Nvidia unveils GeForce RTX 40 series graphics cards with 4X performance
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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the wraps off the company’s latest graphics cards today — the consumer-focused GeForce RTX 40 Series of graphics processing units (GPUs).
The series for gamers and creators features the flagship chip, the RTX 4090 GPU, with up to four times the performance of its predecessor.
These chips and graphics cards are the first GPUs based on the new Nvidia Ada Lovelace architecture. Huang promised massive generational leaps in performance and efficiency, saying it represents a new era of real-time ray tracing and neural rendering, which uses AI to generate pixels.
“The age of RTX ray tracing and neural rendering is in full steam, and our new Ada Lovelace architecture takes it to the next level,” said Huang during the GeForce Beyond: Special Broadcast at the company’s fall GTC event. “Ada provides a quantum leap for gamers and paves the way for creators of fully simulated worlds. With up to 4x the performance of the previous generation, Ada is setting a new standard for the industry.”
Skyrim modded with RTX Remix.
Huang showed off a video dubbed Racer X that showed toy cars racing around a room with amazing shadows and lighting. Huang said Ada Lovelace is a massive leap over the previous generation.
“Ada, right off the bat, provides about 2X performance improvement on today’s games,” said Matt Wuebbling, global head of Nvidia GeForce marketing, in a press briefing. “That’s pretty unheard of in an architecture launch. This is our biggest leap ever. And then there is DLSS3, which is the AI component of it.”
He said the Racer X video that showed off the simulation capabilities of the GPU with about a 4X improvement.
“Racer X is a simulation,” Huang said. “Racer X is running on one single GPU.”
DLSS 3 generates entire frames for faster game play
Racer X runs on a single GPU.
Huang also announced Nvidia DLSS 3 — the next revolution in the company’s Deep Learning Super Sampling neural-graphics technology for games and creative apps.
The AI-powered technology can generate entire frames for massively faster game play. It can overcome CPU performance limitations in games by allowing the GPU to generate entire frames independently. The AI can predict what kinds of pixels to fill in faster in a moving scene.
The technology is coming to the world’s most popular game engines, such as Unity and Unreal Engine, and has received support from many of the world’s leading game developers, with more than 35 games and apps coming soon, Nvidia said.
- Additionally, the RTX 40 Series GPUs feature a range of new technological innovations, including: Streaming multiprocessors with up to 83 teraflops of shader power — 2x over the previous generation.
- Third-generation RT Cores with up to 191 effective ray-tracing teraflops — 2.8x over the previous generation.
- Fourth-generation Tensor Cores with up to 1.32 Tensor petaflops — 5x over the previous generation using FP8 acceleration.
- Shader Execution Reordering (SER) that improves execution efficiency by rescheduling shading workloads on the fly to better utilize the GPU’s resources. As significant an innovation as out-of-order execution was for CPUs, SER improves ray-tracing performance up to three times and in-game frame rates by up to 25%.
- Ada Optical Flow Accelerator with 2x faster performance allows DLSS 3 to predict movement in a scene, enabling the neural network to boost frame rates while maintaining image quality.
- Architectural improvements tightly coupled with custom TSMC 4N process technology results in an up to 2x leap in power efficiency.
- Dual Nvidia Encoders (NVENC) cut export times by up to half and feature AV1 support. The NVENC AV1 encode is being adopted by OBS, Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve, Discord and more.
New ray-tracing for immersive games
The RTX 4000 series is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture.
For decades, rendering ray-traced scenes with physically correct lighting in real time has been considered the holy grail of graphics. At the same time, geometric complexity of environments and objects has continued to increase as 3D games and graphics strive to provide the most accurate representations of the real world, Nvidia said.
Achieving physically accurate graphics requires tremendous computational horsepower. Modern ray-traced games like Cyberpunk 2077 run over 600 ray-tracing calculations for each pixel just to determine lighting — a 16x increase from the first ray-traced games introduced four years ago.
The new third-generation RT Cores have been enhanced to deliver 2x faster ray-triangle intersection testing and include two important new hardware units. An Opacity Micromap Engine speeds up ray tracing of alpha-test geometry by a factor of 2x, and a Micro-Mesh Engine generates micro-meshes on the fly to generate additional geometry. The Micro-Mesh Engine provides the benefits of increased geometric complexity without the traditional performance and storage costs of complex geometries.
“Nvidia engineers pushed technology on every front,” Huang said.
RTX Remix and AV1 Encoders
Nvidia is making its Hopper GPUs.
