Best GPU for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered (2026): Top 5

The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PC is a Nixxes port with no ray tracing at all, which makes the GPU decision simpler than in most 2025 releases. Raw raster speed sets the frame rate. Texture memory sets how long that frame rate holds.

So every pick below carries 16 GB of VRAM, and every frame rate quoted is a measured native average at the Ultra preset, not an estimate. Five cards cover 1080p through 4K, ranked by what each one delivers in this game.

Our top pick: ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC

The ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC averages 126.5 fps at native 1440p Ultra and 80.5 fps at native 4K, with 16 GB so the texture slider stays at the top. It is the one card that covers a 1440p high-refresh monitor and a 4K TV without a compromise.

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB GDDR7 OC Edition Graphics Card | PCIe 5.0, HDMI/DP 2.1, 3.125-slot, Military-grade Components, Protective PCB Coating, Axial-tech Fans

Buy the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC on Amazon

Quick picks

Specs at a glance

Benchmarks

All numbers below come from TechPowerUp's performance review of the PC release: Ultra preset, native resolution with no upscaling or frame generation, tested on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D. TechPowerUp did not test the RX 9060 XT, so the budget pick sits out of the charts rather than getting an invented number.

For scale, the 12 GB RTX 5070 averages 100.2 fps at 1440p and 61.3 fps at 4K in the same test, and an 8 GB RTX 3070 lands at 63.1 fps at 1440p.

How we picked

Sixteen gigabytes is the entry ticket. The game streams large texture sets, and player reports on the Steam forums tie multi-second freezes at Very High on 8 GB cards to running out of video memory. Treat 8 GB as a 1080p High floor, never an Ultra target. The VRAM math behind that rule applies here more than in most games.

The official PC requirements are a floor, not a goal. Sony lists an RTX 3060 or RX 5700 for 1080p at 60 fps on Medium, an RTX 3070 or RX 6800 for 1440p at 60 on High, and an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT for 4K at 60 on Very High. Every pick here clears its resolution's tier with room to spare, and the GPU and monitor matching guide explains how to size a card to the screen it drives.

There is no ray tracing in this port, so raster speed per dollar decides the Nvidia versus AMD call. That is why two Radeon cards sit in the top five. The 12 GB RTX 5070 is left out on purpose: 12 GB at that price is the generation's standing complaint, and the 16 GB RX 9070 beats it here anyway.

Frame generation is supported through DLSS 3 and FSR 3.1, and it is a smoothness layer, not a rescue. It turns 60 into 120. It never turns 30 into 120. Every pick is chosen to hold a native base above 60 at its target resolution before frame generation goes on.

Best Overall: ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB GDDR7 OC Edition Graphics Card | PCIe 5.0, HDMI/DP 2.1, 3.125-slot, Military-grade Components, Protective PCB Coating, Axial-tech Fans

Buy the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC on Amazon

Specs

What it does well

This is the card that makes Ultra a non-decision. It averages 126.5 fps at native 1440p and 80.5 fps at native 4K in TechPowerUp's testing, which already puts it past the RTX 4080 class that Sony names for 4K at 60 on Very High.

The 16 GB of GDDR7 means Ultra textures never compete with the frame buffer, even at 4K. Add DLSS Quality and frame generation on top of that 80 fps base and a 4K 120Hz TV becomes a realistic target, because frame generation is multiplying a healthy number rather than masking a weak one.

It is also the card that holds up best outside this game. Across the 50-series, the 5070 Ti is quietly the best value Nvidia ships, and it is the one to buy for serious 1440p or entry 4K.

What you give up

The ray tracing lead that justifies its premium elsewhere buys nothing here, because this port has no ray tracing. The Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT trails it by about 7 percent at 1440p and 4K for noticeably less money.

The TUF cooler is 3.125 slots thick, so check case clearance before ordering. Buyers have also flagged that ASUS lists white and BTF versions of this card at different prices; the pick is the standard black OC Edition, and BTF needs a back-connect motherboard.

Who it's for

A 1440p 144Hz to 165Hz player, or an entry 4K TV player, who wants Ultra with no compromises and also plays ray-traced games that reward the Nvidia stack.

Best Value: ASRock RX 9070 Challenger OC

ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC Graphics Card, RDNA 4, 2520MHz Boost, 16GB GDDR6 256-bit, PCIe 5.0, Triple Fans, 0dB Silent, LED Indicator

$699.99

Buy the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger OC on Amazon

Specs

What it does well

The RX 9070 averages 110 fps at native 1440p Ultra. That is ten frames ahead of the RTX 5070, and it does it with 16 GB instead of 12 GB, which is the difference that matters in a texture-heavy game.

A raster-only renderer plays straight to RDNA 4's strength. At 4K it holds 68.6 fps natively, so a 60 fps 4K target is in reach with light FSR upscaling. The ASRock Challenger keeps it simple: three fans, a 0dB idle mode and a plain shroud.

