With the advent of new graphics cards, owners of older gpu’s are wondering if it’s time to upgrade. New graphics cards bring many improvements such as higher performance, ray tracing technology, power consumption or optimizations for new games and applications. If you’re still using an older generation, new hardware can improve your gaming or even work performance.
What do new graphics cards bring?
- Enhanced ray tracing and AI support: the new NVIDIA RTX graphics cards use DLSS 3.5, which increases FPS in games and reduces GPU load. AMD cards bring next-generation FSR to a competitive level.
- Consumption: New graphics cards are optimized to deliver high performance at lower power, which means less heat and lower operating costs.
- Higher memory capacity and wider bandwidth: The new graphics cards have more memory and faster data transfers, making them ideal for high-resolution gaming or professional applications.
- Display compatibility: Outputs such as HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 support gaming and working at high resolutions and refresh rates. So take full advantage of them with new displays.
What new GPUs are available in 2025?
New graphics cards offer exceptional performance and innovations that take gaming and work to the next level. Find out which card is perfect for you!
GeForce RTX 4090
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a graphics card designed for the most demanding gamers. With the Ada Lovelace architecture and 24GB of GDDR6X memory, it’s a good choice for 4K gaming and app work.
The card has a power consumption of 450W, making it one of the most powerful models. With a trio of DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1 connectors, it has compatibility with current monitors. Cooling for the founders edition graphics card is provided by a massive heatsink, other manufacturers’ cards usually have at least 3 fans.
The RTX 4090 is for gamers who want a powerful card with DLSS 3.5 and ray tracing support. This is a TOP choice if you can afford a higher price – so this card will definitely not disappoint you. You should also think about a powerful enough power supply with this card, as its power consumption can exceed 450W at TPD. At first glance, it looks massive and you will definitely need more space in the case. In games like Fortnite, it reaches 240FPS at 4K and handles the more demanding Cyberpunk at 130FPS.
Basic information
- Price: 2150€
- Architecture by Ada Lovelace
- Shaders: 18 432
- Base Frequency: 2 520 MHz
- Boost frequency: 2 880 MHz
- Memory: 24 GB GDDR6X
- Memory bus width: 384 bit
- Memory bandwidth: 1 008 GB/s
- Dimensions: 304 x 137 mm
Interface and connectivity
- Maximum resolution: 8K (7680 x 4320)
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1
Performance in games
- Cyberpunk 2077: 130 FPS (4K)
- Fortnite: 240 FPS (4K)
- CS2: 350 FPS (4K)
Geforce RTX 4080
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the graphics card for gamers looking for 4K at a more affordable price than, say, the RTX 4090. It has the Ada Lovelace architecture and 16GB of GDDR6X memory. It has high efficiency and supports the latest technologies such as DLSS 3.0.
The RTX 4080 has a sleek design and looks slightly more compact than its big brother RTX 4090. The card has a power consumption of 320W and standard connectors (HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a). When playing Fortnite at max settings in 4K it reaches over 120 FPS which is more than enough for gamers who want performance without buying a full high-end. When using DLSS 3 the card shows its power, especially in games.
Basic Information
- Price: 1400€
- Architecture: Ada Lovelace
- Shaders: 9 728
- Base Frequency: 2 220 MHz
- Boost frequency: 2 510 MHz
- Memory: 16 GB GDDR6X
- Memory bus width: 256 bit
- Memory bandwidth: 736 GB/s
- Dimensions: 285 x 112 mm
Interface and connectivity
- Maximum resolution: 8K (7680 x 4320)
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1
Performance in games
- Cyberpunk 2077: 100 FPS (4K)
- Fortnite: 200 FPS (4K)
- CS2: 300 FPS (4K)
Radeon RX 7900 XTX
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a graphics card from AMD and is an alternative to high-end models from NVIDIA. It has RDNA 3 architecture and 24 GB GDDR6 memory.
The power consumption is approximately 355W, which is lower than competing models with similar performance. DisplayPort 2.1 support enables the use of high-HTZ displays.
Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a gaming graphics card for gamers who want performance at a lower price compared to other brands. On first impression, it makes a powerful impression with three fans that ensure a stable temperature. This card is for those who prefer more AMD and want performance with good power consumption. We got decent numbers when gaming. Fortnite handles at 210FPS on the highest settings and Cyberpunk 2077 handles at 110FPS at 4K
Basic Information
- Price: 950€
- Architecture: RDNA 3
- Shaders: 8 144
- Base Frequency: 2 300 MHz
- Boost frequency: 2 500 MHz
- Memory: 24 GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 384 bit
- Memory bandwidth: 960 GB/s
- Dimensions: 287 x 119 mm
Interface and connectivity
- Maximum resolution: 8K (7680 x 4320)
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Outputs: 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C
Performance in games
- Cyberpunk 2077: 110 FPS (4K)
- Fortnite: 210 FPS (4K)
- CS2: 320 FPS (4K)
Intel Arc A770
The Intel Arc A770 is a mid-range graphics card with an excellent price/performance ratio. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and the Alchemist architecture. It can provide the performance for gaming in Full HD and 1440p resolution.
