Graphics card prices are one of the biggest roller coasters in the industry, especially now that AI server farms are snapping up GPUs to power GPTs. That's why we spend hours combing through stores to find discounts so you can save a few bucks on a new card. Whether you're looking for the latest 4K powerhouse with tons of cores and ray-tracing support, or just need a 1080p that'll keep your frame rates solid, there are good GPUs to be found all over the place. Here are the top graphics card deals we dug up for May 2024.
The Hottest Graphics Card Deals Right Now
PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Card for $499.99 (list price $679.99)
Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics Card for $304.99 (list price $349.99)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Graphics Card for $1,319.99 (list price $1,399.99)
PNY GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Graphics Card for $389.99 (list price $449.00)
XFX Speedster Radeon RX 6600 Graphics Card for $229.99 (list price $279.99)
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900XTX Graphics Card for $969.99 (list price $1.099.99)
XFX Speedster SWFT309 Radeon RX 6700 XT CORE Graphics Card for $299.99 (list price $399.99)
XFX Speedster SWFT210 AMD Radeon RX 6650XT Graphics Card for $229.99 (list price $319.99)
The Best Nvidia Graphics Card Deals
The biggest GPU maker in the world, Nvidia essentially built the modern graphics card market and typically pushes the envelope in performance. They knew that video games would reliably supply challenging technological problems to solve and bring in a demographic willing to spend money. Their GeForce series debuted in 1999 and has seen 40 iterations.
PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Card
Let's start off with a pretty massive price cut on this serviceable RTX 3080 card. Originally released in 2022, the 3080 still holds up to the demands of modern gaming, capably processing 4K quality visuals thanks to 10GB of GDDR6X memory with a throughput of 760GB/sec. The trio of onboard fans keeps it running cool and quiet, and power demands are reasonable. Even though it's not the latest iteration, this is still a remarkably capable card at a seriously low price, so jump on it now if you want one.
PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Card for $499.99 (list price $679.99)
Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics Card
This is another very capable graphics card at a nice price. The RTX 3060 isn't going to give you 4K output, but 12GB of GDDR6 memory delivers a respectable 1080p on most games. These haven't seen many price drops since they were released in 2021, so getting $50 off is a surprise. Four outputs include two DisplayPort and two HDMI for signal sharing, and it does support DLSS and ray tracing for some next-gen support.
Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics Card for $299.99 (list price $349.99)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Graphics Card
Originally released in 2022, the RTX 4080 is still a top performer that will shine in a high-powered PC. This is a rare first-party card manufactured by Nvidia, and it has a cool and minimalist form factor that stands out from the crowd. Running off of 16GB of GDDR6X memory, with a 2.51GHz boost clock speed, it delivers 4K graphics with ease at high frame rates. Power requirements are the same as the 3080, and it works with a standard 12-pin PCIe 5 plug. This is the priciest card in this roundup, but taking 6% off makes it a little easier to swallow.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Graphics Card for $1,319.99 (list price $1,399.99)
PNY GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Graphics Card
One of the higher-end 1080p cards we've seen on the market, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has some nice features that make it a solid purchase, especially at $60 off. DLSS 3 means that it supports the new AI-driven Frame Generation technology, which interpolates generated frames in between the output from the GPU for increased fluidity and smoothness. Ray tracing is also supported courtesy of the Ada Lovelace architecture. Frame rates are consistently high, and the card runs quietly under reasonable use thanks to the Verto RGB Triple Fan cooling system.
PNY GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Graphics Card for $389.99 (list price $449.00)
The Best AMD Radeon Graphics Card Deals
AMD is the second-largest company in the GPU business and has been producing chips for markets around the world since 1969. In the graphics business, they are best known for their Radeon series of GPUs, which are sold to a variety of third-party manufacturers to integrate into cards of their own design. They're reliably high-performing and impressive, leveraging new technology for impressive results.
XFX Speedster Radeon RX 6600 Graphics Card
This midrange AMD card got a good review from PCMag praising its lower power requirements than comparable Nvidia cards and competitive performance. The RDNA-based GPU is a great choice for 1080p gaming, able to keep frame rates high and consistent across a bevy of current-gen titles. AMD's Infinity Cache system helps reduce latency. The price is also extremely attractive, with a $50 discount making it a great pick for a budget battlestation.
XFX Speedster Radeon RX 6600 Graphics Card for $229.99 (list price $279.99)
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900XTX Graphics Card
If you're looking for a high-end AMD card that delivers under pressure, the RX 7900XTX is just what the doctor ordered, as evidenced by its high sticker price. While a $100 discount isn't enormous, it does make a difference, and you're taking home a future-proof GPU that will put out reliable 4K images at consistent frame rates. With a base clock frequency of 1.83GHz, this is a fast card that leverages 24GB of on-board GDDR6 memory. The integrated Windforce cooling system keeps it operating at normal temperatures even when you push it hard. PCMag gave it an Editors' Choice award in their review.
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900XTX Graphics Card for $969.99 (list price $1.099.99)
XFX Speedster SWFT309 Radeon RX 6700 XT CORE Graphics Card
This is a nice mid-graded Radeon card that punches above its weight class, especially for $70 off. This is probably best used as a 1440p card, but it can definitely handle 4K output with some framerate drops if you want it to. RDNA 2 technology enables real-time light effects, ray tracing, and more cool visuals. AMD Radeon Anti-Lag and AMD Radeon Boost systems keep your output stable, and the zero DB triple-fan setup keeps it cool and quiet. XFX also offers a three-year warranty for any manufacturing flaws in the card.