The RTX 40 Series GPUs and DLSS 3 deliver advancements for Nvidia Studio creators. 3D artists can render fully ray-traced environments with accurate physics and realistic materials, and they can view the changes in real time, without proxies.
Video editing and live streaming also get a boost from improved GPU performance and the inclusion of new dual, eighth-generation AV1 encoders. The Nvidia Broadcast software development kit has three updates, now available for partners, including Face Expression Estimation, Eye Contact and quality improvements to Virtual Background.
Nvidia Omniverse — included in the Nvidia Studio suite of software — will soon add Nvidia RTX Remix, a modding platform to create stunning RTX remasters of classic games. RTX Remix allows modders to easily capture game assets, automatically enhance materials with powerful AI tools, and quickly enable RTX with ray tracing and DLSS.
RTX Remix has been used by Nvidia Lightspeed Studios to reimagine Valve’s video game Portal, regarded as one of the best video games of all time. Advanced graphics features such as full ray tracing and DLSS 3 give the game a striking new look and feel. Portal with RTX will be released as free, official downloadable content for the classic platformer with RTX graphics in November, just in time for Portal’s 15th anniversary.
“We created an Omniverse application called RTX Remix,” Huang said.
The GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080 GPUs
Nvidia has refashioned Portal with RTX in a new mod.
The RTX 4090 is the world’s fastest gaming GPU with astonishing power, acoustics and temperature characteristics. In full ray-traced games, the RTX 4090 with DLSS 3 is up to 4x faster compared to last generation’s RTX 3090 Ti with DLSS 2.
It is also up to two times faster in today’s games while maintaining the same 450W power consumption. It features 76 billion transistors, 16,384 CUDA cores and 24GB of high-speed Micron GDDR6X memory, and consistently delivers over 100 frames per second at 4K-resolution gaming.
The RTX 4090 will be available on October 12, starting at $1,600.
The company also announced the RTX 4080, launching in two configurations. The RTX 4080 16GB has 9,728 CUDA cores and 16GB of high-speed Micron GDDR6X memory, and with DLSS 3 is 2x as fast in today’s games as the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and more powerful than the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti at lower power.
The RTX 4080 12GB has 7,680 CUDA cores and 12GB of Micron GDDR6X memory, and with DLSS 3 is faster than the RTX 3090 Ti, the previous-generation flagship GPU. Both RTX 4080 configurations will be available in November, with prices starting at $1,200 and $900, respectively.
Where to buy
Microsoft Flight Simulator doubles its frame rate using DLSS3 on a new Nvidia GPU.
The GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080 GPUs will be available as custom boards, including stock-clocked and factory-overclocked models, from top add-in card providers such as Asus, Colorful, Gainward, Galaxy, GIGABYTE, Innovision 3D, MSI, Palit, PNY and Zotac.
The RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 (16GB) are also produced directly by Nvidia in limited Founders Editions for fans wanting the Nvidia in-house design.
The GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs will be in gaming systems built by Acer, Alienware, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI, leading system builders worldwide, and many more. And remember what Huang always says. The more you buy, the more you save.
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GPU Buying Guide: How To Choose the Right Graphics Card
An underpowered GPU will impact performance and lead to a lackluster visual experience for gaming, photo and video editing, and other visual tasks. If you don’t know where to start, our graphics card buying guide will help you make the right decisions when it comes to choosing your next graphics card and taking control of the graphics performance on your PC.
Along with a computer’s central processing unit (CPU), the graphics processing unit (GPU) has the most significant effect on your computer’s performance. This is because the GPU processes data from the CPU and renders it visually on your display. However, it can be confusing to know all the details that come with knowing when to upgrade your GPU, and selecting the right graphics card for your needs.
Why you should upgrade your graphics card
More than any other component in a PC, the GPU is responsible for the quality of the graphics, or visual elements, that appear on your display.
In the early days, CPUs were responsible both for processing and rendering graphics, but these days, virtually every PC on the market includes a graphics card of some kind.
Age
As graphics cards age, they become less capable of keeping up with the latest games, streaming, and software. While they don’t actually degrade, a 5-year-old graphics card may not be able to handle the latest video editing software or stream 4K video without stuttering. It may also struggle to showcase a brand-new video game in the way you want.
Use
When you set out to upgrade your graphics card, you should really think about how you use your PC. For example, if you mostly use your PC for gaming, and newer games fail to run at a consistent 60 frames per second (fps), then this is a good sign that you’re due for an upgrade.
Potential bottlenecks
Make sure that your GPU is not bottlenecking your CPU. This occurs when your CPU is cranking out more fps than your GPU can handle, which can lead to stuttering on your display.
