Building a gaming PC hinges on one crucial decision: your graphics card. While many options exist, AMD offers compelling choices, especially for budget-conscious builders. All current-generation AMD cards support ray tracing and FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), an upscaling technology widely adopted in PC games. While more powerful cards exist, AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers exceptional 4K performance without the exorbitant price tags often exceeding $2,000. For 1440p gaming, AMD shines, providing excellent performance per dollar.
Got questions about guilds, gaming strategies, or just want to connect with other gamers? Join our Discord!
Top AMD Graphics Cards
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Best 4K AMD Graphics Card
See it at Amazon!
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
Best Overall AMD Graphics Card
See it at Newegg!
AMD Radeon RX 9070
Best AMD Graphics Card for 1440p
See it at Newegg!
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC Windforce
Best AMD Graphics Card for 1080p
See it at Amazon!
XFX Speedster SWFT Radeon RX 6600
Best Budget AMD Graphics Card
See it at Amazon!
AMD's architecture powers the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, potentially aiding PC game optimization. However, this doesn't guarantee perfect performance. Choosing the best AMD GPU depends on your target resolution and budget.
Understanding Graphics Cards
Graphics cards are complex. Focus on current-generation cards (those starting with '9' in AMD's new naming scheme). 'XT' and 'XTX' denote performance tiers within a generation. Older cards (three-digit model numbers like RX 580) should be avoided unless extremely cheap. Generally, higher numbers indicate better performance.
VRAM (video memory) is crucial. 8GB suffices for 1080p, while 12-16GB is recommended for 1440p, and maximum VRAM is ideal for 4K. Compute units, containing streaming multiprocessors (SMs), determine processing power. More compute units and RT Cores (for ray tracing) generally mean better performance.
Ensure your PC case and power supply (PSU) are compatible with your chosen card. Check the recommended PSU wattage for each card.
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: The Top Performer
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
Exceptional 4K performance at a competitive price. Features FSR 4 for improved image quality. See it at Newegg!
Product Specifications:
Streaming Multiprocessors: 4096
Base Clock: 1660 MHz
Game Clock: 2400 MHz
Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth: 644.6 GB/s
Memory Bus: 256-bit
Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX: 4K Powerhouse
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7900 XTX
High-end 4K performance, especially in non-ray tracing games. See it at Amazon!
Product Specifications:
Streaming Multiprocessors: 6144
Base Clock: 1929MHz
Game Clock: 2365MHz
Video Memory: 24GB
Memory Bandwidth: 960 GB/s
Memory Bus: 384-bit
Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin
Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1a, 2 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x USB-C
AMD Radeon RX 9070: 1440p Excellence
AMD Radeon RX 9070
Excellent 1440p performance with FSR 4. See it at Newegg!
Product Specifications:
Streaming Multiprocessors: 3584
Base Clock: 1330 MHz
Game Clock: 2520 MHz
Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth: 644.6 GB/s
Memory Bus: 256-bit
Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin
AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT: 1080p Champion
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC Windforce
Solid 1080p performance at a budget-friendly price. See it at Amazon!
Product Specifications:
Streaming Multiprocessors: 2048
Base Clock: 1980 MHz
Game Clock: 2470 MHz
Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth: 288 GB/s
Memory Bus: 128-bit
Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin
Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1a, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1
AMD Radeon RX 6600: Budget-Friendly Option
XFX Speedster SWFT Radeon RX 6600
A last-gen card, still suitable for 1080p gaming, especially esports titles. See it at Amazon!
Product Specifications:
Streaming Multiprocessors: 1792
Base Clock: 1626 MHz
Game Clock: 2044 MHz
Video Memory: 8GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth: 224 GB/s
Memory Bus: 128-bit
Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin
Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a
FSR and Ray Tracing Explained
FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) upscales lower-resolution images to your native resolution, improving performance. FSR 4 uses AI for higher image quality. Ray tracing simulates realistic lighting, enhancing visuals but demanding more GPU power. Modern games utilize full ray tracing, requiring upscaling for playable frame rates.
