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mercredi 23 février 2022

These are the best graphics cards for gaming in 2022

A graphics card is one of the important components of a gaming PC, if not the most. But just like most PC components, there’s no single GPU that works for everyone. While some users may want the absolute best GPU for the ultimate gaming experience on PC, others may want something that offers the best value, albeit less powerful. Many are even looking for the best budget graphics cards for a casual 1080p gaming experience. Well in this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best graphics cards for gaming you can buy in 2022. We’ll try to add as many options as we possibly can in different price ranges, so there’s something for everyone.

We’re totally aware of the current situation in the GPU market and just how difficult it is to buy any graphics cards — let alone the top-tier ones — without paying an absurd amount of money. We’re not out of the woods yet but it looks like the prices of both Nvidia and AMD GPU may finally be coming down. We’ve already seen some stocks pop up on retail, allowing more people to finally buy a graphics card in 2022. The situation is expected to get better over the next few months. And when that happens, we think these are the best graphics cards for gaming you should consider buying.

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Best overall graphics card for gaming in 2022: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080

A black-colored Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU with a single fan visible on the front

While the GeForce RTX 3080 may not be the most powerful graphics card on the market right now, it definitely is the cream of the crop. The RTX 3080 is an excellent GPU in the RTX 30-series lineup that’s perfectly capable of handling 4K gaming at 60FPS and above. The RTX 3080 has also made it to a lot of our other collection articles, including the best graphics cards and the best Nvidia graphics cards, so it’s hardly a surprise that we’ve added this as our top pick for gaming.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 sports the new and improved Ampere architecture. We’re looking at an overall performance improvement of over 30-percent when compared with its previous-gen counterpart, the RTX 2080 Ti. And the best thing about that? The RTX 3080 costs as much as $500 less, so you’re essentially getting more performance for less price. It even matches the general performance of the RTX 3090 without demanding as much money.

Thanks to Ampere, we’re also looking at some other great Nvidia features including DLSS. DLSS 2.0 also works better thanks to the improved tensor cores on the RTX 3080. The RTX 3080 also offers impressive ray-tracing performance compared to the competition. This is mostly due to the improved DLSS performance. Nvidia has worked on DLSS a lot to improve the upscaling. The games look much better now and they offer a massive performance boost, especially when you are working with high-resolutions and RT rendering. It’s safe to say that the Nvidia RTX 3080 handily beast the Radeon RX 6800 XT when it comes to RT performance. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done from AMD’s side when it comes to RT and upscaling, so we think Nvidia is going to continue holding the top until that happens.

As for the specifications, the GeForce RTX 3080 packs 28.3 billion transistors along with 272 Tensor cores and 68 RT cores. We’re looking at a boost clock of 1,710MHz, which is slightly less than both the RTX 2080 Super FE and the RTX 2080 FE’s boost clock speeds of 1,815MHz and 1,800MHz, respectively. The Nvidia RTX 3080 also has 10GB VRAM with a 19GB/s speed. The RTX 3080 has a total bandwidth of 720GB/s, which is significantly higher than the other two GPUs mentioned above.

All things considered, we think the GeForce RTX 3080 is one of the best graphics cards you can buy for gaming right now. This may be a step below the RTX 3090 but we think this is the best GPU for most users out there. It offers a great 4K gaming experience with smooth gameplay even with demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077. Just make sure you pair with one of the best CPUs and have a good 4K gaming monitor to get the best gaming experience. You can either buy the Founders’ Edition of the RTX 3080 from Nvidia or pick up one of the cards made by one of the many partner OEMs including ASUS, MSI, and more.

    Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
    The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 may not be as powerful as the RTX 3090 on paper, but it matches its general performance and we think it's plenty to handle demanding games even at 4K.

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Best AMD graphics card for gaming: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT

AMD Radeon RX 5800 XT GPU with three fans sitting on a brown background

The Radeon RX 6800 XT is one of the most powerful AMD graphics cards to date. It’s right up there on the performance charts along with the RX 6900 XT and it competes with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 in the high-end space. Just like the RTX 3080, the RX 6800 XT isn’t AMD’s top-of-the-line GPU in the RX 6000 series. However, we think it offers the same general performance as the RX 6900 XT while costing significantly less money. And that’s exactly why it’s our pick for the overall graphics cards from AMD in 2022.

In terms of the specifications, the Radeon RX 6800 XT enters the market with 72 CUs and as many as 4,608 GPU cores. This particular GPU has a base clock of 2,015MHz whereas it can hit a boost clock speed of 2,250MHz. The RX 6800 XT also supports Rage mode in which both its game clock and the boost clock speeds can be increased further. Rage Mode is essentially a performance preset for the RX 6800 XT that allows it to operate at higher clock speeds. Besides that, the clock speeds and the overclocking ability varies based on the overall design of the card as well.

Additionally, the Radeon RX 6800 XT also comes with 16GB GDDR6 memory, which is significantly higher than what the RTX 3080 brings to the table. We’re also looking at a 256-bit bus for the memory and a bandwidth of 512GB/s. It is, however falling short in the memory bandwidth department compared to the RTX 3080’s bandwidth of 760GB/s. The RX 6800 XT is rated for 300W TGP and AMD is recommending a 750W PSU to run this GPU optimally besides other components of your PC.

The Radeon RX 6800 XT, in case you are wondering, also supports ray-tracing. The RT performance of this GPU, however, isn’t as good as the RTX 3080. The RTX 3080 GPUs perform slightly better overall too thanks to DLSS. But if you ignore RT performance, we think this particular GPU comes closer to the general performance of the RTX 3080 GPU. It delivers a good 4K gaming performance while costing as much as $50 less than the RTX 3080 at retail. This GPU also has more VRAM than the RTX 3080, so that’s worth considering too.