If this scenario impacts the performance of your PC, then you most likely need to upgrade your graphics card.
What to look for in a graphics card
When looking for graphics cards, there are two main brands you’ll choose from; AMD and NVIDIA. Both manufacturers offer high-powered, quality graphics cards.
- First, you need to decide on the amount of memory you want in your graphics card
- Also consider factors such as the form factor of your PC (desktop vs laptop),
- Do you want a discrete GPU or graphics card integrated into the CPU
- Take into consideration what power connectors your card uses
- Take note of its thermal design power (TDP)
All of these will determine whether the graphics card will fit directly in your PC and if it can receive adequate power and cooling. For an overview of the best budget GPUs, check out our HP Tech Takes article here.
1. Integrated vs. discrete graphics
Integrated graphics are more common in smaller form factor systems such as laptops, but you’ll find them in desktop PCs as well for those who don’t need to run high powered visual software.
Integrated graphics may not have independent RAM, but they also don’t generate as much heat or use as much power and battery life as their discrete counterparts. Integrated graphics are generally not preferred for graphic-intense gaming, but they are more budget-friendly. They’re also fine for more basic visual tasks, like streaming movies and TV.
If you’re interested in using your PC for graphic-intensive tasks such as gaming at high settings, video editing, photo editing, and 3D rendering, then you need to invest in a discrete graphics card.
These cards do have their own RAM, unlike their integrated cousins. However, a discrete graphics card needs a good CPU to match, as well as a cooling setup to keep your PC from overheating. It will also eat up more power, so you’ll need a bigger (and more expensive) power supply in your desktop PC to run both processors.
It also means that if you have a discrete card in your laptop, you’ll be faced with a shorter battery life compared to less-powerful options.
2. Desktop vs. laptop graphics cards
Both desktop and laptop graphics cards have separate considerations. Because of the types of devices these graphics cards are built for, there are differences between the form factor, performance, and price of desktop vs laptop graphics cards.
Desktop PC graphics card
- Form factor: The ability to fit larger, more powerful components are one benefit of using a PC tower. The PC tower provides the space and cooling necessary to accommodate the heat and power draw of robust GPUs.
- Performance: You’ll enjoy higher specs compared to laptop graphics cards. This includes more memory bandwidth, higher pixel rate, and increased texture mapping than laptop graphics cards.
- Price: Desktop PC cards are more affordable because the hardware is less compact and therefore less costly to manufacture.
Laptop graphics card
- Form factor: Smaller components are necessary because your GPU needs to fit inside the thin chassis of a laptop.
As a result, they are optimized for power usage and benefit from advanced thermal and electrical technology. They are also designed to run as quietly as possible. - Performance: Manufacturers are getting closer to parity between desktop and laptop GPUs, but as we pointed out earlier, laptop cards do tend to underperform in certain areas.
- Price: You’ll pay a premium for laptop graphics cards. This is because the components to make a graphics card that is portable and power-efficient are more expensive to produce. There are bigger and higher-performing laptop graphics cards available, but they also add to the device’s overall weight, can make your laptop run hot, and may hinder portability.
3. Ray-tracing
Ray-tracing is one of the exciting recent technologies found in newer graphics cards. Generally used in gaming, ray-tracing is a rendering technique that produces extremely realistic lighting effects. This is done through an algorithm, which traces a path of light and then attempts to simulate the way that light interacts with objects in the real world.
Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion, and Control make extensive use of ray-tracing, which mimics the way that the human eye processes light reflection and shadows. Ray-tracing represents one of the biggest leaps in graphics in years, and it’s something both NVIDIA and AMD are improving upon in their newer GPUs.
Ray-tracing technology has not yet reached its full potential, but game developers are embracing it wholeheartedly. While the technology has been used by film studios for years, especially in big-budget action films, it’s more difficult to render this in real-time in your PC game. In the past, game companies have used a process called rasterization, which translates 3D polygonal models into a 2D image and pre-renders light effects.
With the beginnings of ray-tracing, you can still expect some impressive performance from modern graphics cards. That goes for everything from huge explosions in a firefight, down to the sun’s rays peeking through a window in a dimly lit room.
4. Graphics card memory: how much is enough?
When rendering graphics, your GPU performs a huge number of calculations per second. This happens whenever the image changes on your screen, even in something as simple as moving your mouse. Because the GPU is responsible for rendering these outputs, it needs video RAM (vRAM) to do so.
When using an integrated graphics card, this memory is shared with the CPU, so a percentage of the total available memory is used when performing graphic tasks. However, a discrete graphics card has its own memory, which the card uses to render details.
