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The Best Graphics Cards for Gaming in 2026

Tom’s Hardware ranks the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti first and AMD’s RX 9070 XT second, but memory shortages mean most cards sell far above MSRP. On October 26 the 5070 Ti’s best US price was $1,229 against a $749 MSRP.

By PickedTech Editorial TeamLast updated Prices & specs checked Oct 2026

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How this page was made: this is a research-based guide built from manufacturer spec pages, official prices and published lab measurements from the outlets we name and link. We haven’t tested these products ourselves, and we don’t invent scores. Our methodology.

Quick answer

Tom’s Hardware ranks the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti first and AMD’s RX 9070 XT second, but memory shortages mean most cards sell far above MSRP. On October 26 the 5070 Ti’s best US price was $1,229 against a $749 MSRP. Best overall: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, $1,229. Best AMD: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, $869.

Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026

Key facts at a glance

Key facts (prices checked Oct 2026)
PickProductBest forPrice
Best overallNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti1440p and 4K gaming$1,229
Best AMDAMD Radeon RX 9070 XTAMD fans and value$869
Best midrangeNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070midrange 1440p builds$869
Best for 1080pNVIDIA GeForce RTX 50601080p gaming$449
FastestNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090money-no-object 4K$1,999 MSRP
Cheapest worth buyingIntel Arc B570tight budgets$289

Picks follow Tom’s Hardware’s[1][2] best graphics cards ranking, with prices from its lowest GPU prices tracker (prices checked October 2026). GPU prices are unusually high in 2026; Tom’s Hardware says the RX 9070 GRE is about the only card still selling close to MSRP.

Which should you buy? Our quick picks

Tom’s Hardware #1; $1,229 best price
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Tom’s Hardware #2; $869
Check price (opens in a new tab)
$869
Check price (opens in a new tab)
$449
Check price (opens in a new tab)
$1,999 MSRP, far higher in stores
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Cheapest worth buying
Intel Arc B570
$289
Check price (opens in a new tab)

How do they compare?

Graphics card prices vs MSRP (Tom’s Hardware tracker, October 2026)
CardBest US priceVRAMLaunch MSRPBest for
Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti$1,22916GB$7491440p and 4K gaming
AMD RX 9070 XT$86916GB$599AMD fans and value
Nvidia RTX 5070$86912GB$549—
Nvidia RTX 5060$4498GB$2991080p gaming
Nvidia RTX 5090$8,47732GB$1,999Money-no-object 4K
Intel Arc B570$28910GB$219Tight budgets

The picks in detail

Best overall

1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

Best for: 1440p and 4K gaming

Tom’s Hardware’s[1][2] top pick. It argues Nvidia’s driver support and features like DLSS 4.5 justify the roughly $300 premium over an RX 9070 XT over a five-year life. Its best US price was $1,229 on Oct. 26, far above the $749 MSRP.

Price (Oct 2026): $1,229 Source

Pros

  • Top all-round performance
  • DLSS 4.5 and frame generation
  • 16GB VRAM

Cons

  • Selling far above MSRP
Check NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti price (opens in a new tab)
Best AMD

2. AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT

Best for: AMD fans and value

Tom’s Hardware’s[1][2] No. 2 card, with 16GB of memory. Its best price was $869 against a $599 MSRP.

Price (Oct 2026): $869 Source

Pros

  • 16GB VRAM
  • Cheaper than the 5070 Ti

Cons

  • Fewer features than Nvidia
  • Above MSRP
Check AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT price (opens in a new tab)
Best midrange

3. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070

Best for: midrange 1440p builds

Tom’s Hardware[1][2] calls it a versatile midrange card thanks to DLSS 4.5 and multi-frame generation. It has 12GB of memory and sold for $869 at best, against a $549 MSRP.

Price (Oct 2026): $869 Source

Pros

  • DLSS 4.5 features
  • Good 1440p performance

Cons

  • 12GB VRAM
  • Well above MSRP
Check NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 price (opens in a new tab)
Best for 1080p

4. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060

Best for: 1080p gaming

Tom’s Hardware’s[1][2] best 1080p card. It warns that 8GB of memory often isn’t enough to use frame generation in demanding games. Best price was $449 against a $299 MSRP.

Price (Oct 2026): $449 Source

Pros

  • Cheapest current Nvidia pick
  • Good 1080p performance

Cons

  • Only 8GB VRAM
Check NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 price (opens in a new tab)
Fastest

5. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

Best for: money-no-object 4K

The fastest consumer card, with 32GB of memory. Tom’s Hardware[1][2] says it now sells for more than four times its $1,999 launch price, if you can find one; its tracker’s best price was $8,477.

