Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links may earn us a commission at no cost to you.
Best GPU for Horizon Forbidden West (2026): 5 Picks by VRAM
Horizon Forbidden West on PC is a Nixxes port with no ray tracing, so raw raster speed sets the frame rate. Video memory decides whether that frame rate holds. Digital Trends saw the game use more than 12GB at 4K Very High in the opening area, and TechSpot measured an 8GB RX 9060 XT at close to half the speed of the 16GB version at 1440p.
So this list ranks VRAM first and resolution second. All five picks carry 16GB. If you already own an 8GB card, the settings section below shows how to keep it playable.
Our top pick: ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC
The ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC runs about 105 fps at native 1440p Very High and carries the 16GB this game wants, with DLSS in reserve for 4K.
Quick picks
Pick | GPU | VRAM | Best for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall | 16GB | 1440p 144Hz Very High, 4K with DLSS | ||
Best Value | 16GB | 1440p high refresh, 4K TV, raster per dollar | ||
Best Premium | 16GB | 4K 120Hz with DLSS and frame generation | ||
Best Budget | 16GB | 1080p 144Hz, 1440p with quality upscaling | ||
Editor's Pick | 16GB | 1080p 144Hz, 1440p with DLSS, small cases |
Best Overall
- GPU
- VRAM
16GB
- Best for
1440p 144Hz Very High, 4K with DLSS
- Buy
Best Value
- GPU
- VRAM
16GB
- Best for
1440p high refresh, 4K TV, raster per dollar
- Buy
Best Premium
- GPU
- VRAM
16GB
- Best for
4K 120Hz with DLSS and frame generation
- Buy
Best Budget
- GPU
- VRAM
16GB
- Best for
1080p 144Hz, 1440p with quality upscaling
- Buy
Editor's Pick
- GPU
- VRAM
16GB
- Best for
1080p 144Hz, 1440p with DLSS, small cases
- Buy
Specs at a glance
GPU | Chip | VRAM and bus | Horizon result |
|---|---|---|---|
RTX 5070 Ti | 16GB 256-bit GDDR7 | About 105 fps, 1440p Very High native (KitGuru) | |
RX 9070 XT | 16GB 256-bit GDDR6 | About 105 fps, 1440p Very High native (KitGuru) | |
RTX 5080 | 16GB 256-bit GDDR7 | 6% over RTX 4080 Super at 1440p, 9% at 4K (KitGuru) | |
RX 9060 XT 16GB | 16GB 128-bit GDDR6 | 95 fps, 1440p Very High, FSR Quality (TechSpot) | |
RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 16GB 128-bit GDDR7 | No Horizon result in our sources |
- Chip
RTX 5070 Ti
- VRAM and bus
16GB 256-bit GDDR7
- Horizon result
About 105 fps, 1440p Very High native (KitGuru)
- Chip
RX 9070 XT
- VRAM and bus
16GB 256-bit GDDR6
- Horizon result
About 105 fps, 1440p Very High native (KitGuru)
- Chip
RTX 5080
- VRAM and bus
16GB 256-bit GDDR7
- Horizon result
6% over RTX 4080 Super at 1440p, 9% at 4K (KitGuru)
- Chip
RX 9060 XT 16GB
- VRAM and bus
16GB 128-bit GDDR6
- Horizon result
95 fps, 1440p Very High, FSR Quality (TechSpot)
- Chip
RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
- VRAM and bus
16GB 128-bit GDDR7
- Horizon result
No Horizon result in our sources
Benchmarks
No reviewer has run the full current lineup through one Horizon Forbidden West test, so the charts below use TechPowerUp's launch benchmark of the cards it had then: highest preset, native resolution, Ryzen 7 7800X3D. They show the scaling. The current picks slot in from newer reviews on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at Very High.
KitGuru measured the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT at about 105 fps at native 1440p, level with the RX 7900 XTX. TechSpot had the RX 9070 XT slightly ahead of the RTX 5070 Ti at both 1440p and 4K, so treat those two as a tie. KitGuru put the RTX 5080 6 percent ahead of the RTX 4080 Super at 1440p and 9 percent ahead at 4K.
Average fps, highest preset, native resolution, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, launch-era test of reference cards.
- 158.9 FPS
- 143.8 FPS
- 131.3 FPS
- 117.6 FPS
- 112.3 FPS
- 98 FPS
- 77.4 FPS
- 53.5 FPS
Average fps, highest preset, native resolution, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, launch-era test of reference cards.
- 134.9 FPS
- 120.9 FPS
- 104.9 FPS
- 94.3 FPS
- 86.1 FPS
- 80.6 FPS
- 59 FPS
- 41 FPS
Average fps, highest preset, native resolution, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, launch-era test of reference cards.
