THE BEST GRAPHICS CARDS FOR 4K GAMING

Updated 12 Jul 2022

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Finding the correct product can be difficult and time-consuming. You might not have time to do it yourself, so let us help you. RevuuBuddy reviews thousands of items in hundreds of categories, including home appliances, toys, camping supplies, and everything in between.

We compare the most popular brands and models, and we boil them down to the top five to give you the most in-depth and dependable buying recommendation - so you can make the best buying decision possible.

BEST OF THE BEST

How We Tested

These products are recommended based on a thorough research process that aims to cut through the clutter and uncover the best products in this category. We spend hours looking into the elements that matter with the assistance of experts to provide you with these options.

Models Considered

180

Consumers Consulted

Hours Researched

Updated 12 Jul 2022

Written by

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MSI GeForce RTX 3070

Bottom Line
It keeps the computer cool
A superb graphics card that is designed to endure high temperatures.

Pros
This graphic card has a clock speed of 1755 MHz and 8GB of memory. It has multiple cooling features that keep it from overheating when running games at high resolutions. It also can run ray tracing without dropping below 60 frames per second.

Cons
The design might be too long for some people.

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ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660

Bottom Line
Budget-Friendly
This strong, affordable card is perfect for a tiny PC.

Pros
This model has three separate display connectors to fit into almost any system. It's made to be small while still keeping the components cool. 6GB of RAM is included. Even when playing VR or gaming at 4K60fps, the twin fans keep the system cool enough with sufficient cooling power.

Cons
It has less onboard memory than some of its competitors.

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PowerColor Red Dragon AMD Radeon™ RX 6800

Bottom Line
Performance in Quiet Mode
A good graphics card is important for faster gaming.

Pros
This card has 16GB of ram and a dual bios system that makes it, so the card is silent when you're not playing graphic-intensive games. The fan blades are designed to dissipate heat 60% better than other cards. Plus, it has a metal backplate to prevent bending over time.

Cons
You might need to change some things to make it fit.

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PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT

Bottom Line
Portable Power Pack
This is the perfect card for anyone who wants a card that can handle any situation.

Pros
It's a powerful graphics card can handle numerous things simultaneously, making it an excellent choice for streamers who like to play graphics-heavy titles. The triple-fan design keeps it quite cool. Even better performance is possible thanks to the Radeon app, which allows the GPU to run even more efficiently and adds customization options.

Cons
Some of the cables may be a little too short.

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ZOTAC GeForce RTX™ 3090 Trinity

Bottom Line
The best of the best
This model stands out thanks to a good cooling system and power.

Pros
With the Nvidia architecture, this video card can generate a lot of power and effortlessly outperform the newest generation of ray tracing technology. It can easily handle ultra settings on most, if not all, games with 24GB of RAM and a typical clock speed of 1710 MHz.

Cons
It may occasionally become too hot, lowering the performance.

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HOW WE TESTED

We suggest these items based on a rigorous study that seeks to cut through the confusion and discover the finest goods in this area. We spend hours investigating the elements that matter with assistance from specialists to provide you with these options.

Buying guide for

THE BEST GRAPHICS CARDS FOR 4K GAMING

Are you ready for 4K gaming? Today's top video games are resource-hungry applications that need a higher refresh rate and more memory. Graphic cards for 4K gaming are what they're talking about. They allow your PC to process high-quality in-game visuals, which is why they're an important component of any gaming PC.

A good graphics card for 4K gaming might significantly improve in-game performance and graphical quality on your current PC. However, obtaining a performance boost is not as simple as purchasing the most costly graphic card and fitting it into a free slot. There are a few more things to think about before you buy.

That's where Revuubuddy comes in. Our buying guide has a lot of information and suggestions for selecting the ideal graphics card for 4K gaming on your system, so you'll be up to speed in no time.

4 gigabytes is the bare minimum amount of RAM for a 4K gaming graphics card to run those intensive visuals as smoothly as possible. To execute those high-intensity visuals as effectively as feasible, 8GB of RAM is required; nevertheless, 4GB is simply enough.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

As much as you'd want to buy a graphic card for 4K gaming and install it in an existing computer system, this isn't feasible. Take a global perspective when shopping for a graphics card to ensure that the hardware it's paired with doesn't become a performance constraint.

Compatibility

Whether you have a gaming laptop and want to upgrade it or use a PC with an underpowered graphic card to play high-end games, the computer's specifications will determine what graphics card you require. Read the technical specifications of the 4K graphic card to see whether it is compatible with any systems, CPUs, or other components you have.

Other components: Upgrading one component without upgrading another would be like putting a new coat of paint on an old house. Suppose you want improved graphical rendering and game performance. In that case, you'll probably need to improve the performance of other crucial components in the system, such as the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and even the power supply. Again, double-check that whatever graphics card you're considering is compatible with the other hardware in your system.

Monitor: A 1080p screen with a 30 to 60Hz refresh rate will be unable to keep up with a high-end 4K GPU. On the other hand, a budget graphic card may struggle to provide pixels at a 4K monitor's triple-digit refresh rate.

VR: Make sure the graphic card you're looking at supports virtual reality if you intend on incorporating it into your setup.

Memory: A video card should have at least 8 GB of memory to run at its best during high-resolution gaming.

We brought up the power supply in the previous section, but it's worth repeating: 4K graphics cards require a lot of electricity to execute computations. You could need to upgrade your wattage. In most situations, the power supply must have compatible connectors, such as two 8-pin PCIe (peripheral component interconnect express).

Size

Some graphics cards are larger than you might think, and gaming cards are no exception. They usually take up two or three slots in a PC case. Its heatsink and fan shroud may also take up additional room. Always check available slots' length, height, and width before purchasing a card to ensure compatibility.

