With so many cards on the market ranging in price from £150 all the way up to £2000+, choosing the right graphics card and knowing how much to spend can feel like a minefield. The stakes are higher because, for gaming, the GPU is arguably the most important component of your PC.
This guide isn’t here to tell you which exact graphics card to buy, as this will vary from gamer to gamer depending on budget, your most-played games and overall level of gaming enthusiasm. Instead, this guide will give you a solid foundation to make a smart upgrade decision, especially if this is your first time upgrading your card or building a PC.
How Much Should I Spend?
The simple answer? As much as you can.
If there’s one component to splash out on, it’s the GPU. You’ll get more FPS (frames per second) by investing in a better graphics card than you would by splurging on extra RAM, a premium motherboard, or a fancy CPU cooler.
Obviously, there’s more to it than that. It’s important to consider how seriously you take your gaming and which titles you play most. A high-end GPU is a much better investment for a competitive FPS gamer than a casual Minecraft player.
Most GPUs fall into four main categories…
Entry-level (£150–£250):
Great for casual 1080p gaming. Think NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or AMD Radeon RX 6600.
Mid-range (£300–£500):
Perfect for high FPS at 1080p and solid performance at 1440p. Cards like the RTX 4060 Ti or RX 7600 XT are your friends here.
High-end (£600–£900):
Great for 1440p and decent 4K gaming. Look at the RTX 4070 Super or RX 7900 XT.
Enthusiast (£1,000+):
For the serious 4K gamer or content creator. Think RTX 4090, RTX 5090, or RX 7900 XTX / RX 9070 XTX – these are the beasts built for ultra settings, ray tracing, and demanding workloads.
It is also worth noting that adding a high-spec GPU into your rig often means that you have to spend more on other components within your build to get the most out of it.
What Do All the Model Names and Numbers Mean?
Generally speaking, the higher the number, the better the performance (and price tag).
For example, with NVIDIA cards, the RTX 50 Series line-up includes the RTX 5070, 5070 Ti, 5080, and 5090. The 5090 is the most powerful in the range, offering faster clock speeds and overall better performance. The ‘Ti’ suffix stands for Titanium, indicating a performance boost over the base model.
AMD follows a similar pattern. Instead of ‘Ti’, they use ‘XT’ to signify an enhanced version of a GPU.
Whenever you’re evaluating cards, it’s good practice to compare specifications, e.g. clock speed, VRAM, power requirements, and benchmarks, to make sure your GPU can deliver the performance you need for the games or workloads you care most about.
NVIDIA vs AMD in 2025
The recent launches of NVIDIA’s 50 Series and AMD’s 9000 Series GPUs have reignited the rivalry between the two graphics giants in 2025.
At the top end, NVIDIA’s flagship cards such as the RTX 4090 and RTX 5090 continue to dominate the enthusiast space, delivering unbeatable ray tracing performance and cutting-edge features like DLSS 4, NVIDIA’s latest AI-powered upscaling technology.
AMD’s latest GPUs offer better bang for your buck, delivering strong performance at more accessible price points. Thanks to improvements in RDNA architecture, AMD cards are also generally more power-efficient, making them a solid choice for gamers looking for performance without pushing power limits.
What About My Monitor’s Resolution?
The resolution of your monitor is one of the biggest factors affecting the workload of your GPU. Put simply, more pixels mean more work for your graphics card.
Each frame in a game is made up of millions of individual pixels, and your GPU has to render them almost instantly, ideally 60 times per second (60 FPS) or more.
Think of your GPU as an artist painting each frame. At 1080p, it’s painting on a notepad. At 1440p, it’s working on an A3 canvas. At 4K, it’s tackling a billboard. The relationship between your monitor and your GPU is symbiotic. A high-resolution monitor should generally be paired with a high-performance GPU and vice versa.
Let’s break it down…
1080p (1920×1080): 2 million pixels per frame
This is still the most common resolution for gamers. It strikes a great balance between visual clarity and performance. Even budget and mid-range cards can handle modern games at high settings and maintain smooth frame rates at 1080p.
