GPU hierarchy: every graphics card ranked

All 35 graphics cards CompareYourGPU tracks, from the fastest to the slowest on one estimated index, grouped into five tiers. Use it to see where a card sits, which cards are close enough to treat as equals, and what the next step up costs.

Data last reviewed August 23, 2026. 14 of the 35 cards are still in production.

How to read this table

Five things to know before you compare two rows.

The index is an estimate. It runs from 0 to 100, where 100 is the fastest card tracked, and it is aggregated from public review coverage. It is not a measurement of your system. Treat a gap of a few points as no gap.
Rank follows the 1440p index. The 1080p and 4K columns are shown so you can see where a card gains or loses. Cards with the same index share a rank.
Speed is not value. A higher rank usually costs more per frame. The verdict compares each price with what the card’s speed suggests, and the guide to the fair-price verdict explains how it works.
Prices are labelled. A figure marked MSRP is the launch price; one without it is a verified street price with its source and date on the card’s page. A verdict appears only beside a verified price, because a launch price says little about what a card costs today. Outside the US the figures are converted and approximate.
Tier descriptions are judgement. The index bands are fixed, but the sentence under each tier is our view of what it suits.

Flagship (index 85-100)

Built for 4K at high refresh rates and for anyone who wants no compromises. Price and power draw are at their highest here, and most players do not need this tier.

Graphics cards in this tier, ranked by estimated 1440p index
#	Card	1080p	1440p	4K	VRAM	Power	Price	Verdict
1	RTX 5090NVIDIA	100	100	100	32 GB	575 W	$6,592	Expensive

High-end (index 65-84)

Comfortable 4K with upscaling and 1440p at very high refresh rates. This is where 16 GB of memory or more stops being a worry.

Graphics cards in this tier, ranked by estimated 1440p index
#	Card	1080p	1440p	4K	VRAM	Power	Price	Verdict
2	RTX 4090NVIDIADiscontinued	88	82	78	24 GB	450 W	$1,599MSRP	No verified price
3	RTX 5080NVIDIA	82	74	69	16 GB	360 W	$1,973	Good price
4	RX 7900 XTXAMDDiscontinued	76	69	64	24 GB	355 W	$1,457	Good price
5	RTX 4080 SUPERNVIDIADiscontinued	76	68	63	16 GB	320 W	$999MSRP	No verified price
6	RTX 5070 TiNVIDIA	72	65	60	16 GB	300 W	$1,510	Good price

Upper mid-range (index 45-64)

The 1440p sweet spot. Cards here handle most current games at high settings and are where performance per dollar tends to peak.

Graphics cards in this tier, ranked by estimated 1440p index
#	Card	1080p	1440p	4K	VRAM	Power	Price	Verdict
7	RX 9070 XTAMD	70	63	57	16 GB	304 W	$988	Good price
8	RX 7900 XTAMDDiscontinued	67	60	55	20 GB	315 W	$899MSRP	No verified price
8	RTX 4070 Ti SUPERNVIDIADiscontinued	68	60	55	16 GB	285 W	$1,411	Good price
10	RTX 3090 TiNVIDIADiscontinued	60	55	51	24 GB	450 W	$1,999MSRP	No verified price
10	RX 9070AMD	63	55	49	16 GB	220 W	$814	Good price
12	RTX 4070 TiNVIDIADiscontinued	57	51	46	12 GB	285 W	$799MSRP	No verified price
12	RTX 5070NVIDIA	58	51	44	12 GB	250 W	$986	Good price
14	RTX 3090NVIDIADiscontinued	55	50	46	24 GB	350 W	$1,499MSRP	No verified price
14	RTX 4070 SUPERNVIDIADiscontinued	57	50	43	12 GB	220 W	$599MSRP	No verified price
16	RTX 3080 TiNVIDIADiscontinued	54	49	45	12 GB	350 W	$1,199MSRP	No verified price
17	RTX 3080NVIDIADiscontinued	50	45	40	10 GB	320 W	$699MSRP	No verified price
17	RX 7800 XTAMDDiscontinued	52	45	38	16 GB	263 W	$499MSRP	No verified price
17	RTX 4070NVIDIADiscontinued	51	45	38	12 GB	200 W	$599MSRP	No verified price

Mid-range (index 28-44)

Solid 1080p and entry-level 1440p. Memory capacity is the limit that matters most, and it is where 8 GB and 12 GB cards divide.

