TOP 3 best graphics cards
The newcomer 8/10
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- Full HD without concessions and 2K 60 IPS
- A less generous RTX 3070
- 8 GB of GDDR6 memory
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
- The reference card for playing in 2K
- Equivalent to an RTX 2080 Ti for half the price
- 8 GB of GDDR6 memory
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
- The choice of reason for gaming in 4K 60 IPS
- Cheaper and more powerful than the RTX 2080 Ti
- 10 GB GDDR6X memory
Graphics card, GPU, video card… so many terms which designate one of the most important elements when looking at the performance of a computer. This card is of particular importance in the game, but also in some very demanding applications such as video editing software for example.
As we will see a little later, the graphics card is not essential, especially if you have a purely office automation use of your computer.
But where are the graphics cards in 2021?
Let's be clear: the graphics card market is currently being rocked by an unprecedented shortage. The resellers receive the cards drop by drop and they disappear in a few minutes ...
The result: the few models that hit the shelves are sold at stratospheric prices. Thus a GeForce RTX 3060 is trading at more than 700 euros while it was announced at 335 euros. The same goes for more high-end models like the RTX 3080 which are sold for more than 1500 euros. Getting a gaming PC is therefore a very complicated task at the moment.
The guilty ? Partly the supply tensions linked to the Covid, but also the cryptocurrency mining farms which are buying GPUs en masse. Nvidia did try to limit the damage by clamping down on its new chips and releasing a dedicated mining line, but this blocking proved ineffective in cooling the miners.
In short, things did not start to normalize in the short term. We advise you to take your troubles patiently if you can. Cloud gaming can be an interesting solution in the interim. If you are in a hurry, however, you may have to pay a high price.
If you are building a new PC, do not hesitate to consult our dedicated guides:
- Guide to the best processors
- Guides to the best power supplies
- Guides to the best M.2 NVME SSDs
- Guide to the best boxes
The most powerful graphics card (for the general public)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 No compromise
Nvidia product sheet € 1
- Uncompromising 4K gaming
- The most powerful
- 24 GB GDDR6X memory
If your budget is unlimited, then the RTX 3090 is for you. Right now, it's quite simply the most powerful of consumer graphics cards and the one that will give you the best performance in gaming with a 4K monitor.
Keep in mind that the most "accessible" models from third-party manufacturers are currently trading around 1700 euros. Compared to the gain of around 10-15% performance over an RTX 3080, the 3090 clearly doesn't offer good value for money, but it still holds its place as the most capable graphics card for you to experience. perfect in 4K. Cyberpunk 2077 will not scare him and you will be able to enjoy it at 4K 60 frames per second (by activating the DLSS which we are talking about below and without ray tracing, of course).
Where to buy theNvidia GeForce RTX 3090 at the best price?
- Nvidia € 1 Discover the offer
- Rue du Commerce € 2 Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace € 3 Discover the offer
- Amazon Marketplace € 3 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 3 Discover the offer
The very high end to play in 4K
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 The New Queen
9 / 10
Product sheet See the Cdiscount test 719 €
- The choice of reason for gaming in 4K 60 IPS
- Cheaper and more powerful than the RTX 2080 Ti
- 10 GB GDDR6X memory
With a starting price of around 800 euros for the “Founder's Edition”, the RTX 3080 is the reference card for playing in 4K under excellent conditions on the latest titles of the moment. It is perhaps one of the most impressive models in the new NVIDIA line with truly exemplary performance.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
We will thus be able to take advantage of ray tracing, in 4K at more than correct frequencies. Compared to the RTX 2080 it replaces, the 3080 is impressive with performance grains of up to 80%! So this is the choice of reason for gamers looking to play at 4K 60 FPS without making any concessions. The joys of open world games are available to you with honorable 4K performances on Assassin's Creed or Read Dead Redemption 2.
Where to buy theNvidia GeForce RTX 3080 at the best price?
