Best current-generation graphics cards for gaming PCs

Top pick: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT — the sweet spot for a current-gen gaming build. It's the card that makes 1440p high-refresh and entry 4K feel effortless, with 16GB of memory so textures stay safe for years, and it's the most sensible place to put your money.

Who the others suit:

• Intel Arc B580 — budget 1080p builds; the value leader if you're not chasing frame rates.
• RTX 5080 — 4K with ray tracing and DLSS upscaling; the step up when you want headroom.
• RTX 5070 Ti — a middle path to 1440p/4K with Nvidia's feature set.
• RX 9060 XT — smaller-budget 1440p, 16GB version preferred.
• RTX 5090 — no-compromise 4K/VR/flagship builds, if money isn't the constraint.

Check your case length and PSU before buying — the high-end cards are big and power-hungry.