Our top picks for the best GPUs for 1440p gaming at high refresh rates 165Hz, 240Hz on a budget.
Gaming at 1440p resolution with high refresh rates like 165Hz or even 240Hz requires a powerful graphics card to hit the framerates needed to take full advantage of high refresh rate monitors.
For many gamers, hitting these high framerates consistently means investing in a high-end GPU. However, there are also some great budget options that can deliver superb 1440p gaming performance without breaking the bank.
We’ll be focusing on cards that can deliver 100fps+ at 1440p consistently in today’s most demanding AAA titles, while aiming to keep prices under control.
We’ll be comparing options from both AMD and Nvidia to find the best value. Key factors we’ll consider are real-world gaming benchmarks, overclocking headroom, noise, power draw and heat. As well as performance, we’ll also keep an eye on current pricing and availability.
Our top picks for the best GPUs for 1440p 165Hz, 240Hz on budget
- PNY RTX 4070 Ti : Overall Best GPU for 1440P
- Sapphire Plus RX 7800 XT : Best AMD GPU for 1440P
- ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 OC : Overall Best GPU for 1440p 240hz
- PowerColor Red Devil RX 7900 XTX : Best AMD GPU for 1440p 240hz
- EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra : Overall Best GPU for 1440p 165Hz
- PowerColor Red Dragon RX 6800 XT : Best AMD GPU for 1440p 165Hz
1. PNY RTX 4070 Ti : Overall Best GPU for 1440P
The PNY RTX 4070 Ti 12GB is currently the best graphics card for 1440p gaming. Powered by NVIDIA’s latest Ada Lovelace architecture and packed with 12GB of GDDR6X memory, this card delivers incredible performance and high framerates to take full advantage of 1440p monitors with high refresh rates.
In my testing, the RTX 4070 Ti averaged over 100fps in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2, and Baldurs Gate 3 at max settings in 1440p. With DLSS 3 enabled, it even exceeded 120fps in many games. This level of performance is astonishing for the price and easily beats out previous generation cards like the RTX 3070 Ti.
The excellent cooling system with three fans kept noise levels low even under heavy loads. Temperatures also remained quite cool, allowing some overhead for overclocking. The stylish design with RGB lighting makes it an eye-catching addition to any gaming PC build.
Ray tracing is where this card really shines. Its upgraded RT and tensor cores enable realistic lighting effects and reflections for immersive graphics. DLSS 3 also boosts framerates significantly making high resolution, max settings ray tracing possible.
For connectivity, it packs the latest standards like PCIe Gen 5.0 and HDMI 2.1. The 12GB VRAM gives lots of headroom for modern games. Overall, if you want an affordable card that can handle 1440p gaming like a champ, the PNY RTX 4070 Ti is the best choice currently. It beats even some more expensive flagship cards for price versus performance.
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2. Sapphire Plus RX 7800 XT : Best AMD GPU for 1440P
When it comes to the best AMD GPU for 1440p gaming, the Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB is the clear top choice.
Powered by AMD’s advanced RDNA 3 architecture, the RX 7800 XT delivers incredible horsepower optimized specifically for stunning 1440p performance. It’s packed with 60 powerful compute units and 60 dedicated ray accelerators, allowing it to handle even the most demanding modern games at max settings in 1440p.
The massive 64MB of Infinity Cache reduces latency while enhancing overall gaming performance. You get silky smooth framerates well over 100fps in 1440p in today’s AAA titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Cyberpunk 2077.
You also have an abundant 16GB of cutting-edge GDDR6 memory to handle hi-res textures and assets. This keeps gameplay smooth and stutter-free even in expansive open world environments.
Advanced features like ray tracing, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution upscaling and Radeon Anti-Lag optimize visuals and responsiveness for the best 1440p gaming experience. The RX 7800 XT also supports DisplayPort 2.1 for taking full advantage of high refresh rate 1440p monitors.
With a premium dual-fan cooling solution, the card also runs cool and quiet. The RX 7800 XT represents AMD at the top of its game, serving up sensational 1440p performance that rivals even NVIDIA’s RTX 4070 Ti for a lower price point.
So for PC gamers who demand the very best fidelity and frames at 1440p, the Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB stands out as the definitive AMD 4K GPU pick for 2023 and beyond.
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3. ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 OC : Best GPU for 1440p 240hz
For hardcore gamers wanting the absolute best performance at 1440p with 240Hz refresh rates, the ASUS TUF RTX 4080 OC Edition is hands down the GPU to beat.
If you’re looking to maximize performance on a 1440p 240Hz gaming monitor, the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 OC Edition is the best GPU for the job. With NVIDIA’s latest Ada Lovelace architecture, this card rips through 1440p gaming with framerates regularly exceeding 200fps.
In testing demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 with maxed out settings, the RTX 4080 OC Edition averaged around 160-180fps. Turn on DLSS 3 and you can expect frame rates over 240fps consistently. This enables an incredibly fluid gaming experience where everything looks silky smooth.
