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Not sure what is the best GPU for 4K gaming?
In this guide, I’ll break down the top three GPUs that offer great performance and value for 4K gaming. Whether you’re on a budget or looking for premium performance, I’ve got you covered.
So let’s get started!
Number 3. XFX Quicksilver AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT Magnetic Air – Best Budget GPU For 4K Gaming
The XFX Quicksilver RX 7800XT Mag Air is a limited edition graphics card based on the new RDNA 3.0 and Navi 32 SKU architecture, unlike its predecessor, the 6800XT, which was based on the previous generation RDNA 2.0 and Navi 21 architecture. This time around, this new variant from XFX has a few tricks up its sleeve, making it a very competitive contender for all sorts of high-fidelity gaming.
Starting off with the design, it’s pretty safe to say that this GPU is a looker and it will catch your attention more than you’d expect because of its sleek and elegant white design which is always welcomed in the world of red and black AMD graphics cards.
On the front of the GPU, you get two 100mm fans and a single 90mm fan in the middle of the trio, along with a rigid backplate at the back that also houses a rather large air ventilation slit for better air exhaust.
Looking at the card horizontally, we see the XFX logo embedded at the end of the GPU shroud, along with the Radeon logo at the beginning of the backplate. A neat and minimal aesthetic is evident throughout the design of the GPU.
The special feature of the XFX Quicksilver 7800XT Mag Air lies in its name, which is “magnetic air”. The fans are designed with a magnetic base, allowing users to remove them from the GPU shroud without any tools, as there are no screws involved. This design is genius and should be adopted by all major GPU manufacturers in my opinion, as it also addresses the historical issue of traditional fans where the hub would separate from the axle.
These hot-swappable fans make cleaning the heatsink more efficient, eliminating the need to disassemble the entire GPU to remove stubborn dust and debris. Additionally, if the fans do malfunction, they can be easily replaced. However, I couldn’t find a direct retailer selling these fans separately for replacement purposes. Nonetheless, XFX claims that these fans are designed to be more durable and have a longer lifespan.
On top of that, unlike many of the latest GPUs, the Radeon RX 7800 XT continues to use the traditional 8-pin PCIe connectors that we’re familiar with, rather than adopting the newer 12VHPWR port (say 12volt High Power port). This could be an advantage for users upgrading their GPU with an existing ATX 2.0 PSU.
In terms of performance, this typical variant is the fastest 7800 XT in XFX’s lineup, featuring a game clock of 2124 MHz, a boost clock of 2430 MHz, and a total graphics power (TGP) of 212 watts. For 4K performance, you can easily push any game to the max and still maintain reasonable frame rates. However, at this price point, achieving high refresh rate gaming in 4K is challenging with demanding AAA titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Starfield or Cyberpunk 2077.
When it comes to thermals and acoustics, XFX is using Honeywell PTM7950 Phase Change thermal compound on this variant. This compound keeps temperatures well within safe ranges and lasts longer than traditional thermal compounds, essentially eliminating the need for frequent servicing. Secondly, the magnetic fans perform as well in the acoustics department as they do on paper. The card remains almost inaudible in normal gaming scenarios, even when pushed hard at 4K. However, the fans might kick in at their full RPM during benchmark testing, causing a slight increase in noise.
As far as competition goes, this card is highly competitive because it goes head-to-head with Nvidia’s RTX 4070 and outperforms it with ease, all while being cheaper. It even gives the 4070 Super a tough time. In a nutshell, the 7800XT, especially this specific variant which performs 3% better than the reference card, absolutely crushes its competition given its price tag.
All in all, the XFX Quicksilver RX 7800XT Mag Air punches well above its weight in terms of pure gaming performance. It offers great thermals and features a unique hot-swappable magnetic fan system, making it a no-brainer choice for gamers looking to achieve decent frame rates in 4K gaming without breaking the bank.