In general, the more memory a GPU has, the more detail it can process, but this does not directly impact its performance. For general use, a GPU with 2GB is more than adequate, but gamers and creative pros should aim for at least 4GB of GPU RAM.
The amount of memory you need in a graphics card ultimately depends on what resolution you want to run games, as well as the games themselves.
More modern games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Control, require at least 6GB of RAM to run at 1080p resolution, and may require more than 8GB of memory to run at 4K resolution with high texture detail and full ray-tracing features.
Creative pros who render 4K video or run visually intensive programs will benefit from the same GPUs as gamers. Read about some of the best GPUs for gaming in our HP Tech Takes article here.
5. What the model numbers mean
AMD and NVIDIA are currently the two major manufacturers of GPUs on the market. In fact, NVIDIA actually popularized the term GPU in 1999, though it had been in use for at least a decade prior. Both companies have made huge strides in GPU technology.
AMD cards
The newest series of AMD processors use the RX branding.
- RX Vega: Higher-tier GPU
- RX: Entry-level and mid-tier GPU
You can tell which GPU is more recently released by looking at the RX number.
If it’s higher, the model is newer. We’ll call your attention to that again: For AMD GPUs, a higher number does not equate to more power. Rather, it indicates how recently it was released.
After the number, some models will have additional letter(s).
- XT Graphics: Slightly improved version of an existing, similarly named GPU.
- HD: Older series currently being phased out.
- R: Also an older series in the process of being phased out.
NVIDIA cards
NVIDIA uses a different categorization system to identify its products. You’ll start with the letter designation. An NVIDIA GT graphics card is built for standard use, while a GTX graphics card is built for high-end gaming.
- RTX: Highest-level gaming GPU
- GTX: Gaming-specific, from entry-level to higher-end
- GT: Basic, entry-level discrete GPUs
Numbered series: This indicates how new the GPU is. For example, the 30 series is newer than the 20 series.
Just like AMD graphics cards, a higher series number indicates how new the graphics cards are in comparison to lower numbered GPUs in the series.
However, a GTX card always supersedes a GT regardless of the model number. NVIDIA also upped the performance ante even further with the RTX branding. Keep in mind, though, some of these are very expensive and in limited supply at publication time, particularly the 30-series cards.
The ending letter designation indicates special functionality.
- Ti: Indicates it will perform better than a similarly named GPU. For example, the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti outperforms the GeForce RTX 1660.
- Super: Slightly improved version of an existing GPU (similar to Ti designation).
- M: No longer in use, but previously indicated a “mobile” or laptop GPU.
Both AMD and NVIDIA make graphics cards for both desktop and laptop use. Laptop graphics cards used to be labeled with an ‘M’ to indicate that it is a mobile GPU. Most modern graphics cards from both companies have dropped the mobile branding, especially as they work to bridge the gap between laptop GPUs and desktop GPUs.
6. Pricing and recommendations to keep in mind
Both AMD and NVIDIA manufacture great graphics cards both for general use and gaming. The power of the GPU tends to be reflected in the price, so it is not necessary to buy a graphics card geared toward gaming if you are not interested in running games at the highest settings and want to get the best performance per dollar possible.
For a general purpose graphics card, we recommend the AMD Radeon™ RX 5600 XT and the NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 1660 Ti. For a gaming-focused graphics card, you can still get by with those two cards, but you may want to consider upgrading to the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT and one of NVIDIA’s 20-series GeForce RTX cards.
While there are more powerful graphics cards on the market, these should give you sufficient visual power for running games at the recommended settings, even with full ray-tracing in some cases.
7. HP PCs and laptops to consider
At HP®, we have a number of desktop PCs and laptops outfitted with the best GPUs available on the market.
If you find that you need to upgrade other components when you designate your GPU, you could do it all at once with our customizable shopping options.
Desktop PC recommendations:
Gaming: Customize your ultimate gaming machine with the HP OMEN selection, which includes the jaw-dropping 20 and 30 series NVIDIA cards. For gamers on a budget, consider the HP Pavilion gaming desktop and pick from your choice of AMD or NVIDIA graphics card.
Design: You can customize the HP Z4 G4 workstation to include your choice of AMD or NVIDIA graphics card, along with plenty of RAM and processing power.
Laptop recommendations:
Gaming: Take your pick from the HP OMEN gaming laptop lineup. It has some of the latest GPU upgrades available today, as well as the RAM and processing power you need to play the biggest and best games. For a more mid-tier option, the HP ENVY 15t is definitely worth a look and includes the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti.
