NVIDIA Vs AMD Graphics Cards: Which is Best? Cost Comparison

NVIDIA Vs AMD Graphics Cards: Which is Best? Cost Comparison 

If you are in the market for the best graphics card, its pretty much a binary choice: NVIDIA or AMD? Typically, it was a simple calculation based on price (AMD) and performance (NVIDIA). 

For years, Nvidia's graphics cards held a strong advantage over AMD's, but the release of AMD's Radeon RX 7000 series has ignited a more intense rivalry between the two. Now, as both brands have released new AI features into the mix, the battle for GPU champ is hotter than ever. The fight on the more affordable end is also engaged, with both brands making the cheapest graphics cards on the market.  

Both companies frequently introduce new features and improve their graphics architecture to maintain a competitive edge. Nvidia has had core features like ray tracing, DLSS, and frame generation in place for a longer time, while AMD tends to offer more reliable performance alongside budget-friendly options. 

However, both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards have strengths and weaknesses. Which is the best? The answer is "it depends." You'll all have to choose whether to prioritise top-tier frame rates or save money for other PC components.  

Read on to make an informed decision based on our detailed NVIDIA vs AMD comparison guide.  

NVIDIA vs AMD: Price 

Traditionally, AMD has been known as the most affordable brand for graphics cards. This scenario remains true even after the 2023 graphics card releases; AMD maintains its lead across all price categories—whether high-end, mid-range, or budget. For example, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is priced around £760, making it the most affordable flagship GPU, compared to the RTX 4090, which costs around £1,3500. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 is priced at £950, while the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT starts at £700. Meanwhile, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, priced at £610, rounds out the premium category. 

If you are looking for something mid-range, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 costs £460, followed by the RX 7800 XT and Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti 16GB, both of which start at about £380. 

Currently, the best AMD graphics card is the RX 6650 XT for £227, and the best value Nivida graphics card remains the RTX 3060 Ti, which costs £272 if you can find one used, or even the RTX 3070 if you secure a good deal. In overall cost comparison benchmarks, AMD wins the race.  

NVIDIA vs AMD: General Gaming 

Let's make one thing crystal clear: When it comes to 4K performance, Nvidia cards wear the crown. However, if you are looking to invest in a powerful 4 K-enabled graphic card, you will need to ensure one of the best 4K gaming monitors to squeeze the power out of it.  

For the highest possible gaming PC performance without budget constraints, RTX 4090 is currently the top NVIDIA graphics card and is likely to be your best bet. Although you already know that AMD cards are more affordable, they cannot match Nvidia's top-tier offerings. 

While the AMD RX 7000 series delivers impressive ray tracing, it lags behind Nvidia's RTX 40 series regarding ray tracing capabilities. AMD's upscaling technology, FSR, hasn't yet reached the level of Nvidia's DLSS powers.  

With DLSS 3, Nvidia has introduced AI-powered frame generation, which operates in real-time and can effectively double the frame rate. This leads to significant improvements in both graphics and performance, keeping Nvidia at the forefront of upscaling technology. 

Many people opt for best AMD graphics cards if they already have an AMD processor because they are more comfortable using AMD hardware altogether. However, AMD and Nvidia GPUs perform well with Intel or AMD CPUs. 

In terms of overall gaming power, Nvidia still has the advantage. For sheer performance, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has no match to date.  

NVIDIA vs AMD: Ray Tracing 

Ray tracing is a rendering technology integrated into the latest GPUs. It was developed in the 80s, but only current graphics cards supported this technology. This feature simulates how light behaves in the real world. Instead of pre-calculating the colour of pixels, it traces individual rays of light from the viewer's eye into the scene. The results? You get more realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows in graphical rendering.  

Nvidia and AMD cards support ray tracing, but some key differences exist. In terms of more power and superior performance, NVIDIA leads the way for ray tracing. However, it may not be a horse race, you suppose. AMD's offerings have gained ground with their ray tracing capabilities, particularly those of mid-range contenders.  