XFX Speedster SWFT309 Radeon RX 6700 XT CORE Graphics Card for $299.99 (list price $399.99)
XFX Speedster SWFT210 AMD Radeon RX 6650XT Graphics Card
This card marked an incremental improvement over the RX 6600 when it was released in 2022, mostly offering faster clock speed and faster memory. It works off of the older RDNA2 architecture, which means it's not as future-proof as some other cards on this list, but for the price, you're going to get solid performance at 1080p on even the most demanding modern games. If you have an AMD Ryzen processor, this GPU's AMD Smart Access memory software will amp up your performance even more. This card debuted at $400 so this is a really solid offer.
XFX Speedster SWFT210 AMD Radeon RX 6650XT Graphics Card for $229.99 (list price $319.99)
Graphics Card Buying Guide
If you need a new GPU for your desktop or laptop, there are a few important features to keep in mind:
There are three main manufacturers of discrete GPUs right now; Nvidia, AMD, and Intel. Intel is far and away a distant third to the other two, but your preference between AMD and Nvidia makes a difference. Nvidia is the market leader and caters more to high-performance gamers, while AMD has more midrange options.
The next thing to consider is display resolution. Cards are rated to pump out pixels at a number of different amounts, but if your GPU is pushing more than your monitor can handle, it's just wasted effort. Make sure you don't overspend on a graphics card that over-delivers. Same thing for monitor refresh rates.
Power consumption and cooling are the other key factors of graphics cards. Newer cards are typically more efficient in terms of power draw, and fan configurations are diverse. The amount of space in your case is going to affect what kind of cooling system you can accommodate.
Frequently Asked Graphics Card Questions
Will GPU Prices Go Down in 2024?
Graphics card buyers have been terrifyingly high over the past few years thanks to their use in mining cryptocurrency, but we've seen significant price corrections this year, with costs on a downward trend. However, if you're waiting to make a purchase because you think prices will continue to go down, you might want to rethink that strategy. AMD has new GPUs rumored, and lower supplies could make the market contract. We wouldn't expect retail costs to go up to pandemic levels, though.
How Do I Compare Graphics Cards?
The key metrics to compare GPUs are resolution, refresh rate, and power consumption. Those are pretty easy to put against each other. One of the best resources we know of is PCMag's reviews and benchmarking tests for GPUs (and PCMag, like ExtremeTech, is a part of Ziff Davis). PCMag not only lists the specs on each card but also puts them through numerous tasks that evaluate performance and show how they stack up to other cards in the same price range.
Are Nvidia Graphics Cards Better Than AMD?
This is one of the most contentious questions in the GPU space right now. Nvidia cards are typically priced higher than their AMD competitors, but they excel at cutting-edge techniques like ray tracing and 4K resolution. AMD does have its advantages as well, most notably lower power consumption. If performance is your key metric, Nvidia cards are objectively better, but there are definitely valid uses for AMD (and Intel) products.
Which Graphics Card Is Best for Gaming?
Objectively, Nvidia's RTX 4090 is the top-performing graphics card on the market right now, capable of delivering gorgeous 4K ray-traced graphics at high frame rates. You'll expect to pay $2,000 or more for all that power, however. For a better balance of power and price, the Nvidia 4070 Ti Super is a reliable GPU that can handle peak current-gen gaming and won't break the bank.
What Is the No. 1 Graphics Card for PC?
PCMag agrees with us that the RTX 4090 is the number one graphics card on the market right now. Other worthy contenders include the AMD RX 7800 XT, which is a great midrange card that has sold very well; the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 for 1080p gaming with a high framerate; and the Intel Arc A580 for budget gaming.
Which GPU Is Best for Its Price?
Threading the needle between cost and performance is the hard part about picking out a graphics card, but luckily we have a wide range of benchmarks to glean data from. Right now, the best pure value in the GPU market is the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT. It performs well across a number of games and will usually run you around $200. Of course, cutting-edge performance comes at a cost, so you need to decide for yourself how much high-definition visuals and fast frame rates are worth to you.
What Is Cheaper, RTX, or GTX?
Nvidia produces two distinct lines of GPUs, Giga Texel Shader eXtreme (GTX) and Ray Tracing Texel eXtreme (RTX). RTX is the newer configuration and is typically more expensive. For the price, you get the more advanced Turing and Ampere architecture, enabling hardware ray-tracing, more efficient power usage, and advanced AI compatibility.
What Graphics Card Is Fastest?
Once again, the recently released Nvidia RTX 4090 is the fastest graphics card on the market, with a base clock speed of 2,235MHz.
Which Brand of Graphics Card Is the Best?
Numerous manufacturers take Nvidia and AMD chipsets and build graphics cards around them. Some have better reputations than others, and in our deals roundups, we try to only feature products from the most reputable and reliable brands. In terms of build quality, warranty support, and technology, Asus is at the top of the heap right now. They hit a variety of price points with well-engineered cards that perform reliably. Other brands we like include MSI, Gigabyte, and Zotac.
The Hottest Graphics Card Deals Right Now
PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Card for $499.99 (list price $679.99)
Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics Card for $304.99 (list price $349.99)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Graphics Card for $1,319.99 (list price $1,399.99)
PNY GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Graphics Card for $389.99 (list price $449.00)
XFX Speedster Radeon RX 6600 Graphics Card for $229.99 (list price $279.99)
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900XTX Graphics Card for $969.99 (list price $1.099.99)
XFX Speedster SWFT309 Radeon RX 6700 XT CORE Graphics Card for $299.99 (list price $399.99)
XFX Speedster SWFT210 AMD Radeon RX 6650XT Graphics Card for $229.99 (list price $319.99)