Design: The HP ENVY 15 is a powerful laptop that boasts the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. The HP ZBook workstation series is full of great options as well, and you can find your choice of AMD or NVIDIA card.
Summary
Choosing a graphics card is one of the most difficult parts of buying a new PC, primarily because it’s one of the most important components, so you want to get it right. Plus, there’s a lot of terminology to unpack if you’re new to GPUs.
In general, you should upgrade your graphics card every 4 to 5 years, though an extremely high-end GPU could last you a bit longer. While price is a major consideration in your decision, also consider the performance and memory you need. And keep your computer’s CPU in mind, because it may need an upgrade, too. After all, the best GPU is only as effective as its accompanying CPU.
About the Author: Daniel Horowitz is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Daniel is a New York-based author and has written for publications such as USA Today, Digital Trends, Unwinnable Magazine, and many other media outlets.
7 Things You Need to Know
You can choose from two types of graphics cards for PCs: dedicated and integrated. The first uses its own hardware and is regarded as the serious choice. The second borrows resources from the rest of the PC and has a reputation for being the compromise solution.
But is that fair? Each system has its pros and cons, and it’s important to know them before you can decide which is right for you. So are integrated graphics good, or are dedicated graphics always better? Let’s take a look.
1. What Is Integrated Graphics?
Integrated graphics means a computer where the graphics processing unit (GPU) is built onto the same die as the CPU. This comes with several benefits. It’s small, energy-efficient, and less expensive than a dedicated graphics card.
Image Credit: Intel
Integrated graphics used to have a bad reputation, but they’ve improved a lot in recent years.
They’re now more than good enough for general computing, including some casual gaming and 4K video watching, but still struggle in some areas.
They aren’t suitable for working with graphics-intensive programs. While playing the latest high-end games is also out, there are a few great games you can play with integrated graphics.
Another important note is that integrated graphics share memory with the main system memory. You’ll sometimes see it described as shared graphics for this reason. If your computer has 4GB of RAM and 1GB of shared graphics memory, you’d only have 3GB of memory available for general computing tasks.
Most modern processors have an integrated GPU. In computers that also have a dedicated graphics card, software will switch between the two automatically. It tries to balance performance and efficiency.
Shared graphics are most often used as the sole option on devices where compact size is a priority, like laptops, tablets, and smartphones. You’ll also find this setup on budget desktop computers.
2. What Is a Dedicated Graphics Card?
A dedicated graphics card is a piece of hardware used to manage the graphics performance of a computer.
They’re sometimes also called video cards or discrete graphics.
Image Credit: Nvidia
There are lots of different types of graphics cards, but they all feature a GPU, some RAM, and a fan to keep it cool.
The benefit to graphics cards is that you can find one powerful enough for any task. They don’t share system memory, and—in most systems—are easy to upgrade. On the negative side, they’re expensive, larger, and generate a lot of heat. You’ll usually see dedicated graphics cards in mid-range or better desktop computers. Some higher-end laptops also have them.
3. Dedicated Graphics Means Better Graphics
Most recent dedicated graphics cards will deliver better graphics performance than an integrated system. But that’s only part of the story. Which you should go for depends on what your priorities are.
It’s no surprise that dedicated hardware is better than an integrated system, but by how much? A check on the benchmarking site PassMark shows that the Intel Iris Xe graphics you’ll find in a modern Core i7 processor provides similar performance to the dedicated GTX 560, a mid-range graphics card that sells for around $200.
The best performing integrated graphics comes from an AMD Ryzen 9 processor, but even that is only comparable to a high-end dedicated card from several years ago. By contrast, the best dedicated graphics cards like the RTX 3090 Ti provide more than three times the performance. They cost well over a thousand dollars, too.
The exception to all this is Apple computers that use Apple Silicon and deliver impressive integrated graphics performance. These are all things to consider when it’s time to upgrade your graphics card.
4. Dedicated Graphics Also Use More Power
There’s a reason why dedicated graphics cards have built-in fans: they get very hot. That RTX 3090 Ti has five fans to keep it cool.
The heat from a GPU comes in addition to the similar levels of heat generated by the CPU and other components inside the computer. It’s essential to stop your PC from overheating.
By comparison, some thin, mainstream laptops don’t have fans at all and use a lot less energy.
Benchmarks show that the graphics performance on these setups compares to a dedicated card several years old. But if you aren’t a gamer and value energy efficiency, then it’s likely a better choice.
5. Dedicated Graphics Laptops Exist
You can get laptops with dedicated graphics cards, but your options are more limited. The trade-offs are a larger size and a higher price.
