The 10 best graphics cards in the world

Best Graphics Cards

Update: Nvidia has addressed complaints with the GTX 1080's overheating problems by issuing a driver update, making it even more worthy of a recommendation than before.

Are you a PC gamer? Then as you probably already know, the graphics card rules the roost.

Yes, your monitor and even your mouse matter. But nothing has more impact on what settings you can play your games at than your graphics card. Problem is, at any moment there are scores of cards to choose from and they typically all claim to have pixel-pushing perfection, even when that's drastically untrue.

The simple solution is to go for the best of the best, the cream of the crop. In other words, the most expensive. For those of us whose money in fact does not grow on trees, this means shooting for the best bang-for-buck deal on a set budget. Keep in mind that you'll need to choose the rest of your parts wisely once you've found your perfect match GPU.

If you have a super-high resolution monitor, for instance, you're going to need a high-end graphics card to make the most of it. But, equally, there's little point unloading on the finest GPU money can buy if it's being bottle necked by an old CPU or feeding a feeble screen.

With all that in mind, here's our guide to the fastest,best value graphics hardware money can buy.

1. EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition

Unparalleled performance

EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition

Great all around performance

Makes 4K gaming viable

Great all around performance

Makes 4K gaming viable

If you want proper entry into 4K gaming, the Titan X no longer reigns supreme. With the launch of Nvidia's Pascal architecture, you can get the performance of two 980Tis for a fraction of what you'd spend on an EVGA Titan X SuperClock. Of course, no graphics card is perfect. This GTX 1080 falls prey to an early adoption tax in what Nvidia calls the "Founders Edition" model, based on the reference set by the company and manufactured by EVGA. Though you may want to wait for the inevitable launch of more affordable, more powerful GTX 1080 GPUs from third parties, the GTX 1080 is undoubtedly the best in its class right now - as if it's even a contest.

2. Zotac GeForce GTX 980Ti AMP Extreme Edition

Nearly 1080 power without the 1080 cost

Zotac GeForce GTX 980Ti AMP Extreme Edition

Nearly equal to GTX 1080

Even closer to GTX 1080 with OC

Nearly costs as much as GTX 1080

Only worth it for high-res gaming

Though it can't match the GTX 1080 in terms of video memory (6GB versus 8GB GDDR5X), the GTX 980Ti offers a higher clock speed. And, with the right amount of overclocking, it can even beat that card. Cards with the "AMP" moniker usually mean business, and this card lives up to its name. It'll let you game in resolutions up to 4K, even if can't reach that glorious 60 fps standard at that pixel count. The 980Ti AMP Extreme Edition may be better value than the GTX 1080 Founders Edition, but it's far from cheap, costing around the same as a budget (or entry level, mid-range) gaming PC.

3. Gigabyte Radeon R9 Fury X

Uses an all-in-one liquid cooling system and new High-Bandwidth Memory

Gigabyte Radeon R9 Fury X

High bandwidth memory

Over 4,000 stream processors

Only 4GB of HBM, struggles at 4K

Water-reservoir takes up space

If you're urging for a GPU that does it all, the R9 Fury X is the best AMD has to offer. Hauling an all-in-one liquid cooling system and the latest high-bandwidth memory technology may seem like a heavy workload, but Gigabyte's Radeon R9 Fury X pulls it off all the same.

There is a catch, however, to what appears to be a future-proof gaming spectacle. Not only will you need space for an extra radiator-fan combo a la the liquid cooler, but 4GB of HBM memory is awfully limited compared to the 8GB of GDDR5X you can get with the GTX 1080 for a similar price.

On the upside, the Fury X can easily handle anything at 1080p and in most cases even 1440p. Throw a 4K game in the mix, though, and it's a different story altogether.

4. Sapphire Radeon R9 Nano

Tiny graphics card packs a big punch

Beautifully small

Low power consumption

Small size doesn't make it cheaper

Not quite as powerful as the Fury X

Building a small PC no longer means passing on power thanks to new graphics cards like the Sapphire Radeon R9 Nano. AMD's dinky video card is short enough to squeeze into the smallest of PC cases without sacrificing the raw grunt that you get from high-end cards. Highly efficient for a Fiji GPU, it has the same 4GB of 4096-bit HBM memory found in the Fury X, with an identical number of texture units and ROPs. The clock speed is 5% lower, but on the plus side you won't need as huge power supply to go with it due to the power envelope dropping to just 175W.