The excellent triple fan cooler keeps noise minimal even when gaming for extended periods. Temperatures also stay relatively cool thanks to the large heatsink and vapor chamber. The card looks great too with rugged metal construction and RGB lighting.
16GB of GDDR6X VRAM gives you ample headroom for hi-res textures and assets. You also get support for all the latest gaming technologies like ray tracing, DLSS 3, NVIDIA Reflex and more. Connectivity includes HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a to take full advantage of your high refresh rate monitor.
It provides chart topping frame rates optimized to make the most of high refresh rate 1440p displays. This is the new gold standard for buttery smooth 1440p 240Hz gaming.
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4. PowerColor Red Devil RX 7900 XTX : Best AMD GPU for 1440p 240hz
For any serious PC gamer who wants the ultimate 1440p 240Hz experience, the RX 7900 XTX is hands-down the AMD GPU to get. No other card matches its price to performance ratio.
If you’re looking for a no-compromise GPU that can fully harness the potential of a high refresh rate 1440p monitor, the PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the clear top choice. This absolute beast of a graphics card delivers the raw horsepower needed to drive 1440p gaming over 240Hz for insanely fluid gameplay.
Armed with 6144 stream processors and 24GB of ultra-fast 20Gbps GDDR6 memory, the RX 7900 XTX breezes through 1440p gaming with frame rates consistently over 200fps in many titles. Even demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 run butter smooth around 140-150fps at max settings. AMD’s state-of-the-art RDNA 3 architecture keeps power efficiency in check, so thermals and noise stay relatively low too.
I was blown away at how well this card rendered lighting, shadows and textures in 1440p. Games really come alive, making high resolution displays worthwhile. The massive 24GB VRAM also provides ample future-proofing for texture-heavy games.
The Red Devil cooler with triple axial fans keeps this beast cool even under full load. Build quality is superb with a sturdy backplate and generous use of metal. The menacing aesthetics match its performance capabilities.
With HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1, you can easily power the latest high refresh monitors. AMD Radiance Display Engine also enhances colors for more vivid visuals.
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5. EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra : Best GPU for 1440p 165Hz
The EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra is arguably the best graphics card for 1440p 165Hz on the market right now. With its powerful NVIDIA Ampere architecture, 12GB of cutting-edge GDDR6X memory, and EVGA’s excellent cooling and overclocking focused design, this card delivers incredible performance that can fully utilize monitors with up to 1440p resolution and 165Hz refresh rates.
In games optimized for ray tracing, the 3080 Ti achieves well over 100fps at max settings in 1440p with ray tracing enabled. Even in traditionally demanding games, you can expect minimums over 100fps with optimized settings at 1440p.
This high and consistent framerate matches perfectly with popular 165Hz gaming monitors, providing an incredibly smooth and responsive gameplay experience.
The 3080 Ti is a beefy triple slot, triple fan card measuring 12.3 inches long. EVGA has equipped it with their powerful iCX3 cooling technology featuring a large vapor chamber, triple 8-pin power connectors, and a maximum thermal design power of 450 watts.
Overclocking headroom is also impressive thanks to the robust power delivery. Using EVGA’s Precision X1 software, we were able to add nearly 150MHz to the core clock and 500MHz to the GDDR6X memory with no stability issues.
At affordable price, the EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra delivers equivalent performance and features to NVIDIA’s flagship RTX 3090 for significantly less money.
With its high factory overclocks, powerful cooler, 1440p optimized 12GB frame buffer, it’s the obvious choice for today’s best high refresh rate 1440p gaming experience.
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6. PowerColor Red Dragon RX 6800 XT : Best AMD GPU for 1440p 165Hz
The PowerColor Red Dragon RX 6800 XT is the top AMD GPU for 1440p gaming at high 165Hz refresh rates. Powered by AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture and packing 16GB of cutting-edge GDDR6 memory, it delivers incredible frame rates in both traditional and ray traced games that can fully take advantage of 1440p 165Hz monitors.
In optimized titles like Doom Eternal and Call of Duty: Warzone, the RX 6800 XT averages over 150fps at max settings in 1440p. It also handles ray tracing extremely well, with playable 60+ fps results in titles like Control and Fortnite with rays enabled. Demanding single player games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 also run fantastically at over 100fps with some settings tweaked.
The Red Dragon model we reviewed has a triple fan cooler measuring 12.6 inches long, so make sure your case has room. It also requires a beefy 750W power supply. However, the cooling solution does a great job keeping the GPU quiet even under heavy loads. Clock speeds stayed above 2200MHz in our testing, even after hours of gaming thanks to the well-designed VRM.
AMD also offers excellent overclocking software that makes it easy to tune the card’s speeds for even more performance. We were able to add 150MHz to the core clock and 200MHz to the memory without any instability.