We love to see some improvements on AMD’s upscaling technology to compete with Nvidia’s DLSS tech. While FSR is now compatible with a lot of games, we think there’s still a lot more work to be done in the upscaling quality department. AMD also has the RX 6900 XT, its fastest GPU in the 6000 series. But the RX 6900 XT is a direct competitor of the RTX 3090 and we think both of them are overkill for gaming and should be only be paired with extremely powerful components for an enthusiast-grade build. We think most users will be perfectly satisfied with an RX 6800 XT for 4K gaming. In fact, there’s also the RX 6700 XT that should be plenty for most gamers out there.

    AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
    The RX 6800 XT is the best graphics card in the 6000. It's identical to the RX 6900 XT except for slightly lower clock speeds.

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Best value graphics card for gaming: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060Ti

A black colored RTX 3060 Ti with a dual fan design

While the RTX 3060 Ti may not be as powerful as some other graphics card in Nvidia’s 30-series lineup, we think it offers a ton of value. It essentially offers the same features as the other GPUs in the series, but it starts at just $399. There’s also the RTX 3050 now, but that’s more of an entry-level GPU. We think most users should be buying the RTX 3060 Ti as it offers the best value in the 30-series. As such as it’s our pick for the best value GPU in this particular collection of graphics cards.

The RTX 3060 Ti became extremely popular among gamers as it bridges the performance gap with the RTX 3060 and something more powerful like, say, the RTX 3070. In terms of the specifications, the RTX 3060 Ti features the GA104 graphics unit with a total of 4,864 CUDA cores. That’s a significant departure over the RTX 2060 Super graphics card, which is still one of the best value GPUs around from Nvidia. In fact, the RTX 3060 Ti has more CUDA Cores than the RTX 2080 Super GPU, which is the most powerful unit in the 20-series.

The RTX 3060 Ti features a base clock speed of 1,415MHz and a boost clock speed of 1,665MHz. It also goes without saying that aftermarket cards from the likes of Zotac, ASUS, and more, also support overclocking that’ll allow you to further enhance the overall experience. The RTX 3060 Ti has 8GB GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 448GB/s. This, in case you are wondering, is the same memory bandwidth as the RTX 3070. We also get 38 RT and 152 Tensor cores with the RTX 3060 Ti which means you get support for ray-racing, DLSS, and more as a standard. The RTX 3060 Ti is rated for 200W TGP and it uses a 12-pin connector.

When it comes to the actual gameplay performance, the RTX 3060 Ti excels at 1080p and even delivers a pretty good 1440p gaming experience. This particular GPU is also capable of handling 4K gaming, although you may have to make some sacrifices in the graphics quality. We think it’s best paired with a mid-tier to high-end CPU like the Ryzen 5 5600X or the Core i5-12600 and above for a decent gaming rig. We have this particular GPU in a couple of gaming build guides, and we think it’s a great GPU overall for gaming. In fact, you should have no issues pushing 60FPS at 1440p in most modern titles on the market.

The RTX 3060 Ti is very similar to the RTX 3070, with the latter being slightly better in some cases. 1440p gaming, for instance, is much better with the RTX 3070 and you’re bound to get, say, about 10-20FPS more in games. The RTX 3060 Ti, however, isn’t too far behind thanks to DLSS. You can also consider buying the RTX 3050 if you don’t mind settling for an entry-level gaming experience at 1080p.

    Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
    The RTX 3060 Ti can handle both 1080p as well as 1440p gaming very well. It's the best 30-series GPU for most people that want something better than an RTX 3050.

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Best entry-level graphics card for gaming: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050

MSI RTX 3050 GPU

2021 has been a tough year for PC builders and gamers due to the extremely low availability of graphics cards on the market. That, however, didn’t stop either Nvidia or AMD from churning out new GPUs. While AMD launched a new entry-level GPU in the form of the RX 6500 XT, Nvidia took the stage to announce the new RTX 3050 desktop graphics card. The RX 6500 XT is in a little bit of a tough spot due to its rather unusual configuration. Hence, we’ve decided to add the Nvidia RTX 3050 as the best budget GPU for gaming in 2022.

One of the best things about the RTX 3050 is its pricing. This particular GPU is priced at just $249, making it the cheapest 30-series graphics card. It undercuts the RTX 3060 by $80 and yet offers a very similar level of performance in a lot of games. The 3050 is definitely the graphics card to buy if you’re still using one of the older GTX 16-series graphics cards.

The GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, in case you are wondering, is built on the company’s Ampere architecture. This means it supports advanced new technologies like ray-tracing. In fact, the RTX 3050 GPU promises to be Nvidia’s most affordable entry into the world of ray-tracing and DLSS. This by itself makes the GeForce RTX 3050 a superior card over the age-old GPUs from Nvidia’s 16-series. Sure the RTX 3050’s ray-tracing performance is probably not going to be as impressive as the lot of other GPUs in the 30-series, but we think the addition of DLSS support is something to look forward to.

Nvidia’s DLSS has improved a lot over the years and we think it’ll do a great job of allowing relatively less powerful GPUs like the RTX 3050 to run a lot of games smoothly. As far as the specifications are concerned, the GeForce RTX 3050 comes with 2,560 CUDA cores. It has a base clock of 1.55GHz and a boost clock of 1.78GHz. We’re also looking at 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM for this GPU, which is significantly higher than RX 6500 XT’s 4GB VRAM. Having more VRAM is definitely going to help run more demanding titles and think 8GB VRAM will allow this GPU to stay relevant in the market for many years to come. The RTX 3050 also has an effective memory clock of 14Gbps and a maximum computing power of 9.10TFLOPS.