- 92.2 FPS
- 80.1 FPS
- 68 FPS
- 58.5 FPS
- 54.3 FPS
- 51.8 FPS
- 35.1 FPS
- 24.9 FPS
How we picked
16GB is the floor for a new card. Short benchmark runs can hide the problem: in TechPowerUp's test the 8GB and 16GB RTX 4060 Ti landed within a frame of each other. Longer play and higher texture settings expose it, which is what TechSpot's 9060 XT result shows. The 8GB VRAM explainer covers why this happens across recent ports.
Sony's official tiers are a starting point, not a target. The Recommended card for 1080p 60 fps on Medium is an RTX 3060 or RX 5700. The 1440p 60 fps High tier asks for an RTX 3070 or RX 6800, and 4K 60 fps on Very High asks for an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT. Every pick here clears its resolution's official tier with room to spare.
The port has no ray tracing, so the Nvidia ray tracing premium buys nothing in this game. Raster speed per dollar decides most slots, which is why two AMD cards made the list. Nvidia picks earn their place through DLSS image quality and what they do in the rest of your library.
Frame generation turns 60 into 120, never 30 into 120. Use it as a smoothness layer on a native base above 60, not as a way to rescue a card that is out of its depth.
If you are on an 8GB card
An 8GB card is a 1080p High card in this game, not a 1440p Very High card. Drop textures to High first, since that setting carries most of the memory load. Then run 1080p native, or 1440p with DLSS or FSR set to Quality. Digital Trends flagged an 8GB RTX 4060 as running into trouble once you push past 1080p.
If stutter or long frame spikes show up after an hour of play, that is the memory running out, not the GPU core. A GPU upgrade fixes it. More system RAM does not. The VRAM guide has the per-resolution numbers.
Best Overall: ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC
Specs
Chip | RTX 5070 Ti (Blackwell) |
VRAM | 16 GB GDDR7, 256-bit |
1440p Very High (KitGuru) | About 105 fps average |
Upscaling | DLSS, FSR and XeSS in game |
Slots | 3.125 |
Power connector | 1x 16-pin 12V-2x6 |
Chip
RTX 5070 Ti (Blackwell)
VRAM
16 GB GDDR7, 256-bit
1440p Very High (KitGuru)
About 105 fps average
Upscaling
DLSS, FSR and XeSS in game
Slots
3.125
Power connector
1x 16-pin 12V-2x6
What it does well
KitGuru measured the RTX 5070 Ti at about 105 fps average at native 1440p Very High on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D. That puts a 144Hz monitor well within reach with no upscaling at all. Its 16GB of GDDR7 sits above the 12GB-plus the game used at 4K Very High in Digital Trends' testing, so the texture slider stays at the top.
DLSS upscaling is in the game, which makes 4K at 60 fps realistic on this card. Frame generation then adds smoothness on top of a base that is already above 60. For a card that also has to handle ray tracing heavy games elsewhere in your library, this is the most balanced buy in the list.
What you give up
It costs clearly more than the RX 9070 XT, which reviewers measure level with it in this game or slightly ahead. Horizon has no ray tracing, so the RT lead you pay for does nothing here.
The 3.125-slot TUF cooler is thick. Check case clearance before ordering. Buyers have flagged that ASUS sells white and BTF versions of the TUF 5070 Ti; the pick is the standard black OC Edition.
Who it's for
A 1440p 144Hz to 165Hz player, or an entry 4K TV player using DLSS, who also plays RT-heavy games where Nvidia pulls ahead.
Best Value: Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT
Specs
Chip | RX 9070 XT (RDNA 4) |
VRAM | 16 GB GDDR6, 256-bit |
1440p Very High (KitGuru) | About 105 fps average |
Upscaling | FSR 4 capable |
Power connectors | 2x 8-pin |
Manufacturer SKU | 11348-03-20G |
Chip
RX 9070 XT (RDNA 4)
VRAM
16 GB GDDR6, 256-bit
1440p Very High (KitGuru)
About 105 fps average
Upscaling
FSR 4 capable
Power connectors
2x 8-pin
Manufacturer SKU
11348-03-20G
What it does well
KitGuru put the RX 9070 XT at about 105 fps at native 1440p Very High, level with the RTX 5070 Ti and the RX 7900 XTX. At 4K it trailed the RTX 4080 Super by only 7 percent. TechSpot went further and measured it ahead of the RTX 5070 Ti at both resolutions.
That makes it the strongest frame rate per dollar in this list for this game. The 16GB sits on a 256-bit bus, so 4K Very High textures load without a fight. Power comes through two standard 8-pin connectors, so there is no 16-pin adapter to route.
