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The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is now official. It will replace the Ryzen 9 7950X as Team Red's flagship offering for the next couple of years. With16 Zen 5 cores and 32 threads, the chip is built for premium performance without compromises. It can handle any workload you throw at it, be it gaming, video editing, multitasking, or file compression.
However, choosing the right GPU is crucial if you are looking for a well-balanced rig that can do a bit of everything. There are a plethora of options to choose from today, including last-gen graphics cards which convolutes the process.
To help you get the best bang for your buck, we have prepared this list with the ideal GPUs for the new 9950X.
Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer
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The Ryzen 9 9950X works best with powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090
1) AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ($359)
Despite being a generation old, the Radeon RX 6800 XT continues to be a recommendation for its insane value for money. Its price has dropped to just $359 these days, down from its $600 launch MSRP. Given it targets 4K gaming at high framerates, you can't get anything more powerful for less than $400.
Performance-wise, the card beats the new RTX 4070, earning it a recommendation for the Ryzen 9 9950X.
In terms of underlying hardware, the 6800 XT is packed with gaming hardware. The GPU is paired with the Navi 21 graphics processor, 4,608 shading units, and a whopping 16 GB of GDDR6 video memory. This makes it a future-proof card for high-resolution gaming.
Pros:
- The AMD RX 6800 XT is a capable GPU for high-resolution gaming.
- It packs 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM.
Cons:
- The 6800 XT doesn't have the best ray tracing and upscaling performance.
2) AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE ($519)
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is another example of Team Red's insane value-for-money cards. This GPU is built on a cut-down RX 7900 XT and brings the best of RDNA 3 to a more affordable package. You can still expect decent 1440p and 4K gaming performance from it while paying less than $600. This earns it a recommendation in the mid-premium segment for the Ryzen 9 9950X.
The RX 7900 GRE is based on the same Navi 31 graphics processor as its costlier siblings. However, the core counts have been cut down to fit the reduced price tag. You get 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM with this card too, which future-proofs it.
Pros:
- The RX 7900 GRE is among the most powerful GPUs in the market.
- With 16 GB of VRAM, it is perfect for 1440p and 4K gaming when paired with the Ryzen 9 9950X.
Cons:
- Like every AMD GPU, the 7900 GRE's ray tracing and upscaling performance lags behind the competition.
3) Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super ($799)
Coming to some of the most powerful pixel pushers out there, the RTX 4070 Ti Super is a fantastic recommendation under $1,000. The GPU maxes out the AD103 graphics processor with 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM, 8,448 CUDA cores, and 264 Tensor cores.
It is about 10% faster than the RTX 4070 Ti while having improved ray tracing, DLSS 3 with frame generation, and the usual suite of highly sought-after Nvidia technologies.
At $799, the 4070 Ti Super can be a bit expensive. However, we believe it forms a well-rounded system when paired with the Ryzen 9 9950X. Although the GPU is primarily geared for 1440p gaming, it is quite capable at 4K resolutions too. In fact, it is one of the most versatile high-end graphics cards that comes with a mid-premium price tag.
Pros:
- The RTX 4070 Ti Super is one of the most powerful sub-$1,000 cards.
- With 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM, it can play all the latest titles at 4K when paired with the Ryzen 9 9950X.
Cons:
- Rasterization performance isn't up to par with AMD's alternatives.
4) Nvidia RTX 4080 Super ($999)
The RTX 4080 Super isn't much faster than the 4080 — we are looking at about 2%-3% more performance. However, the GPU is $200 cheaper than the original card and costs $999. While it still costs an arm and a leg, the 4080 Super easily beats AMD's similarly priced Radeon RX 7900 XTX. This is paired with support for Nvidia DLSS 3 with frame generation and better ray tracing performance.
If you are looking for sky-high framerates at 4K resolutions, the 4080 Super is a go-to. The GPU is designed to handle the latest titles without breaking a sweat. It is currently retailing for $976 on Amazon, making it a slightly better deal.
Pros:
- The 4080 Super is faster than the competition's RX 7900 XTX.
- It can handle every modern release at 4K resolutions when paired with the Ryzen 9 9950X without breaking a sweat.
Cons:
- At $999, the card can drill a deep hole in your pocket.
5) Nvidia RTX 4090 ($1,599)
The Nvidia RTX 4090 is the current king of gaming graphics cards. It is an absolute monster that's leagues ahead of every other GPU mentioned above. Its pricing is also similarly out of hand, and it will cost you a whopping $1,599 for the cheapest models. High-end AIB variants are priced anywhere between $1,700 to $2,000.
The Ryzen 9 9950X is a CPU built for cards like the 4090. It'll have zero problems handling the flagship at its full potential. In fact, you might be GPU-bound at both QHD and UHD.
In terms of underlying hardware, the RTX 4090 is absolutely jam-packed with the latest from Nvidia. You get a whopping 16,384 CUDA, 512 Tensor, and 128 RT cores, along with 24 GB of GDDR6X VRAM based on a 384-bit memory bus. All of this translates to double the performance of the RX 6800 XT we mentioned at the beginning of this list.
Pros:
- The RTX 4090 is the most powerful gaming GPU.
- With 24 GB of GDDR6X, it ensures ample future-proofing.
Cons:
- The 4090 is an ultra-premium GPU, starting at $1,599.
The Ryzen 9 9950X is one of the most powerful CPUs that is best paired with some of the best graphics cards on the market. All of the options listed above are among the most capable pixel pushers in the market that do justice to the computing prowess of the latest AMD Zen 5 flagship. You can choose the best card depending on your budget.