AMD's RDNA 3 architecture boasts significant improvements to overall ray tracing performance, providing brighter and more realistic visuals. However, this won't be enough to trouble NVIDIA yet. Nvidia's DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology redefines performance without sacrificing image quality in ray-traced games. AMD's FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) is a similar technology but might not be as effective in some scenarios.   

NVIDIA vs AMD: Upscaling 

Upscaling is the technique used to increase the resolution of an image and video. This technology enhances the number of pixels to make content appear sharper and more detailed. This feature is particularly in high-end games where visual clarity makes a difference.  

NVIDIA RTX 40 series has been kitted out with its latest DLSS 3, which adds frame generation to the mix. This technology uses artificial intelligence to create a distinct real-time graphic frame for every second. This inter-frame processing boosts performance significantly in 4K by adding extra data to each frame, effectively doubling the frame rate. 

You can expect much better image quality, including improved ray tracing. However, a drawback is that DLSS 3 is restricted to the RTX 40 series, meaning you'll only experience its advantages if you're willing to invest in one of Nvidia's high-end GPUs. 

On the AMD end of things, AMD FidelityFX Super-resolution (AMD FSR 3) spatial upscale works to reconstruct a higher-resolution image from a lower-resolution one. It's more versatile as it supports a wider range of hardware, including AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel GPUs. 

While it might not always offer the same level of quality as DLSS 3, it's a good option for those with non-RTX GPUs.  DLSS 3 provides a superior performance and image quality compared to FSR 3.  

NVIDIA vs AMD: Compatibility 

Both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards have no compatibility issues. Plus, most software applications, including games, are compatible with both. Thus, it is impossible to declare a clear winner. Both GPU drivers break and unbreak as the software gets updated. 

Since a larger number of people use top Nvidia graphics cards than AMD, software developers are more inclined to prioritise optimising performance for Nvidia cards first. While this generally doesn't cause problems for most software, verifying compatibility with specific programs critical to your productivity is essential.  

The main area where AMD and Nvidia support differ is ray tracing. Nvidia drivers offer better optimisations than AMD drivers for applications that support ray tracing. While it's increasingly rare to encounter ray-traced games that exclusively support Nvidia cards, AMD cards often still seem like an afterthought. With AMD's generally weaker ray tracing performance, Nvidia remains the clear choice for ray tracing fans. 

NVIDIA vs AMD: Adaptive Sync 

Adaptive Sync technology synchronises your monitor's refresh rate with the graphics card's frame rate. This is useful for screen tearing, which occurs when the refresh rate and frame rate do not match. Both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync are implementations of Adaptive Sync technology. 

AMD's FreeSync generally provides better value for the money, while NVIDIA G-Sync offers marginally better performance. Nvidia's G-Sync could be a significantly more costly investment, too, with only a minimal gain in performance—G-Sync-enabled monitors tend to be more expensive, so you will also have to consider whether the extended cost of this proprietary hardware is worth it.  

On the other hand, AMD FreeSync's most significant downside is its risk of ghosting. To simplify, G-Sync should be the way to go if you have an NVIDIA graphics card and are willing to pay a premium for potentially better performance. However, if you're on a budget or have an AMD graphics card, FreeSync is a great option to provide an edge in gaming visuals. 

NVIDIA vs AMD: Software & Drivers 

AMD used to have troubles with its drivers, particularly at launch, which hampered the reliability of its graphic cards. However, AMD software has been improved in the past few years, backed by frequent driver updates, providing much-elevated performance overall.  

While NVIDIA and AMD update their drivers, optimise for new games, and introduce new features, one crucial factor to consider is the software ecosystem and driver support. NVIDIA offers CUDA, a proprietary platform for parallel computing, offering a vast ecosystem of libraries, tools, and frameworks. Not to mention, software developers tend to favour Nvidia for the simple reason that Nvidia has the largest market footprint.  

NVIDIA vs AMD: Non-Gaming Features 

AMD and NVIDIA follow different paths outside of gaming. NVIDIA graphics cards typically have dedicated memory for encoding and decoding media. Combined with hardware acceleration, NVIDIA GPUs give faster, low-lag performance for multimedia tasks, including video editing and graphics production.  

