Nvidia vs. AMD: Putting the GPU giants side-by-side
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The most anticipated keynote of CES 2025 came from Nvidia, where the brand announced its highly anticipated GeForce RTX 50 series. However, Nvidia isn't alone in the GPU market. AMD, with its Radeon series of graphics cards, gives Nvidia a run for its money. While AMD didn't join Nvidia in making a GPU announcement at CES, instead focusing on its Ryzen CPUs, the two giants dominate the graphics field.
Whether you're browsing gaming laptops and PCs, or are hoping to build your own, you need to get familiar with GPUs, specifically the ones from Nvidia and AMD. As the leaders in the market, you don't need to look further than these two, but which one is better? Well, the answer isn't that simple.
Here's what you need to know about AMD and Nvidia when putting the brands head to head.
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AMD vs. Nvidia: Price
On price alone, AMD has a leg up on Nvidia. AMD offers more affordable graphics card options, focusing on the budget and midrange options. AMD's flagship GPUs, the AMD Radeon RX 70 series, start as low as $269.99, with the upper range peaking at $999.
Meanwhile, Nvidia's existing GeForce 40 series starts at $399.99 with the GeForce RTX 4060 TI, while its most advanced unit, the GeForce RTX 4090, starts at $1,599. However, the 40 series is old news at CES 2025, as the Nvidia 50 series, coming Jan. 30 will range in price from $549 to $1,999.
So if you're shopping on price alone, AMD is going to be the most affordable option. However, it's important to note that AMD has reportedly stopped producing some of its Radeon RX series to make way for the RNDA 4 GPUs. Based on AMDs historical prices, we still expect the latest GPUs to fall below Nvidia's prices.
AMD vs. Nvidia: Performance
The competition gets tougher when considering the performance of AMD and Nvidia GPUs. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is regarded as the best GPU on the market, beating out most of AMD's units. Not only is the 4090 exceptional for 4K gaming, it's the best option if you plan on creating games or working with AI. The 4090 is soon to be replaced by the 5090, which is built with and for AI, enhancing graphics for superior clarity and realistic dimensions.
Generally, Nvidia is going to offer better ray tracing, the mechanic that simulates lights, creating those realistic displays that the brand is known for. However, when you're not looking at the high-end GPUs from each brand, AMD can compete when you get into midrange and budget options. For example, the midrange AMD Radeon 7700 XT can easily compete with the Nvidia GeForce 4060.
It should be noted that our favorite gaming laptop, the Alienware m16, is loaded with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070. Plus, Alienware is doubling down on Nvidia's new 50 series, as its Area-51 line will come loaded with the new graphics cards.
AMD vs. Nvidia: Beyond gaming
Most of the time, we're discussing GPUs in terms of gaming and how the processors render games. However, GPUs are crucial outside of this realm. AMD keeps its priorities focused on gaming, updating its technology to compete in the growing market of 4K gaming. Its GPUs are generally more user-friendly, not requiring its own software to be exclusively used on the cards — you can even use AMD software on Nvidia graphic cards.
However, if you're building a computer for more than just gaming, planning on doing some heavy-duty video editing, or working with AI, Nvidia is going to be the better choice as its GPUs are already incorporating AI into its devices. The Nvidia GeForce 50 series comes with the Nvidia Studio, a program to assist in video editing, 3D rendering, and graphic design, maximizing your graphics beyond just gaming.
AMD vs. Nvidia: Which is better?
There really isn't a definitive answer on which GPU maker is superior. The answer is far more nuanced and depends on user needs — and budget.
If you're just getting started, playing around with building your first PC, AMD is the most accessible GPU. Budget-wise, it can't be beat, and its midrange options remain friendly on your wallet while managing to compete with Nvidia's performance. However, it should be noted that AMD GPUs seem to be taking a backseat with the brand. The Radeon series is currently out of stock, and we're waiting to hear more on the brand's new AMD line-up.
But for the more experienced users, investing in Nvidia's GPUs is a worthwhile endeavor. If you plan on working on massive tasks from video game creation to AI, the Nvidia graphics cards are built to handle these jobs, and while you're going to pay nearly $2,000 for a GPU, you are getting the best the market has to offer.
For the latest tech, Nvidia's GeForce 50 series is coming on Jan. 30, and while it's currently unavailable for preorder, you can shop the 40 series now.
Boston-based Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, covers all things tech at Mashable, rounding up the best products and deals. She’s covered commerce for three years, spending extensive time testing and reviewing all things home, including couches, steam irons, and washing machines. She thoroughly vets products and internet trends, finding out if those cozy gamer chairs are really as comfortable as TikTok claims.
