How to buy a GPU in 2026

One of many hardest components of any new pc construct or improve is discovering the proper video card. In a gaming PC, the GPU is well a very powerful half, and you’ll restrict your expertise by going with the incorrect mannequin. The shopping for course of could be irritating, particularly proper now with memory shortages resulting in greater costs. On this information, we’ll aid you navigate the market and discover the proper GPU in your wants.

It is all concerning the video games

The primary query to ask your self is what sort of video games do you need to play. Aggressive shooters like Valorant, Overwatch and Marvel Rivals had been designed to run on older {hardware}. As such, even entry-level GPUs just like the GeForce RTX 5060 can push these video games at 120 frames per second and above at 1080p (extra on why that is necessary in a second).

Against this, if you wish to play fashionable, single-player video games with ray tracing and different graphical extras, you may want a extra highly effective GPU. Simply how way more highly effective will rely on the decision of your monitor.

A 1440p or QHD monitor has 78 % extra pixels than a 1080p display screen, and a 4K show has greater than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. In brief, working a sport at 4K, particularly at something above 60 frames per second, is demanding, and most GPUs might want to use upscaling strategies like NVIDIA’s Deep Studying Tremendous Sampling (DLSS) and AMD’s FidelityFX Tremendous Decision (FSR) to push new video games at excessive refresh charges.

With regards to decision, it would not make sense to spend some huge cash on a 4K monitor solely to pair it with a reasonable GPU. That is a recipe for a nasty expertise. As you are purchasing for a brand new video card, you must take into consideration the decision and body price you need to play your video games. In the event you’re available in the market for each a GPU and show, make sure to try our information to the best gaming monitors.

In case your finances permits, guess is to purchase a midrange card that may comfortably render all however probably the most demanding video games at 1440p and not less than 144 frames per second. Put one other manner, you need a GPU that may saturate a monitor at its native decision and refresh price in as many video games as attainable. That offers you the smoothest attainable expertise when it comes to movement readability, and let you dabble in each aggressive shooters and the newest single-player video games because the temper strikes you.

NVIDIA vs AMD and Intel

One of many complicated facets of the GPU industry are all the players involved. What it is advisable to know is that there are three primary gamers: AMD, Intel and NVIDIA. They design the playing cards you should buy, however delegate the manufacturing of them to so-called add-in board (AIB) companions like ASUS, XFX, Gigabyte and others.

As you possibly can think about, this creates some complications. Essentially the most annoying of which is that AMD, Intel and NVIDIA will usually set really useful costs for his or her graphic playing cards, just for their companions to promote their variations of these GPUs for greater than the producer’s recommended retail value (MSRP). For instance, NVIDIA’s web site lists the RTX 5070 with a beginning value of $549. On Newegg, there aren’t any new 5070s listed at that price. The one fashions anyplace near $549 are refurbished and open field specials. If you need one which comes sealed, that may price you not less than $630.

As for what firm you should purchase your new GPU from, earlier than 2025, NVIDIA was the undisputed king of the market. Particular GeForce playing cards could haven’t provided one of the best rasterization efficiency of their value vary, however between their efficiency in video games with ray tracing and the very fact NVIDIA was forward on options like DLSS, an RTX GPU was a protected guess.

Nonetheless, with this 12 months’s RTX 50 collection launch (and excluding fashions just like the RTX 5080 and 5090 the place there is no competitors), it is protected to say NVIDIA missed the mark this era. In the event you’re available in the market for an entry- or mid-level GPU, AMD and Intel supply higher worth, with playing cards that include sufficient VRAM for now and into the long run. That stated, there are nonetheless a couple of causes you may think about an NVIDIA GPU, beginning with ray tracing.

Ray tracing

For many years, builders have used rasterization strategies to approximate how gentle behaves in the true world, and the outcomes have been commendable. But when you understand what to search for, it is simple to see the place the phantasm falls aside. For that purpose, real-time ray tracing has been a purpose of business for years, and in 2018 it grew to become a actuality with NVIDIA’s first RTX playing cards.

