Ray tracing is a technology that simulates real-life lighting effects by tracking light from its source to its destination. It is commonly used in computer games, particularly those with high fidelity lighting.
Essentially, it works like a mirror to create an accurate reflection of a scene. To use ray tracing in your game, you must have a graphics card capable of implementing this technology.
Ray tracing has several advantages. First, it speeds up rendering by using memory buffers and depth buffers. Second, it allows you to create realistic-looking environments and characters.
Ray tracing is an excellent way to create realistic environments for computer games and is embedded in several 3D-modeling software applications. This technology has several applications beyond gaming.
If you’re looking to play games with ray tracing, you’re going to need a graphics card that has the RT cores. That means you’ll need an Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon RX 6000. These cards will need the latest graphics card drivers in order to support the technology.
NVIDIA’s 30-series graphics card comes with ray-tracing capabilities. If you are into gaming, you can use these cards to improve the overall graphics.
You might be wondering if using a graphics card for ray tracing is a good idea for your computer. In fact, this kind of computing has many benefits, including generating hyper-realistic effects in real-time, soft shadows, and more.
But it can also have a significant performance impact in some cases. In order to benefit from this technology, you’ll need a graphics card with enough resources for ray tracing.
One of the most important benefits of using ray tracing is an improved visual experience. Ray tracing, when used on a graphics card, improves the appearance of graphics and can increase frame rates in supported games.
However, the technology isn’t supported by all games and doesn’t even work with fully path-traced games yet. However, the benefits of using a graphics card for ray tracing outweigh any negatives.
In a hurry? Here are our top 3 favorite picks when it comes to the best graphic cards for ray tracing in 2023!
Best Overall
Runner Up
Budget Pick
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What To Look For In Graphics Cards For Ray Tracing?
Ray tracing is a new technique for gaming that requires specialized hardware. A ray-traced picture can take a fraction of a second, but it can take days to render a picture.
A ray-traced picture is the closest thing to reality, so it’s important to invest in a graphics card that can handle the extra processing. If you’re unsure about which graphics card to buy, make sure it supports ray tracing technology.
When it comes to ray tracing, you can find several different cards on the market. Modern GPUs are built with ray tracing in mind, and support for it is a standard feature.
Nvidia’s RTX 3080 is the most popular ray-tracing graphics card, and if you’re looking to save money, you should consider an AMD card.
AMD graphics cards will also give you excellent ray tracing performance, but you won’t get a fully immersive experience without an RTX card.
AMD and NVIDIA both have ray-tracing GPUs, but the latter is more expensive. AMD cards don’t do ray tracing as well, but they’re still good for gaming. Ray tracing is a process that renders graphics by determining the color of pixels based on the path of simulated light and the interaction of virtual objects.
This process results in high levels of photorealism and is ideal for a wide variety of visual imagery applications.
Previously, only NVIDIA GPUs were capable of ray-tracing. Now, AMD has released a new lineup of GPUs that support the technique, although their offerings are not up to par with NVIDIA’s RTX graphics cards.
The NVIDIA flagship cards are the best for ray tracing, with the GeForce RTX being the ideal choice for those who want the ultimate performance.
Are Graphics Cards for Ray Tracing Worth It?
You might wonder if a graphics card with Ray Tracing is really worth the money. The answer depends on what kind of game you play and what type of environment you want to create.
If you play simple games with very little scenery, such as Fortnite, you may not need a card with Ray Tracing. On the other hand, if you’re a competitive eSports gamer, you’ll likely want a card with this feature.
A ray-tracing graphics card can deliver impressive results when you’re playing games. This feature helps you create more lifelike visuals, including realistic reflections.
It also improves the overall look of your gaming system, making it easier to create high-res images. The highest-end RTX models are best for ray tracing.
A graphics card with RTX is worth the money for gamers who love playing competitive games. RTX will improve shadows, reflections, and environments while decreasing computational demands.
Real-time ray tracing is expensive, and not every young gamer can afford it. A higher-end graphics card will allow players to get sucked into the world and experience more realistic settings.
So graphics cards for ray tracing are totally worth it as they help you to enhance the overall gaming experience.
If you are looking for a graphics card with ray tracing capability, here are the top 7 best options in 2023.
1. ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC – Best Overall
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC is the best graphics card for ray tracing. It comes with 12GB GDDR6 memory and is known for superior graphics performance.