What you give up

4K native sits in the high 60s, so heavy scenes will dip below 60 without upscaling. FSR still trails DLSS for fine detail in motion, which shows on foliage and hair at lower internal resolutions.

The Challenger is a no-frills cooler with no dual BIOS. Buyers have also flagged that RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT Challenger listings sit side by side with near-identical titles. This pick is the non-XT card.

Who it's for

A 1440p high-refresh player who wants Ultra at triple digits and has no use for Nvidia-only features.

Best Premium: ASUS TUF RTX 5080 OC

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX™ 5080 16GB GDDR7 OC Edition Graphics Card | PCIe 5.0, HDMI/DP 2.1, 3.6-slot, Military-grade Components, Protective PCB Coating, Axial-tech Fans

Buy the ASUS TUF RTX 5080 OC on Amazon

Specs

What it does well

The RTX 5080 is the fastest card here: 90.7 fps at native 4K Ultra and 139.6 fps at 1440p. Only the RTX 4090 and 5090 beat it in the same test.

That 4K number is the one that matters. With DLSS Quality and frame generation, a 4K 120Hz OLED or TV runs near its refresh ceiling without dropping texture quality, and the native base stays well clear of the 60 fps line where frame generation starts to feel soft.

What you give up

It is about 13 percent faster than the 5070 Ti at 4K for a big price step, and it carries the same 16 GB. The criticism that the 5080 should have been a 5070 Ti held up, and this game does nothing to change it.

The TUF cooler is 3.6 slots and long. Buyers have flagged BTF and Renewed listings that shadow this card in search; BTF needs a back-connect motherboard, so confirm the standard OC Edition.

Who it's for

A 4K 120Hz TV or OLED monitor player who wants the highest native frame rate short of a 5090 and the DLSS stack to go with it.

Best Budget: ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB

ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB OC, RDNA 4, 3290MHz Boost, 16GB GDDR6 128-bit, PCIe 5.0, Dual Fans, 0dB Silent, LED Indicator, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

$589.99

Buy the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB on Amazon

Specs

What it does well

This is the cheapest current card that keeps 16 GB on the table, and that is exactly the resource this game punishes budget cards for lacking. Ultra textures stay on at 1080p without the stutter 8 GB owners report, and 16 GB holds up well past this game.

It sits far above the RTX 3060 and RX 5700 that Sony lists for 1080p at 60 on Medium. FSR 4 support gives it a cleaner upscaler than older Radeon cards when you push it to 1440p.

What you give up

TechPowerUp did not test it in this game, so there is no measured frame rate to quote here. The claim is tier-level: a 1080p Ultra card that needs upscaling at 1440p.

The 128-bit bus limits it at higher resolutions, and it is not a 4K card. The 8 GB RX 9060 XT also carries the Challenger name and shadows this listing. Make sure the box says 16GB.

Who it's for

A 1080p 144Hz player, or a 1440p player happy to run upscaling, on a tight budget.

Editor's Pick: Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT

Sapphire 11348-03-20G Pulse AMD Radeon™ RX 9070 XT Gaming Graphics Card with 16GB GDDR6, AMD RDNA 4

$899.99

Buy the Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT on Amazon

Specs

What it does well

In this game the RX 9070 XT lands within about 7 percent of the RTX 5070 Ti: 117.6 fps at native 1440p Ultra and 74.6 fps at 4K, level with an RX 7900 XTX. With no ray tracing in the port, the usual Nvidia advantage simply never shows up.

The Sapphire Pulse runs on two standard 8-pin connectors, so there is no 12V-2x6 adapter to worry about. It is the clearest AMD value win of this generation, and this is the kind of game where it shows.

What you give up

Outside this game, the RX 9070 XT gives up real ground in ray-traced titles, so a library full of path-traced games like Resident Evil Requiem points back to the 5070 Ti. FSR 4 is good but still trails DLSS in upscaled motion clarity.

Stock and street pricing on the 9070 XT have been uneven. A second Sapphire Pulse 9070 XT listing with dual HDMI ports is a different SKU; the pick is 11348-03-20G.

Who it's for

A raster-first 1440p or 4K TV player who wants nearly 5070 Ti frame rates in this game for less.

Bottom line

If you play at 1440p high refresh or on a 4K TV and want one card that does both, buy the ASUS TUF RTX 5070 Ti OC. If you want the most frame rate for the money and play mostly raster games, buy the Sapphire Pulse RX 9070 XT. If 1440p is the whole plan, the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger OC gets you past 100 fps at Ultra. If 4K 120Hz is the goal, buy the ASUS TUF RTX 5080 OC. If the budget is tight, the ASRock RX 9060 XT Challenger 16GB keeps Ultra textures at 1080p. Whatever you pick, skip 8 GB. For the wider picture by resolution, see the best GPUs for 1440p gaming and the best GPUs for 4K gaming.

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