Best GPUs for Avowed (2026): Top Picks for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K

Avowed runs on Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen global illumination and Nanite geometry, and those two systems together make it one of the more demanding RPGs on PC right now. A card that handles most games at 1440p may surprise you with how often it drops into the 40s in Avowed's dense outdoor areas.

Avowed scales well with upscaling. DLSS 4 Quality adds roughly 57% more frames on NVIDIA cards; FSR 4 Quality on the RDNA 4 cards below delivers around 50%. That means each pick here hits its target resolution comfortably with upscaling on. All four picks carry 16 GB of VRAM, which is the right floor for 1440p and above at Epic settings without texture budget pressure.

Our top pick: Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT Gaming 16GB

The Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT Gaming 16GB covers both 1440p and light 4K in Avowed, runs quiet even under sustained load, and comes in well below the RTX 5070 Ti price with competitive raster performance at the resolution most buyers are actually targeting.

Quick picks

Specs at a glance

Benchmarks

Estimates derived from the RTX 4090 baseline (96 / 69 / 39 FPS at 1080p / 1440p / 4K, Epic preset, software Lumen) plus multi-game relative performance deltas. Upscaling columns use DLSS 4 Quality (NVIDIA) or FSR 4 Quality (AMD RDNA 4). All figures are averages; 1% lows run approximately 15% below.

How we picked

Avowed sits in a specific tier of GPU demand. It uses UE5's Lumen system for global illumination, which in most games means hardware ray tracing is the fastest path. In Avowed that relationship is reversed: software Lumen is 10 to 12% faster than hardware Lumen because of how the game's caching systems work. That matters for RTX buyers who might reflexively turn on RT in every game.

VRAM was the other filter. Avowed uses roughly 11 GB at 4K Epic with no upscaling, and about 8.75 GB at 4K with upscaling at Quality mode. At 1440p and 1080p, usage stays well below 8 GB, which means even 8 GB cards are fine at those targets. But 16 GB gives you headroom to run higher texture settings without texture streaming stutter, and all four picks here carry 16 GB.

The four picks cover four realistic buyer targets in Avowed: 1080p 60-plus fps on a budget, 1440p with upscaling, 1440p native plus light 4K, and 4K with comfortable frame rates. Picking the right tier starts with your monitor resolution and whether you plan to use upscaling. For most buyers at 1440p, the RX 9070 XT is the right call. For 4K buyers who want consistent 60+ fps without relying heavily on DLSS Frame Generation, the RTX 5070 Ti has the native headroom to get there. See our guide to choosing a GPU for gaming if you want to work through the tier decision from scratch.

Best Overall: Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT Gaming 16GB

Specs

The Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT Gaming 16GB runs on AMD's RDNA 4 architecture with 64 compute units, 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, and a factory boost clock of 2625 MHz. Thermal design power is 304W; Sapphire recommends a 750W or better power supply. The card measures 320mm long and occupies a 3-slot footprint. Output configuration is two HDMI 2.1 and two DisplayPort 2.1 ports.

What it does well

At 1440p Epic with FSR 4 Quality, the RX 9070 XT averages around 78 FPS in Avowed. That's above the 60 FPS baseline with settings untouched, and you can push higher with FSR 4 Balanced or Performance if the frame rate target matters more than pixel-level sharpness. Native 1440p lands at roughly 52 FPS average, which is comfortable with the Epic preset dialed down slightly from maximum GI settings.

RDNA 4's FSR 4 is a significant upscaling improvement over FSR 3. It uses machine-learning reconstruction like DLSS 4, and the quality mode output at 1440p is noticeably sharper than FSR 3 was. That makes the Pulse RX 9070 XT a stronger value for games that support FSR 4, and Avowed is one of them.

At 4K with FSR 4 Quality, the card averages around 42 FPS. That is below the 60 FPS mark, and Frame Generation is not available on AMD cards for Avowed (the game's DLSS FG implementation is NVIDIA-exclusive). Buyers targeting 4K should look at the RTX 5070 Ti pick.