1440p (2560×1440): 3.7 million pixels per frame
Often referred to as “2K”, this is the sweet spot for many gamers in 2025. It offers noticeably sharper visuals than 1080p without the extreme demands of 4K. To play at this resolution on high or ultra settings, you will want a GPU with at least 10 to 12GB of VRAM, such as an RTX 4070 Super or RX 7800 XT.
4K (3840×2160): 8.3 million pixels per frame
4K delivers stunning image clarity but is extremely GPU-intensive. Rendering more than 8 million pixels per frame at 60 frames per second or higher requires significant processing power. For smooth 4K gaming, look for a high-end card such as the RTX 5080 or 4080, RTX 5090 or 4090, or the RX 9070 or 7900 XTX, ideally paired with 16GB of VRAM or more. This is particularly important for texture-heavy games and titles that make use of ray tracing.
Will My New GPU Fit in My Motherboard and Case?
Nearly all modern GPUs use a PCIe x16 slot, which is compatible with most motherboards. The key things to consider are physical space (modern GPUs are large) and power requirements.
GPU size
It is important to ensure that your new GPU will physically fit inside your case. Some modern cards, such as the AMD Radeon RX 9070, can be up to 330mm in length. Components like front-mounted fans, hard drive cages and large CPU coolers can get in the way, potentially blocking the GPU or restricting airflow. Poor airflow can lead to increased temperatures and reduce the overall efficiency of your system.
Slot width
Most modern GPUs are dual-slot, meaning they take up two horizontal slots on your case’s rear panel. However, higher-end models like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 may occupy three slots. This could block adjacent motherboard slots, limiting the use of other PCIe devices such as sound cards or capture cards.
It is also worth noting that larger GPUs often require more clearance both in terms of length and width, so ensure your case and motherboard layout can accommodate them.
Will I Need a New Power Supply?
With the advancements in graphics technology in recent years, choosing the right power supply is more important than ever. To get the most out of your gaming PC, you must ensure that your components receive adequate and stable power. It is also wise to leave a bit of headroom (around 100W) to give your system some breathing space and support future upgrades.
Use the following as a general rule of thumb:
Mid-range gaming PC
For systems using a card like the RTX 4060 Ti or RX 7700 XT, aim for a 650 watt power supply.
High-end gaming PC
If you are running a GPU such as the RTX 4080 Super or RX 7900 XTX, you will need between 750 and 850 watts, depending on your CPU and whether you plan to overclock.
Enthusiast builds
For setups with an RTX 4090, RTX 5090 or similar, a 1000 watt power supply or higher is recommended. This is particularly important if your CPU is power-hungry or if you intend to overclock your system.
Do These Graphics Cards Get Hot?
Most GPUs in 2025 come with advanced cooling solutions such as triple-fan coolers, vapour chamber designs and improved fan curves. These cooling systems help keep your GPU at a stable temperature, even during the most demanding rendering tasks.
However, these solutions are only effective when installed in a case with good airflow. For entry-level systems, you will need at least one front or bottom intake fan to bring cool air in and one rear or top exhaust fan to push hot air out.
For high-end builds, such as those using the RTX 5080, RTX 5090, RTX 4080, RTX 4090, RX 9070 or RX 7900 XTX, you should consider using two intake and two exhaust fans for balanced airflow. A larger case with mesh panels or an airflow-focused design is also recommended to ensure your components remain cool and efficient.
Should I Buy a Factory Overclocked GPU? And What Is Overclocking Anyway?
Overclocking means pushing your graphics card beyond its standard performance settings, essentially running it above its default specifications. Modern GPUs, such as NVIDIA’s 40 and 50 series or AMD’s 9000 series, come with boost clocks and built-in auto-overclocking features. These cards already adjust their speeds dynamically based on temperature, power draw and workload.
Factory overclocked (OC) cards are versions of GPUs that come with slightly higher clock speeds out of the box compared to the reference model. These OC models may also include enhanced cooling systems, higher power limits and improved stability under load.
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