In terms of performance, we think the RTX 3050 desktop GPU marks the sweet spot for 1080p gaming. While something like the RTX 3060Ti is going to be more powerful and enable 1440p gaming, we think most gamers shopping in the budget space will find plenty of value in RTX 3050. This GPU is rated for 130W TGP and Nvidia says you’ll need at least a 550W PSU to run this graphics card alongside the other components. It’s worth pointing out that the RTX 3050 will only be available from the partners OEMs as Nvidia isn’t making a Founders Edition version of this GPU.

    MSI GeForce RTX 3050 GPU
    The MSI GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card offers reliable performance and is a great option for gamers looking to experience 1080p gaming.

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Best 1440p graphics card for gaming: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070

Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card

The Nvidia RTX 3070 occupies a very sweet spot between the RTX 3060 and the more powerful RTX 3080 graphics card. We think the RTX 3070 is the one you should buy if you just care about a good 1440p gaming experience. In fact, this particular GPU is more popular on the market than the RTX 3080 mainly because of how popular 1440p gaming is right now. 1440p gaming is the natural upgrade over 1080p and there are plenty of great 1440p gaming monitors available on the market too.

In terms of the specifications, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 comes with GA104 GPU and has 5,888 CUDA cores. That, in case you are wondering, is a significant upgrade over the RTX 2080 Ti as it only packs 4,352 CUDA cores. The RTX 3070 also features 46 RT cores and 184 Tensor cores, which we think is slightly less than ideal. It’s not a poor performer by any means, but it definitely struggles to keep up with the ray-tracing performance of the RTX 2080 Ti graphics card. Just to put things into perspective, the RTX 2080 Ti brings as many as 68 RT cores to the table, albeit first-gen RT cores.

In terms of clock speeds, the RTX 3070 has a boost clock of 1,725MHz. We’re also looking at 8GB VRAM, which is again something that we think could’ve been more. While 8GBB VRAM doesn’t act as a bottleneck for this particular GPU right now, we think it could definitely use some more, especially as the newer games are becoming more demanding. The RTX 3050 GPU also has 8GB VRM, so definitely something worth making a note of. That being said, it’s not that less from the RTX 3080’s 10GB VRAM count. The RTX 3070 also has the same memory bandwidth as the RTX 3060 Ti GPU, which is another great GPU that further bridges the gap between the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3070.

The GeForce RTX 3070 is rated for 220W power and Nvidia says you’ll need at least a 650W PSU for this particular card. It uses a 12-pin connector, but you’ll get a single 8 pin to 12 pin adapter in the box. As for the general gaming performance, the RTX 3070 is perfectly capable of running games at 4K resolution. It’s more suited for 1440p gaming but you can tweak some settings to run even some of the most demanding titles including the Assasin’s Creed Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K. As for 1440p gaming, well the RTX 3070 should be able to run just about any game at 1440p without any issues. And that’s what makes it worth buying over something like the RTX 3060 Ti.

The RTX 3070 GPU also handily beats the RTX 2080 Ti when it comes to gaming. That’s impressive considering how the RTX 3070 is priced at $499 at retail and it’s going against one of the most expensive and top-tier GPUs from the Turing family. Nvidia is also selling the RTX 3070 Ti for $100 more. The RTX 3070 Ti, however, is a little too expensive, especially if you want to play games at 1440p. And at $599 in retail, even the RTX 3080 starts to look like a great option to consider.

    Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Founders Edition
    The RTX 3070 GPU is perfect for anybody who's switching from 1080p to 1440p gaming

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Alternate best pick for 1440p gaming: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT product image

Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3070 is our pick for the best graphics card for 1440p gaming. But if you are hellbent on buying an AMD GPU for your gaming rig and you want to experience smooth 1440p gaming, then we think you should buy the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card. There’s a lot to like about this particular graphics card from the house of AMD and it’s our pick for the best overall 1440p GPU for gaming in 2022.

One of the most interesting things about the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is that it offers the highest official GPU clocks in the AMD 6000 series GPU lineup. The Radeon RX 6700 XT, in case you are wondering, has a game clock of 2,424MHz and a maximum boost clock speed of 2,581MHz. These are some impressive numbers, especially when you consider the fact that we’re talking about reference GPUs, not the partner cards with sophisticated heatsink designs. This means, with proper tuning, the RX 6700 XT can as much as 2.8GHz without overheating.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT also has 12GB of VRAM and 384GB/s memory bandwidth. The memory bandwidth isn’t as high as that of the RTX 3070 but that’s not stopping the RX 6700 XT from locking horns with the 3070 in real-world gaming performance. This graphics card can easily handle 1440p gaming, making it a great fit for a lot of gamers in 2022. 1440p gaming, as we mentioned earlier, is a natural progression for a lot of gamers now and this GPU is perfect for those users who are looking to make a transition from 1080p gaming.

And for those of you curious, the RX 6700 XT is also capable of handling 4K gaming as long as you tweak some graphics settings. Again, the overall performance is very similar to that of the RTX 3070 GPU, so no surprise here with 4K gaming. The ray-tracing performance is where the RX 6700 XT falls behind the Nvidia counterpart. This particular graphics card only has 40 “ray-accelerators”, which isn’t enough to churn an enjoyable RT gaming experience. For reference, the RX 6900 XT and the RX 6800 XT have 80 and 72 ray accelerators, respectively.

