The next generation of video games is almost here, bringing with it more realistic graphics, advanced physics, bigger game worlds, and more immersive experiences than ever before. But all that cutting-edge technology requires some seriously beefed-up graphics processing power. As a PC gamer, I’m already looking ahead to build the ultimate gaming rig that will let me fully experience these next-gen titles when they launch over the next couple years.
In this buying guide, I’ll take a look at the GPU landscape in 2024 and discuss what level of graphics card will be needed to properly run the next generation of games. Whether you’re looking to play in 4K or at high frame rates, this guide will help you choose the right GPU to future-proof your system.
What to Expect from Next Gen Games
The next generation of gaming promises to make some significant leaps over current gen titles. Here’s a quick overview of some of the key advancements we’re likely to see:
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Ray tracing – This advanced lighting technique simulates how light behaves in the real world, leading to far more realistic and immersive visuals. Ray tracing will likely become a standard feature in many next gen games.
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Higher resolutions – 4K will become the new baseline resolution target for next gen games. Many titles will likely support up to 8K resolution for high-end PC rigs. Higher resolution means more detailed graphics and environments.
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Higher frame rates – Smooth framerates up to 120 FPS or 144 FPS will become the ideal target for next gen games. This leads to much more responsive controls and gameplay.
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Bigger game worlds – Faster storage, like PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs, will allow next gen consoles and PCs to stream assets faster. This enables the creation of more expansive and detailed game worlds to explore.
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Improved physics – Ray tracing and faster processing will enable more advanced simulated physics, making in-game worlds feel more realistic and immersive.
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Enhanced NPC AI – With next gen processing power, game AI can be take a big leap forward, enabling thousands of intelligent NPCs with dynamic behavior.
Graphics Card Performance Targets
To properly power the advanced features expected in next gen games, you’ll need a new high-end GPU that meets the following performance targets:
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4K 60 FPS – Running next gen games at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second will require at least 10-12 TFLOPS of GPU power. This will enable maximum graphics quality settings.
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4K 120/144 FPS – For ultra-smooth 4K gaming at high refresh rates, you’ll want a GPU with at least 18-24 TFLOPS of power. Expect to pay a premium for this level of performance.
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Ray tracing enabled – To turn ray tracing features on and still maintain good 4K performance, your GPU will need dedicated ray tracing cores and at least 14-16 TFLOPS of power.
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VR ready – Playing next gen VR titles will require a GPU able to deliver 90 FPS consistently. Aim for at least 12 TFLOPS to power an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
2024 GPU Generations – Nvidia and AMD
Both Nvidia and AMD are poised to release major new GPU architectures in 2024 that will deliver the raw horsepower needed for next generation gaming. Here’s a preview of what we can expect:
Nvidia Hopper (RTX 50 series)
The Nvidia Hopper architecture will power the GeForce RTX 50 series, succeeding the current Ampere-based RTX 30 series. Rumored specs:
- 5nm manufacturing process for efficiency
- 60-80 TFLOPS power target
- 2nd generation RT and tensor cores for ray tracing and AI
- Enhanced encoder for high quality game streaming
Target resolution and frame rates:
- 4K up to 240 FPS
- 8K up to 60 FPS
- Ray tracing at 4K 60 FPS minimum
AMD RDNA 4
AMD’s next-gen RDNA 4 architecture is expected to bring major gains in performance-per-watt compared to current RDNA 2 graphics cards. Expected specs:
- 5nm process like Hopper
- 50-70% better performance per watt
- Ray tracing and variable rate shading support
- Faster memory and expanded Infinity Cache
Target resolution and frame rates:
- 4K up to 240 FPS
- Ray tracing at 1440p and 60+ FPS
Recommended GPUs for Next Gen Gaming
Based on what we expect from Nvidia and AMD’s upcoming GPU generations, here are the graphics card tiers I’d recommend for next gen gaming in 2024:
4K Up to 60 FPS
- Nvidia RTX 5070 – Will offer 15-18 TFLOPS power likely priced around $599. Perfect for max settings 4K gaming.
- AMD RDNA 4 80-90 series – Anticipated to deliver 12-16 TFLOPS power in the $499-$599 range, enabling high FPS 4K gameplay.
4K Up to 144 FPS
- Nvidia RTX 5080/5080 Ti – Will scale up to 24+ TFLOPS power expected at $799-$999. Ideal for high refresh 4K gaming.
- AMD RDNA 4 90/90XT – Should hit 18-22 TFLOPS priced from $699-$899. Great for smooth 4K experiences.
Ray Tracing at 4K
- Nvidia RTX 5080 Ti – Will have dedicated ray tracing cores enabling solid 60 FPS with ray tracing at 4K.
- AMD RDNA 4 XT – If AMD can match Nvidia’s ray tracing performance, their top GPUs should also handle 4K RT well.
The Outlook on 2024 GPU Power
Next generation games will push graphics technology to new limits. To keep up, PC gamers will need commensurately powerful video cards packing major GPU advances. Based on early info on Nvidia Hopper and AMD RDNA 4 due out in 2024, the hardware will be there to fully enable immersive 4K gaming at high frame rates with all the bells and whistles.
With the right next gen GPU chosen today, your rig will be primed and ready when those groundbreaking new titles drop. It’s an exciting time for PC gaming and hardware! Let me know if you have any other questions about preparing your system for the next generation of games.