- Cdiscount 719 € Discover the offer
- Nvidia € 719 Discover the offer
- Rue du Commerce 719 € Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 2 Discover the offer
- Darty € 2 Discover the offer
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti The boost
8 / 10
Product sheet See the Cdiscount test € 1
- 4K gaming in great conditions
- Silent
- Price significantly revised upwards
While the RTX 3080 is still just as complicated to buy, Nvidia has decided to release a version on steroids: the RTX 3080 Ti. It therefore uses the same GA102 chip, but is equipped with more computing units and especially more RAM, from 10 to 12 GB. It arises halfway between the 3080 and the 3090 both in terms of features that price. In practice, this translates into a performance gain of around 10% compared to the first.
However, this gain is paid for in terms of consumption, which increases to reach 350 W! A solid diet will therefore be essential. All this heat is dissipated by the same heatsink as on the 3080, which means that the card is generally warmer.
While performance is excellent, the performance / price ratio of the RTX 3080 Ti is, on the other hand, significantly worse than that of its little sister… You will find the figures in more detail in our test of the RTX 3080 Ti.
Where to buy theNvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti at the best price?
- Cdiscount € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac € 1 Discover the offer
- Baker € 1 Discover the offer
- GrosBill € 1 Discover the offer
- RueDuCommerce 1 199 € Discover the offer
- TopAchat 1 199 € Discover the offer
- CyberTek € 1 Discover the offer
- Rue du Commerce € 1 Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Amazon Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 2 Discover the offer
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT L'alternative AMD
7 / 10
Product sheet See the Amazon Marketplace test € 1
- Performed in 4K
- Indented ray tracing
- 16 GB of GDDR6 memory
The AMD RX 6800 XT brings a breath of fresh air to the manufacturer's range, which until then was confined to entry and mid-range models. This model finally manages to go the distance compared to the green ogre and offers performance similar to the NVIDIA 3080, for a slightly lower.
Unfortunately, AMD is still behind in ray tracing. NVIDIA cards do much better on titles where this technology is used and also benefit from DLSS, which further increases their efficiency. The RX 6800 XT, offered for around 800 euros, remains a very interesting card for gaming in 4K, but unfortunately will not be enough if you want to take advantage of ray tracing.
Where to buy theAMD Radeon RX 6800 XT at the best price?
- Amazon Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 2 Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace € 2 Discover the offer
AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT The best of AMD
8 / 10
Product sheet See the Amazon test € 1
- Among the best perf of the market in rasterization ...
- ... but no ray tracing
- Reasonable consumption
If you are really allergic to the chameleon brand and your budget is very broad, you might be interested in the Radeon 6900 XT. AMD's chip is the most muscular of the range resulting from the RDNA 2 architecture and is accompanied by 16 GB of RAM.
In play, it is just behind the RTX 3080 Ti when one is satisfied with titles in rasterization. This is excellent, but the lack of ray tracing and DLSS is much more annoying in a very high end card. At this price, we would indeed like to be able to take advantage of the latest fashionable technologies and this is unfortunately not the case here. That said, its solid performance makes it an attractive choice for 4K gamers. We tested the RX 6900XT in a custom version produced by MSI.
Where to buy theAMD Radeon RX 6900 XT at the best price?
- Amazon € 1 Discover the offer
- eBay Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Rue du Commerce € 1 Discover the offer
- Amazon Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
The top of the range to play in 2K at 144 or 60 FPS
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti The New Coming
8 / 10
Product sheet See the Nvidia test 419 €
- Full HD without concessions and 2K 60 IPS
- A less generous RTX 3070
- 8 GB of GDDR6 memory
If you want to play the latest trending games on a 2K (1440p) 60Hz display, the all new RTX 3060 Ti will be able to meet your need perfectly. Less efficient than the RTX 3070 of which we speak later, it still offers a more interesting performance / price ratio.
During our test, it convinced us with its performance, its silence and the usual software suite offered by NVIDIA. For around $ 500, it's arguably the most attractive card out there right now, and it overshadows AMD's RX 6800.
Where to buy theNvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at the best price?
