Top 5 GPUs for 1440p Gaming
The Coronavirus pandemic has caused nearly all avenues of business to shut down. A year later, with businesses opening up and the GPU prices trickling down, this seems to be the best time to buy and invest in a good gaming GPU.
But with the changing times, 1080p gaming no longer seems to be sufficient. We move onto the next level, 1440p gaming. While it is pretty nice to hear, one wonders what type of gaming GPUs might be able to handle the massive workload required to provide graphic outputs at high refresh rates on 1440p resolution.
Given below are five cost-effective GPUs that can provide you with the best gaming experience on a 1440p monitor without compromising on quality.
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Best Mid Range GPUs for 1440p Gaming
These are some of the best mid range GPUs which can handle 1440p gaming great on high and even ultra settings
Top 5 1440p Gaming GPUs
ASUS ROG STRIX NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 OC
ASUS is known for its high-grade computer parts. The RTX 3060 (OverClocked version) is no different. It is among the best brands and it offers you the whole experience of using an actual 3060 card with Ray Tracing enabled.
This graphics card packs 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM into a single chip, cooled by three fans. Pair it up with a 750 W PSU and you have a beast on your hands. The design is quite stunning, and ASUS does a marvellous job of installing the RGB lighting effects in its products.
The GPU might have a higher cost than expected currently (thanks to miners and scalpers), but if you want a GPU that can tear through most of the AAA titles on a 1440p monitor at high refresh rates, this would be a wise investment.
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM | Long heatsink |
| PCI Express 4.0 Interface | Higher prices |
| 1882 MHz core clock | Availability problems |
| Major brand name | |
| Aesthetic design |
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 OC edition EVO
Asus’s RTX 2060 may be from the last generation of Turing architecture graphics cards, but it is still a great performer even when it comes to 1440p gaming. It can comfortably play 1440p games at medium and even some at high settings but it varies from game to game.
It features 6GB of GDDR6 memory which is plenty for most modern games. This card is overclocked out of the box and features two high performance cooling fans to keep everything running smoothly.
If you want you can use Asus’s GPU Tweak II to customize these fans’ speeds and clock speeds to fine tune your performance
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| 6 GB of GDDR6 VRAM | Older architecture |
| Quiet fans | Performance not as good as Ampere cards |
| Energy efficient | Can be expensive |
| 1440p gaming in older AAA games at max setting's |
ZOTAC TWIN EDGE OC RTX 3070 (WHITE EDITION)
Everyone knows that using the Nvidia Geforce RTX 3070 can do wonders. But the Zotac Twin Edge RTX 3070 goes a step further. It confines the GPU to a two-bladed form doctor, thereby reducing its space consumption.
The RTX 3070, while good for some games on 4K, remains the undisputed leader in the 2K (1440p) gaming niche. This is due to its exceptional performance, competitive price range, and user-friendly form factor.
This card features three standard DisplayPort 1.4a and an HDMI 2.1 port. It also boasts 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a boost clock of 1725 MHz. Pair it up with a 650 W PSU, and you will be well on your way to rip through AAA titles at high refresh rates.
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM | Customisable Overclock unavailable |
| Auto fan modes | Factory Overlock limited |
| Energy efficient | Power Limiter reduces performance |
| Factory Overclocked | |
| Can run most games on Ultra, at very high frame rates |
Best High End 1440p GPUs
In this section, we will share some of the best high end GPUs that will pretty much play any game at 1440p max settings and even 4k if you wanted to.
MSI GeForce RTX 3080 VENTUS 3X 10G OC
MSI is another brand that is well known within the gaming community. So it’s no wonder that its latest offering, the Nvidia Geforce RTX 3080, would be such a massive hit among its customers. If priced correctly, this graphic card has the capability of making affordable 4K gaming at high FPS a reality.
This is one of the better-designed cards since it regulates heat and temperature generated due to constant use. It is available in the 10 GB variant and boasts 3 v1.4a displays and one HDMI 2.1 Display port. Additionally, it also claims to run any game at 4k resolution, on Ultra settings and with a very high refresh rate.
