GPU Hierarchy 2024 – Graphics Card Ranking and Comparison Charts

The era we live in is the era of technology and advancements. Everything is more developed and more reliable than ever before. Video games have been one of the fundamental elements of entertainment in this era. You will find the best of the best games being played now.

One of the main reasons video games have become famous is the quality of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) available now. GPUs have played an integral part in making the video gaming experience smooth. Thanks to the modern GPUs, you can play games without interruptions due to graphic processing.

GPU Hierarchy and Tier List 2024

We know that the CPU is your PC’s brain, but you still need a graphics card to keep up with the latest games. There are a lot of games that will push your graphics card to its limits.  Since there is the boom of the gaming era and the best of the best games are being released now and then, you would need to upgrade your graphics card quite frequently. But if you choose the right GPU, it should last you at least two years. If you have had the experience of setting up a gaming PC in the past, you will be familiar with the fact that the graphics card is the relatively most expensive component in your build. It’s tough to find a low-budget and well-performing graphics card.

You will have to do a lot of research first to find the best graphics card while staying within budget. In this article, we have done that research for you. You must carefully go through this article and select the best GPU per your budget needs. GPUs are ruling the gaming world nowadays. They have so many different varying options available depending on the type you’re interested in. Every GPU has its value and worth.

They come with different specifications and price ranges. In this article, we will see which GPUs are ruling the market, and then you can decide which is the most suitable for you. The GPUs here are divided into five categories. They are assigned tiers; one, two, three, four, and five. We will discuss the specifications of the GPUs lying under each tier.

Tier 1-Enthusiasts

The first tier contains the premium GPUs and is known as the “enthusiasts” tier. The most powerful GPUs in the world pile up in this tier. Currently, Nvidia is the only one producing GPUs of such caliber. They have been undisputed dominators of this tier for a very long time.
These GPUs offer an impeccable 60 FPS 4K gaming experience and are powerful. They can sometimes really blur the lines between professional cards and gaming cards. The tier 1 GPUs are the most expensive of the bunch.
These GPUs do cross the lines in terms of both price and performance. These GPUs have given the technology a great boom. They have paved the path for even more powerful and advanced technology to come in the future. Here is a list of the tier 1 GPUs.

This tier is made for you if you are a passionate gamer who wants to be updated with all the latest games. In this tier, you’ll experience graphics like never before. The GPUs of this tier can operate 100% of the games that have been released till now.

Nvidia GeForce Titan V is the best GPU ever made. There is no competitor of Titan V at the moment in the market. It’s the most powerful GPU ever created. This tier is like the royal realm in gaming and GPUs. Only the most passionate and enthusiastic gamers dare to enter this tier for purchasing a GPU.

If you want to get a GPU from the first tier, be ready to spend well over $1,000 on it alone. You also have to have a matching system memory and a powerful monitor. But let me tell you that you will not regret purchasing it. It will offer you the best graphics and textures without sacrificing even a tiny bit of overall speed and performance. These GPUs are with your money and time. If you’re an enthusiast, do give them a try.

Tier 2 – High-End

The second tier is commonly known as the “high-end” graphics card. As mentioned in the first tier, Nvidia is dominant; the same is true for the second tier. AMD has attempted to compete with Nvidia, but Nvidia is still the dominant brand here.

Here is the list of some GPUs that lie in the category of second tier.

You can observe a little variety in the list above, as we have included AMD entries. We did not see any GPU from AMD in the first tier because it goes as high as the second tier. This is better compared to the quality they still offer. Although Nvidia is still dominating the list, AMD also offers excellent quality. This tier smoothly runs graphics up to 2K at 60 FPS. This means that 1080p will run even more smoothly. 1080p can reach 100 fps easily on these GPUs. Gamers can have a great experience with tier 2 GPUs.

In this list, Nvidia’s 1080 leads the race. The rest of the GPUs comes after it. It has an 8GB dedicated memory, making it a powerful gaming experience with more power-saving and quiet performance.
AMD’s best GPU, lying under tier 2, is the RX Vega 64. It is comparable to Nvidia’s GTX 1080, but still, it does not quite surpass it. AMD still is improving and is out there, not lagging far behind.

The GPUs of the second tier are relatively inexpensive compared to the tier 1 GPUs. Their price varies quite often due to high manufacturing and low supply curve. You can expect tier 2 GPUs to be between $300 and $700. These will be worth your money. You’ll have a satisfying 2K gaming experience on these GPUs. You won’t mind spending a few bucks on these beauties if you’re a game lover.

Tier 3 – Mid Range

If you ask which GPUs are the most common among PC gamers, you will find out that tier 3 GPUs are the ones. Most gamers use these GPUs because of a few factors, such as being medium range in the price category.

These are known as “Mid-range” because of being in the medium price range. These being affordable, they can still handle many of the latest games. Mid-range refers to their price; I don’t think the quality is compromised in these GPUs. You still get a smooth experience in gaming.

As already mentioned above, tier 3 GPUs are most commonly used around the world by gamers. You can play in high to ultra-high settings with minimal interruptions. You won’t be able to avail of 4K quality. As far as fps is concerned, you can roam around 30-60fps for 2K graphics. There is also good news for the fans of 1080p. You will not regret using these GPUs. They give a satisfactory and uninterrupted experience on 1080p.