- Nvidia € 419 Discover the offer
- Rue du Commerce 899 € Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace 899 € Discover the offer
- eBay Marketplace 974 € Discover the offer
- Amazon Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Our Favorite
9 / 10
Product sheet See the Amazon test € 1
- The reference card for playing in 2K
- Equivalent to an RTX 2080 Ti for half the price
- 8 GB of GDDR6 memory
Take the performance of an RTX 2080 Ti then divide its price by two, you will then get the RTX 3070, a small bomb available from 600 euros currently. This card will be very comfortable to play in 2K (1440p) without making any concessions on the graphics options and taking advantage of ray tracing.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti graphics card // Source: Arnaud Gelineau -
If you have a 4K screen, you can even enjoy it, while remaining reasonable on the graphic details of course. The RTX 3070 is a particularly interesting model for demanding gamers who do not necessarily have a huge budget. In particular, it will make it possible to take advantage of the latest fashionable titles such as Call Of Duty Warzone and Black Ops in 1440p with a good refresh rate. We have also realized a comparison between the GeForce RTX 3070 and the RTX 3080 if you are unsure between these two cards.
Where to buy theNvidia GeForce RTX 3070 at the best price?
- Amazon € 1 Discover the offer
- Nvidia € 519 Discover the offer
- Rue du Commerce 999 € Discover the offer
- eBay Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Amazon Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
The perfect midrange for stable Full HD
Play all games in Full HD Ultra with lots of IPS.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 The dream entry level
7 / 10
Product sheet See the test 0 ¤
- Good performance in Full HD and WQHD
- Contained consumption
- An interesting price in theory
On paper, the RTX 3060 was the RTX 2060 replacement we've all been waiting for. Its improved performance allows it to run all games in WQHD in good conditions and in Full HD at high refresh rates.
If it is at the level of an RTX 2070 in terms of images / second, it manages to do so while consuming significantly less: 170 W against 230 W for its big sister. Among the interesting novelties, we will note the support of HDMI 2.1 which will interest those who intend to connect their PC to a television set.
Nothing revolutionary in this card then, but a good evolution which would have made it a good update for all those who have a GTX 1060, in particular given the recommended price of 335 euros. Hopes unfortunately crushed by the shortage of cards which means that the RTX 3060 sells for around 700 euros when it is in stock.
Where to buy theNvidia GeForce RTX 3060 at the best price?
There are no offers at the moment
AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT For lack of better ...
6 / 10
Product sheet See the Rakuten Marketplace test 893 €
- Full HD in good conditions
- Controlled consumption
- Finally an alternative to Nvidia in the mid-range
With the RX 6600 XT, AMD arrives with a clear objective: to offer a card that allows you to play in Full HD without compromise. It's certainly not as appealing as 4K or high refresh rates, but it meets the needs of the vast majority of gamers who play at this resolution.
And we have to admit that on this point, the contract is held, the RX 6600 XT actually manages to reach 60 fps with a more than decent level of detail. She even has the good taste to do it while consuming relatively little, which is always a plus for the silence. The RDNA 2 architecture once again shows its efficiency.
While it rivals the RTX 3060 in terms of pure performance, the card is still a notch below from a software point of view. Although anecdotal, AMD ray tracing is barely there, but it is DLSS that is lacking. It represents a real step forward to guarantee a good frame rate and is a long-term advantage. AMD has introduced its FSR well, but the technology is still far from matching Nvidia's technology.
With its relatively high public price in view of its performance, we were only moderately convinced by this card. Unfortunately, the current shortage of components is a game-changer and the RX 6600 XT has one major advantage: it's available, all at a price that hasn't doubled. In this context, it can appeal to players in a hurry playing in Full HD.
We detail it in our review of the AMD RX 6600 XT.
Where to buy theAMD Radeon RX 6600 XT at the best price?
