The graphic card (GPU) plays a critical role in PC gaming, creative work and other PC-related activities. The right GPU will transform the gaming experience. It can also speed up video-editing and power AI applications.
NVIDIA is a market leader, and its GTXand RTX product series are two of the most popular.
If you are building a PC, or upgrading a current one, you may be wondering: Do you need a GTX or RTX graphics card for your new computer?
The guide will help you make an informed decision. It covers everything from the history of technology, to pricing and real-world performance.
The History of NVIDIA GTX & RTX
GTX Series
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The GTX line (Giga Texel Shader eXtreme,) was introduced in 2008. and quickly became the benchmark for gaming performance.
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The GTX1080 Ti, and GTX1660 Super are popular cards that have a good reputation. They offer excellent performance for a reasonable price.
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They are optimized for traditional rendering and can be used in most games without ray-tracing.
RTX Series
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NVIDIA launched the RTX series in 2018, which includes Turing architecture, and AI features.
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Ampere 30 series, and Ada Lovelace 40 series are the current generations.
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RTX GPUs are designed to focus both on performance as well as next-gen features, which makes them ideal for AI, game developers, and creators.
The Key Differences in Technology
| Features | GTX Series | RTX Series |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal Turing (without Tensor/RT cores) | Turing, Ampere and Ada with RT+ Tensor Cores |
| Ray Tracing | Not supported | Dedicated RT Cores for Real-Time Lighting |
| DLSS (AI Upscaling) | Not available | Supported (improves FPS via AI) |
| VRAM & Bandwidth | Most models have a memory of 4-8GB. | The higher (8-24GB, depending on the model) |
| Performance target | Play 1080p games | Create content in 1440p or 4K for gaming and other applications |
| Price | Budget-friendly | The future is now with premium but not future-proof |
Gaming Performance: RTX vs GTX
GTA for Gaming
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Great for 1080p Resolution on medium or high settings.
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The older GTX cards, like the 1060 or 1660, can still run esports games like CS:GO and Valorant at high frame rates.
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Modern AAA games are difficult to play at 4K or 1440p.
Example I have found that with my GTX 1660 super card, GTA V or Shadow of the Tomb Raider run smoothly on High settings and at 1080p at 60 frames per second.
RTX for gaming
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The 4K and 1440p resolutions are ideal for gaming.
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Ray Tracing creates realistic lighting, shadows and reflections.
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The DLSS increases performance and allows smoother frames without compromising quality.
An example: A user of an Radeon RTX3060 Ti is able to play Cyberpunk 2077 at 60+ frames per second with high-end settings enabled.
Create and Use Professional Content
The GTX Creators Program
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Basic video editing in Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Premiere (1080p).
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RTX has fewer CUDA cores.
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Hardware acceleration is not available for AI enhanced rendering.
RTX Creators
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professionals and content creators.
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Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects are significantly faster on RTX GPUs.
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Supports AI based rendering, 3D modelling, and denoising.
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The RTX series of cards have up to 24GB VRAM making them ideal for 3D and AI projects.
Price and Value
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GTX cards: Affordable, with prices ranging between $150 and $300. (Rs12,000 to Rs25,000 in India). Great for entry-level gamers.
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RTX Cards: Premium, starting at $350 and going beyond $1,500 (Rs30,000 – Rs1,50,000+). Features advanced functions.
You can check the official pricing here: NVIDIA GeForce Store.
Future-Proofing GTX: Does it Still Make Sense?
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GTX cards will become obsolete, as games and creative applications increasingly depend on AI and ray-tracing features.
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RTX graphics cards are future-proof. This is especially true for creators and gamers who plan to keep their GPU for 3-5 year.
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RTX offers the best long-term investment.
Real World Benchmarks
Comparing FPS (Average on High settings)
| Game (2023 titles) | GTX 1660 Super (1080p) | RTX 3060 Ti (1440p) |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 45 FPS (Low, no RT) | 70 FPS (High, RT+DLSS) |
| GTA V | 80 FPS (High) | 120 FPS (Ultra) |
| Fortnite | 100 FPS (Medium) | 150 FPS (Epic, DLSS) |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 55 FPS (Medium) | 90 FPS (High, DLSS) |
(Benchmarks sourced from trusted reviews: Tom’s Hardware, TechRadar)
The Pros and Cons
GTX Pros
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Priced affordably
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It is also good for casual gaming and esports
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Power efficient
GTX Cons
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There is no ray-tracing or DLSS
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Future support is limited
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It’s not ideal for gaming in 4K
RTX Pros
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Supports both DLSS and ray-tracing
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Faster performance and higher VRAM
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The perfect gaming and professional accessory
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Future-proof
RTX Cons
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Costlier
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Power consumption
What should you buy?
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For casual gamers (Esports and budget PCs), GTX1650 or GTX1660 Super delivers solid performance in 1080p.
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Serious gamers (AAA titles, 2K/4K), Recommended GPUs: RTX 4070 or 3070 Ti.
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AI Developers and Content Creators: The RTX 3080 or 3090 offers the highest performance in rendering.
Questions and Answers about RTX vs GTX
1. Does GTX support ray tracing effectively?
GTX does not feature dedicated RT cores.
2. Is RTX better than GTX in all aspects?
Absolutely, both performance and features. GTX is still a great choice for users on a budget.
3. Does 1080p gaming require RTX?
No. GTX cards are capable of handling 1080p gaming. RTX cards are better for future proofing and higher resolutions.
4. Are RTX cards worth the extra money?
If you plan to game at 1440p/4K or do creative/AI work, yes — RTX is worth it.
The conclusion of the article is:
Both GTX graphics cards and RTX have their places. GTX graphics cards excel at 1080p budget gaming setups. RTX cards, on the other hand, are perfect with advanced technology, ray tracing and AI, as well as higher performance.
GTX is the best choice if you want to save money on older titles or for eSports. If you’re looking for performance that is future-proof and features then RTX will be the winner.
What do you think? GTX or RTX ? Comment your experiences!
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