However, due to the lack of GPUs currently, the prices of this card have skyrocketed as well, . But with the mining race slowing down and the world coming back to its feet, the rates should decline, and the availability should increase.
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| 10 GB of GDDR6X VRAM | High price |
| Energy efficient | Higher overclock rates can cause damage |
| Factory overclocked | Scarce availability |
| Large heatsink allows for better cooling | |
| GDDR6X memory |
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 FOUNDERS EDITION
This card is the OG 3080 from the developers of the graphic card themselves- Nvidia. Nvidia has officially outdone their previous offerings with this card and have set a new record for other brands to follow. This card can run anything and everything thrown at it with ease.
This card delivers better performance than the previous generation of Turing cards, but at a lower price point. This makes it the go-to card for people wishing to play on 1440p and 4K resolutions, at extremely high frame rates.
This card is better than even the “Titan RTX” of the previous generation and can be utilized to its fullest potential if paired with a high-resolution monitor and a high-performing CPU. This is the card you’d want in your gaming PC if you are looking to play any game at ultra settings on 1440p resolution.
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| 10 GB of GDDR6X VRAM | Low availability |
| PCI Express 4.0 Interface | Customizable overclocks not available |
| 1.7 GHz of boost clock | Space encroaching design |
| Large heatsink allows for better cooling | |
| Overclock enabled | |
| High bandwidth |
What should I look for in a 1440p GAMING GPU?
VRAM
The amount of VRAM in your GPU determines the types of games that you run. Graphics-intensive activities require a larger amount of video memory, and hence, a better GPU. A higher VRAM doesn’t necessarily translate into higher performance, but it is a good relative indicator of the usefulness of the GPU.
Size
The size of the GPU is also an essential factor to keep in mind. While bigger GPUs usually have better cooling, they take up a lot of space. On the other hand, shorter GPUs are great for conserving space but might heat up a bit.
Price
While costlier GPUs usually provide higher clock rates and frequencies, they have little to offer beyond that. A good design can also be an upside. Cheaper GPUs, on the other hand, might have a lower clock frequency and an inferior design. Hence, it is a good idea to invest in better products instead of settling for an inferior one.
Conclusion
The GPU market is very turbulent right now. Miners and scalpers have monopolized all of the available GPUs in the market. However, gaming is an activity that never stops. So, if you find a good deal around you, grab it. Holding for some time can also be a good idea, as the GPUs are now trickling back onto the market.
The GPUs themselves are pretty capable. The latest generation from Nvidia is hailed as the best. Whether that is true or an exaggeration remains to be seen.
Be sure check our other guides and articles on the best graphics cards you can get.
ASUS ROG STRIX NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 OC
The Best 1440p graphics card in our opinion
the RTX 3060 has great potential. Its price is what makes it so great. Prices are currently decreasing so you will soon be able to get the RTX 3060 at a reasonable price.
Not only is the price great but the performance is too. It features good 1440p performance in most AAA games and will provide at least 30 fps in most making it ideal for anyone not looking to break the bank.
FAQ
Can I use a GPU that a miner discards?
Honestly, if you can get a used GPU for a low price, buying it can be a good idea. Miners tend to overwork their GPUs to death, so most people avoid doing any business with them.
Second-hand GPUs, on the other hand, can be a good alternative. They have good usage life and usually provide the same performance as new ones. In the end, it all comes down to the performance per price ratio. The higher this ratio, the better will be the deal, and vice versa.
How long is a GPU future-proof for when considering 1440p gaming requirements?
Current generation GPUs (RTX 30 series) are valid for at least the next five to seven years. Last gen cards (RTX 20 series) would be useful for around two to three more years. Beyond that, GPUs usually fail to keep up with the increased graphical processing power required to run the games on high resolutions at playable frame rates.
Last update on 2024-04-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
