How we rank
Every card is tested at stock clocks in three games across three resolutions. Tier placement prioritizes price-to-performance within each resolution class, not raw performance alone.
S-tier — buy without hesitation
RTX 5090: Unreachable performance for 4K and AI workloads. Price reflects that.
A-tier — the sweet spots
RTX 5080: Best 4K gaming performance under $2,000. The enthusiast default.
RX 9070 XT: Best 1440p performance under $1,000. AMD’s strongest showing since the RX 6800 XT.
B-tier — good but wait for a sale
RTX 5070 Ti, RX 9070 — excellent cards held back by pricing that hasn’t settled post-launch.
C-tier — last-gen value plays
RTX 4070 Super, RX 7900 GRE — still excellent, now available below MSRP at retail.