AMD vs Nvidia. If you happen to’re constructing a gaming PC, you may inevitably be confronted with selecting between the 2 GPU heavyweights. Each firms make GPUs that energy the finest graphics playing cards, combating for supremacy in our GPU benchmarks hierarchy. AMD vs Nvidia is not the one determination you’ll have to make when constructing a PC, after all. You may additionally want to decide on between AMD vs Intel CPUs. Our focus right here shall be on graphics, nevertheless, and we’ll be taking a look at efficiency, options, drivers and software program, energy and effectivity, pricing and extra.
The AMD vs Nvidia flame wars have been cooking because the late 90s, with Nvidia presently main within the GPU area by many metrics. Its graphics playing cards account for almost all of GPUs on the Steam {Hardware} Survey, for instance, and when it comes to pure funds, Nvidia is value roughly 3 times as a lot as AMD (with a big chunk of AMD’s sources dedicated to CPUs).
However we’re not within the distant previous or funds. We wish to discover a winner within the present battle of AMD vs Nvidia GPUs. That primarily means taking a look at AMD Massive Navi and Nvidia Ampere graphics playing cards — and possibly one in every of nowadays, we’ll even want so as to add Intel Arc into the combination.
It is vital to maintain the large image in view all through this evaluation. We’re not simply specializing in the quickest GPU, or essentially the most power-efficient GPU, or the very best bang-for-the buck GPU. We’ll contemplate all the elements in every class, from price range to mid-range to high-end and excessive GPUs, together with the tech behind the GPUs. We’ll declare a winner in the present day, however after all this is not the tip of the warfare. It is extra like proudly owning the heavyweight GPU title: A victory in the present day doesn’t suggest your opponent will not come again leaner and meaner subsequent yr.
With that preamble out of the best way, let’s pull out the boxing gloves and go the rounds with AMD vs Nvidia.
AMD vs Nvidia: Gaming Efficiency
For many years, sooner GPUs have enabled sport builders to create more and more detailed and sophisticated worlds. Whereas you could find every thing from price range GPUs to high-end choices from each AMD and Nvidia, with regards to outright efficiency, Nvidia has a slight general lead due to the chunky GeForce RTX 3090 Ti.
Past the pole place, nevertheless, it is a nearer match. If you happen to have a look at our GPU benchmarks hierarchy, you may see that AMD’s RX 6950 XT owns the highest spot at 1080p and 1440p, and Nvidia solely wins at 4K or in ray tracing video games. Of the highest ten quickest GPUs, 4 are AMD and 6 are Nvidia, however a part of that’s due to amount reasonably than really totally different GPUs — the RTX 3080 12GB takes a little bit of RTX 3080 Ti and a little bit of RTX 3080 and mixes them collectively right into a card that ended up matching the 3080 Ti at a cheaper price level.
In fact, the primary benchmarks solely have a look at video games operating APIs and settings that work on all GPUs, which implies we’ve not included ray tracing or DLSS within the outcomes. We additionally have not included any FSR outcomes, and CPU bottlenecks actually play a task at decrease resolutions. This is the up to date 2022 efficiency rankings, displaying the general efficiency from eight video games and 4 settings/resolutions mixtures 4 our normal check suite, and 4 extra charts for our ray tracing suite that makes use of six complicated DXR (DirectX Raytracing) video games.
Nvidia’s RTX 3090 Ti is not remotely inexpensive, whereas the GeForce RTX 3080 and Radeon RX 6800 XT signify a greater view of efficiency. These two commerce blows in conventional rasterization video games, with AMD taking a slight lead, whereas Nvidia simply jumps forward — typically by a big margin — as quickly as ray tracing and/or DLSS get turned on. We give Nvidia a slight lead on the prime of the efficiency ladder, however that is not the one class to contemplate.
Wanting on the mainstream market ($400, give or take), issues get a bit messy. AMD’s Radeon RX 6700 XT takes on the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, with barely higher efficiency — offered as soon as once more that we ignore RT and DLSS. In our evaluation, we referred to as it a web tie. Nonetheless, whereas AMD’s card theoretically prices 20% greater than Nvidia’s providing, in follow pricing truly favors AMD proper now ($480 vs. $500 on the time of writing).