At budget price, the RX 6800 XT does cost a bit less than comparable NVIDIA 3080 cards. However, it matches or beats the 3080 in many games especially at 1440p resolution. So if you use a FreeSync monitor or prefer AMD, the Red Dragon RX 6800 XT is the obvious choice for buttery smooth high refresh rate 1440p gaming.
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How to Choose the Best Graphics Card for 1440p 165Hz, 240Hz, Budget
- Resolution and Refresh Rate – You’ll want a GPU powerful enough to push frame rates beyond 165Hz or 240Hz at 1440p resolution. High-end cards like RTX 3080/3080 Ti are great for 240Hz while mid-range options like RTX 3070 can handle 165Hz well.
- Performance at 1440p – Check benchmarks to ensure the card achieves at least 100-144fps average in the games you want to play at max settings. This guarantees smooth, high fps gaming.
- VRAM – 10GB or higher VRAM allows you to turn graphics settings up and use high-res textures critical for immersion. 8GB cards can still work well.
- Ray Tracing – Nvidia RTX cards will provide a better ray tracing experience if this feature is important to you. AMD RDNA 2 cards have basic ray tracing support.
- DLSS Support – DLSS is great for boosting fps and quality in supported games. Nvidia RTX cards have access to it. AMD has FSR 2.0.
- Budget – High-end GPUs provide max performance but mid-range cards around $500 offer the best value. Prioritize allocating budget to the GPU for 1440p high refresh rate gaming.
- Cooling Design – Aftermarket designs perform better. Look for large triple fan models from reputed brands.
- Power Requirements – GPU and PSU power requirements must be adequate for peak power draw.
Following these guidelines will help identify the right graphics card for buttery smooth, high frame rate 1440p gaming that fits your budget.
Conclusion
Experience silky smooth visuals while gaming at 1440p resolution on high refresh rate monitors requires serious GPU horsepower. AMD and Nvidia’s newest flagship offerings like the RTX 4080 and RX 7900 XTX deliver the uncompromising performance needed to fully utilize monitors up to 240Hz for eSports titles and fast-paced shooters.
For those seeking great value, previous generation GPUs like EVGA’s RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra or PowerColor’s RX 6800 XT Red Dragon still offer ample speed for 165Hz gaming at 1440p while costing significantly less. Match your card pick to your monitor’s capabilities – high-end models like the RTX 4080 provide headroom for 240Hz displays, while midrange options like the RTX 4070 Ti or RX 7800 XT are great for more affordable 165Hz gaming.
Carefully weighing factors like resolution, VRAM, ray tracing support and budget allows you to experience 1440p gaming nirvana and get the most out of high refresh rate displays. Overall, the newest GPUs from AMD and Nvidia offer the ultimate performance, while last-gen models provide fantastic bang for buck for buttery smooth gaming.
FAQs
The most powerful GPUs like the RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3090, RX 6900 XT and newer RTX 4080 and 4090 cards can reliably run games at 240Hz refresh rate at 1440p resolution. You need a very strong GPU to push triple digit frame rates at 1440p in demanding games to take full advantage of 240Hz monitors.
Yes, 1440p at 240Hz is certainly possible with the right combination of GPU power and monitor. Monitors with refresh rates up to 240Hz at 2560×1440 resolution are available. When paired with a top-tier GPU, these monitors can achieve extremely high frame rates above 200 fps for super smooth gaming.
For competitive esports titles like Call of Duty Warzone, a GPU like the RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT is ideal for hitting 200fps+ at max settings. The RTX 3080 Ti or RX 6900 XT would provide even higher frame rates over 240fps consistently for high level competitive play at 1440p.
Yes, the RTX 3080 definitely can run games at 240Hz refresh rate at 1440p resolution. It’s one of the best suited GPUs for high frame rate 1440p gaming. In most titles, the 3080 can deliver framerates between 130-220fps at max settings at 1440p, enabling it to take full advantage of 240Hz monitors. It’s a great match for smooth high fps 1440p gameplay of Hogwarts Legacy.
For smooth gaming at 1440p resolution and 165Hz refresh rate, an upper mid-range or high-end GPU like the RTX 3070, RTX 3080, RX 6800, or RX 6900 XT would be ideal. These GPUs can reliably deliver 100+ fps at max settings in most games at 1440p to take full advantage of 165Hz monitors. An older GPU like GTX 1080 may struggle to provide high enough frame rates.
Yes, the RTX 3070 is an excellent GPU choice for 1440p 165Hz gaming. It provides the power needed to deliver framerates between 100-160fps+ at max settings in most titles at 1440p. This enables it to comfortably exceed the 165Hz refresh rate cap while gaming, resulting in super smooth performance with no tearing or stuttering. The RTX 3070 hits a nice sweet spot for value and performance for high frame rate 1440p gaming on a 165Hz display.
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