Our comparison of the best graphics cards in 2023

The Shopping Team 14:59pm, March 24, 2023

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The editorial staff of Europe 1 did not participate in the production of this article

3D graphics cards today are capable of prowess. Gamers can now enjoy video games with impressively beautiful graphics and faces, skin grains or lighting effects that are strikingly realistic. However, it can be difficult to navigate a plethora of offers... Not to mention the many acronyms!

To summarize, the founders of GPU (for "Graphics Processing Unit" in English) are three in number with two leaders who are AMD and Nvidia, with Intel as the latest arrival on the market.

To choose the product that suits you, in addition to the raw power of the GPU, you must also take into account the presence of technologies that are in high demand by gamers. Ray-Tracing is surely the tastiest for our retinas. Used by the biggest special effects studios, Nvidia brought it to gamers, followed by AMD. Another term to remember: DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is a function based on artificial intelligence to obtain the best quality of images, Ray-Tracing included, while maintaining a good framerate (number of frames per second or fps in English). AMD offers its own version, the FSR. However, the latter is not yet as optimal as what Nvidia offers.

Investing in a powerful GeForce 4090 is not necessary to enjoy the best of gaming. Indeed, it is an exceptional product designed for both wealthy gamers and professionals. To date, it does not know of any serious direct competitor. To learn more about the 4090, check out our guide to the 5 best Nvidia cards of 2023. AMD and Nvidia offer excellent models in the high and mid-range, but are now being pushed around by Intel which has just entered the market with very competitive products.

To guide you in your choice, we have tested a panel of graphics cards. Whether you're playing Civilization 6, Forza Horizon 5, Cyberpunk 2077 in 1080p (FULL-HD), 1440p (Quad HD) or 2160p (4K), we've found the map for you.

This selection from our shopping guide presents you the 5 best graphics cards available on the market in 2023.

Summary

• Asus TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, for the most demanding
• Asus TUF Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT, for the most demanding... a little less fortunate
• Msi Gaming Radeon RX 6900 XT Z Trio, for power/price balance
• Asus DUAL Radeon RX 6650 XT OC Edition, to play between 1080p and 1440p
• Intel Arc 750, to play perfectly in 1080p without breaking the bank

Our comparison of the best graphics cards in 2023

ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, for the most demanding

Asus concentrates all its know-how here with a card machined to perfection and taking advantage of cooling systems as efficient as they are quiet. In 4K, by activating the level of detail to the maximum, we reach an average of 120 fps and this effortlessly. Activating Ray-Tracing allows you to stay in a very good 35 to 45 fps... that the magic of DLSS 3 will increase to 75 fps in Cyberpunk 2077, and 95 fps in Forza Horizon 5 against almost 150 without Ray-Tracing. This model embeds 16 GB GDDR6X to ensure the best bandwidth. LED lighting enthusiasts will be a little hungry, but sobriety also has its charm, even in gaming! So we have the best card to play in 4K, with Ray-Tracing enabled. In addition, it has the best quality/performance/price ratio on the market of the 4080 RTX.

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ASUS TUF Gaming AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, for the most demanding... less fortunate

With the new RDN3 architecture of the Radeon RX 7900 XT, AMD wants to take its Radeon cards to new heights. This is the direct competitor of the GeForce 4080 RTX but less expensive. Thus, in 4K and with all the details to the maximum, in cyberpunk 2077 we reach 95/100 fps and more than 120 fps in Forza Horizon 5. Here, it is equal with Nvidia, or even a little better to a few fps. However, from the moment you enable Ray-Tracing, the Radeon performs 20% less than the 4080. This remains well above 60 fps but we are clearly behind Nvidia. However, there is also price to consider, as AMD offers cards at lower prices at equivalent performance. If for you the framerate is more important than the quality of the graphics, or that the 4080 is really too expensive for your budget, this card is for you.

