For all the gamers out there, knowing about the best graphics cards of 2021 is not a choice but an obligation. True gamers seek immersive experience, which only the best graphics cards can provide. Here, we have the best graphics cards for your personal computer, ranging from fast high-end silicone to more affordable GPUs.
In 2021, all the former graphics cards have almost become insignificant since the leading market players are gearing up to introduce new variants that may change the game. But apart from being the best graphics card that offers the highest frame rate, the latest models are also affordable. However, there’s a shortage in the market of the best graphics cards due to COVID situation, increase in crypto-mining, and various other reasons.
But the availability of the best graphics card shouldn’t affect your gaming experience. So without further ado, let’s see the best graphics card of 2021 along with their pros and cons.
7 Best Graphics Card for 2021
1. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
The best of the best!
Nvidia’s latest RTX 3080 is without question the best graphics card today despite the fact that it is rare these days. It reflects an enormous increase in output over the prior RTX 20 series. This is impressive if we compare it with RTX 2080 or 2080 Super, but seeing that this $699 card cannot equal but exceeds the $1,200 RTX 2080 Ti, it actually hits big – good enough for us!
The variation in ray tracing results is what really stands out from our research. The first generation of ray tracking capable GPUs needed such a big frame rate compromise that many of you would just leave it off, but in this generation of GPUs – this has changed.
Now you can achieve ray tracing reliability above the given frame rates in the RTX 20 gen cards, when working without it, you will realize that this graphics card is an entirely different beast. And yes – the Crysis can be played with the RTX 3080, so what else do you want?
In this 8 nanometer GPU with revamped Tensor Cores (for extra DLSS) and Second generation RT Cores, Nvidia has somehow succeeded in adding a whole lot of CUDA cores to the mix.
The RTX 3080 will need a decent amount of more power – you’ll need to get an 850W PSU at least—and this might be tricky to grab. We think that the demand for this GPU is a lot and this is why it’s so difficult to catch in the market.
The all in all specs of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 are:
- Base Clock: 1,440 MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,710 MHz
- CUDA Cores: 8,704
- Memory Bandwidth: 760 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 19 GT/s
- Memory: 10GB GDDR6X
- TFLOPs: 76
Also, keep in mind the following points while opting for this GPU.
- Incredible gen-on-gen performance
- Makes 2080 Ti look mid-range
- Ray tracing no longer a sacrifice
Read full Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 review.
2. AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
The RDNA second-gen design by the Red team is here!
There were a few better cards than RX 6800 XT as the Red team’s replacement to the Nvidia high-end graphics card. It truly is a fanatic card worthy of consideration for any 4K PC gamers, a hyper-competitive GPU that comes close to its rival with the marginal performance difference in contrast to the RTX 3080.
We know that it’s a difficult choice between the RTX 3080 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, although the latter only takes AMD to the post with the ultimate upgrades on RTX. The RX 6800 XT is 50 dollars cheaper and offers 4K output as well as a strong improvement in VRAM over the RTX 3080. It is easy to argue, however, that the RTX 3080 also let go of an additional 50 bucks: a minor cost for higher 4K performance, better ray tracing, and DLSS. Everything is available today with the developer’s support in the bank worth two years.
But we are also still major supporters of the RX 6800 XT which has managed to make AMD bring back in the market and provide necessary rivalry. The RX 6800 XT also provides a dignified red team substitute – for a high-end gaming PC.
This beast comes with the following specs:
- Base Clock: 1,825 MHz
- Boost Clock: 2,250 MHz
- Memory Bandwidth: 512 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 16 GT/s
- Memory: 16 GB GDDR6
- RDNA cores: 4,608
- TFLOPs: 74
Moreover, the best features that the GPU offers are:
- 4K excellence
- Cheaper than the RTX 3080
Read full AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT review.
3. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Need an affordable ampere? Say no more.
The highest performance Ampere since ages, the RTX 3060 Ti, is very similar to the RTX 3070. Both of these GPUs use the identical GA104 GPU, however, the RTX 3060 Ti comes with less amount of SMs available, while the memory space and the overall power remains the same at 8GB GDDR6 over a 256-bit bus.
The RTX 3060 Ti makes up 17 percent with some wise GPU boost thresholds while it is 17 percent less compelling to the core count. In part, this explains why, while running at a silicone disadvantage, the RTX 3060 Ti can only be within 17 percent of the speed of the RTX 3070. For a $399 card, it is not bad.
The RTX 3060, at 399 bucks, is 20% less expensive than the RTX 3070, and so dollars per card are less expensive. It’s awesome to be able to boot with that much power, thanks to a second-generation RT Cores, with the complete stacking of resolutions and futuristic ray tracing features.
The RTX 3060 Ti definitely stands for a winning situation when the RTX 3080 or RTX 3070 seems to go out of sight. Maybe this graphics card is the most exciting way to stack up to 20 series gen: in most tests, it overtakes the RTX 2080 Super.
This GPU comes with the following specs:
- Base Clock: 1,410 MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,665 MHz
- CUDA Cores: 4,864
- Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 14 GT/s
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6
- TFLOPs: 20
Also, these are the key takeaways if you buy this graphics card:
- At last! Affordability is here
- Super performance of 2080
- Comes under 400 bucks
4. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
You a 10 series gamer eh? Here’s a reason for you to upgrade!
Maybe the only high-end Ampere that is close to affordable, the RTX 3070, is indeed remarkable because it is capable of matching the RTX 2080 Ti, the top-string turing card, for less than half of its cost.
For 499 bucks, it is still a relevant price — we’re talking about the next-generation console price portion here. However, relative to PC game’s best graphics silicone today, it’s not an absurdly high number. On the other hand, you are blessed with a 4K graphics card that does not take much time to hit playable FPS – not that high but playable at least. At 1440p, no doubt about it, this GPU will really kill it.