- Rakuten Marketplace 893 € Discover the offer
- eBay Marketplace 916 € Discover the offer
- Amazon Marketplace 939 € Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 1 Discover the offer
AMD Radeon RX 6600 The union minimum
7 / 10
Product sheet See the Amazon Marketplace test € 662
- To play in Full HD
- Very low consumption
- Perfect for an upgrade
AMD continues to decline the RDNA 2 with a non-XT 6600 which more or less replaces the 5600 XT. The stated objective is to compete with the 3060, with correct performance in Full HD and controlled consumption.
In practice, the contract is rather full: its performance places it slightly below the RTX 3060. We can therefore play modern titles in Full HD by cutting a little in the level of detail. As promised, the consumption did not exceed 100 W under load. An impressive figure which makes it particularly suitable for small boxes and upgrades. A simple 450 W power supply will indeed have no problem to power it.
AMD's weaknesses remain at the software level, the FSR is thus far from being at the level of Nvidia's DLSS and it will be necessary to do without very practical functions such as RTX Broadcast.
Let's be clear: Under normal circumstances, the RX 6600 frankly wouldn't have caught the attention of most gamers. But in these times of scarcity, it is on paper the most affordable "modern" card on the market and it may interest those who want to upgrade something less powerful than a GTX 1060. There remains the question of price… theoretically sold 340 euros, we find it rather slightly below 600 euros.
We tell you more in our review of the AMD RX 6600.
Find the AMD RX 6600 for 579 € at Materiel.net Where to buy theAMD Radeon RX 6600 at the best price?
- Amazon Marketplace 662 € Discover the offer
- eBay Marketplace 773 € Discover the offer
- Rakuten Marketplace 863 € Discover the offer
- Fnac Marketplace € 959 Discover the offer
Entry-level for small budgets
It's a little depressing, but we have to say it: There is no longer a new affordable option for affordable graphics cards that can run games in good conditions.
If your budget is limited you can try to turn to the second-hand market or take the plunge by investing in a next gen console.
How to choose the right graphics card
What are the essential characteristics for a graphics card?
On the performance side, we will generally focus on the integrated chip (graphics processor) on the card as well as its memory. For example, if you want to treat yourself to an RTX 3070, no matter which manufacturer you choose, you will still have the same chip and the same amount of memory and, by extension, similar performance.
We generally characterize a graphics processor with its frequency, but this is by no means a reliable indicator of its performance. At equivalent frequency, two GPUs can have different performance due to their architecture, the number of computing units, some of which can also be dedicated to specific uses such as ray tracing which we will discuss later. This frequency, defined by the designer (NVIDIA or AMD), can also be modified at the factory by the manufacturer (MSI, ASUS, PNY, etc.) and thus offer the card supposedly better performance than certain other models. Likewise, the end user can modify this frequency in order to obtain better performance.
Memory is also defined by its frequency, but also by its quantity and type. In general, and very simplified, the more high-end a card, the greater the amount of built-in memory. Currently, GDDR6 memory is the most widespread and offers performance in line with gaming uses.
Beyond these data, cooling is also an important variable to consider. All third-party manufacturers offer cards with specific designs that often focus on ventilation performance. In addition, these design efforts are often accompanied by RGB lighting that you may or may not like.
Like any component of your computer, the graphics card will heat up when it is used a lot. A good cooling system is therefore essential, both in terms of the card and the case. You can have the best ventilated card on the market, if your case is completely airtight, it will only circulate hot air.
Last but not least, do not neglect the dimensions of the graphics card that you choose so that it fits in your case. Indeed, the latest generations of NVIDIA cards are particularly impressive and are not necessarily compatible with all boxes.
Finally, do not neglect the connection either which has evolved significantly in recent years. While DVI was often looked to a few years ago, it has now been mainly replaced by DisplayPort which supports, in version 1.4, the highest definitions. Most cards are therefore equipped with it, usually with a few additional HDMI ports.
What is a graphics card used for?
The graphics card takes care, as its name suggests, of the graphics part of your computer. It is she who will be in charge of displaying the elements of your operating system, your games or your favorite series on Netflix. It is therefore, by definition, just as important as the processor or the motherboard and should not therefore be neglected when building a computer.