This is a decent card for gamers who are not too concerned with ultra-high settings and can play most AAA games at 1440p or 1080p. It can also handle 4K gaming without sacrificing visual fidelity.
The memory bus is 192-bits wide, and each chunk can access a 1GB or 2GB module. Because of this, the card can deliver a higher clock speed than other cards with similar memory capacity.
The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3060 Twin-Edge OC features Zotac’s proprietary IceStorm 2.0 and Fire Storm technologies.
The card also features a metal backplate for improved rigidity and heat dissipation. The card is capable of delivering two times the performance and power efficiency of its predecessors, thanks to the RTX architecture and 3rd-generation Tensor cores.
This graphics card is very powerful and offers high-end performance. It features NVIDIA Ampere architecture and 2nd Gen ray tracing cores. This card also features IceStorm 2.0 cooling, a freeze fan, and active fan control for superior cooling.
It is 8K ready, four display ready, and VR ready. It comes with various connectivity options like 3 x DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1 port, Vulkan RT API, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and OpenGL 4.6.
Why Is This the Best Graphics Card for Ray Tracing in 2023?
If you are looking for a decent graphics processor for ray tracing, the new ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC Graphics Card is the best choice. It is designed on the Ampere architecture, which is NVIDIA’s second-generation RTX graphics architecture.
It features enhanced RT Cores and new streaming multiprocessors, plus 192-bit memory. Unlike previous RTX generations, this ZOTAC model features a twin-fan thermal solution that ensures cooler temperatures.
As far as performance is concerned, the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3060 Twin OC is the best ray-tracing GPU on the market. While this isn’t the fastest card on the market, it does provide performance headroom and delivers a breathtaking visual experience.
If you’re looking for the best ray-tracing graphics card for your budget, check out ZOTAC gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC.
This card offers faster boost clock speeds, and it’s smaller than the reference model. This card also boasts a conservative heatsink.
The 3060 is slightly more powerful and can handle 1080p games with ease. The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC is better for ray tracing and VR.
This graphics card features 2nd Gen Ray Tracing Cores and 12GB 192-bit GDDR6 memory with boost clock speed up to 1807 MHz.
You can also enjoy the superior cooling performance with IceStorm 2.0 Cooling, Freeze Fan Stop, and Active Fan Control. It comes with DisplayPort as well as an HDMI connection. All these features make it one of the best graphics cards for ray tracing.
2. PNY GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Card – Runner Up
Among the most impressive new graphics cards in the world for ray tracing, the PNY GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8GB focuses on ultra-high-definition gaming. The GPU features a massive amount of raw power.
With such an advanced design, the card offers superb graphics performance, and you’ll be glad to know that it’s compatible with a wide range of games.
The PNY GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is based on Ampere architecture, which was designed to tackle the graphical demands of 1080p gaming. It features 8GB GDDR6 and a 256-bit memory interface. In addition, it supports CUDA and has a dual-fan cooling system.
This graphics card can easily meet the demands of high-end games with its 1410MHz core clock and 1665MHz boost clock speeds.
It also has 4864 CUDA processing cores and up to 448GB/sec of memory bandwidth. This helps to create striking visuals. With the EPIC-X RGB, you can enjoy the superior performance as well as RGB design.
PNY GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has PCI Express 4.0 interface, which is compatible with various systems. You will also get DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1 connectivity with this card. It comes with enhanced 2 Gen ray tracing cores. This card delivers a 25 MH/s ETH hash rate.
3. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 Graphics Card – Budget Pick
If you’re looking for an affordable graphics card with ray tracing capabilities, MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 is the best choice. With its insane out-of-the-box performance and ample overclocking headroom, this card is ideal for any gaming PC.
Despite its low price tag, it offers competitive performance and is an excellent value for money.
In terms of performance, the RTX 2060 offers a good boost over the RX 580, while the latter lags behind and struggles to maintain a competitive minimum framerate. With this card, you will get 6GB GDDR6 memory.
This card is built using turning architecture and supports ray tracing. You can enjoy a 1710 MHz boost clock speed with this card. It is VR-ready and offers excellent graphics.
If you’re looking for the lowest-priced way to turn on real-time ray tracing and DLSS, then GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card is a great choice. The card runs quietly and cool and offers some extra performance.