But a lot of these caveats start to look a little less annoying when you look at the $479 price tag for this GPU at retail. That’s a great price for a 1440p graphics card, so we think it’s definitely something to keep an eye on. Sure, you probably won’t find it in stock for $479, but it’s worth keeping an eye on for when the dust starts to settle. But if you are more interesting at experience games at 4K resolution then we think it’s definitely worth stepping up to something more powerful like the RTX 3080 graphics card. On the other hand, if you don’t necessarily care about 1440p or 4K gaming and simply want to experience 1080p gaming, then consider checking some other options including the RX 6500 XT graphics card.

    AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
    The AMD RX 6700 XT has the highest clock speeds we've seen on a GPU. It's also great for handling 1440p gaming.

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Absolute best graphics card for gaming enthusiasts: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090

RTX 3090 graphics card on a black background

In an ideal world, either the RTX 3080 or the RTX 3080 Ti would be the absolute best graphics card on the market that we’d recommend our readers to buy. But Nvidia decided to make something that’s way more of an overkill GPU for almost any gamer. Yes, we’re talking about the GeForce RTX 3090 a.k.a the “Big Ferocious” graphics card. It’s true that the RTX 3090 is overkill for most PC gamers, but we think it’s worth mentioning in this collection mainly because of its VRAM.

This particular graphics card has 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, which in case you don’t know, is significantly higher than anything that’s available on the market right now. Not only is this excellent for creative workloads, but having such a high amount of VRAM is also great for extremely demanding titles and simulators. Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, for instance, will easily chew through all the VRAM to render a beautiful scene from a cockpit or from a passenger seat. The same is the case with a heavily modded game such as Skyrim or Cities Skylines.

It’s games like those that make even an extremely powerful graphics card like the RTX 3090 somewhat viable. If you think your gaming PC is going to deal with any of the things mentioned above, then you might want to consider buying the GeForce RTX 3090. If not, you’d be better off buying some other graphics card.

As far as the specifications of the GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card are concerned, it features a whopping 10,496 CUDA cores. We’re looking at a base clock of 1.4GHz and a boost clock of 1.6GHz. It also has 82 RT cores, making it a great option for rendering ray-tracing games too. While discussing the RTX 3090, we think it’s also important to talk about big this particular GPU really is. Even the reference card made by Nvidia is considered a “Chonky” card. You’ll definitely need a big-sized PC case to comfortably fit in one of these. Not to mention, you’ll also need a powerful PSU to power this graphics card along with the other components of your PC. The RTX 3090 is rated for 350W power and Nvidia is recommending at least an 850W PSU to go along.

It’s also worth pointing out that a high-end GPU demands an equally powerful CPU to keep things running nice and smooth. We recommend pairing it with one of the best gaming CPUs on the market for the absolute best performance. All things considered, a high-end enthusiast gaming PC with an RTX 3090 is going to cost you around $5,000, especially when you consider the current GPU market. The RTX 3090 itself at retail will set you back around $1,500, which makes it one of the most expensive graphics cards on the market. Despite being the most expensive graphics card, the RTX 3090 isn’t readily available on the market right now, so you may have a hard time finding one in stock.

    Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
    The RTX 3090 may not be our pick for the best graphics card for gaming, but it's certainly the most powerful one on the market with an expensive price tag.

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Alternate best pick for enthusiasts: AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT

An AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics card with three fans on a grey background

AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT is the equivalent of the RTX 3090 graphics card. This particular GPU represents the best of the AMD’s RDNA2 has to offer in 2022. Just like the GeForce RTX 3090 GPU, however, this one is also overkill for most gamers. We think a majority of gamers looking to build a new gaming PC would be better off buying either the RX 6700 XT or the RX 6800 XT. Then why did we add this card to this collection, you ask? Well, this is for those who are chasing the absolute best performance from Team Red.

When it comes to actual performance in both gaming as well as other creative workloads applications, the Radeon RX 6900 XT is about 10-12% faster than the RX 6800 XT graphics card. That increase in performance, however, also comes at a cost. You’ll be paying significantly more to reap the benefits of the RX 6900 XT in an enthusiast gaming setup. So the real question you need to be asking is how much money do you have to burn? Because both AMD and Nvidia have tons of options that will make your overall gaming experience that much better.

In terms of the specifications, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT features a Navi 21 GPU and comes with up to 80CUs. These CUs make up for a total of 5,120 stream processors, an 11-percent increase over the RX 6800XT. Another interesting thing about the RX 6900 XT is that it is also capable of breaching the 2GHz core clock speeds under load, which is quite impressive. The RX 6900 XT also manages to keep the overall power consumption low despite being a spec-heavy graphics card.

The Radeon RX 6900 XT, as we mentioned earlier, comes with a 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit memory bus. This GPU also takes advantage of the 128MB Infinity Cache feature to deliver an impressive performance overall. The RX 6900 XT is perfectly capable of handling games at 4K. The ray-tracing performance of the 6900 XT is a little underwhelming, but that’s been the case with most AMD GPUs in this collection. Sure, you will be able to render ray-traced graphics with the RX 6900 XT, even at 4K, but you may have to tweak some settings.

The Nvidia RX 6900 XT has the minimum VRM power delivery requirement and the reference card itself offers a 16-phase VRM power delivery. All things considered, it’s safe to say that the RX 6900 XT offers the best AMD has to offer in the GPU space right now. The Radeon RX 6900 XT is their flagship GPU and it is no slouch when it comes to delivering good results. We recommend pairing with one of the best AMD CPUs on the market for a great overall performance though. This particular GPU is also not readily available on the market right now, but you can hit the link below to keep an eye on the stocks.

    AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT GPU
    The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT represents the best of what AMD's RDNA2 architecture has to offer. It goes head-to-head to Nvidia's RTX 3090 GPU and delivers good 4K gaming experience.