To sum up, what I like is…
Innovative magnetic fan design
High quality thermal compound
Great value to money
On the downside
Subpar ray-tracing performance
Ratings:
Design: 8/10
Performance: 7/10
Acoustics: 8/10
Thermals: 7/10
Value: 9/10
Overall Rating: 7.8/10
Number 2. ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX™ 4090 OC – Best premium GPU For 4K Gaming
The RTX 4090 is the holy-grail of graphics cards, and Asus takes it up a notch with its reasonably priced Ada lovelace offering, the TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC. TUF gaming products have been critically acclaimed by gaming enthusiasts, while they aren’t really tough as you’d expect from the naming scheme but they do have a knack of lasting longer than you’d expect. For instance I’ve never had a “TUF” product die on me yet. However, take this statement with a grain of salt as I might just be lucky in this case.
Before we get into the design of the GPU, it is important to clarify that I am reviewing the TUF Gaming OC today, not the OG variant of the same lineup. The OG variant uses the predecessor RTX 3090’s cooler design and PCB. Asus is marketing the OG variant as a cost-saving iteration of the 4090, which, in my opinion, might not satisfy someone spending that much money on a GPU. The minimal difference in price is not worth it.
Let’s jump right back into the design of the GPU, where things are super interesting as Asus has totally revamped the cooler’s design this time around. On the front, we have triple 105mm Axial-tech fans that take advantage of dual-ball bearings, which according to Asus, provide 23% more airflow compared to traditional fans. The two side fans operate counterclockwise, while the middle fan operates clockwise, which also helps in overall better heat dissipation.
As for the GPU shroud itself, it is beautiful. The brushed aluminium design covers the whole heatsink array and literally overshadows it with a very premium look that feels as good as it looks because it is a full-metal shroud.
Speaking of which, the backplate is beautifully implemented as well, with a black-metal finish and a huge ventilation slit for airflow to move directly through the heatsink.
Taking a look at the GPU horizontally, there’s some RGB splash around the end of the shroud. Honestly, Asus nailed it with the design of this GPU, as there’s a subtle accent of RGB along with the TUF logo. The best part? You can customise all of the RGB goodness to your liking with the Asus AURA SYNC software, available directly through the Asus website.
At this point, it’s important to note that the RTX 4090 uses the newer 12VHPWR port, which delivers over 600 watts of power through a single cable. This transition is mandatory if you are upgrading to or acquiring any RTX 4000 series GPU. Keep this in mind if you’re upgrading your GPU with an existing PSU, you might need to manage the cable slack resulting from connecting the PCI-E to the 12VHPWR port extender. This caution is specifically for enthusiasts who prioritise a cleaner look and aesthetics in their gaming rigs, like myself.
Let’s talk about performance. This variant comes with a superior boost clock out of the box at 2565 MHz, which is around 2% better than the reference card. It is based on the latest Ada Lovelace architecture and TSMC’s 4nm node process, which enables this card to excel in any AAA title at the highest frame rates.
Speaking of which, higher refresh rate 4K gaming is effortless for this card. In some cases, this GPU can also be used for 8K gaming due to its sheer power, with 82.58 (TF32) TFLOPS. For comparison, the Sony PlayStation 5 is capable of producing 10.29 TF32 TFLOPS, meaning the RTX 4090 delivers almost 8 times the power of a PS5.
Regarding thermals and acoustics, the vapor chamber coolers keep things cool despite the GPU drawing almost 600 watts when overclocked, so temperatures won’t be an issue. Additionally, while the fans ramp up to higher RPMs to maintain these temperatures, they remain relatively quiet due to their innovative design. Ultimately, this is a flawless GPU in terms of performance.
Competition-wise, there’s no GPU out there that can match the immense power of Nvidia’s RTX 4090. The closest rival is AMD’s 7900XTX, but it doesn’t quite reach the performance levels of the RTX 4090. This is pretty typical for Nvidia, as the company has consistently led the way in creating the fastest GPUs on the market.
