Best GPU for graphic design in 2024 – our top picks

If you want the absolute best graphics card for your creative endeavors, then we think that the RTX 4090 is the way to go. In our review of RTX 4090, we found that the card can handle whatever task you throw at it – be it high-resolution gaming, 3D rendering, or graphic designing.

Now, of course, the RTX 4090 doesn’t come cheap, but it is the most powerful card out there currently. In the review, we also found that it offers unmatched performance for 4K gaming and creativity – and we’ll explain more about this in a second.

To start with, the RTX 4090 is the high-end graphics card that sits at the top of the NVIDIA 40-series lineup. The card packs in 16384 CUDA cores – these units are essential to add textures, lights, and other realistic effects to the graphics. Now, 16384 is A LOT – so you can expect smooth performance for most graphically demanding tasks like illustrations and digital graphics.

Further, you get 24 GB GDDR6X, which is not only fast but also provides more than enough storage for your complex assets like textures and other multimedia files. The more VRAM there is, the less effort it takes for the GPU to access these files. Think of it as a readily available storage, so the GPU doesn’t have to access files from system memory, which is slower. To further enhance performance, the card has a 384-bit memory bus, which should ensure faster data transfer.

Now, the original RTX 4090 comes with a 2.52 GHz boost clock speed and a 2.23 base clock speed. However, if you go for partner cards like the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC here, then you might be able to unlock slightly better speeds, like 2.64 GHz.

The RTX 4090 comes with one HDMI 2.1a port and three DisplayPort 1.4a, which allows for connecting multiple peripherals. In fact, NVIDIA claims that you can plug in up to four 4K monitors, so connectivity shouldn’t be an issue.

If you’re just starting out and you need a GPU for your setup, then we think that the RX 6900 XT is a suitable option. For this guide, we have chosen the XFX Speedster SWFT309 RX 6900 XT, as it comes with a good cooling system.

To start with, the RX 6900 XT has 5120 stream processors, which is AMD’s version of ‘CUDA cores’ – so more stream processors should translate into better performance. Further, this card has a boost speed of up to 2,250 MHz and a Game clock speed of 2,015MHz, which should help you accomplish your creative tasks quicker.

Coming to the memory specs, the GPU has a 16GB GDDR6 VRAM, which is slightly slower than the GDDR6X. However, 16GB is a good amount of storage, and it should speed things up for you. Further, you get a 256-bit memory bus, which, combined with the VRAM, should ensure speedier data transfer. For creative professionals, this means that the GPU can access complex assets quickly without having to switch to the system memory, which is slower.

Now, the RX 6900 XT is a rather power-hungry card with a power draw of 300W. This means that the GPU might be prone to heating. To counter this issue, you need to make sure that the GPU has sufficient cooling and heatsink. The XFX Speedster model that we have selected comes with a triple fan design, which should counter any excess heat that might arise.

If you want a GPU for 1440p resolution, then we think that the RTX 4070 Super is a good option. In our review, we found that the Super version offers more value than the base model RTX 4070. Plus, it is one of the best GPUs for 1440p resolution – with good reasons.

To start with, the RTX 4070 Super has 7168 CUDA cores, which is 1280 more cores than its predecessor – the RTX 4070. Further, this GPU also packs in Ada Lovelace 36 TFLOPS shader cores, which will come in handy if your work involves 3D designing and also help accelerate the AI-powered features.

The RTX 4070 Super delivers a 2.48 boost clock speed and a 1.98 base clock speed, which are very similar to the base model RTX 4070. Now, if you go for one of the partner cards, like the ASUS TUF RTX 4070 Super OC Edition here, you can get a slight bump in these speeds. With the Asus card, you get a boost clock of 2,565 MHz, which the OC mode can push to 2,595 MHz.

Similarly, both cards have a 12 GB GDDR6X memory configuration, along with a 192-bit memory bus. These memory specs are more than enough to give you enough speed and performance for your creative tasks.

As mentioned, in our review of the RTX 4070 Super, we saw that the card tackled 1440p gaming easily and delivered decent framerates for 4K gaming. So, for creative tasks, you should be able to handle 1440p resolution quite easily and even foray into 4K a little.

With an NVIDIA-powered GPU, you can get access to several features and technologies targeted at creative professionals. You can make use of NVIDIA Studio, Ansel, Omniverse, and much more.

If you are looking for the best AMD GPU for graphic designing, then we think that the RX 7900 XT is a good pick. As mentioned in our AMD RX 7900 XT review, with the price cuts, and powerful performance, the GPU offers good value in 2024.

To start with, the RDNA 3 GPU is built on the Navi 31 die, which means you get more power efficiency than RDNA 2, along with enhanced ray tracing. Further, the GPU comes with 5,376 Stream Processors, so you can expect smooth performance while gaming or creating.

Next, the GPU has a base clock speed of 1,378 and a boost clock speed up to 2,394 MHz – which is more or less on par with other GPUs. The main highlight here is the 20GB GDDR6 memory and the 320-bit memory bus, both of which should translate into speedy processing of graphics and also give you scope for futureproofing.

In our review, we saw that the RX 7900 XT could easily tackle 1440p gaming and deliver a decent performance for 4K gaming. This means that the GPU performs well while handling graphically intensive tasks like graphic designing and video editing.