It features a nine percent overclock compared to other premium cards on the market. This card features NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and comes with 192-bit. This card can deliver up to 7680 x 4320 digital resolution. It comes with DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.0b connectivity.
4. ASUS ROG STRIX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 – Premium Pick
The latest flagship graphics card from ASUS is the GeForce RTX 3090 STRIX. It is a premium graphics card with ray tracing cores. This model has 24GB of the latest GDDR6X memory and boasts a whopping 10469 shader cores. It also boasts a low acoustic profile and a beefy cooler.
The Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card is expensive but loaded with features. For added gaming fun, the graphics card supports the latest DirectX 12 gaming standard, and it supports all the features that you’d expect from a GeForce gaming card.
This card features a 2nd Generation RT core with the same throughput as the 1st generation RT cores and shading for a new level of ray tracing.
The RTX 3090 also boasts superior video quality thanks to its HDMI 2.1 support and 24-GB of GDDR6X memory. This graphics card has a very stylish and polarizing design with a black plastic shroud and silver metal accents.
Although its looks might turn some heads, the card’s performance is top-notch and is definitely worth checking out.
This graphics card has NVIDIA Ampere streaming multiprocessors. It delivers a whole new level of ray tracing with 2nd Gen RT cores. This card features 3rd Gen tensor cores as well. It has an Axial-Tech fan design to maintain efficient cooling. The 2.9-slot design offers more cooling space and thermal headroom.
5. PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT Graphics Card
PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon-RX 6700 XT is another graphics card that you can use for ray tracing. The card’s design and build quality continue to be excellent. In addition, it supports overclocking and has a ten-phase VRM.
While it’s not as powerful as the premium Red Devil, it still offers great value for money.
This AMD Radeon-based gaming graphics card has a triple-fan cooling solution. The heatsinks are made of thick aluminum fin stacks and peek through the cooler’s shroud. It’s also capable of factory overclocking, with a maximum boost speed of 2.65GHz.
The card also features RGB LED lighting and a three-pin addressable RGB header. The PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon is a powerful GPU for the money. Its memory and clock speed are excellent.
This AMD Radeon RX 6700 screams at the highest settings in a number of games, including World of Warcraft. The card’s 76 fps on Battlefield 5 4K benchmarks is comparable to the RTX 6700.
XFX has also released some great budget AMD Radeon cards. The PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon XT is an affordable choice for gamers looking for RGB graphics cards. It can deliver good 1080p raster performance along with ray-tracing gaming.
The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is a direct replacement for the RX 5700 XT from the last generation. The RX 6700 XT is a powerful gaming graphics card with a 192-bit memory bus, and 40 compute units. The card’s 12GB GDDR6 VRAM will ensure smooth performance and great value.
6. EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 XC Gaming Graphics Card
Despite its small size, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 XC Gaming Graphics Card is quite capable of ray tracing. This card is the first of its kind to feature EVGA’s Founders Edition. This card features a custom heatsink and dual fans that allow it to cool itself efficiently.
The EVGA RTX 3060 is the successor to the GTX 1060, and it offers promising performance for gamers who play at 1080p resolution. Another feature is that the EVGA RTX 3060 XC Black supports four video outputs.
It has three DisplayPort 1.4a connections and one HDMI 2.1 port. It can drive three monitors and a television without any problem.
While the EVGA GeForce RTX 30-series graphics card does not have ultra-fast GDDR6X memory, it does offer 12GB of GDDR6 video memory. The RTX 3060 has plenty of memory for gaming.
It is built on the same 8nm process as the GeForce RTX 2070. The EVGA GeForce, RTX-3060 XC Gaming graphics card performs well in 1440p 60FPS games. You can enjoy a boost clock speed up to 1882 MHz with this graphics card. It also supports real-time ray tracing in games.
7. ASUS GeForce RTX 2060 Overclocked Graphics Card
You can also use ASUS GeForce RTX 2060 for ray tracing. It is an overclocked graphics card with 6GB GDDR6 memory. Although it is not a 4K graphics card, it does perform well at 2560x1440p resolution.
It also fares well in all games. While you may need to lower quality settings in some titles, you will find that 2060 can easily surpass the 60-frame mark.
The RTX 2060 features a massive 6GB GDDR6 memory, delivering blazingly fast gaming speeds. The card’s dual-fan design is another feature worth mentioning, as it helps keep things cool and ensures maximum performance.