Older mannequin GPUs are principally outclassed by the brand new arrivals, so the very best pairing can be pitting the RTX 3050 towards the RX 6600, each of which could be had for round $300 (by no means thoughts MSRPs). AMD’s GPU crushes the 3050 in normal gaming efficiency by 25–35%, and whereas ray tracing does favor the Nvidia GPUs by 7–15%, that is far much less vital for this class.
What about price range choices, like stuff for underneath $200? Sadly, we now have to surprise the place all the great price range GPUs have gone. The RX 6500 XT and RX 6400 promote for underneath $200, however efficiency is mostly worse than the outdated RX 5500 XT 8GB and GTX 1660, as an alternative going up towards the GTX 1650 and 1650 Tremendous. AMD’s playing cards are straightforward sufficient to search out model new, whereas Nvidia’s GTX 16-series elements are actually arising on three years outdated and provide and availability is usually a bit spotty. Nonetheless, Newegg has GTX 1650 Tremendous for $200, successfully making the price range sector a tie.
Winner: Tie This is just too near name, as there are such a lot of methods to separate issues. Nvidia wins for 4K and ray tracing efficiency, AMD wins for traditional 1080p and 1440p gaming, and in addition in efficiency at related high-end and mid-range worth factors. DLSS additionally counts in Nvidia’s favor, nevertheless, and whereas FSR 2.0 is likely to be comparatively aggressive, it really works on any GPU.
AMD vs Nvidia: Energy Consumption and Effectivity
Previous to AMD’s Navi, GPU energy effectivity was decidedly in favor of Nvidia. However Navi modified all that, and Massive Navi has additional improved AMD’s effectivity. Utilizing chips constructed with TSMC’s 7nm FinFET course of and a brand new structure that delivered 50% higher efficiency per watt, Navi began to shut the hole. Besides, it was up to now behind that even a 50% enchancment did not totally handle the effectivity deficiency.
However Nvidia’s Ampere structure pushed increased clocks at the price of effectivity, whereas AMD’s Massive Navi will get a wholesome enhance in effectivity from the Infinity Cache. The web result’s that Ampere and Massive Navi are fairly near tied.
Utilizing Powenetics {hardware} to seize the true graphics card energy use of GPUs, we have examined all the present and up to date graphics playing cards from each firms. We have additionally examined third social gathering playing cards from either side, however we’ll confine the charts to the reference designs as a lot as doable.
Whereas energy use favored Nvidia’s older GPUs, typically by a large margin, the variations on the most recent technology {hardware} go the opposite means. RTX 3090 Ti makes use of essentially the most energy, adopted by the RX 6950 XT, RTX 3080 12GB (customized card), after which we get the RTX 3090, 3080 Ti, and 3080. AMD’s RX 6900 XT and 6800 XT come subsequent, earlier than we begin attending to earlier technology GPUs.
It is harder to declare a winner exterior of the acute efficiency vary. AMD’s RX 6700 XT makes use of a bit extra energy than the RTX 3060 Ti and a bit lower than the RTX 3070, however they’re all in a 10W vary. Drop right down to the RTX 3060 and RTX 3050 towards the RX 6600 XT and RX 6600, and energy use tracks fairly carefully with efficiency.
Amongst price range GPUs, the RX 6500 XT makes use of extra energy than the GTX 1650, however the RX 6400 is the one really trendy GPU that does not want a minimum of a PCIe 6-pin energy connector.
Winner: AMD Focusing simply on the present technology AMD Massive Navi and Nvidia Ampere GPUs, energy and effectivity are comparatively shut. AMD takes a slight lead on the prime, the center’s a tie, and AMD wins within the price range sector as effectively, giving it the general nod. TSMC’s N7 course of additionally elements in, serving to out AMD, whereas Nvidia’s use of Samsung 8N seemingly accounts for lowered general effectivity.