To put it another way, the pixel count for a 4K computer display is 2160p or 3840 x 2160 pixels. It's a significant upgrade from HD resolution, which stands at 1080p.

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FEATURES

Almost all graphic cards on the market are powered by either Nvidia or AMD graphics processing units (GPU). Both excel in the demanding gaming environment. Regarding speed, Nvidia's GPU outperforms AMD's, but remember that it isn't everything.

Connections

Ports: A graphic card has multiple connections for connecting the monitor or additional display components. Make sure a port matches the connection type you're using.

Power: The graphical performance of a graphics card is directly related to how much power it draws. The number and kind of power connections connected to the card will reflect this.

Cooling: 4K gaming graphics cards produce a lot of heat, and overheating can harm components. That implies the cooling elements are included in the card's form factor. Depending on the brand and model, there are four different cooling methods: passive, active, water, and hybrid.

Passive cooling: A heatsink included in the graphic card installation spreads and dissipates heat away from the card. A heatsink has no moving components; instead, it comprises stationary metal blades. On the plus side, because it works quietly, it reduces the background noise during gaming sessions.

Active cooling is a high-tech phrase for "fan," but it works significantly better at chilling a graphic card because it circulates air within the computer case. For 4K graphic cards, dual fans are standard. The disadvantage is that they make a lot of noise.

Liquid cooling: For 4K gaming, high-end graphic cards may include a liquid-cooled configuration: water is circulated within a closed system and passes over the card, absorbing heat before being released outside the system. It's comparable to a vehicle's radiator on a smaller scale. Liquid cooling systems are more efficient and quieter than active cooling methods.

Hybrid cooling: Hybrid water/air/heatsink arrangements are growing more popular as heat is such an issue with high-performance 4K graphic cards.

Ray tracing

Nvidia's GeForce RTX series of the highest-end cards on the market today includes a feature called ray tracing, which is a very precise graphics rendering method. This technology has been out for several years, but it has evolved enough to be considered a game-changer in 4K GPU performance. Expect to pay handsomely for this functionality.

DID YOU KNOW?

One of the most significant ongoing difficulties with 4K graphic cards is cooling, which includes components such as heatsinks and fans. The overall form factor of a GPU is made up of its cooling components.

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ACCESSORIES

Power supply: FSP Pro 650W VR/4K Ready Power Supply

A graphics card in 4K requires more wattage than typical power supply components can provide. This is a standard ATX and mini- or micro-ATX computer case compatible model.

4K monitor: ASUS VP28UQG 4K/UHD Monitor

This 28-inch monitor is ideal for gaming thanks to adaptive sync and EyeCare technology that eliminates flickering.

Power connector adapter: BENFEI 6-Pin PCIe to 8-Pin PCIe Adapter Power Cable

If you don't replace the power supply, a 4K graphic card may require an adapter cable to connect to the supply's existing connector port.

GRAPHIC CARDS FOR 4K GAMING COSTS

Inexpensive: Budget-conscious gamers may get 4K graphics cards that work with older gaming systems in the $449 to $749 price range.

Mid-range: Consider cards from $799 to $1,100 for improved heat management and extra onboard memory.

Expensive: The most powerful video cards on the market, which are also the most expensive, cost between $1,200 and $1,600 at the top end of the market.

The Nvidia GPU technology powers the most popular — and hardest to find — 4K gaming graphics card right now, while AMD's GPUs are considered by many to be the gold standard for consistent performance.

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TIPS

Begin by learning about your gaming system's basic components. Before you choose a graphic card for 4K, do this first. You'll need to understand their capabilities and match a card to them to achieve the best results. Know that bigger isn't always better. A slower GPU and a card with comparable specifications will outperform a racehorse GPU in top-of-the-line computers.
Consider the name of the manufacturer. Because a graphic card is such a significant investment for most gamers, search for well-known names and discuss them with other gamers before making your selection.
The refresh rate should be checked. When gaming, frame rates (fps) are crucial for smooth visuals. For 4K, a refresh rate of 60 frames per second is standard, but some lower-end cards only have 30 frames-per-second refreshes.
Don't forget to bring adapters. Do you have a 6-pin power connector on the end of your power cable, while your new video card has an 8-pin connection? Adapter cables can help with this issue.
If you have trouble loading, check the temperature and wattage settings. If your graphic card is fine at the start of a gaming session, but you notice lag and picture quality problems shortly after, it's possible that high temperature or excessive power consumption is to blame.

*Graphics cards with AI-type functions, such as deep learning, are increasingly being adopted to improve and speed up rendering.*

FAQ

Q. Is it best to buy two 4K graphic cards, or would four 4K graphic cards be even better for game performance?

A. On the surface, combining two graphic cards appears to be a good idea. The use of a dual graphic card combination is becoming increasingly frowned upon by game developers. Game designers are moving away from supporting multi-card SLI and CrossFire configurations. Instead, get a single high-quality 4K graphics card and spend the rest on an improved CPU.

Q. Is a higher-resolution 4K graphic card likely to improve the picture quality on my existing-generation HD display?

A.While you may see a difference, don't expect stunning visuals. Remember that the monitor's refresh rate and HD resolution are its limitations at 1080p. If you don't plan to upgrade the display, splurge on a top-of-the-line, pricey graphics card. A budget-friendly 4K graphic card will provide better game performance, despite the bottleneck of a 1080p monitor.

Q. I don't have the cash to update my entire computer system just for a cutting-edge 4K visual card. What are my choices?

A. Make a note of your computer's specs, including the CPU, power supply, case size, current graphic card, and the maker and model of your existing monitor. Look for a video card that meets these criteria and will fit inside the computer casing. Keep in mind that because your system becomes obsolete over time, even low-end 4K monitors will eventually be worth the investment.