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Best graphics card for gaming in 2022: Final Thoughts

Well, that wraps up our collection of the best graphics cards for gaming you can buy in 2022. We think most gamers looking to build a gaming PC should pick between the GeForce RTX 3080 or a Radeon RX 6800 XT. Those are our top picks for the best graphics cards for gaming in 2022 and they can handle even the newer games at 4K without any issues. Gamers looking for a good 1440p gaming experience should consider buying the RTX 3070 whereas entry-level PC gamers should check out something less powerful and more affordable like the new RTX 3050. We’ve also added some extremely powerful GPUs to the mix including the RTX 3090 but those are reserved for those who are looking for the absolute best performance in demanding programs like simulators or a heavily modded game.

While this particular list included both AMD as well as Nvidia graphics cards, we also have dedicated collection articles for both brands if you are specifically looking for GPUs from either Team Green or Team Red. So be sure to stop by our collection of the best Nvidia graphics cards and the best AMD graphics cards to check out some good options for your build. Alternatively, if you are building a new PC and are looking for other components then check out some of our other collections including the best motherboards, best CPU coolers, and more.

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The best wireless earbuds for the Dell XPS 13 Plus

Dell is coming up with one of the coolest laptops we’ve seen in a long time with the XPS 13 Plus. This laptop has a futuristic and clean design like no other, and it’s going to be quite powerful to boot. But while it’s small and light enough to take anywhere, that doesn’t mean you want to use it to have the speakers blaring in public. And if you do… well, don’t. It’s a good way to get a good set of wireless earbuds for your Dell XPS 13 Plus, and we’re here to help.

Wireless earbuds are preferrable in many ways, but with the Dell XPS 13 Plus, they’re almost mandatory. Aside from USB-C/Thunderbolt, there are basically no other ports on this laptop, so you need to use some wireless peripherals. Unless you want to carry adapters around all the time, of course. As such, we’ve rounded up some of the best wireless earbuds for the Dell XPS 13 Plus. Truth be told, they should work well with any Bluetooth-enabled Windows PC.

    Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

    Top premium earbuds

    Samsung makes some well-known earbuds, and thanks to its support for the Windows ecosystem, these are one of the best options for a laptop. They have features like noise cancellation, touch gestures, and you can even use a Windows app to configure them to your liking.
    Surface Earbuds

    For productivity

    Another great choice for PC users, the Surface Earbuds offer great sound quality. Because Microsoft focuses on PC a lot more, they have features like Office 365 integration and you can set them up with the Surface app. They have a unique design, which you may like or not.
    AirPods Pro

    For the Apple fans

    Apple's AirPods are the gold standard for many when it comes to earbuds, and while they don't have a Windows app (because of course they don't), they should work great with the Dell XPS 13 Plus. Microsoft is making improvements to Windows so AirPods have better microphone audio quality, too.
    Sony WF-1000XM4

    Premium sound

    The Sony WF-1000XM4 are one of the best earbuds you can find right now, and they offer stellar sound and noise cancellation. While there's no Windows app, they do support Swift Pair so they're easy to set up with your laptop, and they should sound just as good.
    Razer Hammerhead (2nd Gen)

    For gaming

    Razer specializes in gaming hardware, and the 2nd-generation Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds are no different. They have 10mm drivers and noise cancellation, but they also come with a 60ms low-latency mode and Chroma RGB lighting for gamers.
    Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

    Sleek and capable

    Samsung's latest true wireless earbuds are another great option for the Dell XPS 13 Plus. They have a refined design compared to the Galaxy Buds Pro, plus they come in some fun colors and they still support the Galaxy Buds app for Windows so you can set them up easily.
    OnePlus Buds Z

    Budget pick

    If you're trying to get wireless earbuds on a small budget, the OnePlus Buds Z might be the best option for you. They lack fancy features like noise cancellation but they give you solid sound quality and battery life. There's no Windows app to configure them, though.
    Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

    Top-notch quality

    When it comes to premium audio, few brands are as well known as Sennheiser. The latest Momentum True Wireless earbuds come with 7mm drivers for excellent audio and a cool fabric-covered case with 28 hours of battery life.
    Apple AirPods 3

    Compact design

    Apple's AirPods are extremely popular, and the latest iteration is more comfortable and smaller than the first two iterations, making them an even better option. You get up to 30 hours of battery life with the charging case, plus they have great audio and ANC.

And those are what we’d consider the best earbuds you can buy for the Dell XPS 13 Plus or other Windows laptops. If I were buying a pair for myself and I wasn’t too concerned with the budget, I’d probably go with one of the Galaxy Buds models, most likely the Galaxy Buds 2. I prefer having an app for Windows that allows me to set them up, and it’s rare for any earbuds to have such an app. The Surface Earbuds are also a great option that has a Windows app, though.

The Dell XPS 13 Plus isn’t available to buy just yet, but it’s looking to be one of the best Dell laptops of 2022. If you want a new laptop right now, make sure to stop by that list to find some great options. And if you absolutely must use wired headphones or other peripherals, you might want to check out the best docks for the Dell XPS family, too.

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OnePlus Nord TWS reportedly in development, design leaks

OnePlus isn’t exactly a household brand when it comes to Bluetooth earphones. However, the company does have some solid wireless earbuds in the OnePlus Buds Z2 and OnePlus Buds Pro. According to a new leak, OnePlus wants to expand its audio portfolio with a new pair of true wireless earphones.

A fresh leak from OnLeaks and 91Mobiles has revealed that OnePlus is developing a new pair of true wireless earbuds under the Nord branding. The Nord branding is currently exclusive to smartphones, but it seems OnePlus is now looking to expand the branding to other product segments.