This category is quite balanced in terms of the brand offering such GPUs. Nvidia and AMD go side by side in a mid-range GPU comparison. They are equal in quality to tier 3 GPUs with a slight edge to AMD’s Radeon series. You can easily rely on these GPUs for a couple of years. The GPUs in this list are very reliable in terms of memory and 1080p textures. Both Nvidia and AMD offer very optimal graphics in these GPUs. At a medium price, these GPUs are best.

Tier 4 – Budget

We are well aware of our society and understand that not everybody can afford a beastly gaming PC. Not all have enough money to get a robust and high-performance gaming system. The gaming and PC market has introduced several affordable yet reliable solutions to cope with these issues. Many low-end budget GPUs and systems are available in the market that people with low budgets can purchase.

These GPUs are classified as tier 4 GPUs. They give a very satisfying gaming experience while being within the budget of almost everyone. Nvidia and AMD again offer a variety of tier 4 GPUs. These GPUs are built for 1080p gaming. Their performance can vary from game to game and with the system, they’re using.
A list of some popular tier 4 GPUs is given below.

The GPUs mentioned above are well-performing, but you can still not expect them to be outstanding and provide an elite experience in every game. They are best for those who have a limited budget. Radeon RX 560 by AMD and GTX 1050 Ti by Nvidia are the leading GPUs in this tier. As we saw in Tier 3, which gave a maximum of 2K experience, these Tier 4 GPUs provide maximum quality in 1080p.

You can still play the latest games on the Tier 4 GPUs. The difference will only be that they won’t be as smooth as in higher tiers. You can start these GPUs and enjoy the latest games if you are new to gaming. These are affordable, more uncomplicated, and somewhat straightforward. This is the best choice for you if you have a low budget.

Tier 5 – Budget-Friendly Starter Kit

This tier is the cheapest of all in terms of price. This fifth tier is classified as a “Budget-Friendly Starter Kit.” In this tier, you can see a few more GPUs. These are money-saving GPUs and don’t get much out of the performance.

If you are not a professional gamer who must have the latest games at your earliest, this tier is built for you. You can still enjoy classic games and the less demanding ones on the GPUs of this tier. You might get 60fps for 1080p, but it won’t be as stable and smooth as Tier 4 GPUs. You’ll see an apparent lag in your game if you try to go even higher on these GPUs.

The GPUs included in this tier are listed below.

You might be thinking, what are these Tier 5 GPUs suitable for? These GPUs are the perfect match if you use your computer just for regular stuff and occasionally play video games.

If you are not interested in the latest games, you shouldn’t spend too much on higher-tier GPUs. For seasonal gamers, these Tier 5 GPUs are the ideal ones. You can enjoy a classic game or any other random game on these GPUs.

Besides more advanced games, your system will run smoothly on these GPUs. For a simple and stable light PC, you can rely on Tier 5 GPUs. They are very light on your wallet and suitable for a basic PC system.

We have briefly laid out the GPU Hierarchy above. This hierarchy is more complex and evident than it seems. Many factors determine the ultimate order of GPUs.

Except for the Tier 1 GPUs, all other tiers have tough competition among the brands in the GPU hierarchy race. The GPUs which compete are tested for various latest games.

Their responses to those games determine which GPU is more powerful and performs better. This is very long and laborious work. After those various tests, a GPU is declared better than the other.

Which is the most powerful and best GPU in the market in terms of performance? Well, this has a simple and obvious answer. The most powerful GPU in the market is Nvidia’s GeForce Titan V.

It tops the list with an impressive combination of performance and power. It has a stunning design. No GPU has looked as cool as Nvidia GeForce Titan V looks. If we talk about the groundbreaking capability of Titan V, it has the power of 12 GB HBM2 memory and 640 Tensor Cores, which delivers 110 teraflops of performance.

Now, these are pretty impressive stats. It also features Volta-optimized Nvidia CUDA for maximum results. These features give you an experience like never before. It will cost you about $3000. This is a very expensive GPU, and only enthusiasts will go for it. But mark my word; you will be satisfied after using this GPU.

It offers a 4K gaming experience like never before without any hiccups. You will need an equally powerful monitor and PC system to get the best results out of this beast. You should get one of these if you are a passionate gamer and want the best graphics and fps for your gaming experience.

They will be costly, but you will not regret it for a second when you’ll see their performance. Besides this, you can go for different GPUs mentioned in the tiers above. As you go ahead in the tiers list, you can see less-expensive GPUs and pick the one that best suits your needs.

So there you have it, everything you need to know about the GPU Hierarchy.

Sajid Ali

CEO, Lead Writer

Sajid Ali is a tech enthusiast and gamer who loves to write reviews about gaming hardware. He has a passion for staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and loves sharing his knowledge with others. Sajid studied Intermediate Computer Science at Degree College and went on to earn his Bachelor's in Computer Science from GSC. In his free time, you can find him testing out new hardware and software, or playing the latest video games. Sajid's in-depth understanding of computers and his love for gaming make him the perfect author to turn to for all things tech and gaming.