In 2023, Video editing and video rendering have a greater dependence on graphics cards than before thanks to higher resolutions and computationally intensive graphics. Though the CPU is the most important component for video editing and rendering, graphics cards shine in the rendering/editing department by helping speed up the rendering and editing time of powerful effects and transitions.
Thanks to the new architecture of the graphics cards in 2023, 4K rendering and 3D modeling take less time than ever. This is why having a dedicated Graphics card is essential in 2023 if you’re seriously into video editing and rendering. It helps you achieve the best results.
With hundreds of models in the market, it can be intimidating to most people. We reviewed seven different graphics cards for this purpose. You will find one no matter what your requirement is.
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Here are our Top Five Graphics Cards for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023
| Top Pick | Professional Pick | Editor’s Pick | Best AMD Card | Best Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 3080 | Quadro RTX 5000 | RTX 3070 | RX 6800 XT | GTX 1660 Ti |
 |  |  |  |  |
| ➕Best for 4K and Higher | ➕Best for Professionals | ➕Best Price to Performance | ➕Best for DaVinci Resolve | ➕Affordable Pick |
| ➕Good Value | ➕16GB VRAM | ➕8GB VRAM | ➕Cheaper than Nvidia | ➕Great Value for Money |
| ➕10GB VRAM | ➕Reliable | ➕Best for 4K and Higher | ➕16GB VRAM | ➕6GB VRAM |
| Check Latest Price on Amazon | Check Latest Price on Amazon | Check Latest Price on Amazon | Check Latest Price on Amazon | Check Latest Price on Amazon |
Complete list of the Best Graphics Cards for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023
| Preview | Model Name | Base Clock Speed | Memory Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 3080 | 1440 MHz | 10GB GDDR6X | Check Latest Price on Amazon |
| RTX 3070 | 1500 MHz | 8GB GDDR6 | Check Latest Price on Amazon |
| Quadro RTX 5000 | 1620 MHz | 16GB GDDR6 | Check Latest Price on Amazon |
 | Quadro RTX 4000 | 1005 MHz | 8GB GDDR6 | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
 | RTX 3060 Ti | 1410 MHz | 8GB GDDR6 | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
| RX 6800 XT | 1820 MHz | 16GB GDDR6 | Check Latest Price on Amazon |
| Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti | 1500 MHz | 6GB GDDR6 | Check Latest Price on Amazon |
RTX 3080 - Best Graphics Card for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023
Cores: 8704
Memory : 10GB GDDR6X
Bandwidth : 760 Gb/s
Memory Bus: 320 bit
Output : 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort
What’s Good
- 10GB GDDR6X VRAM
- Great Value for Money
- Better performance than the RTX 2080 Ti
- Best for 4K and Higher Resolutions
What’s Bad
- Nothing
The RTX 3080 is powered by Nvidia’s Ampere architecture which is the 2nd Generation of RTX architecture that has better RT cores and Tensor cores which perform twice as better as those of the previous architecture in terms of speed and performance.
It has 8704 CUDA cores running at 1440MHz that can be boosted up to 1710MHz. It also comes with a massive 10 GB GDDR6X VRAM. The GDDR6X has better bandwidth than the GDDR6. Its 10GB VRAM is decent enough for 4K Video Editing and Rendering.
It is a gaming-centric graphics card. You can do both gaming and video editing on it, unlike the professional Quadro graphics cards. Most of the Adobe Video Editing and Rendering software is optimized for Nvidia Graphics cards. The RTX Studio software helps you enhance their performance and stability.
The RTX 3080 has a fair TDP rating of 320W. You will need a beefy PSU to power it up. It uses a single 12-pin power connector. Its cooling system is very good. Even after two hours of video rendering, the temperatures were present at optimal ranges.
The RTX 3080 is a dual-slot card and uses a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface to connect to the motherboard.
The offers impressive performance in both professional software as well as video games. Its excellent performance comes at a great price. If you can get your hands on one, the RTX 3080 is worth it in every way.
