2025’s Best Graphics Card: PC Gamer Hardware Award Winner
▼ Summary
– The 2025 GPU launches from AMD and Nvidia were problematic due to driver issues, hardware problems, and especially high pricing and poor availability.
– Despite the rocky launches, the nominated graphics cards later became more affordable and widely available, representing the best of each company’s architectures.
– AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT is a nominee, offering performance comparable to Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti but at a significantly lower MSRP, with strong ray tracing and upscaling.
– The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT is another nominee, providing excellent 1440p gaming performance and 16GB of VRAM, making it a cost-effective, future-proof option in the mid-range.
– Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is nominated for its strong performance and exceptional overclocking potential, which allows for significant performance gains without major trade-offs.
The year 2025 delivered a new generation of graphics cards, bringing significant advancements in gaming performance and technology. While initial launches were marred by frustrating availability and pricing issues, the market has since stabilized, making these powerful GPUs accessible to gamers. This year is particularly notable for the intense competition, with AMD delivering compelling alternatives that challenge Nvidia’s traditional dominance, especially in the critical mid-range segment where most gamers shop.
The nominees for the top graphics card award reflect this dynamic landscape. Each model represents a strategic play by its manufacturer, offering a unique blend of performance, value, and features that define the current state of PC gaming hardware.
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
AMD’s strategy with its RX 9000-series focused squarely on the high-volume market, and the RX 9070 XT executed this plan brilliantly. The card’s appeal is straightforward: it delivers gaming performance on par with Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti but at a significantly lower manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Early scarcity temporarily erased this price advantage, but with both cards now consistently available at their intended costs, the value proposition of the Radeon shines.
Beyond raw performance, this generation marks a turning point for AMD in key technological areas. The RX 9070 XT handles ray tracing credibly and, with the latest FSR update, offers vastly improved upscaling and frame generation. For gamers seeking high-end performance without the premium price tag, this card is an exceptionally smart choice that finally makes AMD a full-spectrum competitor.
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB
AMD extended its value-focused approach into the mid-range with the RX 9060 XT. Its most compelling feature is the generous 16 GB of video memory at an accessible price point, a direct challenge to Nvidia’s offerings in this tier. At launch, it easily outperformed the standard RTX 5060, which came with half the VRAM for only a slightly lower cost.
Even as the competitive landscape tightens, the RX 9060 XT remains a standout for future-proofing. It delivers excellent 1440p gaming performance and ensures you won’t be hampered by insufficient VRAM in upcoming titles. For budget-conscious builders who still want a robust gaming experience, this card represents the most affordable gateway to ample graphics memory.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
Despite fierce competition on price, the RTX 5070 Ti remains a formidable and favorite contender. It embodies the strengths of Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture, offering excellent performance and a still-unmatched suite of features, including industry-leading ray tracing and DLSS upscaling. When prices between it and the RX 9070 XT converged during the initial shortage, many enthusiasts gravitated toward the GeForce card for its overall polish and feature set.
However, the RTX 5070 Ti’s most surprising talent is its overclocking potential. Breaking from recent trends, this generation of GPUs possesses significant headroom. Enthusiasts can extract notably higher performance through overclocking without encountering excessive heat or power draw, a capability that even challenges more expensive models within the same family. This makes it a thrilling option for tweakers and performance seekers.
The winner of the award will be revealed soon, but this year’s nominees highlight a healthy, competitive market where gamers ultimately benefit from better choices and more compelling value across the board.
(Source: PCGAMER)
