How to Use the 2023 GPU Ladder to Choose the Right Desktop Graphics Card

Many people judge a graphics card solely by its video memory size, which can lead to poor purchasing decisions; the simplest way to assess GPU performance is to consult a GPU ladder chart, especially when comparing NVIDIA (N‑cards) and AMD (A‑cards).

The ladder includes both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. NVIDIA and AMD are the core chip manufacturers; cards using NVIDIA GPUs are called N‑cards, while those using AMD GPUs are A‑cards. Both companies release reference (public) designs that define PCB layout, circuitry, interfaces, materials, and cooling standards, and these reference cards share the same core clock speeds.

Most consumers buy non‑public (custom) cards, which still use the same NVIDIA or AMD GPU but feature different aesthetics, materials, ports, lighting, and cooling solutions. These custom cards may have slightly higher default clock speeds, but performance differences are minor compared to the impact of build quality and cooling.

The desktop GPU ladder for 2023 includes legacy models, NVIDIA's 10, 16, 20, 30, and the newly released 40 series, as well as AMD's RX5000, RX6000, and the new RX7000 series. Intel GPUs are also listed for reference.

First Tier (1080p lightweight games)

N‑cards:

GT1030 D5 – inexpensive entry card, slightly stronger than RTX 750; can sustain ~130‑150 FPS at 1080p high settings in League of Legends.

GTX 1630 – new 16‑series card with low price‑performance; outperformed by GTX 1650 and AMD RX 6400.

GTX 1650 – suitable for mainstream online games and Tencent’s suite; comparable to AMD RX 6500 XT.

A‑cards:

RX 6400 – performance roughly equivalent to GTX 1650.

Second Tier (1080p mainstream gaming)

N‑cards:

RTX 3050 – sits between GTX 1660 S and GTX 1660 Ti; adds ray‑tracing and DLSS but offers modest performance gains; AMD RX 6600 8 GB is a better value.

RTX 4060 8 GB – an upgrade over RTX 3060 12 GB, replaces it in the market; offers 15‑18% higher performance with lower power draw (≈115 W) and no mining‑card risk.

A‑cards:

RX 6500 XT – about 6% faster than GTX 1650 S; good value for sub‑$200 cards.

RX 6600 – performance between RTX 2060 and RTX 3060; ~7% faster than RTX 2060 while costing significantly less.

RX 7600 – new AMD card that slightly exceeds RTX 3060; sufficient for high‑quality 1080p and some 2K AAA titles.

Note: Higher chip numbers on the ladder indicate stronger performance, and the ladder is updated as new GPUs are released.