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RTX 3070 - Editor's Choice for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023
Cores: 5888
Memory : 8GB GDDR6
Bandwidth : 448Gb/s
Memory Bus: 256 bit
Output : 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort
What’s Good
- 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Good Value for Money
- Better performance than the RTX 2080 Ti
- Best for 4K
- Power efficient
What’s Bad
- Nothing
The RTX 3070 is based on Nvidia’s Ampere architecture. It comes with the improved 2nd Gen RT cores and 3rd Gen Tensor Cores that enhance the ray tracing and DLSS abilities of this graphics card.
It has 5888 CUDA cores running 1500 MHz. They can be boosted up to 1725 MHz. It has an 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM which is decent enough for 4K video rendering.
The RTX 3070 is a sweet spot for those looking for excellent performance at the right price. It comes close to the previous-gen RTX Titan Graphics cards which costs much more than it. For its price, its performance is more than satisfactory.
It is also capable of running games at 1440p without any FPS drops. You can also game on it without any issues. The Ray tracing and DLSS features improve the look and performance of games.
The RTX 3070 runs quietly without being too hot. There was no noise observed even after extended usage.
It is a power-efficient graphics card thanks to the Ampere architecture. It has a TDP rating of only 220W. It uses a single 12-pin power connector. It uses a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface to connect to the motherboard.
The is my suggestion to you for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023. It is an ideal choice for most professionals. You will definitely be satisfied with its performance.
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Quadro RTX 5000 - Best Professional GPU for Video Editing and Rendering
Cores: 3072
Memory : 16GB GDDR6
Bandwidth : 448 Gb/s
Memory Bus: 256 bit
Output : 1x USB Type-C, 4x DisplayPort
What’s Good
- Best For Creatives
- Huge 16GB VRAM
- Best for 4K and Higher Resolutions
- Excellent Performance
What’s Bad
- Expensive
The Quadro RTX 5000 is based on Turing architecture. It contains 3072 Cores running at 1620MHz. They can be boosted up to 1815Mhz when needed.
It has a huge 16GB GDDR6 VRAM that has a bandwidth of 448GB/s. Its Huge RAM is useful to those working on multiple high-resolution video rendering projects at the same time.
The Quadro RTX 5000 are aimed at professionals and workstations. It performs work efficiently for those working at high resolutions. It is more reliable and stable than gaming-centric cards in professional environments.
If you are also planning to use it for gaming, the Quadro RTX 5000 is not a better fit. The RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 are the correct graphics cards in those situations.
The Quadro RTX 5000 has a TDP rating of 230W. It is a dual-slot graphics card and PCIe 3.0 x16 interface to connect to the motherboard. Its cooling system is very effective and its fan did not produce too much noise. Its Display outputs include 4x DisplayPort, 1x USB Type-C. You can use it with multiple monitors without any issues.
The is not for everyone. If you are someone who is working in professional environments looking for a powerful, reliable and stable graphics card, it is for you. No doubt, it is expensive but is definitely worth it in the long run.
Quadro RTX 4000 - Affordable Professional GPU for Video Editing and Rendering
Cores: 2304
Memory : 8GB GDDR6
Bandwidth : 416 Gb/s
Memory Bus: 256 bit
Output : 1x USB Type-C, 3x DisplayPort
What’s Good
- Value for Money
- Affordbale price
- Single slot card
- Power efficient
What’s Bad
- Still expensive when compared with RTX cards
The Quadro RTX 4000 is based on Turing architecture. It 2304 CUDA cores running at a maximum clock speed of 1545MHz. It also has 288 Tensor cores and 36 RT cores.
It has an 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM that has a bandwidth of 416GB/s. The 8GB VRAM is generous enough for those working at 4K resolution.
It is a single-slot card. It occupies less space and can easily fit into small cases. Its TDP rating is only 160W hence it is also power efficient. It uses a single 8-pin power connector. Its fan doesn’t produce any noise and helps the card operate at optimal temperatures. Its Display outputs include 3x DisplayPort, 1x USB Type-C.