Price (Oct 2026): $1,999 MSRP Source

Pros

  • Fastest consumer GPU
  • 32GB VRAM

Cons

  • Hugely inflated street prices
  • Very power-hungry
Check NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 price (opens in a new tab)
Cheapest worth buying

6. Intel Arc B570

Best for: tight budgets

Tom’s Hardware’s[1][2] cheapest card worth buying, with 10GB of memory. It was $289 at best, against a $219 MSRP.

Price (Oct 2026): $289 Source

Pros

  • Cheapest recommended card
  • 10GB VRAM

Cons

  • Limited stock and models
Check Intel Arc B570 price (opens in a new tab)

Also considered

AMD RX 9070 GRE: Tom’s Hardware[1][2] says it’s the only card selling close to MSRP; it saw $569.99 at Best Buy.

AMD RX 9070: Ranked fourth by Tom’s Hardware; best price $699 vs $549 MSRP.

Should you wait?

Tom’s Hardware[1][2] blames the memory shortage for prices well above MSRP. If you need a whole system, a gaming laptop can be better value right now. Pair a new card with a fast screen from our best gaming monitors.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best graphics card in 2026?
Tom’s Hardware[1][2] ranks the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti first, followed by AMD’s RX 9070 XT.
Why are graphics cards so expensive?
A memory shortage. Tom’s Hardware’s[1][2] tracker shows the RTX 5070 Ti at $1,229 against a $749 MSRP, and the RTX 5090 at several times its $1,999 launch price.
What is the best budget graphics card?
Tom’s Hardware[1][2] picks the Intel Arc B570 ($289) and the RTX 5060 for 1080p ($449).

Sources

Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.

  1. Tom’s Hardware: The best graphics cards for gaming (tomshardware.com)
  2. Tom’s Hardware: Lowest GPU prices tracker (October 2026) (tomshardware.com)
best of

The Best PC Cases in 2026

Tom’s Hardware’s best-looking case, the Fractal Design North ($139.99), also has exceptional thermals. On a budget, the Montech TG3 ($56.90) comes with four fans; for a big showpiece build, the NZXT H9 Flow (2025) fits the largest GPUs.

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The Best Power Supplies in 2026

For a mainstream gaming PC, Tom’s Hardware’s picks start with the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W (about $100). Running a big graphics card? The Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V3 ($109.99) is the value 850W choice, and the Corsair SF750 (2024) is for small builds.

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The Best RAM for Gaming in 2026

Tom’s Hardware’s best 32GB DDR5 kit for performance is the G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 C30. But memory prices have soared: Tom’s reported in July 2026 that you can’t buy 32GB of DDR5 for less than $379, so check prices before you plan a build.

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The Best Motherboards in 2026

For most AMD Ryzen builds, Tom’s Hardware’s B850 pick, the MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk Wifi II ($229.99), has all the essentials. Intel Core Ultra builders on a budget should look at the Asus Prime Z890-P Wifi ($199.99). Pick the socket first: AM5 for current Ryzen chips, LGA 1851 for Intel Core Ultra 200S.

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The Best Gaming PCs in 2026

Tom’s Hardware’s best gaming PC is the Corsair Vengeance a7500 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 5070 Ti). PC Gamer and Tom’s Guide both pick the iBuyPower RDY Element 9 Pro, and the CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme is the budget pick for 1080p.

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The Best CPUs for Gaming in 2026

Both Tom’s Hardware and PC Gamer name the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (about $444 to $479) the best gaming CPU. For mid-range builds, both like Intel’s Core Ultra 5 250K Plus ($219), and the Ryzen 5 7600X ($139) is Tom’s Hardware’s budget pick.

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Best Gaming Monitors

A 4K OLED is the best gaming monitor if you can afford one. A 1440p OLED is the premium sweet spot, and a $150–$330 LCD still gets you a big upgrade over 1080p.

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Best 1440p gaming monitors

1440p is the sweet spot for PC gaming: sharp on a 27-inch screen and much easier to drive at high frame rates than 4K. Here’s what to buy at every budget.

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Best Gaming Laptops of 2026

The MSI Katana 15 HX is the $1,000 starting point. The Razer Blade 18 with an RTX 5090 is the fastest pick here, but it starts at $3,999.99.

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The Best VR and Mixed-Reality Headsets in 2026

Get the Meta Quest 3S ($349.99) if you’re new to VR, the Quest 3 ($599.99) for the best standalone mixed reality, or Valve’s Steam Frame (from $1,059) if you own a gaming PC. Vision Pro and Galaxy XR are premium headsets for apps and video more than games.

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The Best Handheld Gaming Consoles and PCs in 2026

The Verge’s pick is the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X at $999, the only top-tier handheld PC that hasn’t gone up in price. The Steam Deck OLED is still Engadget’s pick for most people, but it now starts at $789, so a refurbished Deck is the bargain. Switch 2 is $499.99.