Integrated graphics laptops like the Dell XPS 13 or Acer Swift 7 are less than half an inch thick. A comparable Dell model with dedicated graphics adds both thickness and weight. Most laptops with discrete graphics are either gaming laptops or high-end machines aimed at pro users. The larger footprint also tends to mean that 13-inch models are rare, with 15 inches or above more common.
Don’t want to compromise on size but want the best performance possible? There is a third, lesser-known choice: an external GPU.
6. Integrated Graphics Is Cheaper
Computers with integrated graphics are cheaper than comparably-specced machines with dedicated graphics cards.
That doesn’t mean they’re the cheap option, though. Since Apple has switched to its own silicon for its laptops and desktops, the company has also switched to integrated graphics at all price points.
In desktop computers from other manufacturers, where you have much more freedom to configure and upgrade the machine, shared graphics is definitely the budget option. Adding a solid mid-range card like the Radeon RX 580 will add an extra few hundred dollars to the price.
But this isn’t to say that discrete graphics is expensive. There are some excellent budget graphics cards worth buying.
7. Dedicated Graphics Is Better for Gaming
If shared graphics is less powerful, does that mean you can’t use it for gaming? Not necessarily.
The online gaming platform Steam releases a monthly survey showing the hardware used by its 125 million customers. Dedicated graphics cards dominate the April 2022 list. But nearly 9% of users are gaming with Intel’s integrated graphics.
If you choose to go this route, you will need to make some compromises. Not every game will be available to you, and you’ll have to tone down the detail settings. 4K gaming is off-limits in many cases.
Why You Need Dedicated Graphics
In a straight integrated vs. dedicated graphics card comparison, it’s easy to see which solution is right for you.
You need a dedicated graphics card for serious gaming and VR And unless you’re an Apple user, you also need one for professional work with graphics software, including animation, CAD, and video editing. Programs like Photoshop and Lightroom have support for modern graphics cards. These are essential for tasks like 3D work, and will help speed up RAW photo editing.
A powerful dedicated GPU is also used for mining bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Why You Should Use Shared Graphics
For everyone else, integrated graphics is just fine. It can work for casual gaming. It’s more than good enough for most Adobe programs.
And as long as you’ve got a fairly modern processor, it will be able to handle 4K video.
In fact, unless you have specific needs, the benefits of integrated graphics—like device size and better battery life—are likely to outweigh the benefits of discrete graphics.
If you do need the extra power, check out our guide to the best graphics cards for all budgets to help you decide which is right for you.
Rating of video cards for PC — NPX.by
09/26/2022
16861 views
What this video card performance rating is for
To help you decide which video card you need or is more suitable for. We have developed a hierarchy of video cards that are currently on the Belarusian market, from the fastest to the slowest. We have assigned points to each card for comparison purposes, where the fastest card gets 100 points and all others are ranked based on our testing.
For example, imagine that you need maximum performance in games at 4K resolution and ultra settings, or you work with neural networks, render video in 4K resolution and then your video card plays a very large role in the performance of your system.
Test results based on geometric mean FPS (Frames per Second) in games:
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Borderlands 3, The Division 2, Far Cry 5, Detroit: Become Human, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 2, Metro Exodus, The Outer Worlds, Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Strange Brigade and Total War: Warhammer II.
Tested at different resolutions and game quality settings: Full HD (1080p) on medium, Full HD 1080p on ultra, 2K (1440p) and 4K on ultra. All testing was done with the Core i9-9900K test system (see above for more details).
That’s 12 games, four settings, and over 20 current and previous generation cards. We have a solid mix of gaming genres and two brands of graphics cards, AMD and Nvidia, making this graphics card hierarchy easy to gauge performance. The new combination of games and settings greatly increases the visible difference between some graphics cards.
Hierarchy of video cards, where the fastest card gets 100 points, and the rest are evaluated by it:
The appearance of Nvidia’s 30-series video cards based on the Ampere architecture has significantly changed the balance of power in the market in this segment.
Representatives of the 30th RTX series have a number of undeniable advantages both in comparison with the previous 20th series and with competitors represented by AMD.
Nvidia RTX 309 is the pinnacle of engineering excellence and the most powerful graphics card on the market0 Ti. This product is intended primarily for use in specialized graphics applications. The RTX 3090 Ti has 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM. Due to high-quality cooling, this video card will be at least 30 degrees colder than Nvidia TITAN RTX, while about twice as efficient. We will not consider this card for gaming due to its excess power, which allows you to play in 8K resolution. This format will enter the mass market not earlier than in a few years.
