GPU Hierarchy 2024 – Tiers of Graphics Cards for Gaming

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Explore the ultimate GPU hierarchy as we rank different GPUs based on performance, but also keep the cost in mind.

How does one graphics card (GPU) compare to another? All current-generation graphics cards are ranked in this graphics card tier list.

Gaming on PC offers a lot of variety, but it can also be a curse.

You can find the perfect hardware component for your needs and budget because there are so many choices available, but finding the right one can take some time and research.

So, we created a GPU ranking table to help you find the best graphics card based on gaming performance so you can narrow down your choices. check also Best GPU For Ryzen 5 2600 & 2600X

Thousands of benchmark tests from manufacturers, third party testers, and reputable outlets were analyzed to create our ultimate GPU tier list.

We will update this page as new GPUs become available, so please bookmark this page and check back often!

Based on their performance, we have divided the GPUs into different tiers below.

Tier Level The Card VRAM Memory Bus Width
S Tier AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT 16 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 24 GB GDDR6X 384-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB GDDR6X 384-bit
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB GDDR6X 320-bit
Nvidia Titan RTX 24 GB GDDR6 384-bit
A Tier Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB GDDR6 352-bit
AMD Radeon RX 6800 16 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB GDDR6 192-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT 8 GB GDDR6 128-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 8 GB GDDR6 192-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
AMD Radeon VII 16 GB HBM2 4096-bit
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit
B Tier Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6 GB GDDR6 192-bit
AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6 GB GDDR6 192-bit
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6 GB GDDR6 192-bit
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6 GB GDDR6 192-bit
C Tier Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 6 GB GDDR5 192-bit
AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 4/8 GB GDDR6 128-bit
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super 4 GB GDDR6 128-bit
AMD Radeon RX 590 8 GB GDDR5 256-bit
D Tier AMD Radeon RX 580 4 GB/8 GB GDDR5 256 bit
AMD Radeon RX 570 4 GB/8 GB GDDR5 256 bit
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4 GB GDDR5 128-bit

This is an approximate estimate based on AAA titles with high demands. 

Since hardware requirements and optimization differ dramatically among games, it’s difficult to provide a comprehensive overview of GPU performance.

Therefore, the different tiers of GPUs are only intended to provide you with an overview of how they will perform. You should probably check out some benchmarks if you’re considering a particular GPU and are curious about its performance in a particular game.

You may also love to read: Best GPU For Ryzen 5 2600 & 2600X

S-Tier

S-TierFirst-tier GPUs are the most advanced and powerful GPUs available on the market right now. With the latest AAA game running in 4K, the latest GPUs can deliver a stable 60 FPS or more, and in 1440p, they are capable of hitting higher frame rates.

The card in this tier is aimed more at enthusiasts who wish to play 4K resolution games at least 60 frames per second, while the RTX 3090 offers 8K games (only with DLSS in certain games).

In addition to consumer graphics cards, there are also professional graphics cards that are used primarily for complicated AI research and software development, such as NVIDIA Titan RTX and NVIDIA Titan V.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 RTX 3080 and RTX 3070

AMD’s RDNA 2 graphics cards shifted the balance of power in this tier slightly. The undisputed king of graphics cards has been NVIDIA for most of the last decade, but AMD appears to be making a comeback.

AMD challenged NVIDIA’s enthusiast-class card for the first time in years. Even its flagship GPUs faced competition, however, the flagships scored below the competition for first place.

Even so, NVIDIA’s RTX 3090 is still firmly on the GPU throne, despite AMD’s strong attempts to conquer it. Although it takes second place behind the RTX 3080 Ti, the RX 6900 XT has proven to be a great card. RTX 3080 and RX 6800 XT are right behind it.

Model Manufacturer
1. RTX 3090 NVIDIA
2. RX 6900 XT AMD
3. RTX 3080 Ti NVIDIA
4. RTX 3080 NVIDIA
5. RX 6800 XT AMD
6. Titan RTX NVIDIA

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A-Tier

A-TierSecond tier GPUs provide solid performance in 4K, such as those capable of supporting the resolution. In general, though, they’re better suited to gaming in 1440p. We’ve found that the SPUs offer faster frame rates and more consistent performance at that resolution.

A card in this tier offers decent performance at an affordable price, though it is understandable that it is not as powerful as the cards in the tier above.

Although these cards can provide 60 FPS at 4K resolution, it is unlikely that this will be the case at Ultra settings. In order of importance, we have the RX 6800, followed by the RTX 3070 Ti and the RTX 3070.

Even though the RX 6800 has a slightly cheaper price, it is still a superior graphics card. In both cases, the RTX 2080 Ti outperforms the previous generation’s top card.

Even so, NVIDIA’s RTX 3060 Ti still outperforms the once-coveted RTX 2080 Ti, which makes sense given their respective market places.

There is a gradual increase in performance gaps after this point, but they are still noticeable. This is the RTX 2080 Super, which is just a little bit better than the RTX 2070 Super and its base model. With NVIDIA’s Pascal architecture, we have the Titan Xp as the top model, as well as the GTX 1080 Ti and Titan X.

MSI GeForce RTX 3070 GAMING X TRIO

Additionally, AMD has its RX 5700 XT and Radeon VII cards that can compete here as well.