In some video games, results like ray-traced reflections and world illumination are transformational. Sadly, these options are costly to run, usually coming at a big body price drop with out upscaling. Since ray tracing was elective in lots of video games earlier than 2025, you would lower your expenses by shopping for an AMD GPU. For instance, even when the RX 7800 XT was worse at ray tracing than the RTX 4070, the previous was usually cheaper to purchase, had extra onboard VRAM and provided nearly as good or higher rasterization efficiency in lots of video games.

Nonetheless, you possibly can’t ignore ray tracing efficiency anymore. We’re beginning to see releases like Doom: The Darkish Ages the place the tech is an integral a part of a sport’s rendering pipeline, and extra are prone to comply with sooner or later. Fortunately, AMD’s latest playing cards are a lot better in that regard, although you may nonetheless get an edge working an NVIDIA mannequin. For that purpose, if ray tracing is necessary to you, NVIDIA playing cards are nonetheless the way in which to go.

Refresh charges and body charges

In the event you’re new to the world of PC gaming, it may be difficult to wrap your head round refresh charges. In brief, the upper the refresh price of a monitor, the extra occasions it may well replace the picture it shows on display screen each second, thereby producing a smoother transferring image.

For instance, transferring parts on a monitor with a 240Hz refresh price will look higher than on one with a 120Hz refresh price. Nonetheless, that is dependent in your GPU having the ability to constantly render a sport on the acceptable body charges. Within the case of a 120Hz monitor, you need a GPU with sufficient headroom to drive most video games at 120 fps. Realistically, most video playing cards will not be capable to obtain that in each sport, but it surely’s baseline to goal for when purchasing for a brand new GPU.

Body era

Because the launch of NVIDIA’s RTX 40-series GPU, the corporate has provided a characteristic known as body era. Because the title suggests, it permits NVIDIA’s newest video playing cards to generate an extra body for each body they render usually. With the 50-series, NVIDIA has since begun providing multi-frame era, which supplies these GPUs the flexibility to generate as much as three extra frames for each rendered body. AMD has its personal tackle the tech, as does Intel, although NVIDIA’s providing is taken into account superior to each attributable to the way it handles body pacing.

Body era is sweet to have, but it surely’s not the silver bullet it might sound. Enabling it’ll improve system latency, lowering how responsive your video games really feel. Considerably unintuitively, high-end GPUs additionally profit extra from the tech than their entry-level counterparts since they will naturally render extra frames. For that purpose, it is best to consider body era as a solution to get probably the most out of a excessive refresh price show.

Upscaling and latency

I’ve talked about DLSS a couple of occasions already. Alongside FSR and Intel XeSS, DLSS is an instance of what is often called a picture reconstruction know-how. Increasingly more, native rendering goes out of vogue in sport design. With ray tracing and different fashionable results enabled, even probably the most highly effective GPUs can wrestle to render a sport at 1440p or 4K and a playable framerate. That’s why many builders will flip to DLSS, FSR or XeSS to eke out extra efficiency by upscaling a decrease decision picture to QHD or UHD.

Upscaling in video games is nothing new. For instance, the PS4 Professional used a checkerboard approach to output video games in 4K. What’s totally different now could be how fashionable GPUs go about it. With DLSS, NVIDIA pioneered an strategy that makes use of machine studying to recreate a picture at the next decision, and within the course of, addressed a few of the pitfalls of previous upscaling strategies. In the event you’re delicate to those types of issues, there’s nonetheless blur and shimmer with DLSS, FSR and XeSS, but it surely’s a lot much less pronounced and might result in vital efficiency positive factors.

To DLSS, NVIDIA later added single and multi-frame era. DLSS is barely obtainable on NVIDIA playing cards, and following the current launch of DLSS 4.5, broadly thought of to supply one of the best picture high quality. That is another excuse why you may select an NVIDIA card over considered one of its opponents.

Nonetheless, for those who determine to go together with an AMD GPU, do not feel such as you’re lacking out. The corporate not too long ago launched FSR 4. Whereas it is not fairly on par with DLSS 4 and 4.5 when it comes to assist and picture high quality, it is a main leap over FSR 3 and FSR 2.

