The pandemic brought the world to a standstill, and the knock on effect of it meant not enough people could work to meet the demand of products, especially products based around silicon. Manufacture of these products became about as rare as a Leprechaun's pot of gold, and people were willing to search to the ends of the earth for a decent graphics card.
Still, some of us might've had more luck searching for the end of the rainbow, as products very much in demand were become more and more hard to get a hold of. It wasn't artificial scarcity, it was actual scarcity, and like anything with a finite number, the prices naturally skyrocketed. The act of scalping (where someone buys a product onto to sell it on for far beyond its recommended retail price) became rampant. it was not a good time.
Now things are calming down a bit, we can all take a deep breath and instead of scrabbling for anything, the demand is finally levelling out a little. So we've collated our thoughts of some of the best graphics cards of this year so far that we've found.
When you choose a graphics card, it's not just like popping down the the shops to buy groceries: this is purchase that will carry your PC for the next couple of years or even longer. The very best cards are capable of producing buttery-smooth frame rates, are great value for money and are relatively easy to get hold of. As it stands, GPUs are only getting better. Nvidia and AMD as always are at each other's throat with their respective Geforce RTX and RX 6000 series, and it was certainly a close call between the two. Ultimately, the choice is in your hands, but let's break this down a bit.
At least until the next generation comes out in the near future.
(please note this list is in no particular order, just ones we thought were noteworthy of sharing with you.)
Nvidia
Geforce RTX 3080 Ti
This is a pricey one, but one that can really pack a punch. With the 3080 Ti, you shouldn't have to turn down the graphics settings on your games, as it can fomrotably handle just about anything out in the market right now. It's a very powerful GPU despite being on the more expensive side, but it will claim some top performance and make any game come to heel and lick its boots.
GeForce RTX 3080 10GB
One of our favourites, it's hard to not just outright say that this is the best graphics card for PC gaming available right now. It holds the other cards to an extremely high standard, with the only downsides being that your PSU would need to be able to do some heavy lifting to keep this GPU on its feet: ideally at least an 850W one. Otherwise, this feels like the GPU of the future, never mind the GPU of now: it makes its older brother, the 2080 Ti, look mid-range. The 3080 can overperform the RTX 20 series, but for a less money.
If you'll also allow me to get into a bit of technical jargon, where the 3080 really shines is the difference it makes to ray-tracing performances. Ray tracing is a lighting technique that emulates the way light reflects and refracts in the real world, providing a way more authentic gaming experience
GeForce RTX 3070
Able to match the the RTX 2080 Ti, for less than half of its price tag, the 3070 is an enticing GPU. Not that its exactly cheap by any means, but this GPU brings to the table high-end ray tracing and 4k gaming. It can ran many games without too much hassle, but not as buttery smooth as its more powerful cousins in the 3000 series. Many gamers will go for the 3070 as it hits of the points they want without the exorbitant price tags.
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Even though the 3060 Ti isn't as capable than the 3070 in terms of its core count, the difference is minimal enough to be a lot of gamers' first choice for an affordable yet capable GPU. It's also cheaper than the 3070, and still delivers exceptional performance, boasting 1080p and 1440p performances.
GeForce 3060
The RTX was loaded with 12GB of GDDR6 memory might seem strange to some, but it utilises it well, managing to outclass the RTX 2060, it's very often a common choice in pre-built gaming PCs, and for good reason. The 3060 is reliable and powerful, and will see most rigs through to the next upgrade.
AMD
Radeon RX 6900 XT
This is why competition in our eyes is healthy for the customer. Our favourite in AMD's roster, the 6900 XT is definitely good, but in terms of affordability, it just cannot quite beat the 3080, making its cost difficult to justify in terms of what you get for your money. However, the 6900 XT does have an impressive 16GB of GDDR6 memory, for raw gaming, and this card is a cheaper alternative to the RTX 3090. Ultimately, it seems to be a question of preference and what you personally need from your GPU of choice.
Radeon RX 6800 XT
A fine choice for any PC, the 6800 XT has a secret weapon: its Infinity Cache, which can bolster the card's effective bandwidth considerably. In terms of bench testing, there is very little difference between this and the 3080, and a very good choice for a GPU that will last and last comfortably. It's a great springboard for AMD to go forward with their future series.
Ultimately, the choice for your next graphics card should come from you and what you want to get out of it. Still thinking on it? Why not take a look at our custom builds and see what graphics card works best with a setup.