The ultimate solution for gaming at the moment is the Nvidia RTX 3080 card. It is less than 10% inferior in gaming performance to its older brother, while its cost is almost half. The RTX 3080 comes with 10GB and 12GB of 19Gbps GDDR6X video memory. This card is capable of delivering more than 60 frames at 4K resolution in most games with ray tracing enabled.
The last representative of the flagship solutions of the 30th series is the Nvidia RTX 3070 card. The last in the lineup, but far from being the most important! It is this card that claims to be the most popular product for the next few years. This card is comparable in power to the flagship of the previous generation Nvidia RTX 2080ti, while its cost is half. Which automatically makes it the best solution for modern gaming! The RTX 3070 has 8 GB of GDDR6 video memory and this is the only difference from older models that use the new generation of GDDR6X memory. Otherwise, this card is not inferior to the older representatives. And in terms of price / fps, it significantly exceeds them!
I’d like to say a few words about AMD’s indisputable competitor in the video accelerator segment. Which announced its new line of Big Navi graphics cards RX 6900 XT, RX 6800 XT and RX 6800 The new products are based on the RDNA 2 architecture. According to AMD, their top-end graphics card AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is twice as fast as the Radeon RX 5700 XT, and compared to NVIDIA graphics cards, it is comparable in performance to the GeForce RTX 3090.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card will be similar in all respects to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 model will compete with the Nvidia RTX 3070
But to see for ourselves — we should wait for the official release and performance tests of these cards in various usage scenarios.
Let’s analyze the video card performance hierarchy.
Topping the list is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card. (UPD: Until Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series) For gaming, this is your best bet if you’re aiming for high quality gaming from 4K to FPS 60fps or even more on a 1440p monitor. and finances allow.
The next four positions in the ranking are also owned by Nvidia: RTX 2080 Super , RTX 2080 , RTX 2070 Super. The drop from 2080 Ti to 2080 Super is 10%, while the gap between the next three RTX cards is a modest 3-5% performance drop. AMD isn’t even in the top four while the RX 5700 XT is in fifth place. The newer RDNA architecture in the RX 5700 XT makes it a much better choice, at about half the price of the top four, unless you really need 16GB of storage.
The 5700 XT is followed by the RTX 2070, RTX 2060 Super, RX 5700 and RX 5600 XT. Completes the top half of the RTX 2060 hierarchy.
If you need ray tracing support, obviously the RTX cards are the winners in the Hi-End category and they are fast enough in non-ray tracing games. All of the above cards are generally capable of 1440p 60fps video on high to ultra settings, with more ultra settings within reach as we progress through the charts. If you want to tinker a bit and reset some settings to medium, 1440p at 60fps is also within the reach of other cards. These cards are also good for extreme 240fps at 1080p performance in esports gaming if you have a 240Hz display, with 360Hz monitors coming to the market soon. The cards at the top of our GPU hierarchy are also great choices if you want to use a VR headset.
Even though we’re in the middle of the list right now, half the performance of the RTX 2080 Ti, mid-range and budget GPUs are still capable of playing games.
As an example, the GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1660 Super can be compared to the GTX 1070 or older GTX 980 Ti from 2015. If you spent $700 five years ago on a fast GPU, now that’s $230 for a graphics card. That is the price of progress.
As soon as we see GTX 1660, RX 590, RX 5500 XT 8 GB and RX 580 8 GB, it’s best to forget about games in 2K (1440p) resolution, but in most games Full HD (1080p) and FPS of 60 frames per second or more at settings from high to ultra. Only the most demanding ones (like Assysin’s Creed Odyssey, Borderlands 3, The Division 2, and Metro Exodus) may need to reset a few settings.
Consider the GTX 1650 Super 4 GB. There are a couple of interesting points to note here. First, the card performs reasonably well and can outperform Nvidia’s GTX 1060 6GB. If you’re willing to drop texture and shadow resolution by a notch, 4GB cards are still viable at FullHD resolution, although that won’t be the case soon as future games continue to use more and more VRAM.
Second, this card is typically priced to match or exceed current generation console GPUs (PS4 Pro and Xbox One X). Reset your settings to medium/high, run 1440p at up to 4K resolution and you should be able to get 30-60fps on your PC as well! If you think modern consoles «can do 4K» but only very expensive PC hardware will do, then that’s mostly a subjective idea of what delivers adequate frame rates and image quality.