91Mobiles has shared CAD renders of the OnePlus Nord TWS, showcasing the earbuds’ overall design. Images are recreated based on live images of final prototyping stage units. As such, these renders might not precisely represent the official product as OnePlus could very well make some minor adjustments to the design in the lead-up to the official launch. As you can see in the images below, the earbuds have a unique design, featuring wide stems and what appear to be gold-colored hardware buttons. The buds have silicone tips though it’s unclear if they have an ear detection sensor.

OnePlus Nord truly wireless earbuds OnePlus Nord TWS alongside the charging box OnePlus Nord earbuds in black color

The buds come inside a flat, boxy charging case that has the OnePlus logo imprinted prominently in gold color. The images don’t reveal where the charging port is located and if there are any LED lights on the case.

We don’t know the exact specifications of the OnePlus Nord at this point. But if the Nord smartphone line is any indication, we can expect the Nord TWS to offer a solid set of features at an affordable price tag. It’s unclear when OnePlus plans to officially launch the Nord TWS. In any case, we expect to learn more about the OnePlus Nord TWS in the coming weeks.

What are your thoughts on the OnePlus Nord TWS’s design? Let us know in the comments below.


Source: 91Mobiles

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These are the best Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus clear cases to buy in 2022

Samsung has finally unveiled its latest lineup of flagship phones — the Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S22 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. These phones have various technical specifications and price tags, and they are aimed at different people — so you will likely find one that suits you. One of the most important things to do after getting a new smartphone is to buy a screen protector for it. This ensures that the screen doesn’t get scratched as easily. If you plan to buy a Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, another wise idea would be to protect it with a case. This helps dodge potential damages in case an accident happens. The great thing about cases is that there are endless styles and colors that match almost all budgets and tastes. For this reason, we have prepared for you a list of the best clear cases for the Galaxy S22 Plus.

    Spigen Liquid Crystal Case

    Flexible

    This flexible case from Spigen offers protection without concealing the orignal look of your phone. It is light, has reinforced buttons, and is affordable.
    ESR Metal Kickstand Case

    With Kickstand

    This scratch-resistant case comes with a kickstand that is adjustable at up to 60º. It's perfect for those who actively stream movies on their phones.
    Ringke Fusion Hard Case

    Hard

    This hard case comes with raised lips to avoid scratches when putting the phone face-down. It's thin and supports Qi wireless charging.
    Supcase UB Edge Pro

    Built in screen protection

    The UB Edge Pro series from Supcase comes with a clear back, as well as a built in screen protector.

    Promoted

    Ringke Fusion-X Clear Case

    Shockproof

    This bumper case is partially rugged, bringing more protection to a clear case. It fuses chunkiness and minimalism.
    Naneno Slim Fit Case

    Ultra-Thin

    This soft, flexible case is only 1.2mm thin. It's slim enough to offer some resistance without being too chunky.

If I had to choose one of these clear cases for my Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, I would personally go for the Spigen Liquid Crystal Case. It is minimalistic, thin, and affordable. This allows me to retain the original design, look, and feel of the phone — without needing to sacrifice its protection. I’m not the biggest fan of colorful accessories, so I almost always settle for simple, clear cases.

What’s so great about phone cases is that you can easily switch from one to another. They’re usually budget-friendly, and changing them isn’t really an inconvenience — to me at least. So you can get a clear case from this list for when you want to show off the phone’s original form, and you can buy other stylish ones that complement your different outfits, occasions, or moods.

    Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
    The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is the mid flagship for 2022, bringing over top of the line performance, display and camera capabilities in a larger housing for those that need to do more.

Which of these clear cases are you going to buy for your new Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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The upcoming Realme GT 2 Pro is among the first devices to receive Google’s Performance class 12 certification

Shortly after Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip last year, Realme announced that its upcoming Realme GT 2 Pro would be among the first devices to feature the new flagship chipset. At the time, the company didn’t share any details about the device itself. However, a few weeks down the line, Realme revealed its design and highlighted some innovations that would debut with the phone. Last month, the company finally launched the device in the Chinese market. And now, it’s gearing up to bring the phone to other markets.

For the unaware, Realme has already confirmed that it will unveil the Realme GT 2 Pro at the MWC trade show in Barcelona later this month. Ahead of the launch event scheduled for February 28, the company has shared some additional info about the device. According to a recent press release from the company, the Realme GT 2 Pro is among the first batch of smartphones to receive Google’s Performance class 12 certification. If you’re not sure what that means, here’s a brief explainer.

Performance Class 12 certification

In October last year, Google published the Android Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) for Android 12. The CDD outlined new performance classes to help developers easily identify the performance capabilities of an Android device and tweak their apps accordingly. Google also shared minimum requirements for devices to be categorized under these performance classes.

The Performance class for Android 12 (AKA Performance Class 12) requires devices to have:

  • At least 6GB of RAM
  • At least 400dpi and 1080p resolution
  • At least 120MB/s sequential write, 250MB/s sequential read, 10MB/s random write, and 40MB/s random read speeds
  • Must have (at minimum) a 12MP rear camera capable of 4K 30 FPS recording
  • Must have (at minimum) a 4MP front-facing camera capable of 1080p 30 FPS recording

Now that Realme has confirmed that the upcoming Realme GT 2 Pro has received a Performance class 12 certification, we can ensure that it meets all of the requirements mentioned above. The company has further revealed that the Realme GT 2 Pro will feature a 2K AMOLED flat display.