Its gaming output capabilities are without any question amazing, but it is the whole Nvidia ecosystem underlying RTX today that makes the RTX 3070 our choice for the sensitive gaming expert. DLSS is a good way to improve results, with a nominal lack of clarification and a lot of other features like Broadcast and Reflex are needed to sweeten the deal.
The factory-fitted specs of Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070:
- Base Clock: 1,500 MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,725 MHz
- CUDA Cores: 5,888
- Memory Bandwidth: 448 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 14 GT/s
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6
- TFLOPs: 37
Given below are the points that we love about this GPU:
- The FE card is small
- Power is relatively low
- Turing-topping frame rates
Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 review.
5. AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
For those who like to enjoy their riches!
The RTX 3090 has probably sat unchallenged in top rankings of launched graphics, but it’s not long before the RX 6900 XT or “Big Navi” challenger has been pulled together by AMD. The RX 6900 XT is hoping to push the finest Ampere from its perch to its top and return it to Earth. And the 4K result also gets somewhat closer than the RTX 3090—and that for a quarter off the price you’re looking for.
This is why it is clearly the best purchase for any PC gamer without any other reasons for the pro-creator range. There is, however, no explanation why it is not the number one lead in our graphics card today. Maybe it is not in the number one spot because it is not so much faster than an RTX 3080 – at least not at all times. This GPU’s acceleration of ray tracing is naturally delayed in comparison to its rivals.
Yet somehow the RX 6900 XT has guaranteed, such as its 16GB GDDR6 memory that is 6GB larger than (faster) 10GB GDDR6X on a Green Team Card (RTX 3080). In this context, the RX 6900 XT is a less expensive option than the RTX 3090.
The main components of AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT are:
- Base Clock: 1,825 MHz
- Boost Clock: 2,250 MHz
- Memory Bandwidth: 512 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 16 GT/s
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- RDNA Cores: 5,120
- TFLOPs: 04
Wondering why it is among our favorite GPUs?
- Occasional RTX 3090 performance
- It’s cheaper than the rivals
Read the full AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT review.
6. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
Not for the gamers – this one is for the pro-creators!
This graphics card is extremely powerful, but much fitter than those of GeForce with Titan credentials. It’s not designed for ordinary PC players. It aims instead for creative professionals and the acceleration of computer-intensive applications, this is why the typical price tag is never included with this GPU.
The query in everybody’s mind is if this card is enormous in price tag as its stature – is it worth it? For PC players, nope. It’s’ not that faster than the 3080 RTX. But the RTX 3090 comes into its own for pro-creators, who need lower rendering time directly related to how much they can gain money.
That’s how we’ve got this card at the bottom of our lists, but PC players’ ungodly amounts of cash are surely worth mentioning because we know that they are going to save face and brag privileges. After all, it’s right now the world’s strongest gaming graphics card, whether it’s a big deal or not.
This card comes with the following specs:
- Base Clock: 1,395 MHz
- Boost Clock: 1,695 MHz
- CUDA Cores: 10,496
- Memory Bandwidth: 8 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 5 GT/s
- Memory: 24GB GDDR6X
- TFLOPs: 68
Also, here is why we like this GPU card.
- Confidently top of charts
- Massive memory buffer
7. AMD Radeon RX 6800
RDNA 2 feels tailored to the third level.
The straight RX 6800 seems like it’s almost cut off at the point that it is the only one of the AMD RX 6000 series to debut without undermining an Nvidia Ampere’s direct competitor. This is an odd case because we’ve always wanted to propose Radeon’s second string in the past. AMD tends to offer flagship cards in pairs; a secondary card with a partially removed back chip and the primary one with maximum power from the current GPU.
They usually work for a lot less cash at a comparable amount. The output gap is relatively high this time, and the price differential is not significant enough to negate the issue. The RTX 3070 is also $80 less than this RX 6800 card. Of course, the RX 6800 often exceeds Nvidia’s cheaper cards, but for the money, you’d certainly like the RX 6800 XT which is slightly costlier because it’s quicker in performance. We would definitely feel worth an extra 70 bucks if we’d spent that much cash on a new GPU.
Also available is the RTX 3070’s vast ecosystem, which makes DLSS an ideal performance booster that does not equal AMD, although ray-tracing can be regarded as a luxury. However, it will have to be said; the RX 6800 is still a powerful amazing card outside its deck. The $1,200 RTX 2080 Ti seems to be poor if we put both of them face to face.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 has the following specs:
- Base Clock: 1,700 MHz
- Boost Clock: 2,105 MHz
- Memory Bandwidth: 512 GB/s
- Memory Clock: 16 GT/s
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- RDNA Cores: 3,840
- TFLOPs: 17
The key advantages that this card offers are:
- Stellar 1440p card
- Often outperforms cheaper RTX 3070
The Buying Guide for Graphics Cards
While the CPU is still the ‘mind’ of your Computer, the most important thing for a large majority of games is the graphics card. Every year, dozens of games drive the graphics card to its limits. It is the component that differs most with your game’s success and it is that component which you will choose to update most often. But if you purchase the correct card, at least for two years you will have to worry about nothing.
One choice that will make or break your gameplay experience is to choose the right graphics card. A large number of your budget is spent on building or upgrading the GPU, so the PC gamers are sure to give the most thought to it. First, you have the all-important question to ask yourself: how much money can I afford to put on a new GPU?
Most of us must be a bit precise about our precious PC updates, so weighing the cost-effectiveness of a new GPU is important. Fortunately, these brilliant graphic cards don’t really cost you an arm and a leg if you can buy one and yet have more frames a second than the Louvre speed sprint.