Products at a Glance
Features and considerations
Having the latest and best CPU won’t do much if you don’t have a graphics card to process all of that information. If you already invested in a 13th Gen CPU, it would only make sense to match that with an equally powerful GPU.
To choose the best graphics card for Intel 13th Gen, one of the first features you’ll need to consider is VRAM. The best GPUs for that processor need to have around 24GB to ensure a speedy and high enough storage for image data, especially with today’s 3D rendering content creation processes and 4K gaming potentials.
Once VRAM is covered, the best GPU needs to be speedy and powerful. The majority of manufacturers are using Tensor cores to process all of the AI and machine learning tasks. This has helped with upscaling and upgraded performances while gaming. Even though Tensor cores are not a recipe for successful graphics processing, they are a feature that will facilitate the speedy and powerful completion of varied tasks.
One trait that can be forgotten about is wattage needs. It’s a hard fact that new technology needs more power, but that new amount of power will be translated into bigger and more expensive PSUs and, eventually, higher energy bills, so choosing a more efficient GPU will be a smart choice.
Product Reviews
- The fastest GPU available
- 24GB perfect for content creation
- Amazing performance
- DLSS 3 enable Tensor cores to work
- High power requirements
- High Price
- Needs at least a 1250W PSU
The GeForce RTX 4090 is the culmination of many years of upgrades and research. The Ada Lovelace architecture takes the best features of the previous RTX generation and builds over them to deliver the fastest GPU available in the market right now. There’s simply no competition for the power and speed this GPU has. With these speeds, however, comes a price, of course. If you’re in the market for the best you shouldn’t care about putting your pocket on it.
The RTX 4090 best performs on the highest demands. According to benchmarks available in 4K, high-quality gaming, the GPU outperforms the RTX 3090 Ti with 50% faster results. This is groundbreaking for the market if you consider the poor 25%-30% improvements of the same 3090 Ti over the previous 3080. The lower the resolution, the lower the advantages. Compared with the RTX 3090 Ti, the improvements went down to only 30% in 1440p and as low as 16% in 1080p gaming. So if you’re not planning on delving into high-demanding gaming or professional content creation, this setup will be overkill for you.
- Amazing 4k gaming performance
- 24GB VRAM
- It uses Tensor cores
- 8k potential
- Big cooler
The last Nvidia GPU generation was a competitive batch. The performance enhancements shown with the newest 30 series didn’t quite match up with the swell in prices. Balancing out price and performance, the RTX 3090 Ti is the best option in the last generation of Nvidia GPUs. You’ll get all the benefits of 4K, 1440p, and 1080p gaming at a far better price range.
We claim this is a runner-up among best graphics cards for Intel 13th Gen after considering the performance upgrades the RTX 3090 Ti had over the 3090, and the upcoming launch of the RTX 4080. Once that GPU is out it will most certainly eat up this category. For now, the 3090 Ti keeps being the best option for a last-gen GPU. It will give you great performance if matched with an Intel 13th Gen processor.
The RTX 3090 has 24GB VRAM running at 21Gbps. It delivers a base clock speed of 1,560GHz and a boost clock speed that reaches up to 1,860MHz. With 28.3 million transistors and the previous Ampere architecture, the 3090 Ti performs smoothly in 4K gaming alongside the lowest resolutions. If you want to draw a great performance out of the Raptor Lake and not spend the $1,500+ on the 4090, this is a great option for you.
- Beautiful aesthetics
- Amazing overclock performance
- Quiet and cool
- AMD GPUs don’t have Tensor cores
- Ray-tracing task performances are not the best
The days when you couldn’t combine an AMD GPU with an Intel CPU are far over. Nowadays, it’s all about performance. If you are not convinced about Nvidia’s prices and are looking for something else, this is one of the best options to choose from. You need to keep in mind that the new RX 7000 series is about to drop, so keep an eye on that one, because that will definitely be a better option than this one.
The RX 6950 XT is the best last-gen GPU that AMD built, and Sapphire does an incredible job improving the cooling system and giving this GPU the push it needs to be a beast. It has 5,120 cores and a 16GB, GDDR6, 256-bit VRAM. It runs at a base clock speed of 2,162GHz and a boost clock speed of 2,368GHz.
The Sapphire RX 6950 XT nitro+ Pure is a premium GPU built for overclocking. The extra heatsink space and unmatched cooling system gifts this card a quiet and relaxed performance. If you’re planning to overclock your rig and just don’t want an Nvidia GPU, definitely go with this one.
- Great Price
- Surprisingly good 4k gaming
- Only 10GB VRAM
- Too high TDP for what it offers
The RTX 3080 advantage is its price. It’s the last-gen best performance-cost balanced GPU on the market. The power and speed of this card will ensure users a non-bottlenecked performance with an Intel 13th gen CPU. If you’re looking to save some money for other PC components or to leverage a good GPU while waiting to get a new-gen one, this is a great choice.
The 3080 does not fall short in benchmarks when compared with its bigger siblings, like the 3080 Ti, 3090, and 3090 Ti. It has a 10GB VRAM that works great, 28.3 million transistors, and the well-known Ampere architecture. The 8,704 CUDA cores give this GPU great potential for overclocking and 1440p gaming. It delivers perfectly, running 4K games at 60FPS, but of course, there are way better options for that. Still, the RTX 3080 doesn’t disappoint.
That’s all among the best graphics cards for Intel’s 13th gen. A beast of a CPU certainly deserves a beast of a GPU, and the 4090 is one heck of a monster. With RDNA 3 just around the corner, the GPU landscape may certainly be altered dramatically, but it still won’t be clear how well AMD’s cards will work in tandem with Raptor Lake processors. For now, Nvidia is all we have to go on, with several last-gen cards making for interesting set pieces in the wait for the firm’s next lineup.
Our Verdict
The decision is simple if money is not an issue. The brand-new RTX 4090 is the king of the GPU market, and I think it will continue being so even after RDNA 3 drops. Although, we have a bit of a wait before that face-off begins come December 19th. If you’re looking for top-level performance, whether it be in 4K gaming, 3D rendering, high-demanding content creation, or even top machine-learning tasks, you should go for the RTX 4090. Each and every option in the post will net you great performance enhancements, but nothing quite like what the 4090 boasts.