Realme’s new fast charging tech

In a separate press release, Realme has announced that it will debut the world’s fastest fast charging solution alongside the Realme GT 2 Pro later this month. While the company hasn’t shared any specifics, it claims that the new fast charging tech is “ahead of the curve and among the best, when compared to similar devices in the same segment.”

Realme world's fastest charging tech teaser

Since we already know that the Realme GT 2 Pro launched with 65W fast charging support in China, we believe that Realme won’t offer its new fast charging tech on the device. Therefore, we speculate that the company will likely show a prototype featuring the new technology at MWC.

For more details about the Realme GT 2 Pro, check out our previous coverage by following the link above.

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iQOO’s new flagship lineup packs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, gimbal cameras, and 120W fast charging

Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO has refreshed its flagship lineup in India with the iQOO 9 series. iQOO saw success with last year’s iQOO 7, which addressed most of the shortcomings of the iQOO 3 and emerged as one of the best affordable flagships in the Indian market. With the iQOO 9 series, the brand is taking things up a notch as it sets to lock horns with the upcoming OnePlus 10 series and other Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered flagships.

iQOO 9 series: Specifications

Specifications iQOO 9 Pro iQOO 9 iQOO 9 SE
Dimensions and Weight
  • 164.81x 75.2 x 8.83mm (Legend)
  • 164.81x 75.2 x 8.895mm (Dark Cruise)
  • 209.98g / 204.30g
  • 159.06 x 75.14 x 8.63mm (Legend/Alpha)
  • 159.06 x 75.14 x 8.72mm (Phoenix)
  • 199.90g/219.0g
  • NA
Display
  • 6.78-inch AMOLED Samsung E5
  • QHD+
  • LTPO 2.0
  • Adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz
  • 300Hz touch sampling rate (up to 1000Hz in select games)
  • 10bit depth
  • Intelligent Display Chip
  • HDR10+
  • 500 nits max and 1500 nits peak brightness
  • 6.56-inch AMOLED
  • Full HD+
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • 300Hz touch sampling rate (up to 1000Hz in select games)
  • 10bit depth
  • Intelligent Display Chip
  • HDR10+
  • 6.62-inch AMOLED
  • FHD+
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • 300Hz touch sampling rate (up to 1000Hz in select games)
  • Intelligent Display Chip
  • HDR10+
SoC
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
    • 1x ARM Cortex-X2 @ 3.0GHz
    • 3x ARM Cortex-A710 @ 2.50GHz
    • 4x ARM Cortex-A510 @ 1.80GHz
  • Adreno 730 GPU
  • 4nm process
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus
    • 1x ARM Cortex-X1 @ 2.99GHz
    • 3x ARM Cortex-A78 @ 2.4GHz
    • 4x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
  • GPU: Adreno 660
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
    • 1x ARM Cortex-X1 @ 2.84GHz
    • 3x ARM Cortex-A78 @ 2.4GHz
    • 4x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
  • GPU: Adreno 660
RAM and Storage
  • 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 flash storage
  • 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 flash storage
  • 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 flash storage
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 50MP f/1.7 GN5, Gimbal stabilization
  • Secondary: 50MP f/2.27 ultra-wide, 150-degree
  • Tertiary: 16MP f/2.23 telephoto, 2.5x zoom
  • Primary: 48MP f/1.79 Sony IMX598
  • Secondary: 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 120-degree
  • Tertiary: 13MP f/2.46 telephoto, 2x zoom
  • Primary: 48MP f/1.79 Sony IMX598
  • Secondary: 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 120-degree
  • Tertiary: 2MP monochrome
Front Camera
  • 16MP f/2.45
  • 16MP f/2.45
  • NA
Battery
  • 4,700mAh battery
  • 120W wired fast charging
  • 50W wireless fast charging
  • 4,350mAh
  • 120W wired fast charging
  • 4,500mAh
  • 66W fast wired charging
Connectivity 
  • 5G NR
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
  • 5G NR
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
  • 5G NR
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
Other features
  • Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner
  • Dual speakers
  • Hi-Res Audio
  • X-Axis Linear vibration motor
  • Vapor Chamber Liquid Cooling System
  • Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
  • In-display pressure-sensitive buttons
  • Dual speakers
  • Hi-Res Audio
  • Dual X-Axis Linear vibration motors
  • Vapor Chamber Liquid Cooling System
  • Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
  • Dual speakers
  • Z-Axis Linear vibration motor
Software
  • Android 12 with FuntouchOS 12 (Global)
  • Android 12 with FuntouchOS 12 (Global)
  • Android 12 with FuntouchOS 12 (Global)

iQOO 9 Pro

The iQOO 9 Pro is the most powerful of the trio, succeeding last year’s iQOO 7 Legend. iQOO has, once again, teamed up with BMW M Motorsports to give the phone a unique aesthetic appeal. The phone features a white matte back with tri-color racing stripes running from the top to the bottom. There’s also a Dark Cruise model that features bulletproof aramid fiber material developed by DuPont.

iQOO 9 Pro Legend in white color

Over on the front, the iQOO 9 Pro flaunts a 6.78-inch curved QHD+ AMOLED LTPO display. It’s a Samsung E5 panel that offers 10bit color depth, 1500 nits peak brightness, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. iQOO has also fitted a dedicated display chip that enhances colors and contrast and boosts frame rate to provide the best viewing experience in select games.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 flash storage. Coming to the camera department, the iQOO 9 has a triple camera array on the back, featuring a 50MP Samsung GN5 primary shooter with Gimbal stabilization, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 16MP 60mm telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom.

The phone packs a 4,700mAh battery with 120W wired and 50W wireless fast charging support. The iQOO 9 Pro swaps the optical in-display fingerprint sensor on last year’s model with Qualcomm’s 3D Sonic Max ultrasonic sensor. iQOO says the new sensor is much faster (0.2s unlocking speed) and 11.1 times larger than the one on the iQOO 7.