AMD vs Nvidia: Featured Know-how
A lot of the options supported by AMD and Nvidia appear related, although the implementations do range. Each help ray tracing now, which permits for some good results, however it’s not required to get a very good gaming expertise. Nvidia’s DLSS is an even bigger issue, as FidelityFX Tremendous Decision (FSR) does not look nearly as good within the FSR 1.0 implementation, whereas FSR 2.0 is not broadly adopted but — and in both case, FSR works on AMD and Nvidia GPUs, and even Intel built-in graphics. That is truly some extent to AMD for not locking individuals into its {hardware}, however virtually talking there are quite a lot of video games with DLSS help and it may be an good additional.
There are different elements as effectively. G-Sync takes on FreeSync, Radeon Anti-Lag goes up towards Nvidia’s ultra-low latency mode plus Reflex, Radeon Tremendous Decision (RSR) works in an identical option to Nvidia Picture Scaling (NIS), and there different areas the place options successfully match up as effectively.
Supporting the identical APIs and related {hardware} options does not make issues equal, nevertheless. Ampere and RDNA2 additionally help mesh shaders and variable fee shading (VRS), in addition to another options which are all a part of the DirectX 12 Final spec. However Nvidia’s efficiency in ray tracing tends to be fairly a bit increased than AMD, even with out DLSS.
Whereas FreeSync and G-Sync may appear equal on the floor, the very best G-Sync shows are nearly invariably increased high quality and higher latency than FreeSync shows. The identical goes for AMD’s anti-lag and Nvidia’s ultra-low latency and Reflex: Comparable in concept, however in follow Reflex implementations come out on prime.
Video encoding and decoding are one other vital facet, and right here Nvidia undoubtedly comes out forward. The Turing and Ampere codecs help higher-quality encodes and decrease GPU utilization, each good issues. There is not any want for CPU-based video encoding with Nvidia’s newest GPUs. AMD’s price range Navi 24 chips lack some key video encoding options as effectively.
There’s one space the place AMD has a transparent benefit, although it is also maybe to AMD’s detriment. TSMC’s N7 course of that AMD makes use of for RDNA2 (and RDNA and Zen 3 and the PS5/XSX) chips clearly delivers higher efficiency and energy traits than Samsung’s customized 8N (actually simply an improved model of Samsung’s 10LPP course of). The catch being that a lot of different firms additionally wish to partake of TSMC’s goodness — AMD, Apple, Nvidia GA100, Qualcomm, and even Intel all use TSMC, together with numerous different smaller gamers. This turns into an issue when TSMC does not have sufficient capability to satisfy the calls for of all of these firms.
Winner: Nvidia Whereas AMD and Nvidia have superficial parity on most options, Nvidia’s implementations are typically superior — and value extra. G-Sync, Reflex, DLSS, and NVENC all find yourself being a minimum of barely higher than AMD’s alternate options.
AMD vs Nvidia: Drivers and Software program
Attempting to find out a transparent winner within the drivers and software program class is troublesome. Fairly a couple of individuals beforehand encountered black display screen points with AMD drivers on RX 5000 Navi sequence GPUs, whereas others did not have any difficulties. Newer drivers have fastened these issues, so far as we will inform. Nvidia drivers aren’t foolproof both, and relying on the sport and {hardware}, points crop up for each firms. However is one firm doing higher with drivers?
AMD makes quite a lot of noise about its yearly driver overhaul. The Radeon Adrenalin 2020 drivers consolidated every thing underneath one massive umbrella, aiming to simplify issues, although it may be complicated at first for those who’re used to the older drivers. AMD tends to skip WHQL (Home windows {Hardware} High quality Labs) testing, which implies fewer hoops to leap by means of and doubtlessly extra bugs slip by means of, however Microsoft’s insurance coverage of a minimal degree of performance does not actually imply a lot for gaming functions.
You may typically depend on a minimum of one new AMD driver per 30 days, typically extra if there are main sport launches. Nvidia’s driver schedule follows an identical cadence. You may get new drivers for main sport launches or new graphics card {hardware}. Nvidia’s releases (exterior of uncommon hotfixes) are all WHQL licensed, and Nvidia additionally has a separate Studio Driver department for content material creators.
One of many huge variations between AMD and Nvidia drivers is that Nvidia has two separate consumer interfaces. The Nvidia Management Panel handles issues like resolutions and sure graphics settings, whereas GeForce Expertise tackles sport optimizations, driver updates, and additional options together with ShadowPlay, Ansel, NIS, and extra. Annoyingly, you need to log in and remedy a captcha immediate to make use of GeForce Expertise, which is one thing I’ve finished extra instances than I’d ever wish to depend. Simply say no to information mining plus drivers.