To sum it up, in the bottom third are the true budget GPUs like the RX 570 and GTX 1650, which cut performance to keep prices as close to budget as possible. AMD’s power consumption is higher, but performance is mostly close. Any of these cards can run at 1080p medium to high settings (and sometimes ultra) in most games and still manage 60fps (Metro Exodus being the only exception in our test set).
Going below the GTX 1650 is not recommended unless you are no longer interested in using a home theater card. Yes, the GTX 1050Ti and GTX 1050 can still play just about any game at over 30fps in 1080p, but that’s about it.
At the same time, the GT 1030 and GT 710 exist primarily for builds that require a dedicated graphics card or dedicated half-height PC builds. They can hit 60fps in popular games like League of Legends or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but the latest Intel or AMD integrated graphics can handle it.
8 programs for checking the video card
October 5LikbezTekhnologii
Synthetic tests and checking on game graphics in real time.
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1. Geekbench
- Cost: free for personal use, from $10 Pro license.
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
One of the most popular utilities for testing video cards, as well as other components of computers and mobile gadgets. The program has long become a kind of standard in this area. For example, when new smartphones come out, the power of their video processors is tested through Geekbench. The same with fresh laptops from Apple and other top brands.
This all-in-one solution helps you evaluate overall system performance in complex programs, including graphics. Geekbench is not focused on games, but it can also be used to test a gaming computer.
Geekbench →
2. 3DMark
- Cost: from $30, free demo available.
- Platforms: Windows.
The popular 3DMark program is considered one of the best options for determining the performance of video cards. Utility developers are always among the first to add support for the latest technologies. For example, testing with the DirectX 12.9 framework0004
3DMark benchmarks are often used to compare gaming graphics cards. The program displays detailed charts showing clock speed, GPU temperature and frame rate. Based on the numbers from this application, you can make an informed choice when buying components for your computer.
The utility offers a set of tests that show the performance of a video card in real graphics processing conditions.
The application allows you to adjust the screen resolution for a specific test up to 8K.
3DMark →
3. AIDA64
- Price: from $49.95 with free trial.
- Platforms: Windows, Chrome OS, Sailfish OS.
AIDA64 analyzes the GPU and other system components in detail. Based on the results, you can evaluate the performance level of the video card. The program monitors in real time and displays a list of key indicators.
The application uses multi-threaded stress testing modules to push the graphics card and CPU to their limits. AIDA64 monitors the temperature and speed of their work.
In addition, the utility will help you find weaknesses in components. For example, it will become clear whether there are problems in the hardware itself or problems related to the software part.
AIDA64 →
4. FurMark
- Price: free.
- Platforms: Windows.
Quite a popular utility with a simple interface. Unlike 3DMark, FurMark evaluates graphics card performance using OpenGL technology. Since many games use the DirectX framework, this program will not allow you to know the full capabilities of the GPU in entertainment projects. But for other purposes, the application is quite suitable.
FurMark can monitor GPU temperature in test mode. The application is considered useful for fans of overclocking PC components — speeding up performance by changing the clock frequency and other device parameters.
FurMark →
5. Unigine Superposition
- Cost: free for personal use, starting at $19.95 for Pro.
- Platforms: Windows, Linux.
The Superposition application allows you to conduct detailed tests of your video card to evaluate its performance level and stability. The program uses the Unigine 2 Engine to run fairly resource-intensive visual effects and 3D environments.
Superposition offers an interactive mode with free mini-games. During testing, you can use virtual reality helmets through the SteamVR platform.
Unigine Superposition →
6. Novabench
- Cost: Free for personal use, $19 Pro.
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Novabench contains tools for system testing, optimization and repair of GPUs. The application checks the operation of the processor and video card, the speed of data transfer to memory, the frequency of reading and writing the hard disk.
You can compare your test results with other users on the Internet to identify potential problems. These metrics will help you optimize GPU performance.
Novabench →
7. OCCT
- Cost: Free for personal use, $249/year Pro.
- Platforms: Windows.
OCCT is a set of tests for various devices, including several tools for evaluating the performance of a video card.
During the study, changes in parameters can be observed in real time.
The utility displays the number of frames per second, temperature, frequency, voltage, cooler rotation speed and many other indicators. The program is also useful for monitoring the status of PC components in the process.
OCCT →
8. MSI Kombustor
- Cost: is free.
- Platforms: Windows.
This benchmark was developed by MSI, which is directly involved in the production of GPUs for computers and game consoles. Also, its engineers create utilities for overclocking video cards.
The Kombustor program is able to load the computer components to the maximum in order to identify its strengths and weaknesses. It also displays all critical parameters, including heat level, voltage, memory size, frames per second, and more.
MSI Kombustor →
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