The card’s design was created with overclocking in mind. Dual power connections and extra cooling were built into the card, which increased its potential for overclocking.
The ASUS GeForce RTX 2060 has the latest NVIDIA Turing GPU architecture. It brings up to six times more performance than its predecessors, and real-time ray tracing is an advanced representation technique that traces full per-pixel detail without any precomputed limitations.
This GPU also comes with a new RTX platform, which allows you to use AI technology to optimize gaming performance.
How to Choose the Best Graphics Card for Ray Tracing in 2023?
If you’re looking for a good graphic card for ray tracing, you should know a few things before you buy one. Here are some factors you need to consider to select the best graphics card.
AMD vs. NVIDIA
If you are planning to invest in a new graphics card with ray tracing capability, consider the brand. There are two leading companies that manufacture graphics cards, i.e., NVIDIA and AMD.
While NVIDIA has the upper hand when it comes to the graphics card for ray tracing, AMD GPU also offers decent performance. Compare the brands and choose the best graphics card for gaming.
Ray Tracing Capability
When buying a graphics card, you need to consider its ray tracing capability. Not all graphics cards can help you with ray tracing, so you need to select the right one. Currently, only Nvidia and AMD are delivering real-time ray tracing.
AMD was late to the game when it came to providing support for ray tracing. However, they have powerful GPUs but don’t perform as well as comparable Nvidia GPUs.
Thermal Design Power
The Thermal Design Power (TDP) of a graphics card for ray tracing is an important metric to look for when purchasing a new GPU. This indicates how much heat a GPU can produce and comes with a wattage estimate.
For example, a graphics card with a TDP of 200 will consume approximately 200 watts from its power supply. A graphics card with this TDP should be able to handle more demanding applications without experiencing overheating.
Memory
If you’re considering using ray tracing for your gaming PC, there are a few things that you should consider. You need to check the graphics card memory.
The amount of memory in your graphics card is important for high-end games. The higher the memory, the faster and better your graphics card will perform.
Connections
A graphics card’s connections are essential for ray tracing. The graphics card connects to the motherboard and other components. There are two types of connections: PCI and PCIe. The PCI port is the oldest connection.
The AGP port is more common today and was designed for graphics cards. However, the PCIe port is faster and has more connections. Both PCIe and AGP ports will work with ray tracing. Make sure you choose a graphics card with multiple connections.
Frequently Asked Questions About GPUs for Ray Tracing
What Graphics Card Has the Best Ray Tracing?
If you’re considering upgrading your graphics card, you’re probably wondering what graphics card has the best ray tracing. Fortunately, AMD and Nvidia both offer some great options. Both boast extreme power efficiency and can run quietly.
Nvidia’s RTX 3090 is widely regarded as the best ray tracing card. It is the fastest and most expensive graphics card from NVIDIA. AMD’s Radeon RX 6800 XT is another powerful graphics card currently on the market.
Can GTX Cards Do Ray Tracing?
GTX cards don’t have dedicated hardware and can only offer basic ray-tracing effects. However, a new driver from Nvidia will make it possible for GTX cards to support ray tracing, which is great news for gamers.
Unfortunately, this support is not a guarantee a high-quality gaming experience. Nvidia’s RTX series graphics cards offer more powerful hardware than the old GTX.
Is RTX Better Than GTX?
NVIDIA’s RTX series of graphics cards were introduced with the GeForce 20 series. It is more powerful and better than GTX cards. RTX and GTX GPUs differ in their performance with ray tracing.
While both GPUs feature ray tracing technology, the RTX GPUs are better in GPU Rendering.
While both GPUs offer ray tracing capabilities, the RTX series is the future-proof choice, as it uses the new Turing architecture. As a result, it can perform better in next-generation games while being less expensive.
Final Thoughts
Suppose you want to enjoy better graphics and visual effects while gaming. You need to use a graphics card with ray tracing capability. It is a technique that helps to simulate light and shadows.
Not all the GPUs support ray tracing, so you need to carefully select the best one as per your gaming needs. In this guide, we have reviewed the top 7 best graphics cards for ray tracing in 2023. You can buy any of these GPUs for gaming.
We plan to update this page regularly as better models launch. If you want to suggest something or need additional details, write to us in the comments below.
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