The Quadro RTX 4000 is a great choice for most professionals who cannot afford the Quadro RTX 5000. Its performance is excellent and you can use it to edit and render videos at higher resolutions flawlessly.
The offers the same reliance and efficiency of the high-end professional graphics card yet comes at an affordable price tag. I would definitely recommend you look into it.
RTX 3060 Ti - Best Value for Money GPU for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023
Cores: 4864
Memory : 8GB GDDR6
Bandwidth : 448Gb/s
Memory Bus: 256 bit
Output : 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort
What’s Good
- 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Best Value for Money
- Better performance than the RTX 2080
- Best for 1080p and Higher Resolutions
- Power efficient
What’s Bad
- Nothing
The RTX 3060 Ti is based on Nvidia’s Ampere architecture. It uses 38 2nd Gen RT cores and 152 3rd Gen Tensor cores that perform 2x better than the previous generation.
It has 4864 CUDA cores. Its base clock speed is 1410 Mhz and it can be boosted up to 1665 MHz. It has a generous 256-bit 8GB GDDR6 VRAM that has a bandwidth of 448GB/s. It should be plenty for video editing and rendering at 1080p and above.
It is perfect for 1080p and 1440p resolutions. The RTX Studio software helps increase the performance of most of the Adobe editing and rendering software. It is also a great choice for a high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p gaming.
The RTX 3060 Ti has an impressive TDP rating of only 200W. It uses a single 12-pin power connector. It is a dual-slot card and uses a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface to connect to the motherboard.
It comes with a decent cooling system. You get a two-fan design for Founder’s Editions and a three-fan cooling system for third-party cards. It is decent enough to maintain optimal temperatures without generating any disturbing noise even when used for a long time.
The provides its user with the best value for money out of all the available RTX cards. Its performance is satisfactory. I have no trouble recommending it to you.
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RX 6800 XT - Best AMD GPU for Video Editing and Rendering in 2023
Cores: 4608
Memory : 16GB GDDR6
Bandwidth : 512 Gb/s
Memory Bus: 256bit
Output : 1x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort, 1x USB Type-C
What’s Good
- Best for 4K and Higher Resolutions
- Good Value for Money
- Ray Tracing
- Power Efficient
- Huge 16GB GDDR6 VRAM
What’s Bad
- Behind Nvidia in terms of Ray tracing
- No DLSS
The Radeon RX 6800 XT is based on AMD’s RDNA 2.0 architecture. It has 4608 Cores running at 1825 Mhz. They can be boosted up to 2250 Mhz.
It has a huge 256-bit 16GB GDDR6 VRAM that has a bandwidth of 512GB/s which should be more than enough for 4K video editing and rendering across different projects.
In terms of raw performance, the Radeon RX 6800 XT is close to the RTX 3080. It may be limited by Adobe optimizing for Nvidia graphics cards but that too is not by a huge margin. It is an excellent choice for software like DaVinci Resolve.
The Radeon RX 6800 XT has a TDP rating of 300W. Its cooler is impressive. It could handle two full hours of video rendering without producing any noise. The temperatures were within optimal ranges.
The is no doubt an excellent graphics card. It is a great choice if you are looking for an AMD Graphics card for editing and rendering high-resolution videos.
Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti - Affordable Graphics Card for Video Editing and Rendering
Cores: 1536
Memory : 6GB GDDR6
TPD / Power requirement : 120W / 450W
Power Connectors : 1×8-pin
Output : 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort.
What’s Good
- Value
- Best for intermediates
- Power-efficient
- Cool and quiet
What’s Bad
- Nothing
The GTX 1660 Ti is a great valued card. It is a mid-range graphics card that has the best price to performance ratio. If you’re into video editing and rendering but have a budget, this is the card you want to choose. You can edit and render videos in 1080p resolution seamlessly.
It is based on the Turing architecture present in RTX cards. This card lacks the ray-tracing cores present on the RTX cards. This won’t have a major impact on the rendering and editing performance. This card also comes with Nvidia studio drivers that enhance performance in applications like adobe premiere pro, after effects, lightroom, DaVinci resolve, etc.