What you give up
The ray tracing gap to Nvidia comes back in other games, which matters if your library goes well beyond this one. FSR upscaling still trails DLSS for motion clarity in many titles. Street pricing on the 9070 XT has also been uneven since launch.
Reports suggest a second Sapphire Pulse 9070 XT listing with a different port layout sits next to this one. The pick is SKU 11348-03-20G.
Who it's for
A 1440p high-refresh or 4K TV player who wants RTX 5070 Ti frame rates in this game for less, and cares more about raster speed than ray tracing.
Best Premium: MSI RTX 5080 Suprim Liquid SOC
Specs
Chip | RTX 5080 (Blackwell) |
VRAM | 16 GB GDDR7, 256-bit |
Boost clock | 2760 MHz (Extreme Performance) |
Cooling | 240 mm AIO liquid cooler |
Vs RTX 4080 Super (KitGuru) | 6% faster at 1440p, 9% at 4K |
Outputs | 3x DisplayPort 2.1a, 1x HDMI 2.1b |
Chip
RTX 5080 (Blackwell)
VRAM
16 GB GDDR7, 256-bit
Boost clock
2760 MHz (Extreme Performance)
Cooling
240 mm AIO liquid cooler
Vs RTX 4080 Super (KitGuru)
6% faster at 1440p, 9% at 4K
Outputs
3x DisplayPort 2.1a, 1x HDMI 2.1b
What it does well
The RTX 5080 is the fastest card in this list. KitGuru measured it 6 percent ahead of the RTX 4080 Super at 1440p Very High and 9 percent ahead at 4K. That clears the official 4K 60 fps Very High tier, set at an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT, with margin to spare.
The Suprim Liquid holds its boost clock under a 240mm AIO, so it stays cool and quiet through long sessions. Add DLSS Quality and frame generation and a 4K 120Hz TV becomes a sensible target.
What you give up
KitGuru called the gain over the 4080 Super unimpressive in this game, and the card sits 34 percent behind the RTX 5090 at 4K. It also carries the same 16GB as the cheaper picks, so it buys speed, not memory headroom.
The radiator needs a free 240mm mount. Air-cooled Suprim and Ventus 5080 listings sit next to this one on Amazon, so check you are buying the Liquid SOC.
Who it's for
A 4K 120Hz TV or OLED monitor player who wants the highest frame rate short of an RTX 5090, and has a case with a spare 240mm radiator slot.
Best Budget: ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB
Specs
Chip | RX 9060 XT (RDNA 4) |
VRAM | 16 GB GDDR6, 128-bit |
Boost clock | 3290 MHz |
1440p Very High, FSR Quality (TechSpot) | 95 fps average |
Cooler | Dual fan, 0dB idle |
Outputs | DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b |
Chip
RX 9060 XT (RDNA 4)
VRAM
16 GB GDDR6, 128-bit
Boost clock
3290 MHz
1440p Very High, FSR Quality (TechSpot)
95 fps average
Cooler
Dual fan, 0dB idle
Outputs
DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b
What it does well
TechSpot measured the 16GB RX 9060 XT at 95 fps average at 1440p Very High with quality upscaling, with 1% lows just above 60. In the same test, the 8GB version of the same chip ran at close to half that speed. No other result in our sources shows the VRAM rule in this game as clearly.
It is the cheapest current card with 16GB, it supports FSR 4, and the dual-fan Challenger cooler stops its fans at idle.
What you give up
The 128-bit bus limits native 1440p, so upscaling does the heavy lifting there. It is not a native 4K card. FSR in this game trails DLSS for fine detail at low internal resolutions.
The 8GB RX 9060 XT shares the Challenger name and shadows this listing. Buy the 16GB card, not the 8GB one, or you lose the whole point of the pick.
Who it's for
A 1080p 144Hz player, or a 1440p player happy to run quality upscaling, building on a tight budget.
Editor's Pick: ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC
Specs
Chip | RTX 5060 Ti (Blackwell) |
VRAM | 16 GB GDDR7, 128-bit |
Slots | 2.5 |
Upscaling | DLSS 4 with frame generation |
Cooler | Dual fan, 0dB idle, dual BIOS |
Target | 1080p Very High, 1440p with DLSS |
Chip
RTX 5060 Ti (Blackwell)
VRAM
16 GB GDDR7, 128-bit
Slots
2.5
Upscaling
DLSS 4 with frame generation
Cooler
Dual fan, 0dB idle, dual BIOS
Target
1080p Very High, 1440p with DLSS
What it does well
The RTX 5060 Ti in its 16GB form is the Nvidia route to enough memory at the entry tier. Very High textures stay on at 1080p and at 1440p with DLSS. It sits far above the official 1080p 60 fps Medium card, the RTX 3060.