5. Palit GeForce GTX 980 Super JetStream

A potential bargain, despite only 4GB of memory

Palit GeForce GTX 980 Super JetStream

Can be found at decent prices

Plenty of gaming performance

Only 4GB of memory is a bit mean

Heavily OC'd models are pricey

If you're looking for a card that will handle 4K games on Medium quality settings, look no further than the Palit GeForce GTX 980 Super JetStream. This card used to be Nvidia's fastest non-Titan offering before the 980Ti came along, so it's no slouch. Featuring 2,048 stream processors, a 1,203MHz core clock speed and 4GB of memory, it offers a decent blend of clout and value.

6. Sapphire Radeon R9 Tri-X 390X

AMD's card has the GTX 980 in its sights

Sapphire Radeon R9 Tri-X 390X

Lower price than GTX 980

Triple-fan cooler from Sapphire

GDDR5 memory rather than HBM

375W power consumption

When it comes to cost, the Radeon R9 Tri-X 390X sits somewhere between Nvidia's GTX 970 and 980 cards. It often gets the better of the former card, though the 970 performs better in some games. The Tri-X 390X produces blistering frame rates at resolutions up to 2,560 x 1,440 with all graphic details dialled up to 10. Featuring 2,816 stream processors and a core clock speed of 1,055MHz, it doesn't quite pack the muscle required for 4K gaming unless you're playing lesser demanding titles.

7. MSI GeForce GTX 970 Gaming Edition

Value meets performance in Nvidia's capable card

MSI GeForce GTX 970 Gaming Edition

Best performance for under £300

Still equipped to handle 1440p

Struggles with high detail at 4K

Still a whole lot of cash

A variant of one of the most popular graphics cards around, the GTX 970 Gaming edition is a 1080p monster. You could even get away with gaming at 2,560 x 1,440, though you'll have to temper expectations when it comes to 4K. Featuring 1,664 stream processors, a core clock of 1,140MHz and 4GB of memory, the GTX 970 offers the mainstream performance you may be looking for without breaking the bank.

8. Asus Radeon R9 380X OC STRIX

Consoles beware, the OC STRIX delivers stunning 1080p performance

Asus Radeon R9 380X OC STRIX

Great 1080p performance

Excellent Asus cooling

Middling 1440p prowess

Quicker GPUs aren't much pricier

In a similar vein to the MSI GTX 970 card above, the Asus Radeon R9 380X OC Strix handles 1080p gaming with ease, and can deliver impressive frame rates at QHD too. AMD's mid-range card is closer positioned to the GTX 960 in terms of raw performance, which is impressive considering the cost. And because it uses Asus' STRIX cooling design, the card stays relatively quiet when being put through its paces, with the fans only kicking in when it tops 60 degrees C.

9. Asus GeForce GTX 960 DirectCU2 OC Strix

On a budget? The affordable GTX 960 still delivers the goods

Absolutely fine for gaming at 1080p

Short and easy to fit into most cases

Lags behind AMD's R9 380X

Only 2GB video memory

The GeForce GTX 960 is an affordable card and a great option if you're looking to game on a budget. With a short design that makes it easy to slip into PC cases, the card delivers great gaming performance at 1080p thanks to its 1,024 stream processors, core clock speed of 1,253MHz and 2GB of video memory. Performance-wise, Nvidia's card lags behind ones in the price bracket above, so things start to get choppy when you begin to raise the resolution. Still, you can't go wrong if you're looking to game at what is still the most popular resolution today.

10. EVGA GeForce GTX 750Ti SC

A graphics chip that's super (and super cheap)

EVGA GeForce GTX 750Ti SC

Great value at under £100

Fine to at run 1080p games

More cash spent = more performance

Can't handle the latest games

Based on Nvidia's Maxwell architecture, the GTX 750Ti SC is an affordable card that still packs the latest technology. This entry-level offering is still up to the task of playing the latest games if you're happy with playing on Low or Medium quality settings at 1080p resolution, and because it's small it's easy to drop into a basic PC to give it some extra graphical grunt. Just don't expect it to work miracles.

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