It is powered by 1536 CUDA cores that run at 1500Mhz. They can be boosted up to 1770MHz. You get a 6GB GDDR6 VRAM that clocks at 1500MHz which has a bandwidth of 288GB/s.
The GTX 1660 Ti is more than enough for 1080p resolution. It is a power-efficient card thanks to its architecture. It has a TDP rating of only 120W and requires only a 450W power supply. It uses a single 8-pin power connector.
It has a two-fan cooling system that performed admirably even when overclocked. It keeps the hardware cool and quiet while delivering the results it promised.
The is a two-slot card and requires a PCI-Express 3.0 x 16 interface to connect to the motherboard. Its display outputs include 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort.
What to look for in a Graphics Card
Importance of Memory Size (VRAM)
The VRAM temporarily stores data while processing it. Having higher VRAM helps you store more data hence you can render large high-quality videos at a faster rate. Having a higher memory size also helps you render and edit videos at higher resolutions while using multiple displays.
A 4GB Video card will be sufficient for most people working below 1440p resolution. A 6GB and greater memory card will is recommended for those working at 4K resolution.
Also concerning memory bandwidth, a GDDR6 graphic card is better in all the ways than a GDDR5 graphic card. Bandwidth is not a major factor to be worried about. You’ll be fine as long as you stick with GDDR5, GDDR6, and HBM2.
Should I choose AMD or Nvidia?
Prefer Nvidia over AMD if you’re buying a graphic card only for video editing and video rendering. This is because Nvidia uses CUDA cores that help process computationally intensive tasks. They are of huge advantage when you render 3D models, shadows, and textures. Most video editing software is developed to utilize these CUDA cores for faster and better rendering.
Both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards support GPGPU (General-purpose computing on graphics processing units) to aid GPU acceleration. GPU acceleration helps graphics cards in aiding video editing software to render faster and better-quality videos.
AMD uses OpenCL (Open Computing Language) framework and Nvidia uses CUDA for GPGPU. AMD cards work better on software that uses OpenCL acceleration and Nvidia cards work better on software that uses CUDA. Nvidia also supports the OpenCL framework but not as efficiently as AMD.
Video editing software like Premiere Pro and After Effects use CUDA cores and are optimized by Adobe for Nvidia cards. This means they run faster on Nvidia graphics card than an AMD one.
Output Connectivity
These graphics cards come with various Display ports and HDMI ports. Few have DVI ports too. If you’re using a multi-monitor setup working at higher resolutions, make sure you have enough display ports. For TVs and single monitors, an HDMI port will suffice
Consumer Card or Professional Card
Consumer cards are the GeForce and Radeon cards aimed at Individuals. You might have also come across Quadro, Radeon Pro and other professional graphics cards mainly used for workstations. These are made especially for enterprise use and are more expensive than consumer cards. They also require a lot of power than consumer cards. For an individual, these cards are an overkill.
In 2023, the performance gap is narrower than before in terms of most video editing software. The consumer cards offer a better bang for the buck. They also let you play video games, unlike professional cards.
The Professional GPUs are for those who use the software only supported by professional GPUs, for servers and enterprises that run 24/7, for those who need a huge amount of VRAM, for those having 10-bit displays and for those who require ECC (Error-correcting code) memory. As long as you don’t have such requirements, you’ll be fine with a consumer graphics card.
In the case of consumer cards, we recommend you get the latest generation graphics cards (here RTX cards) over the previous generation ones for the obvious increase in performance and power efficiency.
Most modern video editing and rendering software support GPGPU (General-purpose computing on graphics processing units). This feature helps the graphics card to work together on various rendering and editing tasks with efficiency. This is also known as GPU acceleration.
Software like Adobe Premiere Pro uses this feature while working with computationally intensive tasks for greater efficiency. In software like DaVinci Resolve, the graphics card play a greater role than a CPU.
