Choosing a good graphics card takes a lot of planning and thought. Regardless of the CPU or RAM you end up with, the graphics cards (GPU) is likely going to be the centerpiece of any new gaming PC. You want to make sure you have the speed you need to avoid bottlenecks, and that you've done the research required to pair appropriate hardware together. For a lot of us this means starting with a brand that we trust, and ASUS is one of the most well known and trusted component manufacturers out there. Just about any card from their lineup is going to provide reliable performance, and many enjoy matching hardware with their other Republic of Gamer (ROG) or TUF components. So, let's take a look at the best ASUS GPUs currently on the market!
As a note: before purchasing any graphics card ensure that you have the physical clearance and the PSU required for it to work in your setup. We've also used Grand Theft Auto V as our FPS benchmark game, and an Intel Core i7-11700KF as our benchmark CPU. So your exact results will vary depending on your hardware. We've also made sure to include both AMD and NVIDIA cards, so regardless of your preferred company you'll be able to pick the proper ASUS GPU.
TUF RX 6900 XT OC Edition
Video Memory | 16GB DDR6 |
Memory Speed | 16 Gbps |
Max Clock Speed | 2340 MHz |
Recommended PSU | 850W |
The two major GPU product lines from ASUS are ROG and TUF, with the main difference being price and materials. ROG is the premiere gaming line from ASUS, and often features lots of RGB and special light-up ROG logos for those who want to coordinate an all ASUS ROG build. But their TUF line uses high-end materials meant to be a little less flashy but stand to to a bit more abuse. The ASUS TUF RX 6900 XT is a beast of an AMD card from ASUS, with the power demands to match. At 2340 MHz max boost clock it's going to be able to do some serious gaming. It comes in at a 2.9 slot size with a 13 inch length, and required dual 8 pin connectors for power. At 4K you should be getting well over 144 FPS in GTAV on high settings.
ROG Strix RX 6800 XT
Video Memory | 16GB GDDR6 |
Memory Speed | 16 Gbps |
Max Clock Speed | 2190 MHz |
Recommended PSU | 650W |
Going down the line of AMD card offerings from ASUS we have the 6800 XT, which is still a very powerful and capable card. While it does drop the clock speed just a bit compared to the 6900 XT, it's still going to net you right at 144 FPS in GTAV on high at 4k. Like the 6900 XT it's a 2.9 slot size, 13 inch length, and requires dual 8 pin connectors.
ROG Strix RX 6700 XT
Video Memory | 12GB GDDR6 |
Memory Speed | 16 Gbps |
Max Clock Speed | 2622 MHz |
Recommended PSU | 650W |
The 6700 XT is a newer middle of the road offering from AMD that still delivers solid performance and pairs that with a more reasonable price point compared to its larger and more expensive brethren. It's also sitting in the same general physical area at a 2.9 slot size, 12.68 inch length, and dual 8-pin power requirements. As far as performance it sits at well over 240 FPS in GTAV on high at 1080p and a very playable 107 FPS at 4k on high.
ROG Strix RTX 3090
Video Memory | 24GB GDDR6X |
Memory Speed | 19.5 Gbps |
Max Clock Speed | 1890 MHz |
Recommended PSU | 850W |
For those keeping score at home, the 3090 beats the 6900 XT on both amount of memory and speed. The trade-off there is a slightly lower boost clock, so when deciding between the two it's worth checking the games you plan to play to determine which is more important for what you want to be doing. That decision aside, the 3090 is a 12.53 inch long card at a 2.9 slot size that requires dual 8 pin power connectors. At 4k the 3090 will net you around 137 FPS in GTAV on high, and a a tremendous 297 at 1080p.
ROG Strix LC RTX 3080 Ti
Video Memory | 12GB GDDR6X |
Memory Speed | 19 Gbps |
Max Clock Speed | 1860 MHz |
Recommended PSU | 850W |
The LC in the ROG Strix LC lineup stand for liquid-cooled, and as you'd expect these cards have a separate radiator that comes with the card meant to be installed along with your other radiators. The card itself is 11.53 inches long, requires slightly more power with three 8 pin connectors, and sits at a slim 2.6 slot size due to the separate radiator. In GTAV on high at 4k you can expect around 132 FPS.
TUF Gaming RTX 3060 OC Edition
Video Memory | 12GB GDDR6 |
Memory Speed | 15 Gbps |
Max Clock Speed | 1882 MHz |
Recommended PSU | 750W |
Another card in the TUF lineup, the TUF Gaming RTX 3060 is a respectable card with reasonable requirements and the ability to still get a lot of gaming done for not a lot of money. This card requires only one 8-pin power connector, sits at 11.81 inches long, and takes up 2.7 slots. At 1080p in GTAV on high you'll be looking at around 192 FPS, and a very usable 86 FPS at 4k.
Picking a graphics card is difficult, especially when comparing benchmarks that may not match your exact hardware. When trying to determine which card is right for you it's best to start with the games you want to play and work backward from there. For things like eSports titles it's rarely worth shelling out for top-of-the-line cards when those titles are comfortable running on much more affordable hardware, but if you're a bleeding edge type gamer and want the latest open world experience to run buttery smooth then the upgrade might be worth your time.
For more hardware recommendations check out 2021’s 6 Best Artisan Keycaps and Best Keyboard and Mouse for the PS5 on Pro Game Guides.
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Published: Nov 6, 2021 03:07 pm