What you give up

This card does not benefit from DLSS 4 or NVIDIA Frame Generation. In Avowed specifically, that means 4K performance tops out at FSR 4 Quality levels: comfortable for cinematic play but not for 60 fps locked gameplay. If you game at 4K and want smooth frame rates without lowering settings, the RTX 5070 Ti is the better fit.

Verify your case fits a 320mm card before ordering. Buyers have flagged that the Pulse RX 9070 XT is a close fit in mid-towers with drive cage obstructions. The PDP carries a "Frequently Returned" badge; the most common reason in verified reviews is PSU underspec or insufficient case clearance, not a product defect.

Who it's for

This card is for 1440p RPG players who want to run Avowed at Epic quality without constant upscaling trade-offs. It also works well for demanding open-world titles like Cyberpunk 2077 where RDNA 4's raster efficiency and FSR 4 deliver solid frame rates at 1440p. If you are building around a 1440p 144 Hz or 165 Hz display, the RX 9070 XT covers that refresh target with headroom.

Best Value: Sapphire Pulse RX 9060 XT Gaming OC 16GB

Specs

The Sapphire Pulse RX 9060 XT Gaming OC 16GB uses the same RDNA 4 architecture as the 9070 XT but at a lower tier, with 32 compute units, 16 GB of GDDR6, and a boost clock of 2625 MHz. The card measures 240mm long. Output is two HDMI and two DisplayPort ports. PSU recommendation is 650W.

What it does well

At 1080p Epic native, the RX 9060 XT averages around 54 FPS. That is below 60 FPS, but FSR 4 Quality at 1080p brings it to around 81 FPS: well above target and with perceptible sharpness from RDNA 4's ML reconstruction. For a 1080p 75 Hz or 144 Hz display, this is the card to have.

At 1440p with FSR 4 Quality, the RX 9060 XT averages around 57 FPS. That is on the edge of the 60 FPS target, and buyers aiming for consistent 60-plus at 1440p Epic should plan to use FSR 4 Balanced rather than Quality to gain more headroom. Dropping Global Illumination from Epic to High also recovers around 10 to 15% of frame rate without a dramatic visual change in Avowed.

The 16 GB VRAM spec is the RX 9060 XT's clearest advantage over 8 GB alternatives. At 1440p, VRAM usage in Avowed stays well below 8 GB, but having 16 GB means no texture streaming issues even with settings pushed up, and it future-proofs the card for games that are steadily pushing higher VRAM use.

What you give up

Native 1440p Epic performance is below 60 FPS average. This card works at 1440p with upscaling on; native 1440p Epic without upscaling is not this tier's comfort zone. If you want native 1440p performance with room to spare, the RX 9070 XT is the right step up.

The PDP lists this card at a higher price than AMD's MSRP in some periods; check current pricing before ordering. The product remains actively listed and ships from Amazon.

Who it's for

This card is the right pick for 1080p buyers who want the full Epic quality experience without compromise, or for 1440p players who are comfortable using FSR 4 and prioritize budget. It is also a strong match for players building around games like Monster Hunter Wilds where 1080p high-refresh is the main target.

Best Premium: ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5070 Ti 16GB OC

Specs

The ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5070 Ti 16GB OC is built on NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture with 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus. Factory OC mode boost clock is 2610 MHz; default mode is 2588 MHz. The card occupies 3.125 slots and is 338mm long. It draws power through a 12VHPWR connector. NVIDIA recommends an 850W power supply.

What it does well

At 1440p native Epic, the RTX 5070 Ti averages around 57 FPS. With DLSS 4 Quality, that rises to around 90 FPS, which covers 1440p 75 Hz and 1440p 100 Hz displays without breaking a sweat. At 4K with DLSS 4 Quality, the card averages around 50 FPS. Add DLSS Frame Generation and you cross 75 FPS at 4K without touching quality settings, which is the most capable 4K Avowed experience of any card on this list.

The TUF cooling system runs noticeably quiet. Under sustained gaming load at stock settings, the fans operate well below audible thresholds unless ambient temperatures are high. The three Axial-tech fans with dual-ball bearings are rated for long-term durability.

