Tom’s GPU Hierarchy: Graphics Card Rankings

Choosing the right graphics card can feel like trying to pick your favorite candy from a mountain-sized candy store — exciting but also overwhelming! With so many models, brands, and buzzwords, it’s easy to get lost. That’s where Tom’s GPU Hierarchy comes in. It’s like a cheat sheet for your graphics card shopping journey.

TL;DR: Want the best GPU? Check Tom’s GPU Hierarchy before you buy. It ranks all major graphics cards from fastest to slowest. Handy for gamers, creators, or anyone building a PC. Makes comparing GPUs quick and easy.

What Is Tom’s GPU Hierarchy?

Tom’s Hardware is a popular tech website. They do reviews, benchmarks, and deep-dive comparisons. Their GPU Hierarchy Chart is a ranked list of graphics cards. It lets you see how different GPUs stack up against each other in terms of performance. Simple as that.

They test GPUs for:

• Gaming performance
• Rendering power
• Ray tracing capabilities
• Power consumption

Then they rank them based on those results.

Why Should You Care?

Let’s say you’re building a gaming PC. You have a budget, but you still want good performance. Tom’s chart can show you if a GeForce RTX 3070 is better than a Radeon RX 6800 for the money. Or if you really need to stretch for a RTX 4090.

It’s also helpful when buying used. A seller might list a GTX 1060 as a “high-end” card. But a quick look at the chart could tell you it’s more mid-range by today’s standards.

How Is the Chart Set Up?

Tom’s GPU rankings are usually broken into tiers. Think of it like a ladder. The higher you go, the better the performance.

Here’s a rough idea of the tiers:

Top-Tier (Enthusiast)

• NVIDIA RTX 4090
• AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
• NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super

Best for: 4K gaming, heavy content creation, and lots of bragging rights.

High-Tier (Performance)

• NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti
• AMD RX 7800 XT
• NVIDIA RTX 3080

Best for: Smooth 1440p gaming and some 4K, with ray tracing turned on.

Mid-Tier (Mainstream)

• NVIDIA RTX 3060
• AMD RX 7600
• NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super

Best for: 1080p gaming with good frame rates and decent visuals.

Entry-Level

• NVIDIA GTX 1650
• AMD RX 6400
• Intel Arc A380

Best for: Light gaming, esports titles, and older games.

Legacy / Low-End

• GTX 1050 Ti
• RX 550
• Intel HD Graphics

Best for: Web browsing. Maybe Minecraft on low settings.

How Often Is It Updated?

Tom’s Hardware keeps the hierarchy list regularly updated. Whenever a new GPU hits the market, they bench it and add it to the list. So the chart stays fresh and accurate — which is important in the fast-moving world of GPUs.

What About Ray Tracing and DLSS?

This is a big deal with newer cards. Some cards support features like:

• Ray tracing: Makes lighting and shadows look super-real
• DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling): Boosts frame rate without losing much quality

NVIDIA leads in this space with their RTX series. AMD and Intel have their own versions too, but they’re still catching up.

Best GPUs by Use Case

Here’s a fun little cheat sheet if you’re not sure what you need:

• For Budget Gaming: RTX 3050 or RX 6600
• For High FPS Esports: RTX 4060 Ti
• For Streamers: RTX 4070 with AV1 encoder support
• For 4K Ultra Gaming: RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX
• Quiet PC Builds: GPUs with low TDP like RTX 4060 or RX 6500 XT

How To Read Benchmark Results

Tom’s Hardware doesn’t just rank GPUs. They give detailed benchmarks too. You’ll see tables and graphs showing FPS performance in popular games like:

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Hogwarts Legacy

Here’s a tip: Look for average FPS at your target resolution (1080p, 1440p, or 4K). Also check the 1% lows. That tells you how the card performs during heavy moments, like boss fights or explosions.

NVIDIA vs AMD vs Intel

NVIDIA: King of ray tracing and DLSS. Often more expensive.

AMD: Great value at mid and high tiers. Better VRAM in some cards.

Intel: New to the field. Budget-friendly. Still improving drivers and compatibility.

Don’t Forget About Power and Cooling

Before you buy a GPU, check your PC case size and power supply unit (PSU).

• High-end GPUs often need 750W PSU or more
• Some cards take up 3+ slots — make sure they fit!
• More power = more heat → more fans or liquid cooling

Final Thoughts

Tom’s GPU Hierarchy is your secret weapon for buying a graphics card. Whether you’re putting together a battle station or just upgrading an old rig, it saves time and money. You’ll know exactly what kind of performance you’re getting — no guesswork needed.

So, next time you see a crazy GPU deal, pull up Tom’s chart before clicking “Buy Now.” Your frame rates (and your wallet) will thank you!