The sweet spot ยท Chapter 02
1440p picks.
1440p high refresh is where most builders should be, and it is the most contested segment in the market: at every $50 step there is an NVIDIA card and an AMD card staring each other down. The short version: AMD wins on raw value, NVIDIA wins if you touch AI tools or lean on DLSS.
The ranking
8 cards01
AMDValue king
Radeon RX 9070 XT
The best raster value in the current generation. The card NVIDIA has to price against.
16GBGDDR6
$599msrp
304Wboard power
2025released
02
NVIDIASweet spot
GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
The NVIDIA card most people arguing about the 9070 XT actually end up buying.
16GBGDDR7
$749msrp
300Wboard power
2025released
03
AMDMid range
Radeon RX 9070
The 5070's direct rival, with the 16GB the 5070 should have had.
16GBGDDR6
$549msrp
220Wboard power
2025released
04
NVIDIAMid range
GeForce RTX 5070
A good 1440p card that would be a great one with four more gigabytes.
12GBGDDR7
$549msrp
250Wboard power
2025released
05
NVIDIABudget AI pick
GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
The cheapest new NVIDIA card with 16GB, which quietly makes it the budget local-AI default.
16GBGDDR7
$429msrp
180Wboard power
2025released
06
AMDLast-gen value
Radeon RX 7800 XT
Last generation's 1440p favorite, now living on discounts.
16GBGDDR6
$499msrp
263Wboard power
2023released
07
NVIDIAUsed marketLast-gen value
GeForce RTX 4070 Super
Last generation's sensible pick, now a used-market bargain hunt.
12GBGDDR6X
$599launch msrp
220Wboard power
2024released
08
AMDBudget
Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
16GB for $349. On memory per dollar, nothing new touches it.
16GBGDDR6
$349msrp
160Wboard power
2025released