What graphics card to choose for gaming in 4K in 2025?

Before rushing to a model, here are the important criteria:

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Why it's a good deal:

The RTX 5080 is based on the architecture Blackwell , with some GDDR7 , a TDP contained at 360 W and incredible 4K performance.

It allows you to play Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, or Alan Wake 2 in Ultra + Ray Tracing + DLSS 4 at more than 100 fps.

✅ Advantages

• Best performance/price ratio to play in 4K
• Architecture Blackwell + DLSS 4 ultra efficient
• Less noisy and less energy-consuming than the 5090
• Sufficiently "future-proof" for several years

❌ Disadvantages

• Only 16 GB of VRAM (some will want more)
• Requires a 850 W mini power supply
• In 4K at 240 Hz, some games still require DLSS

With DropReference you can see all available stocks in your country at a glance!

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The RTX 5090 , it's the ultimate card. 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, monstrous performance, and a price... just as monstrous.

If you want the top of the top and you don't care about the budget, go for it. Otherwise, honestly, it's "too much".

If you come across a good RTX 4090 used, go for it. It remains formidable in 4K, even against the 5080.

You lose a few percentage points of performance, but you often save several hundred euros.

• PSU: minimum 850 W of quality, even 1000 W for the 5090
• Processor: a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or an i7-14700K to avoid bottlenecking
• Cooling: airflow or watercooling, the 4K heats
• Screen: aiming for 4K 144 Hz minimum, with HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.1
• Case: good airflow (check the cases on DropReference 😉)

If you want to play in 4K If you want a smooth experience without blowing your budget, go for the RTX 5080. The RTX 5090 is dreamy, but unless you have a 4K 240 Hz screen and a monstrous power supply, it's a waste. And for the savvy ones, a well-negotiated RTX 4090 remains an excellent 4K video card.