With a power consumption of 225W, it ranks among the more power-efficient cards and is also suitable for less powerful setups. Connectivity is provided by DisplayPort 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 connectors.
The Intel Arc A770 is suitable for gamers on a budget who want to try something new. It’s an interesting card from Intel, but the software optimization is weaker. For games like Fortnite we got to 144FPS on high settings and Cyberpunk handles at 60FPS which is still smoothly playable. The card does have big fans but the card overheats more often and is also noisier.
Basic Information
- Price: 400€
- Architecture
- Base frequency: 2 100 MHz
- Boost frequency: 2 400 MHz
- Memory: 16 GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 256 bit
- Memory bandwidth: 512 GB/s
- Dimensions: 267 x 112 mm
Interface and connectivity
- Maximum resolution: 4K (3840×2160)
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.1
Performance in games
- Cyberpunk 2077: 60 FPS (4K)
- Fortnite: 140 FPS (4K)
- CS2: 220 FPS (4K)
AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT
The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is a mid-range card and also offers a very good price/performance ratio. It has an RDNA 3 architecture, 12GB GDDR6 memory and is designed for 1440p gaming. The card has a power consumption of 245W and supports DisplayPort 2.1.
The RX 7700 XT is a good choice for gamers who want performanceextreme investment. For games like CS2, it reaches 220FPS on high settings and Fortnite can handle about 160FPS on high settings. However, the card is noisier when playing for longer periods of time. It’s a very similar card to the Intel Arc A770, but you can have that for a lower price.
Basic Information
- Price: 420€
- Architecture: RDNA 3
- Shaders: 3 840
- Base frequency: 2 170 MHz
- Boost frequency: 2 540 MHz
- Memory: 12 GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 192 bit
- Memory bandwidth: 432 GB/s
- Dimensions: 267 x 120 mm
Interface and connectivity
- Maximum resolution: 4K (3840×2160)
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Outputs: 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C
Performance in games
- Cyberpunk 2077: 80 FPS (1440p)
- Fortnite: 160 FPS (1440p)
- CS2: 220 FPS (1440p)
Is it time to upgrade? How to tell if you need a new graphics card
1. Performance in games
If your games are running at low quality, lagging, noisy, overheating at higher settings, or don’t have stable FPS, it may be time for an upgrade – look at new graphics cards
2. Technology support
New graphics cards have technologies such as ray tracing, DLSS 3, and FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) that older cards don’t have. If you care about quality or need better performance, the newer models are a good choice.
3. Professional applications
If you work with applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, Blender or AutoCAD, newer graphics cards can speed up rendering and project processing. The new models are also optimized for these applications, not just games.
4. Connectivity
Older cards may have problems with overheating, higher power consumption, or simply may not support connections such as HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 1.4a. If your graphics can’t take advantage of your monitor’s high resolution or frequency, it may be time to upgrade.
How do new graphics cards affect power consumption?
New graphics cards not only have high performance, but also higher power consumption. High-end models, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Ti, can have a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of more than 450W, which puts an extreme strain on the power supply.
Why is power consumption important?
Higher consumption means more load on the resource, but also higher operating costs. When gaming or rendering, power consumption can be high, especially if you are using older, less efficient resources. Most new cards require connectors such as the 12VHPWR (used on the RTX 40-series), which does not support all power supplies.
Tips to optimize power consumption:
- Consider upgrading your PSU – If you plan on buying a high-end card, a PSU of at least 850W is recommended for a build with RTX 4080, and over 1000W for RTX 4090 Ti.
- Use apps – NVIDIA WhisperMode and AMD Radeon Chill can improve your power consumption during less demanding activities.
- Monitor temperatures – Higher power consumption means more heat, so proper GPU cooling is important, and new graphics cards need powerful cooling to run properly.
Ray tracing and DLSS 3: Does it make sense to invest in new technologies?
Ray tracing and DLSS 3 have become attractions for new NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards. They improve game quality and deliver smoother gameplay.
Ray tracing in practice:
Ray tracing creates realistic lighting, reflections and shadows, transforming the visual experience of games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Fortnite. Although AMD’s Radeon RX 7000 series offers ray tracing, NVIDIA remains the leader, and that may be a reason to buy a card from NVIDIA.
DLSS 3 and its benefits:
DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) uses AI to improve performance without compromising image quality. The RTX 40 series has DLSS 3, which adds Frame Generation, enabling smooth FPS with ray tracing enabled at 4K resolutions.
Does it make sense to invest in a newer card because of the new technology?
- If you are playing cutting edge games then the technology provides a pretty decent boost thanks to ray tracingand DLSS 3.
- Less demanding gamers who play games occasionally or their older graphics card still meets the requirements will not benefit much from the upgrade and will pay unnecessarily more money. So for these players the upgrade is not necessary.