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MSI Gaming Radeon RX 6900 XT Z Trio, for power/price balance

This Radeon is a formidable competitor to the Nvidia 3080 Ti, with here excellent performance in 1440p as almost 70 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 with the level of detail at maximum. The animation is flawless, the 3D rendering impeccable, ditto with Forza Horizon where we reach 85 fps. However, as soon as we enable Ray-Tracing, AMD shows its limits. We reach 45/50 fps at best in Cyberpunk and a good 60 fps in Forza Horizon 5. Very appreciable performance at this price level. However, it remains behind a 4070 Ti, but above a GeForce 3080 Ti. Which combined with an average price of less than 600 euros makes it a very smart alternative to Nvidia products.

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ASUS DUAL Radeon RX 6650 XT OC Edition, for gaming in 1080p or 1440p

This Asus card is ideal for playing in 1080p. It offers very good performance despite an architecture now a little old. However, to play in 1080p with maximum detail and a framerate higher, on average, at 60 fps it has long been a reference. This is expressed in Fortnite with a good 70 fps and a good fifty in Cyberpunk 2077. Once you activate Ray-Tracing, as you now know the drop in performance is obvious, hardly reaching 25 fps. By activating the AMD FSR, we manage to reach 50 to 60 FPS. However, this technology is not as advanced as that of Nvidia and here the rendering is sometimes less accurate than it should be. This product is robust, benefits from an excellent cooling system with limited noise pollution. A smart choice if you're playing in 1080p or 1440p and Intel Arc architecture isn't your preference.

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Intel Arc 750, to play perfectly in 1080p without breaking the bank

The king of the processor has never shone in the world of 3D cards. However, the situation changes with the arrival of a new family of GPUs developed by the American founder. The first generation consists among others of the excellent Intel Arc 750. Intel is clearly targeting the entry-level market with a flawless design product and especially located at less than 350 euros! For this price we have a GPU with 8 GB of video memory, which is a real maestro of 1080p. Indeed, in 1080 p, all graphics options enabled, we reach without batting an eyelid the 60 fps and a little above 55 fps in Cyberpunk 2077. The card supports Ray-Tracing and the result is very honorable with an average of 40 fps if you activate the Xess. Let's be clear, it is below what an Nvidia 3060 Ti or a Radeon RX 6650 offers. However the differential is slight while the price difference is between 100 and 200 euros. For gaming in 1080p, the Intel Arc 750 simply has the best quality/power/price ratio.

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How to choose your graphics card?

In the total cost of a gaming PC (excluding screen and accessories), the graphics card represents 40 to 50% of the cost of the tower. Once your purchasing capacity is defined, you can more easily choose your card. Between 1080p (FULL-HD), 1440p (QuadHD) and 2160p (4K), the market allows you to play in the best conditions, whatever the desired resolution (excluding 8K). You just have to find the balance between performance, cost and your game resolution. The 3D map will influence everything else in the configuration, including the screen that will also have to be chosen according to your 3D map. Then avoid having eyes bigger than the belly... Indeed, it is necessary to have consistency and balance between the different components of your gaming computer. Finally, check that your graphics card fits in your case and that you have a power supply solid and powerful enough to power it.

How to choose your GPU between AMD, Nvidia and Intel?

Historically, competition in the 3D card market has seen Nvidia and AMD clash. Nvidia is clearly the champion of performance, innovation with the introduction of Ray-Tracing for gamers or DLSS which uses artificial intelligence to offer the best possible animation, without losing graphics quality. AMD offers equivalent products, with its "in-house" technologies. However, Radeons are on par with, if not better, Nvidia cards. As soon as you activate Ray-Tracing, the situation is reversed in favor of Nvidia. So the most demanding will tend to choose an Nvidia card. Nevertheless, these are often more expensive than Radeon cards, on average 20-30% more. This makes AMD a very interesting alternative for players who are a little more financially fair or who have little appetite for Ray-Tracing. This concerns for example Fortnite players in competitive mode, who will favor a very high framerate and have little Ray-Tracing. Finally, Intel is the outsider who knows how to get noticed in 2023. Its Arc 750 and 770 cards are the champions of the power/quality/price ratio if you want to play in 1080p. No one offers a better performance under 350 euros. The ideal card for gamers who want to play in excellent conditions in 1080 p, without breaking the bank.

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