DLSS upscaling holds up better than FSR at low internal resolutions, which matters on a card that will lean on upscaling at 1440p. The ASUS Dual is a compact 2.5-slot card with fans that stop at idle and a dual BIOS switch.
What you give up
None of our sources ran this card through Horizon Forbidden West, so its frame rate claims are tier-level only. It costs more than the RX 9060 XT 16GB, and its 128-bit bus limits it the same way. It is not a 4K card.
The 8GB RTX 5060 Ti shares the name and the ASUS Dual model line. The pick is the 16GB card, and the difference matters more in this game than almost any other spec.
Who it's for
A 1080p 144Hz player, or a 1440p player using DLSS, who wants Nvidia features in a smaller case.
Bottom line
If you play at 1440p high refresh and want one card for everything, buy the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC. If Horizon and other raster-heavy games are the priority, buy the Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT for the same frame rate. If you game on a 4K 120Hz screen, buy the MSI RTX 5080 Suprim Liquid SOC. If budget rules, buy the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB, or the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC if you want DLSS. Whatever you pick, skip 8GB cards for this game. For more resolution-first picks, see the best GPUs for 1440p gaming.
FAQ
What GPU do you need for Horizon Forbidden West at 1440p?
Sony's High tier for 1440p at 60 fps lists an RTX 3070 or RX 6800, but that is a floor. For Very High at high refresh, a 16GB card like the RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT is the better target: KitGuru measured both at about 105 fps at native 1440p. On a budget, the 16GB RX 9060 XT ran 95 fps at 1440p Very High with quality upscaling in TechSpot's test.
Is 8GB of VRAM enough for Horizon Forbidden West?
It is enough for 1080p at High settings, not for 1440p at Very High. TechSpot measured the 8GB RX 9060 XT at close to half the frame rate of the 16GB version at 1440p Very High with upscaling. Digital Trends saw the game use more than 12GB at 4K Very High. If you are buying a card for this game, buy 16GB.
What are the PC system requirements for Horizon Forbidden West?
The minimum is a GTX 1650 or RX 5500 XT for 720p at 30 fps on Very Low. Recommended is an RTX 3060 or RX 5700 for 1080p at 60 fps on Medium. The 1440p 60 fps High tier lists an RTX 3070 or RX 6800, and 4K 60 fps on Very High lists an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT. Every tier asks for 16GB of system RAM and 150GB of SSD space.
Can an RTX 3060 run Horizon Forbidden West?
Yes. It is Sony's recommended card for 1080p at 60 fps on Medium. At the highest preset it averaged 53.5 fps at native 1080p in TechPowerUp's launch test, so expect Medium to High settings for a steady 60. Its 12GB of VRAM gives it more texture headroom than newer 8GB cards. 1440p needs upscaling.
What GPU do you need to run Horizon Forbidden West at 4K 60 fps?
Sony lists an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT for 4K at 60 fps on Very High. The RTX 5080 clears that with margin: KitGuru measured it 9 percent ahead of the RTX 4080 Super at 4K. The RX 9070 XT trailed the 4080 Super by 7 percent at 4K in the same testing, so it sits right around the official tier. Add DLSS or FSR Quality for headroom.
Does Horizon Forbidden West have ray tracing on PC?
No. The PC port has no ray tracing, so Nvidia's ray tracing lead buys nothing in this game. That is why AMD cards like the RX 9070 XT match or beat their Nvidia rivals here. The port does support DLSS, FSR and XeSS upscaling plus frame generation.
Related Articles
Best GPU for 1440p Gaming 2026: 5 16GB Picks, 144-240Hz
The best GPU for 1440p gaming in 2026: five 16GB picks matched to 144 and 240 Hz targets, the 8GB cards to skip, and the benchmarks behind every call.
Sep 26, 2026
Is 8GB VRAM Enough for Gaming in 2026, or Do You Need 16GB?
Is 8GB VRAM enough for gaming in 2026? It holds at 1080p, cracks at 1440p, and fails at 4K. Here is when 8GB works, when you need 16GB, and what to buy.
Jul 23, 2026
Is 16GB VRAM Enough in 2026? 1440p, 4K and 24GB Verdict
Is 16GB VRAM enough in 2026? Yes for 1440p ultra and nearly all 4K. Only 4K path tracing breaks it. See which games exceed 16GB and when 24GB is worth it.
Oct 5, 2026
Best GPU for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered (2026): Top 5
The best GPU for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a 16 GB card. Five picks for 1080p, 1440p and 4K, with measured fps and what each card gives up on PC.
Oct 20, 2026
Best GPU for God of War Ragnarok PC (2026): 5 Picks by Tier
The best GPU for God of War Ragnarok PC is a raster call, not a ray tracing one. Five picks from 1080p to 4K and ultrawide, with measured FPS and VRAM advice.
Oct 21, 2026