Rounding off the hardware is a Vapor Chamber Liquid Cooling System, dual stereo speakers, 5G support, and X-Axis Linear vibration motor. The phone runs Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12 out of the box.

iQOO 9

iQOO 9 front and back in white color

The regular iQOO 9 is a step below the Pro model, and it’s a direct successor to the iQOO 7. It comes in three variants: Legend, Alpha, and Phoenix. The phone packs a 6.56-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus, paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. On the back, the iQOO 9 sports a 48MP Sony IMX 598 main sensor with Gimbal stabilization, a 13MP wide-angle camera, and a 13MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom.

The iQOO 9 packs a smaller 4,350mAh battery with 120W fast charging support. It lacks wireless charging support and doesn’t have an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. Instead, it sticks with the good old optical under-display sensor. One notable advantage the iQOO 9 has over the Pro model is that it comes with in-display pressure-sensitive buttons. As noted in our iQOO 7 Legend review, these buttons are immensely helpful when playing multiplayer shooting games such as PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile.

Other highlights of the iQOO 9 include a dedicated display chip, dual-stereo speakers, vapor chamber, dual X-Axis Linear vibration motors, and 5G support.

iQOO 9 SE

Finally, the iQOO 9 SE is the most affordable offering in the lineup. It packs a 6.62-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 888 chipset, 8GB/12GB RAM, 128GB/256GB storage, a 48MP + 13MP + 2MP rear camera setup, and a 4,500mAh battery with 66W fast wired charging support.

iQOO 9 SE in blue and black color with pricing details showon on the left side

Elsewhere, the iQOO 9 SE packs an in-display fingerprint scanner, dual stereo speakers, Z-Axis Leanar vibration motor, and 5G support.

Pricing & Availability

The iQOO 9 series will be available at the following prices:

  • iQOO 9 Pro
    • 8GB + 128GB: ₹64,990
    • 12GB + 256GB: ₹69,990
  • iQOO 9
    • 8GB + 128GB: ₹42,990
    • 12GB + 256GB: ₹46,990
  • iQOO 9 SE
    • 8GB + 128GB: ₹33,990
    • 12GB + 256GB: ₹37,990

The Pro and vanilla models will be available for pre-order on Amazon starting today, while the iQOO 9 SE pre-orders begin from March 2.

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Black Shark 4 Pro reaches international markets almost a year after its Chinese debut

Xiaomi-backed gaming smartphone maker Black Shark has finally launched the Black Shark 4 Pro in international markets, almost a year after debuting the lineup in China. The Black Shark 4 Pro is a flagship gaming smartphone featuring top-of-the-line specs from last year, including a Snapdragon 888 chip, a 144Hz high refresh rate display, 120W fast charging support, and more. If you’re in the market for a new gaming smartphone and you’re considering the Black Shark 4 Pro, here’s what you need to know about the phone.

Black Shark 4 Pro: Specifications

Specification Black Shark 4 Pro
Dimensions & Weight
  • 163.83mm x 76.35mm x 9.9mm
  • 220g
Display
  • 6.67-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED
  • 1080 x 2400 (full HD+)
  • 144Hz refresh rate
  • Up to 720Hz touch sampling rate
  • 1300nits peak brightness
  • HDR10+
SoC
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC
    • Adreno 660
RAM & Storage
  • 8GB LPDDR5 +128GB UFS 3.1
  • 12GB+256GB
Battery & Charging
  • 4,500 mAh battery
  • 120W fast charging support
Security Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)
  • Primary: 64MP, f/1.79
  • Ultra-wide: 8MP, f/2.2
  • Macro: 5MP, f/2.4
Front Camera(s) 20MP, f/2.45
Port(s)
  • USB Type-C
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
Audio Stereo speakers
Connectivity
  • 5G NR (SA/NSA)
  • 4G
  • 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax dual-band Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • NFC
Software JoyUI 12.5
Other Features Shoulder triggers

The Black Shark 4 Pro features a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a centered hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera. The display refreshes at 144Hz and offers up to 720Hz touch sampling rate, along with HDR10+ certification and 1,300 nits of peak brightness. On the inside, the phone packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chip, coupled with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

Front view of the Black Shark 4 Pro on transparent background

The Black Shark 4 Pro features a triple camera setup on the back, featuring a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP macro camera. Over on the front, it has a 20MP selfie shooter. Rounding off the hardware is a 4,500mAh battery, which offers support for 120W wired fast charging. Other noteworthy features include a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and customizable shoulder triggers for gaming.

Misty Gray Black Shark 4 Pro on transparent background Shadow Black Black Shark 4 Pro on transparent background

In terms of connectivity, the Black Shark 4 Pro offers 5G and 4G support, along with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. The device runs Black Shark’s custom Android skin JoyUI 12.5 out of the box. It’s based on Xiaomi’s MIUI 12.5 skin, but we’re not sure if it’s built on top of Android 11 or Android 12. Sadly, Black Shark’s product page for the device doesn’t specify the Android version. We’ll update this post as soon as Black Shark confirms the Android version.

Pricing & Availability

The Black Shark 4 Pro will be available through Black Shark’s website starting today. It will be available in two RAM/storage configurations, which are priced as follows:

  • 8GB+128GB: $579, €579, £489
  • 12GB+256GB: $679, €679, £569

The Black Shark 4 Pro comes in three finishes — Shadow Black, Misty Gray, and Cosmos Black.

What do you think of the Black Shark 4 Pro? Is it priced appropriately for a year-old device? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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