AMD, on the other hand, primarily relies on firmware for its encoding and decoding processes. This user-friendly approach enables access to the latest features and technologies even on non-AMD GPUs.   

On a brighter note, Nvidia has recently enhanced its Studio suite, adding features that make creative tasks more accessible and useful for everyday users. Nvidia Broadcast, for instance, uses AI to remove backgrounds during Zoom and other video calls while filtering out background noise from co-workers or coffee shop settings during live calls. 

AMD remains focused on gaming and improving 4K ray-tracing capabilities. Its Radeon RX graphics architecture is also geared toward advanced content creation but mainly targets next-generation premium laptops.

Best NVIDIA Graphics Card Yet: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 

The GeForce RTX 5090 is NVIDIA's latest advancement in GPU technology, introducing the Blackwell architecture. With a substantial increase in CUDA cores, ray tracing cores, and tensor cores compared to its predecessor, the RTX 4090, the RTX 5090 doubles the performance. Integrating 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, operating at 28 Gbps with a 512-bit interface, results in a remarkable memory bandwidth of 1,790 GB/s, facilitating seamless 4K and 8K gaming experiences. However, the card's high TDP of 575W requires a robust cooling solution and a powerful PSU.

Here are the specifications table of the RTX 5090 graphics card: 

Top Models: 

• GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 MASTER (GV-N5090AORUSM ICE-32GD) 
• Palit GeForce RTX 5090 (NE75090S19R5-GB2020G) 
• ASUS GeForce RTX 5090 ROG Astral (ASTRAL-RTX5090-O32G-GAMING) 

Best AMD Graphics Card Yet: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT  

AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT leverages the RDNA 4 architecture, offering better performance and efficiency improvements over previous generations. Equipped with 64 compute units and a boost clock reaching up to 3.0 GHz, the RX 9070 XT is designed to handle demanding gaming scenarios. The 16 GB GDDR6 memory, coupled with a 256-bit interface and 64 MB of Infinity Cache, ensures efficient data throughput and reduced latency. The card's TDP of 304W is relatively moderate, making it suitable for high-performance gaming rigs without excessive power requirements.  

Here are the specifications table of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card:

Specification	Details
Architecture	RDNA 4
Compute Units	64
Game Frequency	2400 MHz
Boost Clock	Up to 3.0 GHz
Memory	16 GB GDDR6
Memory Interface	256-bit
Infinity Cache	64 MB
TDP	304W

Top Models: 

• GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 (GV-R9070GAMING OC-16GD)  
• XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9070 (RX-97SWFB3B9) 
• ASUS PRIME-RX9070-O16G (90YV0LI1-M0NA00) 

NVIDIA vs AMD: The Final Verdict 

In the GPU space, there is much to commend about Nvidia and AMD. Both companies bring something different and valuable to the table. NVIDIA GPUs stand out because of their best performance across all platforms, superior technology support, and broader range of options.  

Stating this doesn't mean AMD is not trying to bridge the gap. AMD graphics cards are more competitively priced, making them compelling options for budget-conscious buyers. Plus, a user-friendly interface makes it more accessible and captivating.  

For gaming, Nvidia's dedicated RTX technology makes it the best choice in terms of pure performance, while AMD Radeon offers the best gaming performance without breaking the bank.  

In the end, both of these companies rely on competition with each other to thrive. Ultimately, which option is right for you actually depends on your personal preference, budget, and the type of games you play, as well as how demanding those games are on your GPU.  

For instance, if your gaming setup is primarily for playing Minecraft, investing in an RTX 4090 might not be worth it, no matter how impressive the card is. 

Ready to take your gaming or creative experience to the next level?  

Whether you choose feature-packed NVIDIA or budget-friendly AMD options, the right graphics card can make all the difference. Explore our selection of the best NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards today and find the perfect fit for your setup. Stay updated with the latest information on the highly anticipated AMD RX 9070. 

Best of Luck!