The Best GPUs for 1440p Gaming (60hz and 144hz)

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If you have a 1440p monitor, you will want to buy a GPU that gets the most out of your monitor without being overkill. In this guide, we will run you through the various things you will need to consider first, and then look at the best GPUs for 1440p gaming, whether you have a 60hz monitor or 144hz monitor.

Things to Consider

There are many different GPUs suitable for 1440p gaming and the best one for you will depend on various factors.

• Games you play – Perhaps the most important thing to consider are the games you play. Different games vary drastically in terms of how graphically demanding they are. Some low demand games like CS:GO will only require a fairly weak card, even for a 1440p 144hz monitor. Other games will require a much more powerful card.
• In-game graphics settings – If you’re willing to turn down settings in-game, you can often get decent performance from relatively weak GPUs. For example, you should be able to get around 60 FPS in most games with a GTX 1060 at 1440p if you turn down graphical settings.
• G-Sync and FreeSync monitors – Nvidia’s G-Sync and AMD’s FreeSync technologies sync the graphics card to the monitors refresh rate. This gives a much smoother gaming experience. It functions in a similar way to v-sync but without the input lag. G-Sync only works with Nvidia cards and FreeSync only works with AMD cards. Take this into consideration if you’re monitor has either of these features.
• The rest of your build – The rest of your build also comes into play when deciding on a graphics card. For example, if you have a weak CPU and pair it with a powerful card like the GTX 1080, the CPU will bottleneck the graphics card and most of the 1080’s power will go to waste. Game Debate is a great website to test your hardware.

Best GPUs for 1440p Gaming

Below you can a list of the best GPUs for 1440p gaming and who they are best suited for whether you have a 60hz monitor or a 144hz monitor.

1. Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060

$244.00 – Buy on Amazon

• Good budget card for 1440p 60hz gaming.
• Not good for 1440p 144hz unless you play VERY low demand games like CS:GO.
• G-Sync compatible

The minimum card i would recommend for 1440p gaming is the GTX 1060. However, if you’re wanting to future-proof your PC I would advise getting a more powerful card. You will likely get around 60 FPS in most games if you turn down the settings, although you should definitely expect frame drops below 60 FPS. More demanding games will struggle to even hit 60 FPS at 1440p. If you will only be playing very low demanding games like CS:GO, the GTX 1060 is a great card for 1440p at 60hz or 144hz.

2. AMD Radeon RX 580

$403.44 – Buy on Amazon

• Good budget card for 1440p 60hz gaming.
• Not good for 1440p 144hz unless you play VERY low demand games like CS:GO.
• FreeSync compatible

The RX 580 performs similarly to the GTX 1060. It’s just about okay for 1440p gaming on a 60hz monitor but I wouldn’t recommend it for a 144hz monitor unless you will only be playing very low demand games.

3. Nvidia Geforce GTX 1070

$255.00 – Buy on Amazon

• Our top pick for 1440p 60hz gaming.
• Reasonable for 1440p 144hz gaming if you turn settings down.
• G-Sync compatible

For gaming on 1440p 60hz monitors, our top pick is the GTX 1070. In most AAA games, even on the highest settings, you should get above 60 FPS most of the time. For gaming on 1440p 144hz monitors it is a reasonable card, but I would recommend getting something more powerful if you will be playing highly demanding AAA titles. If your okay with turning the settings down, it’s a good budget choice for 1440p 144hz gaming, but you’re not going to be getting the most out of your monitor.

4. AMD Radeon RX Vega 56

Price not available – Buy on Amazon

• Good choice for 1440p 60hz gaming.
• Reasonable for 1440p 144hz gaming if you turn settings down.
• FreeSync compatible

The RX Vega 56 performs similarly to the GTX 1070. It’s a great card for gaming on a 1440p 60hz monitor. It’s not the worst choice for a 144hz monitor, but you will be wasting quite a few of those hz.

5. Nvidia Geforce GTX 1080

$465.10 – Buy on Amazon

• Good for future-proofing 1440p 60hz and playing at the highest settings (although a little bit overkill).
• Good for 1440p 144hz (athough invest in a GTX 1080 Ti if you can afford it).
• G-Sync compatible

Another great GPU for 1440p gaming is the GTX 1080. If you have a 1440p 60hz monitor it’s a good graphics card for future-proofing. It will be a little bit overkill at the moment because you will get quite a bit more than 60 FPS in most games, but this might change with newer, more graphically demanding games. The GTX 1080 is a good choice for 1440p 144hz monitors too. However, if you can afford it, I would recommend a GTX 1080 Ti for 144hz monitors because even the GTX 1080 won’t make full use of the extra hz in most AAA games.

6. AMD Radeon RX Vega 64

Price not available – Buy on Amazon

• Good for future-proofing 1440p 60hz and playing at the highest settings (although a little bit overkill).
• Good for 1440p 144hz (athough invest in a GTX 1080 Ti if you can afford it).
• FreeSync compatible

The RX Vega 64 performs similarly to the GTX 1080. It’s a good card for future-proofing if you have a 1440p 60hz monitor, and a good choice if you have a 1440p 144hz monitor, but you’re probably not going to be getting the most out of your 144hz monitor with this card.

7. Nvidia Geforce GTX 1080 Ti

$280.10 – Buy on Amazon

• Our top pick for 1440p 144hz gaming.
• Overkill for 1440p 60hz gaming.
• G-Sync compatible

Our top pick for gaming on 1440p 144hz monitors is the GTX 1080 Ti. In all honesty, you’re still unlikely to hit 144 FPS in most games with this card. However, you are likely to get above 100 FPS for a good chunk of the time (except for very graphically demanding games), so it will make good use of your monitor. If you have a 1440p 60hz monitor, the GTX 1080 Ti will be overkill unless you plan on upgrading to a 144hz monitor any time soon.

Last update on 2023-01-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API