From its performance, therefore, will result the ability of your machine to display games optimally, but also the overall performance of the computer on video processing tasks for example. Just like the processor, the choice of a graphics card should be made according to your budget and the use that you will have of your computer.
This buying guide is there for that: to guide you in the purchase of your graphics card, according to your needs.
Do i really need a graphics card?
The graphics card is essential for the operation of a desktop computer. Your monitor must be plugged into it and without it you simply cannot use your machine. It is therefore a component not to be overlooked when purchasing your computer.
Note all the same that it is possible to mount and use a computer "without" graphics card. Indeed, and as seen in our buying guide, some processors have an integrated graphics chip. The latter offer logically lower performance, but will do the job perfectly for a computer dedicated to office use or to low-energy gaming. Not to mention computers set up for server use which will generally not need a display.
Shortage of graphics cards, where to find available stock?
Indeed, since the arrival of the new GeForce and Radeon… there is a very significant shortage in the graphics card market. In addition to selecting a model to buy, you must ensure that it is available. This shortage is expected to last at least until halfway through 2021.
Our advice is to carefully scrutinize online sales sites (Cdiscount, Rue du Commerce, LDLC, Materiel.net, etc.). There are often replenishments and you have to be quick. There are many sites and Discord that allow you to be alerted of the arrival of stock (Ctrl Alt Stock, Stock Drops, Bavarnold…). Be careful, stocks disappear in minutes.
How to install a graphics card?
When building your computer, the graphics card is usually the last component to install. Its installation could not be simpler since it suffices to slide it into the PCI Express slot present under your processor. We explain to you.
Before getting started, first push the locking tab at the right end (1) of the connector outwards. You will also need to remove the grids on the back of your case depending on the thickness of your card (2). Depending on the boxes, they must be "broken" or unscrewed. Finally, it is necessary to remove the screw located on the upper part of the chassis since we will use the latter to firmly fix our card.
When all this has been done, you can insert the card into its slot, taking care to plug in the connector correctly. Gently and firmly push the card, until the locking tab fully engages. All you have to do is tighten the screw mentioned above and close your case to take advantage of your new GPU.
NVIDIA and AMD, what are the differences?
NVIDIA and AMD are the only two brands to offer consumer graphics chips (Intel should arrive soon). Despite this, the two brands weren't quite on an equal footing until then since NVIDIA has clearly dominated the market for many years.
In fact, even if the architectures are different, the objective remains more or less similar: to allow users to benefit from high-performance graphics cards suitable for all areas. On this point, NVIDIA has dominated for a long time by offering the most powerful models and therefore particularly popular with gamers. So, if your budget has no limits, you will definitely turn to an NVIDIA card.
NVIDIA Offers Some Cool Features on its cards with in particular ray tracing which we will discuss a little further on, but also DLSS. This anti-aliasing technology provides good image quality while limiting the impact on card performance by using machine learning. We therefore benefit from more images per second which give a little more freedom for heavier processing such as ray tracing. Be careful, however: this technology is not available on all games.
AMD has done well in the entry and mid-range card market. The brand offers several interesting references which directly compete with the less expensive models of its competitor. Unfortunately, the brand has been dragging itself for many years a bad reputation, in particular because of its less functional drivers and less easy to use than their competitors.
If the latest NVIDIA announcements made a big splash this year with the arrival of RTX 3000 cards, AMD is not left out and has announced some interesting references that seem to be able to compete with their direct competitors, especially on certain high-end models. . In addition, the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft use AMD GPUs similar to those recently announced on PC. We can therefore envisage that some PC titles will benefit from it in the future.
How to navigate among the brands and models of graphics cards? Custom design or Founders Edition?
While NVIDIA and AMD design and distribute graphics chips themselves, other manufacturers sell these same chips in custom cards. So you can find on the market, RTX 2070 manufactured by Asus or RX 5600 XT by MSI. The majority of cards sold are also sold by these third-party manufacturers.