Graphics cards in this tier, ranked by estimated 1440p index
#	Card	1080p	1440p	4K	VRAM	Power	Price	Verdict
20	RX 7700 XTAMDDiscontinued	45	38	31	12 GB	245 W	$449MSRP	No verified price
21	RTX 3070 TiNVIDIADiscontinued	42	37	31	8 GB	290 W	$1,029	Expensive
22	RTX 5060 Ti 16GBNVIDIA	42	36	29	16 GB	180 W	$906	Expensive
23	RTX 3070NVIDIADiscontinued	40	35	29	8 GB	220 W	$499MSRP	No verified price
24	RTX 5060 Ti 8GBNVIDIA	41	34	24	8 GB	180 W	$634	Expensive
25	RX 9060 XT 16GBAMD	39	33	26	16 GB	160 W	$646	Expensive
26	RX 9060 XT 8GBAMD	38	31	22	8 GB	150 W	$561	Expensive
27	RTX 3060 TiNVIDIADiscontinued	35	29	24	8 GB	200 W	$752	Expensive
27	RTX 5060NVIDIA	35	29	22	8 GB	145 W	$502	Expensive
29	RTX 4060 Ti 8GBNVIDIADiscontinued	34	28	21	8 GB	160 W	$399MSRP	No verified price

Entry-level (index 0-27)

1080p at moderate settings, esports and older games. Cards here keep their value for lighter use and fall short in the newest releases.

Graphics cards in this tier, ranked by estimated 1440p index
#	Card	1080p	1440p	4K	VRAM	Power	Price	Verdict
30	Arc B580Intel	31	27	20	12 GB	190 W	$435	Expensive
31	RTX 3060 12GBNVIDIADiscontinued	27	23	18	12 GB	170 W	$555	Expensive
31	RX 7600AMDDiscontinued	28	23	17	8 GB	165 W	$386	Expensive
31	RTX 4060NVIDIADiscontinued	29	23	17	8 GB	115 W	$299MSRP	No verified price
34	Arc B570Intel	26	22	16	10 GB	150 W	$352	Expensive
34	RTX 5050NVIDIA	27	22	16	8 GB	130 W	$383	Expensive

From the hierarchy to a decision

The ranking shortens the list. These pages finish the job.

Best graphics cards by category

Value, budget, 1080p, 1440p, 4K and ray tracing, each ranked on its own weighting.

See the best-of rankings

Compare two cards

Line up any two or more cards on price, performance, memory, power and features.

Open the comparison tool

Is an upgrade worth it?

Find your card in the table, then see what a step up gains and costs.

Use the upgrade advisor

GPU hierarchy: common questions

What is a GPU hierarchy?

A ranking of graphics cards from fastest to slowest, usually grouped into tiers of similar performance. It lets you see where a card sits relative to every other, and which cards are close enough to treat as equals.

How are the cards ranked here?

By CompareYourGPU's estimated performance index at 1440p, where 100 is the fastest card tracked. The index is aggregated from public review coverage and is an estimate, not a measurement. Cards with the same index share a rank.

Why is performance estimated rather than measured?

The site does not publish a frame rate it cannot attribute to a named source. The index summarises public review coverage, and the methodology page explains how it is built and what it cannot tell you.

What do the tiers mean?

A tier is a band of the index: 85 and above is flagship, 65 to 84 high-end, 45 to 64 upper mid-range, 28 to 44 mid-range and below 28 entry-level. The labels are for orientation. The number next to each card is what to compare.

Does a higher rank mean a better buy?

No. Rank measures speed alone. A card higher in the table can cost far more per frame than one below it, so check the price and the fair-price verdict, or use the best value and budget rankings, before deciding.

Are discontinued cards included?

Yes, and they are marked. They stay in the table so you can see where an older or second-hand card sits against current ones, but they are not recommended in the best-of rankings.

What changed on this page

Updates a reader could notice, newest first. Corrections are logged on the corrections page.

October 17, 2026: Page created. Ranks every card in the database on the estimated 1440p index, grouped into five tiers, with the fair-price verdict beside each price.