All things considered, the TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC truly deserves the premium 4K gaming tagline. With its extraordinary performance, excellent thermals, and a notably exquisite all-metal design, this card has everything you need for cutting-edge gaming. However, it’s worth noting that it comes with a high price tag.
To sum up, what I like is…
Premium brushed aluminum GPU shroud
Great high-refresh rate AAA titles gaming performance
82.58 TFLOPs of raw gaming power
On the downside
Hefty price tag
Ratings:
Design: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Acoustics: 8/10
Thermals: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Number 1. ZOTAC RTX 4080 SUPER AMP Extreme AIRO – Our Top Choice
It is almost impossible to find the right balance between performance and price when it comes to 4K gaming. However, this is exactly where cleverly priced, powerful GPUs come into play. The RTX 4080 Super from Nvidia, a tweaked variant of the original 4080, offers even better performance at the same price.
On paper, the 4080 Super is based on the same architecture and chip as its predecessor. However, the Super variant has about 5% more cores, which may or may not be a significant advantage. The main selling point, however, is the revamped pricing of the 4080 Super, being $200 cheaper.
Now, the variant we have on our hands today, the 4080 Super Extreme Airo has all the bells and whistles of a premium GPU but costs just as much as a basic variant of the 4080 Super series.
The design of the GPU feels like a fresh breath of air compared to traditional GPUs, with its outlandish yet elegant curvy shroud. Zotac has put a lot of emphasis on the aerodynamic design of this one and the “airo” in the naming scheme stands for AIR-Optimised design.
There’s a lot of RGB flare happening around this GPU, and fortunately, it is implemented in a way that enhances the aesthetic rather than just being RGB zones in odd places on the GPU shroud. The five RGB zones are connected in such a way that they create an amazing aura of RGB goodness.
Let’s get back to the basics, on the front you get the usual setup of fans like every high end GPU, a trio of three fans following the same greyish metallic vibe that the whole GPU has, technically these fans are super packed with three large counter-rotating fans, vibration dampeners, and an airflow-enhanced dual ball bearing design.
Coming to the top and my favourite part, we have a rather reflective or chromatic RGB strip that lights up into a beautiful and very noticeable accent of colours that is bound to catch anyone’s attention, even those who aren’t into gaming hardware. The edges light up, with the PCB illuminated from between the backplate and the PCB itself. This creates an inner glow along the backplate lining. Zotac specifically kept a tiny gap between the backplate and the PCB so that they can also use it as an RGB zone. Talk about intuitive lighting design!
Performance is as great as you’d expect if you plan to do 4K gaming, balancing maxed-out settings with decent FPS (above 60) or running demanding titles at high settings for higher refresh rates (Above 100fps). It also comes with a decent overclock out of the box, helping to keep games running at stable frame rates.
Thermals and acoustics are also impressive. Even under maximum graphical load (stress testing), the GPU maintains very reasonable temperatures while staying noise-free at low RPMs. The IceStorm 2.0 cooling system is definitely working wonders in this regard.
Regarding competition, the RX 7900XTX has long been the rival of the RTX 4080. With the release of the 4080 Super being offered at a lower price, there is absolutely no space left for the 7900XTX in this competition. No other GPU can match the performance of the 4080 Super in the same price bracket as of now.
Overall, the ZOTAC RTX 4080 SUPER AMP Extreme AIRO is a tough contender to beat when put against all the odds. The sheer power this card offers at a compelling price tag, along with its unique aesthetics, flawless performance, and cooling efficiency, makes it a top choice for all gamers looking to spread their wings in the 4K PC master race.
To sum up, what I like is…
Remarkable RGB lighting
Exceptional performance
Reasonable price tag
On the downside…
Big size may cause clearance issues
Ratings:
Design: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Acoustics: 8/10
Thermals: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8.4/10
So what do you think? Which of these is the best graphics card for you?
Or do you think another GPU is better?
Tell us in the comments below.
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