Winner: Tie We desire AMD’s unified driver method, because it’s one much less interface to navigate, however there’s simply a lot stuff within the present releases. Nvidia’s Q&A is arguably higher, although loads of bugs and points find yourself slipping by means of on either side. Quantifying drivers finally ends up being an extremely subjective affair, nevertheless, so we’re calling this one a draw as effectively.
AMD vs Nvidia: Pricing and Availability
Who provides the higher worth within the battle of AMD vs Nvidia? The previous two years have been a little bit of a joke (not a humorous one, both), however issues are actually tremendously improved. Yow will discover all the most recent graphics playing cards in inventory at retail now, with many fashions promoting at or beneath MSRP. However of the “many” promoting at or beneath MSRP, much more are utilizing AMD GPUs than Nvidia GPUs, with solely the extraordinarily priced RTX 3080 Ti and above promoting beneath MSRP from Staff Inexperienced.
Our GPU pricing index appears to be like at eBay pricing as a substitute, however it’s not required. Typically, the easy reality is that the very best values are presently from AMD, with the RX 6600, RX 6600 XT, RX 6650 XT, RX 6700 XT, and RX 6750 XT all rating close to the highest of the FPS per greenback charts. Nvidia’s RTX 3060, 3050, and 3060 Ti aren’t horribly choice, however you are paying about 15–25% extra when it comes to FPS per greenback (and getting DLSS for that cash).
On the prime of the pricing spectrum, the RTX 3090 Ti is the unquestioned worst worth, priced at over $1,800 and solely delivering barely extra efficiency than the RTX 3080 Ti. AMD’s RX 6950 XT does not price practically as a lot and competes effectively towards the 3080 Ti, however as we go down the pricing scale issues start to favor AMD much more.
Proper now, the RX 6600 takes prime honors with round 0.23 fps per greenback spent. Nvidia’s highest rating GPUs come from its earlier technology Turing RTX 20-series, the place the RTX 2060 scores 0.196 FPS/$, however the highest RTX 30-series half solely charges 0.176 FPS/$. AMD’s RX 6500 XT is true within the combine for a price range card, additionally at 0.176 FPS/$.
Winner: AMD With the availability of graphics playing cards tremendously bettering, a minimum of partly due to cryptocurrency mining profitability being within the dumps, the worth proposition lastly turns into significant once more for the primary time in about two years. GPU costs proceed to drop, however for now AMD’s RX 6000-series playing cards signify a greater worth than Nvidia’s RTX 30-series elements.
| Spherical | Nvidia GeForce | AMD Radeon |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming Efficiency | ✗ | ✗ |
| Energy Consumption | ✗ | |
| Featured Know-how | ✗ | |
| Drivers and Software program | ✗ | ✗ |
| Worth and Worth | ✗ | |
| Complete | 3 | 4 |
AMD vs Nvidia: Backside Line
With an general rating of 4 to 3, AMD squeaks out a victory and lays declare to the king of the GPU world crown. Cue the band and light-weight the fireworks. That does not imply AMD GPUs are a more sensible choice in each case, and there is quite a lot of fuzzy math and subjectivity concerned, however you need to be effectively served by Staff Crimson’s RDNA 2 GPUs — and nearly equally effectively served by Staff Inexperienced.
General, which GPU you like will seemingly come down to private desire reasonably than arduous numbers. AMD clearly wins most match ups (evaluating related priced playing cards) in normal benchmarks, however it falls behind in ray tracing video games and DLSS nonetheless elements in. We might actually see individuals being prepared to pay 10–15% more cash to get an Nvidia card, even when it might not technically be the “finest” alternative.
At this level, we’re now wanting ahead to the longer term RDNA 3 and Ada Lovelace graphics playing cards, each of which we count on to see earlier than the tip of the yr. There are nonetheless too many unknowns to even enterprise a guess at who shall be on prime by the tip of the yr, however hopefully the tip of 2022 finally ends up being much better for avid gamers seeking to improve their GPU than 2020 and 2021 have been.