It is because of its RDNA architecture that we ranked the RX 5700 XT higher than the Radeon VII, although the Radeon VII certainly does present a strong case with its 16 GB of HBM2 memory.

It wouldn’t be fair to leave out the RTX 2070 since those two AMD cards occupy places here.

Nvidia GPUs AMD GPUs
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti AMD Radeon RX 6800
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti AMD Radeon VII
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super

You may also love to read: Best Graphics Cards for VR

B-Tier

B-TierDespite its capability to handle 4K, third-tier GPUs struggle to sustain playable frame rates at such a high resolution in more demanding games. Because of this, 1440p is a better option. Certain games can achieve frame rates of triple digits fairly easily in 1080p.

The letter B does not stand for ‘bad’ or ‘budget’. You will get good performance from these cards even if you go for a budget-friendly build. The fact that we will see real-time raytracing cards in this tier is also important to factor in.

AMD’s RX 5700 is the best GPU in this price category due to its excellent value and economical nature. The RX Vega 64 is present right next to it, as is the RX 5600 XT.

You can see below that this tier mainly consists of AMD cards with a few NVIDIA cards. These include the AMD RTX 2060, the NVIDIA GTX 1080, and the NVIDIA GTX 1070 Ti.

rx5700

As long as you have a monitor that supports 144 FPS gameplay, this is the last tier that lets you enjoy 144 FPS gameplay without sacrificing graphical quality.

Model Manufacturer
1. RTX 2060 Super NVIDIA
2. RX 6600 AMD
3. RX Vega 64 AMD
4. RX 5600 XT AMD
5. RTX 2060 NVIDIA
6. GTX 1080 NVIDIA
7. RX Vega 56 AMD
8. GTX 1070 Ti NVIDIA

You may also love to read: Best GTX 970 Graphics Cards

C-Tier

C-TierThere are weaker GPUs in the fourth tier, which can barely maintain playable frame rates in 1440p. Therefore, they’re a better choice for 1080p gaming, as they can maintain a consistent frame rate in that resolution more easily.

The price of these cards is half that of the RTX 2080 Ti, but that does not mean you cannot game with them.

You may not be able to play 1440p with them, but you might be able to play 1080p and 60 FPS with them, depending on your preferences. Sadly, some of the most demanding games will not be able to handle this. For 60 FPS gaming, the settings may need to be lowered further.

gtx1660ti

The GTX 1070 and GTX 1660 are closely followed by the GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1660 Super. NVIDIA again wins here with stellar GPUs like the GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1660 Super. Even though AMD didn’t disappear from this tier, their performance fell short of NVIDIA in both their 4GB and 8GB versions of the RX 5500 XT.

It is flanked by NVIDIA’s GTX 1650 Super, which is part of the same GPU family. The GTX 1060 6GB rounds out the C tier.

Model Manufacturer
1. GTX 1660 Ti NVIDIA
2. GTX 1660 Super NVIDIA
3. GTX 1070 NVIDIA
4. GTX 1660 NVIDIA
5. RX 5500 XT 8GB AMD
6. GTX 1650 Super NVIDIA
7. RX 5500 XT 4GB AMD
8. GTX 1060 6GB NVIDIA

You may also love to read: Best Graphics Card for 1080p 144Hz

D-Tier

D-TierAlso in this tier are the weakest GPUs on the market today. GPUs like these can only manage 60 frames per second at 1080p and are in general insufficient to run games at 1440p in general.

This tier includes budget cards for a reason. Even so, these GPUs can deliver good performance. You can still make an informed, individual decision, even if you’re on a tight budget.

gtx1650

Here, as opposed to the other tiers, the top pick does not have a strong case for being in the higher tier. D-tier graphics cards are topped by GTX 1650, followed by GTX 1060 3GB. Currently, the GTX 1050 Ti and GTX 1050 are the only members of this tier due to previously imposed restrictions.

Model Manufacturer
1. GTX 1650 NVIDIA
2. GTX 1060 3GB NVIDIA
3. GTX 1050 Ti NVIDIA
4. GTX 1050 NVIDIA

Conclusion

Having separate graphics card hierarchy tiers only gives you a general idea of how it will perform. Therefore, if you’re aiming to take more accurate performance measurements, be sure to look for some GPU benchmarks.

A GPU should also be chosen based on the type of games you will play. If you intend to play Fortnite or CS:GO, for example, even the weakest GPUs are adequate.

You may also love to read: Best Graphics Cards for Skyrim

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best GPU in 2024?

Nvidia dominates the graphics card market, with its RTX 2080ti at the top of the list. You should wait for RTX 3000 series cards since they will be available in September. The other two, 3070 and 3090, will be available soon as well.

What is the best AMD graphics card in 2024?

The best AMD graphics card in 2024 is the XFX RX 5700 XT THICC III.

Does AMD GPU have the same performance as GTX 1080?

AMD’s RX 5700 has similar performance to Nvidia’s GTX 1080.

In addition, Vega 64 is the graphic card equivalent of a GTX 1080.

Which is the best GPU 2024 on the market?

Currently, the RTX 2080ti GPU is one of the best graphics cards available. The RTX 3000 series isn’t too far away from wiping out the 2080ti’s greatness at a price that is much less.