Do you want to experience 4K gaming but don’t know what graphics cards are compatible? Then look no further! We’ve put together this guide showing you which are the best graphics cards for 4K gaming, along with our top hardware recommendations.
4K Gaming
4K refers to the resolution of your monitor and how many pixels are used to create each individual image. If you are playing a game at 4K then your monitor will have a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and four times the pixel density of a standard 1080p monitor.
Is 4K Good for Gaming?
4K gaming, whilst taxing on your monitor and GPU, will allow you to become truly immersed in all your favourite gaming worlds. Top tier models such as the NVIDIA RTX 40 and AMD Radeon 7000 Series graphics cards, feature support for Real-Time Ray Tracing, AI DLSS, and G-Sync, to elevate your gaming experience one step further.
To experience 4K gaming you need either a compatible monitor or TV.
4K Gaming Monitors
If you want to upgrade and need a 4K gaming monitor, then fear not! We’ve selected some of our favourite down below to tempt you into upgrading but you can also browse the full range by clicking the button.
Samsung 32” Odyssey 4K Gaming Monitor:
- 32”
- 3840 x 2160
- 165Hz refresh rate
- 4K compatible
- VA panel
ASUS ROG Strix 32” 4K Gaming Monitor:
- 32”
- 3840 x 2160
- 160Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- IPS panel
What Graphics Card do I need for Gaming at 4K?
To experience smooth refresh rates and gaming at 4K, we recommend any of the following GPUs:
NVIDIA GPUs:
Each of these graphics cards comes fully equipped with plenty of integrated video memory, clock speeds, and the power you need to enjoy 4K gaming.
NVIDIA RTX 40 Series
Built with cutting-edge Ada Lovelace architecture, the all-new NVIDIA RTX 40 Series boasts exceptional gaming and streaming performance. Armed with third-gen RT and fourth-gen Tensor cores, render all your favourite AAA titles in stunning hyper-realistic quality and silky-smooth frame rates.
What’s more, each GPU in the 40 Series comes equipped with an array of intelligent features designed to optimise performance, such as NVIDIA Encoder and NVIDIA Broadcast.
Take a look at our dedicated guide all about the NVIDIA RTX 40 Series for more details, along with all the hardware you need to upgrade.
Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 4090 Master 24GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
- Ada Lovelace architecture
- 16384 CUDA cores
- 2550MHz boosted clock speeds
- 24GB GDDR6X video memory
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
- Ada Lovelace architecture
- 10240 CUDA cores
- Up to 2595MHz boosted clock speeds
- 16GB GDDR6X video memory
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
- Ada Lovelace architecture
- 8448 CUDA cores
- 26.1GHz boosted clock speeds
- 16GB GDDR6X video memory
ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 TUF 12GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
- Ada Lovelace architecture
- 5888 CUDA cores
- 12GB GDDR6X video memory
- 2100MHz boosted clock speed
NVIDIA RTX 30 Series
These elite tier NVIDIA RTX 30 Series graphics cards feature up to 24GB of powerful integrated GGDR6 video memory, ultra-fast boost clocks of up to 1860MHz, and a maximum of 10752 CUDA cores. All of these can power 4K gaming to result in phenomenal performance and mind blowing visuals in all the latest AAA titles.
Plus elevate your 4K experience, thanks to integrated support for cutting-edge Real-Time Ray Tracing, G-Sync, AI DLSS, and much more! Perfect for escaping into the photo-realistic worlds of your favourite games.
Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 Trinity OC Graphics Card:
- NVIDIA Ampere architecture
- Boost clock of 1710MHz
- 24GB of GDDR6X video memory
- 10496 CUDA cores
RTX 3090 GPUs are no longer available
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Gaming Graphics Card:
- NVIDIA Ampere architecture
- 10752 CUDA cores
- 24GB GDDR6X video memory
- Boost clock of 1905MHz
RTX 3090 Ti GPUs are no longer available
AMD Radeon RX 7000 Series
Utilising AMD’s brand-new RDNA 3 architecture, the Radeon RX 7000 Series has been crafted with a cutting-edge chiplet design. Combining both 5nm and 6nm processes, these graphics cards have been fine-tuned to deliver up to 54% more performance per watt, compared to the previous generation.
What’s more, to ensure an immersive and enjoyable gaming experience, the AMD RX 7000 Series also features support for AMD Infinity Cache, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (AMD FSR), and much more!
If you want an in-depth look at the RX 7000 Series, check out our blog article.
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XT Gaming OC 20GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
- AMD RDNA 3 architecture
- Core clock speeds of up to 2175Mhz
- Up to 2535MHz boosted clock speed
- 20GB GDDR6 video memory
Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XTX Pulse 24GB GDDR6 Graphics Card:
- AMD RDNA 3 architecture
- Core clock speeds of up to 2330MHz
- Up to 2525MHz boosted clock speed
- 24GB GDDR6 video memory
AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series
Each of these top tier AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series GPUs come fully equipped with up to 16GB of GGDR6 and ultra-fast boost clocks of up to 2435MHz! Plenty to support high-quality 4k gaming.
Take advantage of built-in DirectX 12 Ultimate and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, to enjoy smooth frame rates, stunning photo-realistic visuals, and enhanced image rendering for a mind-blowing gaming experience.
Sapphire Radeon 6950 XT Nitro Graphics Card:
- AMD RDNA 2 architecture
- 2116MHz core clock speeds
- 16GB of GDDR6 memory
- Boost clock of 2324MHz
The Radeon RX 6590 XT is no longer available.
Building your own gaming PC can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve put together the Overclockers UK Ultimate PC Building Guide.
Powerful PCs for 4K Gaming
Refract Gaming Indigo Pre-Built PC
- Pre-built gaming PC
- Designed for elite tier and high-quality streaming
- Experience 4K Gaming
- Enjoy games like Microsoft Flight Simulator at 115+FPS at 4K
- Includes an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super GPU
- Three year parts and labour warranty included
Refract Gaming Ultraviolet Pre-Built PC
- High-end pre-built gaming PC
- Designed for elite tier and high-quality streaming
- Experience 4K Gaming and VR
- Enjoy games like The Witcher 3 RTX at 105+FPS at 4K
- Includes an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU
- Three year parts and labour warranty included
8Pack Meteoroid MK2 PC:
- Elite powerhouse gaming PC
- Mini-ITX form factor
- Designed by legendary overclocker, 8Pack
- Includes an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU
- Both the CPU and GPU have pre-configured overclocks
- Fully water-cooled system
- Out of this world aesthetics
Have You Experienced 4K Gaming?
Have you experienced gaming at 4K? What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments below.
PC specs are subject to change.
- 6 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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