DLSS 4 with NVIDIA's Multi Frame Generation (4x mode, if enabled) pushes apparent frame rates even higher at 4K, though latency tradeoffs apply and most buyers at this tier will stick with DLSS 4 Quality or Balanced and standard Frame Generation.

What you give up

Power delivery requires care. The included 12VHPWR adapter has been flagged in buyer reviews as potentially underpowering the card, leading to a red-light fault state. The fix is straightforward: use three separate PCIe 8-pin connections from the power supply directly to a 12VHPWR cable (brands like CableMod or Fasgear), rather than the bundled adapter. Buyers with a PSU that has native 12VHPWR output avoid this entirely.

The card is large. At 338mm and 3.125 slots, it requires a mid-tower or full-tower case with no drive cage obstruction. Confirm clearance before buying.

At 4K native without upscaling, the RTX 5070 Ti averages around 32 FPS. Native 4K Epic performance is not this card's strength: it needs DLSS 4 Quality or better to reach 60 FPS at 4K.

Who it's for

This is the right pick for buyers gaming at 4K and wanting consistent 60-plus FPS in Avowed with upscaling, or for 1440p buyers at 165 Hz or above who want native performance headroom. It also covers demanding games beyond Avowed where RT performance matters more than it does here. If you are building a 4K gaming PC and want a card that handles current and near-future titles without compromising on settings, the RTX 5070 Ti is the call.

Best Budget: ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC

Specs

The ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC is built on NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture with 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 128-bit bus. Boost clock in OC mode is 2617 MHz. The card draws power through a single 16-pin connector; NVIDIA recommends a 650W power supply. Card dimensions fit standard mid-tower cases comfortably.

What it does well

At 1080p Epic native, the RTX 5060 Ti averages around 60 FPS in Avowed. With DLSS 4 Quality at 1080p, that rises to around 94 FPS. For a 1080p 75 Hz or 1080p 144 Hz display, this card covers that target well. DLSS 4 on the 5060 Ti is full Blackwell-generation DLSS, meaning the ML reconstruction quality is the same as on the RTX 5070 Ti above it.

At 1440p with DLSS 4 Quality, the RTX 5060 Ti averages around 66 FPS. That is a comfortable 60-plus and works on 1440p 60 Hz and 1440p 75 Hz displays. Buyers targeting higher 1440p refresh rates should consider the RX 9070 XT.

ASUS's TUF cooling keeps the 5060 Ti well within thermal headroom. The semi-passive 0 dB mode turns fans off under light loads, which makes the card inaudible at desktop and during less demanding game scenes.

What you give up

Native 1440p Epic performance averages around 42 FPS, which falls short of 60 FPS without upscaling. This is a 1080p-native card that can reach 1440p comfortably only with DLSS 4 Quality engaged.

The 128-bit memory bus is a narrower path than the 256-bit bus on the RX 9060 XT above it. In Avowed this does not cause visible bottlenecking because the game's VRAM usage at 1080p and 1440p stays well within the 16 GB pool. In future titles with higher bandwidth demands it may become a constraint.

Who it's for

This card is for 1080p buyers who want a current-gen Blackwell GPU with 16 GB of VRAM and DLSS 4 support, or for 1440p buyers who primarily use upscaling and do not need native performance headroom. It covers demanding open-world RPGs like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at 1080p high settings without issue.

Bottom line

If you are gaming at 1440p and want the straightforward pick for Avowed, the Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT Gaming 16GB is it: FSR 4 Quality brings it to around 78 FPS at 1440p Epic, the cooling is excellent, and the price is meaningfully lower than the RTX 5070 Ti. If you want 4K with consistent 60-plus fps and DLSS Frame Generation support, the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti is the step up that actually gets you there. For 1080p players or budget-conscious 1440p players who use upscaling, the Sapphire Pulse RX 9060 XT Gaming OC 16GB delivers RDNA 4 FSR 4 quality at a lower price point. The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC is the Blackwell alternative at the same tier: DLSS 4 support, 16 GB GDDR7, and clean 1080p performance in Avowed.

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