Despite a base defined by AMD or NVIDIA, third-party manufacturers generally offer higher frequencies on their cards, a more efficient cooling system or a different and bright design (if it matters to you at all).
Thus, even if the chip is the same between two references of RTX 3070, there are differences in performance and cooling. These differences are sometimes large enough that the generally higher price of higher-end models is justified. However, keep in mind that an RTX 3070 is still an RTX 3070 and that these performance differences will generally be quite small.
We therefore recommend that you pay attention to sound and ventilation performance., which will have much more impact on the daily operation of your machine. Finally, let us note all the same that beyond the performance aspect, all manufacturers do not necessarily use components of equivalent quality, so it is a final point to take into account in order to be able to enjoy your card during many years.
What is ray tracing?
Ray tracing is a new way of processing light on a computer-generated image. This technique, far from being recent, because used in the cinema in particular, is gradually starting to make people talk about it as well on PC as on console. Its only objective is to bring more realism to our favorite games by carrying out a treatment closer to reality as regards the light and its reflections and above all, in real time.
To learn more about this technology, we invite you to read our full article on the subject.
Unfortunately, ray tracing is very resource-intensive and it is for this reason that NVIDIA has integrated dedicated computing units to its GPUs from the RTX series (hence their name). If this technology does not revolutionize the world of video games currently, it seems to be the sinews of war between Sony and Microsoft who are promoting it with great fanfare on their new consoles, whose GPUs are provided by… AMD. AMD which, before the arrival of its RX 6000, simply did not support ray tracing effectively on PCs.
Which screen to accompany my graphics card?
By browsing our buying guide, you will realize that each time we mention the definition aimed at for the in-game use of the card mentioned. Indeed, the choice of your graphics card and your uses, will also depend on that of your monitor.
To learn more
Which PC screen for gaming to choose in 2021?
So, it is counterproductive to offer you a GeForce RTX 3090 if you plan to use your computer with a Full HD screen. This is because a less expensive card will do just as well and you will save money as a result. Likewise, choosing a 4K 144Hz display with an RX 570 to play the latest Assassin's Creed isn't a good idea.
In general, there are 4 points to take into account when choosing a screen, especially for gaming use:
- Its definition and size
- The technology of its panel
- Its response time
- Its refresh rate
First of all, you have to define the definition that suits you on a screen. More pixels mean more "precision" in the display, but also more power needed to bring your favorite games to life. We will often talk about 1080p, 1440p or 4K, which are the definitions most used today. For correct visual comfort, and in general, we recommend that you do not exceed 24 inches for 1080p, 27 inches for 1440p and keep 4K for large screens or specific needs.
The screen market mainly exploits 3 types of panels: TN, IPS and VA. To put it simply, TNs are the most responsive, IPS the most faithful and VAs the most contrasting. Each has its faults, but the market is mainly split between IPS and VA panels. IPS panels will benefit from more accurate colors, but the contrast and light leaks will be disappointing. Conversely, VA panels will benefit from better contrast, but generally suffer from smearing in dark scenes and generally struggle with black / white transitions. Your choice will therefore depend on your use, but IPS seems to be popular with gamers right now.
Response time is an important consideration. Have you ever tried hooking up your computer to a TV? It is this latency that we want to avoid in the game and which is expressed in milliseconds by the manufacturers. The standard is now 1 ms for demanding games.
Finally, the refresh rate characterizes the number of images that your monitor will be able to display per second. Most conventional screens offer a 60 Hz frequency, but there are now screens that can reach more than 300 Hz. Beyond the fluidity of the display, a better frequency also brings better responsiveness. Obviously, your computer must be able to provide the screen with that many frames per second. It depends on the type of game you are playing. If you mainly play multiplayer FPS, we recommend at least a 144Hz screen.
In short, choose a screen which corresponds to your needs (game, graphics, office automation) and which is consistent with the configuration choices you have made. If your card allows it, then do not hesitate to choose a monitor with a high frequency. If that high frequency isn't your thing, then maybe you can go for a display with more options or even a cheaper graphics card?
