• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

NerdsPick

Helping You Find The Perfect Tech

  • Home
  • Buying Guides
You are here: Home / Buying Guides / The Best GPU for 1080p 144hz Monitors

The Best GPU for 1080p 144hz Monitors

Last updated on 16th May 2019 by Joe Leave a Comment

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on purchases made through them. Our content is not influenced by commissions.

Finding the perfect graphics card for your monitor can be a delicate task. You want to make sure you pick one that can make good use of those hertz, but you probably don’t want to spend more than you need to.

In this guide, we’ll run you through some important things you need to consider when deciding on a graphics card like the types of games you play and the other components of your build. Then we’ll go through the best graphics cards for 1080p 144hz monitors and hopefully help you find the perfect card for you.

For most people the Nvidia RTX 2060 is the best all-round card for a 1080p 144hz monitor. It’s powerful enough to run most games well above 60 FPS to make the most out of the 144hz refresh rate, but it isn’t overly expensive either.

MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDRR6 192-bit HDMI/DP Ray Tracing Turing Architecture VR Ready Graphics Card (RTX 2060 Ventus 6G OC)
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDRR6 192-bit HDMI/DP Ray Tracing Turing Architecture VR Ready Graphics Card (RTX 2060 Ventus 6G OC)
  • Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
  • Core clocks: 1710 MHz / 14 gbps
  • Memory interface: 192-bit
  • Video memory: 6gb gddr6. Power consumption: 190 w
$399.99
Buy on Amazon

Table of Contents

  • Things to Consider
  • Best GPUs for 1080p 144hz Monitors
    • Best for Most People (Nvidia) – Nvidia Geforce RTX 2060
    • Best for Most People (AMD) – AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
    • Best for E-Sports (Nvidia) – Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060
    • Best for E-Sports (AMD) – AMD Radeon RX 580
    • Best for Future-proofing (Nvidia) – Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070
    • Best for Future-proofing (AMD) – AMD Radeon RX Vega 64

Things to Consider

  • The type of games you play – Some games require a more powerful graphics card than others. If you will only be playing less demanding games, a budget-friendly graphics card like the GTX 1050 is perfect for 1080p 144hz monitors. Most e-sports games (CSGO, Dota, Overwatch etc.) fit into this category. However, modern AAA games like The Witcher 3 and Battlefield 5 will require a more powerful card if you want to get the most out of 144hz.
  • In-game graphics settings – Tweaking graphics settings in-game can have a big impact on FPS. If you don’t have a huge budget but want to play demanding games with high FPS, a GTX 1060 is a great option if you are willing to turn the settings down.
  • FPS you’re happy with – If you have a 144hz monitor, ideally you want to be able to achieve considerable higher than 60 FPS, otherwise you might as well have a 60hz monitor. However, you don’t necessarily have to hit the full 144 FPS. In my experience, if you can hit at least 90 FPS, a 144hz monitor makes a big difference and is definitely worth it.
  • G-Sync and FreeSync monitors – Nvidia’s G-Sync and AMD’s FreeSync technologies sync the graphics card to the monitors refresh rate. This gives a much smoother gaming experience. It functions in a similar way to v-sync but without the input lag. It used to be the case that G-Sync only works with Nvidia GPUs and FreeSync only works with AMD GPUs. However, Nvidia GPUs can now make use of certain supported FreeSync monitors (and even some unsupported monitors). If you have one of these monitors, then there isn’t much in it when it comes to choosing between AMD and Nvidia. If you have a FreeSync monitor that is not supported, an AMD card would be a good choice. If you have a G-Sync monitor, you will definitely want to go with Nvidia.
  • The rest of your build – The rest of your build also comes into play when deciding on a graphics card. For example, if you have a weak CPU and pair it with a powerful card like the RTX 2070, the CPU will bottleneck the graphics card and most of the 1080’s power will go to waste. Game Debate is a great website to test your hardware.

Best GPUs for 1080p 144hz Monitors

Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly graphics card to play low-demand games or a powerhouse capable of running the most demanding games, we’ve got you covered. All of the graphics cards in the list below are great for 1080p 144hz monitors.

Best for Most People (Nvidia) – Nvidia Geforce RTX 2060

$399.99 – Buy on Amazon

In my opinion, the RTX 2060 is the perfect graphics card for a 1080p 144hz monitor. Even on the highest settings, the RTX 2060 will get close to 144 FPS in most games and it is the card that will get the most out of your monitor. Anything more powerful will start to become overkill unless you’re aim is future-proofing. If you have a G-Sync monitor or FreeSync monitor that supports Nvidia GPUs, I recommend this card for most people.

MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDRR6 192-bit HDMI/DP Ray Tracing Turing Architecture VR Ready Graphics Card (RTX 2060 Ventus 6G OC)
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDRR6 192-bit HDMI/DP Ray Tracing Turing Architecture VR Ready Graphics Card (RTX 2060 Ventus 6G OC)
  • Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
  • Core clocks: 1710 MHz / 14 gbps
  • Memory interface: 192-bit
  • Video memory: 6gb gddr6. Power consumption: 190 w
$399.99
Buy on Amazon

Best for Most People (AMD) – AMD Radeon RX Vega 56

Price not available – Buy on Amazon

If you have a FreeSync monitor which is not supported by Nvidia to make use of the syncing feature, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is comparable to the RTX 2060 but it will be able to make use of FreeSync.