Whereas with reference to DLSS, I am going to additionally point out NVIDIA Reflex. It is a latency-reducing know-how NVIDIA launched in 2020. AMD has its personal model known as Radeon Anti-Lag, however right here once more Workforce Inexperienced has a slight edge. In the event you’re severe about aggressive video games, Reflex can considerably scale back enter lag, which can make it simpler to nail your pictures in Counter-Strike 2, Valorant and different shooters.

Driver assist

Beforehand, one of many causes to choose an NVIDIA GPU over the competitors was the corporate’s strong monitor document of driver assist. With one of many firm’s video playing cards, you had been much less prone to run into stability points and video games failing to launch. Initially of 2025, NVIDIA’s drivers had been abysmal, however the firm has since corrected course.

VRAM

As you are evaluating totally different GPUs, particularly these in the identical tier, pay shut consideration to the quantity of VRAM they provide. Many fashionable video games will eat up as a lot VRAM as a GPU can supply, and in case your card has a low quantity, resembling 8GB, you are prone to run right into a efficiency bottleneck.

In case your finances permits for it, all the time go for the mannequin with extra VRAM. Take into account, as an illustration, the distinction between the $379 RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and $429 RTX 5060 Ti 16GB. Spending an additional $50 goes to be lots for some individuals, but it surely’s the distinction between a card that’s solely sufficient for a lot of current releases and one that may final you for a couple of years. In lots of instances, extra VRAM is best.

A slight caveat to that is when evaluating fashions which have totally different reminiscence bandwidths. A GPU that may entry extra of its reminiscence quicker can outperform one with extra reminiscence, even when it has much less of it outright. Right here, you may need to learn critiques of the fashions you are evaluating to see how they carry out in several video games.

Measurement and energy draw

Trendy GPUs are huge. Most new playing cards will take up not less than two PCI slots on the again of your motherboard. They will additionally fluctuate dramatically in size, relying on the variety of followers the AIB has added to chill the PCB. To be protected, make sure to examine the size of the cardboard you need to purchase in opposition to the utmost clearance listed by your case producer. When you have a radiator on the entrance of your case, additionally, you will must issue the dimensions of that in your measurements. The very last thing you need is to purchase a card that does not slot in your case.

Lastly, make sure to examine the really useful energy provide for the cardboard you need. As a rule of thumb, until you understand what you are doing, it is best to simply persist with the producer’s suggestion. As an illustration, NVIDIA suggests pairing the RTX 5070 Ti with a 750 watt PSU. So for those who’re presently working a 650 watt unit, you may must issue within the value of a PSU improve along with your new GPU.

Must you purchase a used GPU?

It relies upon. If you will discover a deal on an outdated RTX 40 collection GPU, then sure. NVIDIA’s RTX 50 collection do not supply vastly improved efficiency over their predecessors, and with most fashions promoting for greater than their recommended retail value, it is not one of the best time to purchase a brand new NVIDIA card.

That stated, I think discovering deal on a used GPU shall be troublesome. Most individuals will know the worth of what they’ve, and contemplating the present market, will in all probability attempt to get as a lot as they will for his or her outdated card.

It’s possible you’ll discover higher offers on older AMD and Intel GPUs, however I believe you are higher off spending extra now on a brand new mannequin from a kind of firms for the reason that generational positive factors provided by their newest playing cards are way more spectacular. Merely put, the 9070 XT and B580 are two of one of the best playing cards you should buy proper now.

Something older than a card from NVIDIA’s 40 collection or AMD’s RX 6000 household shouldn’t be price contemplating. Except your finances is extraordinarily tight otherwise you largely play older video games, you are a lot better off spending extra to purchase a brand new card that may final you longer.

When is an efficient time to purchase a brand new GPU?

In the event you’ve learn up thus far, you are in all probability questioning if it is even price shopping for a GPU proper now. The reply is (unsurprisingly) difficult. There are a handful of nice playing cards just like the Radeon RX 9060 XT and 9070 which might be completely price it. The issue is discovering any GPU at a value approaching these set by AMD, Intel or NVIDIA.

The AI increase, and in particular actions by OpenAI, have led to reminiscence shortages. In flip, these shortages have brought on the value of shopper GPUs, SSDs and RAM kits to skyrocket in current months. As of our newest replace to this information, some fashions just like the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti are promoting for lots of of {dollars} above MSPR.

As such, for those who personal a comparatively current GPU, you are in all probability greatest off making an attempt to carry onto your present card till issues cool down. But when your GPU is not chopping it anymore, you face a troublesome determination: overpay now, or wait and doubtlessly pay much more later.

To make that call simpler, I have been sustaining a separate guide that lists a choice of GPU fashions you should buy near MSPR. My purpose is to replace that article not less than as soon as per thirty days, so make sure to examine usually.

Finest GPUs for 2026: Engadget ecommendations

Entry-level (1080p)

As we talked about above, for those who’re solely aiming to play fundamental aggressive shooters like Valorant and Overwatch 2 in 1080p, an entry-level GPU could also be all you want. Whereas 1080p is not a really perfect decision in relation to sharpness, many avid gamers desire it because it’s simpler to succeed in greater framerates. And it additionally helps that 1080p gaming monitors, just like the AOC 24G15N 24-inch we suggest, have a tendency to supply speedy refresh charges for between $100 and $200. If you’re zipping by way of matches, you probably will not have time to take a breath and recognize the element from greater resolutions.

Listed below are our suggestions for entry-level video playing cards:

• AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB: Surprisingly sufficient, you possibly can truly discover this AMD GPU for $300. When you’ll need to dwell with 8GB of RAM, that is greater than sufficient for 1080p gaming, and it additionally has the good thing about DLSS 4 upscaling.

• AMD Radeon RX 7600: Whereas it is a last-gen card, the RX 7600 remains to be highly effective sufficient to deal with fundamental shooters.

Midrange (1440p)

Whereas entry-level playing cards can dabble with 1440p gaming, it is price stepping as much as one thing a bit extra highly effective for those who truly need to obtain greater refresh charges. For many avid gamers, 1440p is one of the best steadiness between sharpness and excessive body charges. It appears to be like noticeably higher than 1080p, and would not require the horsepower overhead of 4K. (And there is a good likelihood you will not actually see a visible distinction with the leap to 4K.)

Listed below are our suggestions for midrange GPUs:

• NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti: Overlook the disappointing RTX 5070, the 5060 Ti delivers wonderful 1080p and 1440p efficiency. And better of all, you possibly can nonetheless discover it underneath $500. (Learn our NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti review.)

• AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB: A step up from the 8GB mannequin we suggest above. The 16GB 9060 XT provides wonderful efficiency throughout lots of the newest video games, and is cheaper than the 5060 Ti.

• AMD Radeon RX 9070: AMD stunned us all with the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, two midrange playing cards that provided related energy to and extra VRAM than NVIDIA’s costlier playing cards. When you will not see the RX 9070 for its $550 launch value at the moment, you possibly can nonetheless snag one for a slight premium at $650. (Take a look at our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review.)

Excessive-end (4K)

If you need probably the most of what fashionable PC video games have to supply, together with 4K and all the advantages of ray tracing, then be able to spend huge bucks on a high-end GPU. In the event you’re going this route, although, ensure you are additionally gaming on a high-end monitor that befits these highly effective GPUs.

Listed below are our suggestions for premium GPUs:

• NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti: The RTX 5070 Ti stunned me with wonderful 4K gaming efficiency for a launch value that was effectively beneath the RTX 5080. It is one of the best general NVIDIA card if you wish to play in 4K at 120Hz or past, but it surely’s additionally the toughest to search out at MSRP. (Take a look at our NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti review.)

• AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: I already talked about the RX 9070 XT. With shortages of the 5070 Ti, it is one of the best GPU you should buy now with out paying a ridiculous premium. (Take a look at our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review.)

• NVIDIA RTX 5080: If the RTX 5070 Ti is not sufficient for you, the RTX 5080’s extra energy and 24GB of VRAM ought to fit your fancy. Simply be ready to pay round $1,500 for it, a 50 % leap from its $999 launch value.