G-Sync, FreeSync, what is it for?
In addition to your graphics card, you are certainly looking to equip yourself with a screen to make the most of your favorite games. During your research, you have certainly come across the terms G-Sync or FreeSync several times, without really knowing what it means. We explain everything just below.
Behind these two trade names are in fact hiding two similar technologies that can be included under the name VRR for Variable Refresh Rate. The idea is to synchronize the refresh rate of the monitor with the number of images per second sent by the graphics card. The objective is thus to avoid phenomena well known to players such as image tearing or the sudden drops in images per second which mar the experience.
These technologies therefore tend to replace what was often called "Vertical Synchronization" which performed exactly the same work, but at a fixed frequency. So the display frequency of the screen always stayed the same no matter how many frames your graphics card could send.
Originally, NVIDIA offered its G-Sync technology only on screens equipped with a dedicated chip which substantially increased the price of the latter. With the arrival of AMD's FreeSync, based on the AdaptiveSync standard and requiring no specific component, NVIDIA has revised its copy and now offers “G-SYNC Compatible” certification for certain FreeSync / Adaptive Sync displays. Thus, most of the gaming screens currently sold are compatible with one or the other of the technologies.
However, there are several levels of certification for these two technologies. The level of certification of your screen, will depend in particular on its ability to use its entire frequency range or the accuracy of its colors, even if this ultimately has little to do with the original technology ...
To find out more, we invite you to consult the dedicated page on the NVIDIA website and the one dedicated to FreeSync at AMD.
Should I change my diet?
When assembling your new configuration, you should take into account the power supply that will accompany your components. The graphics card is, along with the processor, the component that consumes the most and the choice of this one will also depend on your power supply.
With a "balanced" configuration, that is to say with a processor and a graphics card of similar ranges, here are our recommendations for choosing your power supply:
- RTX 3080 / RTX 3090 : 750 W – 850 W
- RTX 3070 / RX 6800 XT : 650 W
- RTX 3060 Ti / RX 5700 XT: 600 W
- RX 5600 XT / RTX 2060 : 550 W
Obviously, these figures are given as an indication and it will be necessary to take into account the various components of your machine (SSD, hard disks, additional cards) as well as all the peripherals which are fed directly by the PC.
Note that the new NVIDIA 3000 series cards use a new generation connector. The power supplies are therefore not necessarily supplied with the cable in question, but the cards are sold with an adapter. So you can easily use your old power supply if you don't need to change it.
What is the difference between Hz and FPS (IPS)?
Frame rate (FPS or IPS) and refresh rate (Hz) are often confused and interchanged. Frame rate (FPS) refers to how often your system - and more specifically your GPU - generates frames, while refresh rate (Hz) refers to how often your screen displays final frames. .
The lexicon to know
There are many nomenclatures and a lot of vocabulary to know in the world of graphics cards. Here are the main definitions that will help you better understand the data sheets for these products:
- ray tracing : the complete definition is to be found above
- DLSS : it is an Nvidia super-sampling technology to improve the rendering of graphics, it consists of upscaling to display more important definitions with better performance
- Definition vs Resolution : above all, do not confuse the two terms, we have a very complete article on this subject
- riser : it is a bundle that allows you to deport the PCIe x16 connector from a motherboard, if you want, for example, to install your graphics card vertically in the PC case
- Flops : a Teraflop is equivalent to a million million operations per second, it is a unit to measure the computing performance of a graphics card
- TDP : this is a design thermal power, TDP stands for Thermal Design Power (in of the country "Envelope Thermique") and is a value expressed in Watt
- Clock speed : the amount of instructions that a processor can execute per clock cycle, but you cannot compare the clock speed of a processor and RAM
- PCIe : this is the high speed connector on a motherboard used by a graphics card
- GDDR / HBM : it is a type of RAM used by graphics cards, GDDR is the most common memory (GDDR5 GDDR5X, GDDR6 and now GDDR6X)
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