XFX Radeon Rx Vega 56 8GB 3xDP HDMI Graphic Cards RX-VEGMLBFX6
XFX Radeon Rx Vega 56 8GB 3xDP HDMI Graphic Cards RX-VEGMLBFX6
  • Chipset - AMD Vega 56
  • 8GB HBM2 Memory
  • Crossfire ready
  • AMD LiquidVR ready
Buy on Amazon

Best for E-Sports (Nvidia) – Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060

$244.00 – Buy on Amazon

If you only play low demand e-sports games like CS:GO, Overwatch, and Dota, a GTX 1060 will be more than enough. This card will also be able to run AAA games reasonably well, usually keeping above 60 FPS, but you will probably have to turn some settings down. You also won’t make use of the full 144hz with this card. If you have a G-Sync monitor or FreeSync monitor that supports Nvidia GPUs, I recommend this card for e-sports gaming.

Sale
MSI GAMING GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDRR5 192-bit HDCP Support DirectX 12 Dual Fan VR Ready OC Graphics Card (GTX 1060 6GT OCV1)
MSI GAMING GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDRR5 192-bit HDCP Support DirectX 12 Dual Fan VR Ready OC Graphics Card (GTX 1060 6GT OCV1)
  • Product Type: Graphic Card, API Supported: OpenGL 4.5, API Supported: DirectX 12, Number of Monitors Supported: 3, Chipset...
  • Standard Memory: 6 GB, Memory Technology: GDDR5, Bus Width: 192 bit, DisplayPort: Yes, Number of DisplayPort Outputs: 1,...
  • Form Factor: Plug-in Card, Cooler Type: Fan Cooler, Height: 1.5", Width: 4.5", Length: 9.6", Weight (Approximate): 1.23 lb,
  • Platform Supported: PC, Environmentally Friendly: Yes, Environmental Certification: RoHS, Limited Warranty: 3 Year,
$244.00
Buy on Amazon

Best for E-Sports (AMD) – AMD Radeon RX 580

$129.99 – Buy on Amazon

If you have a FreeSync monitor which is not supported by Nvidia to make use of the syncing feature, the AMD Radeon RX 580 is comparable to the GTX 1060 but it will be able to make use of FreeSync.

Sale
XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition 1386MHz OC+, 8GB GDDR5, VR Ready, Dual BIOS, 3xDP HDMI DVI, AMD Graphics Card (RX-580P8DFD6)
XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition 1386MHz OC+, 8GB GDDR5, VR Ready, Dual BIOS, 3xDP HDMI DVI, AMD Graphics Card (RX-580P8DFD6)
  • The XFX RX 580 series graphics card feature the latest Polaris architecture which includes the 4th gen GCN graphics cores, a...
  • Equipped with XFX double dissipation cooling technology for optimal cooling and performance. Minimum power requirement is 500...
  • Multiple factory GPU overclocked settings - 1366 MHz true clock and 1386 MHz OC
  • AMD VR ready premium - Experience the new generation of compelling virtual reality content with the Radeon RX GTS graphics...
$129.99
Buy on Amazon

Best for Future-proofing (Nvidia) – Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070

$455.10 – Buy on Amazon

For most people, the RTX 2070 is overkill for a 1080p 144hz monitor. The only time I would recommend it is if you’re future-proofing. Games releasing in the next few years will require more and more powerful graphics cards so an RTX 2070 should keep you set for quite a while. Also, if you think you will be getting a 1440p monitor in the future, the RTX 2070 is perfect for that. If you have a G-Sync monitor or FreeSync monitor that supports Nvidia GPUs, I recommend this card for future-proofing.

Sale
EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 Black GAMING,8GB GDDR6, Dual HDB Fans Graphics Card 08G-P4-1071-KR
EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 Black GAMING,8GB GDDR6, Dual HDB Fans Graphics Card 08G-P4-1071-KR
  • Real Boost Clock: 1620 MegaHertZ; memory Detail: 8192MB GDDR6. Operating System Support :Windows 10 64bit, Windows 7 64bit
  • Dual HDB fans and all new cooler offer higher performance cooling and much quieter acoustic noise
  • Built for EVGA Precision x1, EVGA all new tuning utility monitors your graphics card and gives you the power to overclock...
  • Get grip game + EVGA vehicle skin w/ Purchase, redeemed at EVGA website, while supplies last
$455.10
Buy on Amazon

Best for Future-proofing (AMD) – AMD Radeon RX Vega 64

Price not available – Buy on Amazon

If you have a FreeSync monitor which is not supported by Nvidia to make use of the syncing feature, the AMD Radeon RX 580 is comparable to the RTX 2070 but it will be able to make use of FreeSync.

XFX Radeon RX Vega 64 8 GB HBM2 3 x DP HDMI Graphics Card RX-VEGMTBFX6
XFX Radeon RX Vega 64 8 GB HBM2 3 x DP HDMI Graphics Card RX-VEGMTBFX6
  • Chipset - AMD RX Vega 64
  • 8GB HBM2 memory
  • GPU Core Clock - 1247Mhz boost mode - 1546Mhz
  • VR premium ready
Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2023-01-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Filed Under: Buying Guides, Computing, Gaming

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Us

NerdsPick.com is a technology blog dedicated to providing helpful buyer’s guides, reviews, tips and tricks on all things nerdy.

Recent Posts

  • The Best Monitors for an Nvidia RTX 3090
  • The Best Monitors for RTX 3070 or 3080
  • The Best GPUs for AMD Ryzen 1700 or 1700x
  • The Best Monitors for Nvidia RTX 2080 & RTX 2080 Ti
  • The Best Monitors for Nvidia RTX 2070

Categories

  • Audio
  • Buying Guides
  • Comparisons
  • Computing
  • Gaming
  • Headphones
  • How To's
  • Laptops
  • Music
  • Networking

Footer

Affiliate disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Genesis Sample On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT