there’s the RTX features – even at this level, ray tracing is possible at 1080p.

Best 4K graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

Power overwhelming

If you’re on the market for one of the best graphics cards, and you’ve got some cash to burn, you might want to consider the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. Without a doubt, it’s the most powerful graphics cards on the market, as long as the price doesn’t scare you away. And, the first actual game with Ray Tracing is finally available, Battlefield V. While you can turn RTX On, just keep in mind that it’ll hamper performance a bit.

Best QHD graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070

Turing, meet 1440p

If you want to stick to QHD, with some brief forays into 4K, you might want to check out the RTX 2070. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 brings the new Turing architecture to the mid range with performance that dwarfs the GTX 1070 that came before. Not only will you be able to play everything at 1440p, but you’re going to get insane performance – up to 120fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, you should consider that the RTX 2070 is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, so that trade off in price-to-performance may not be worth it – especially if you’re coming from a Pascal card.

Best Full HD graphics card: AMD Radeon RX Vega 56

Punchy graphics performance above its weight

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the best graphics card for Full HD gaming you can buy today – your benchmarks put it above the GTX 1070. And, now that it’s fallen in price to what we would call an ‘acceptable’ level, there’s never been a better time to pick one up. While it’s arguably a bit overkill for Full HD gaming, the RX Vega 56 will come in handy for 144 to 240hz monitors and future-proofing against increasingly demanding games. You can also expect a fantastic 1440p experience with this card.

Best graphics card for creatives: AMD Radeon VII

The first 7nm graphics card is a powerhouse

AMD hasn’t put out a high end consumer graphics card since 2017’s Radeon Vega 64, and a lot has happened in the GPU world since – namely Nvidia Turing. And, with the Radeon VII, AMD wanted to reclaim a piece of the high-end graphics card market, and it certainly did, but maybe not in the way AMD intended. The AMD Radeon VII holds its own in gaming, but where it really shines is content creation. Packed with 16GB of HBM2 memory, the AMD Radeon VII is going to excel in creative applications, and will easily compete with much more expensive cards.

Best VR graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080

The king of VR gaming

If you’re trying to play the best VR games, you’re going to need the best graphics card for the job. And, these days, that’s going to be the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. Packed with the latest Turing architecture and the VirtualLink VR connector, you won’t have to worry about choppy VR performance making you sick. And, outside of VR, you should be able to play all your favorite PC games at 1440p and 4K without breaking a sweat.

Best mini graphics card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini

If you’re setting out to build a microATX or a mini-ITX gaming PC, you shouldn’t have to settle for a low-end GPU. You can find mini graphics cards like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini. And, sure it’s not the latest and greatest GPU out there anymore, but the 1080 Ti has a lot of life left in it. Plus, when you can get that power in a card that’s just 211 x 125 x 41mm, the loss in performance is totally worth the beautiful mini PC you’ll get.

Best budget graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050

The little GPU that could

The Nvidia GTX 1050 might not look like much on paper, what with only 2GB of video memory onboard, but this affordable GPU plays games better than you would think. If you’re willing to drop settings to medium, you can play Overwatch, CS:GO and other popular competitive shooters well above the silky smooth 60fps mark. Thanks to its compact size, it’s also perfect for small builds and entertainment center-bound streaming PCs.

Best eSports graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

Competitive for both eSports and in price

Any eSports player will tell you that high frame rates are far more important than beautifully rendered graphical details – and that’s where the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti shines. In a time where graphics cards cost as much as rent, it’s an affordable, but potent GPU that can play most eSports games well above 60fps. It’s a bit pricier than the lower-end Nvidia GTX 1050, but you’ll appreciate the extra power behind this card to play future eSports titles, as well as the odd AAA title.

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