Best GPUs for Photoshop in 2024 – our top picks

Photoshop can be quite demanding on your system, depending on the complexity of your tasks, and choosing the right graphics card (GPU) is crucial for a smooth and efficient workflow. But when it comes to finding the best GPUs for software, it can be challenging, especially when you may not need the absolute top-of-the-line graphics card for what you primarily use Photoshop for…

The good news is that we really know our stuff when it comes to graphics cards – having tested a load of the latest and greatest from the likes of AMD and Nvidia. Here, we’ve pulled together our top graphics cards for professionals and casual users across a wide range of budgets.

We think the best GPU for photo-editing software for most people is the RTX 4070 Ti Super, but read on for other options that may suit your specific needs more. And don’t forget, it pays to get a quality CPU, too, so be sure to check out our picks for the best CPU for your creative needs to enhance your experience further. Let’s kick off.

Products at a Glance

How we picked the best GPUs for Photoshop

In order to compile our list of the best GPUs for Photoshop, we carefully considered the aforementioned features and factors, along with feedback from professional users and hobbyists alike. We also took into account a variety of budgets and performance needs to ensure that there’s a suitable option for everyone. Additionally, we researched the most reputable brands and models in the market, focusing on those with a proven track record of reliability, compatibility, and performance. We evaluated user reviews and expert opinions to gauge the real-world performance of each GPU, specifically in the context of software usage.

On top of this, we always endevour to test products as best we can across a number of benchmarks – be that gaming, or stress-testing to simulate higher loads. By thoroughly examining these factors and balancing performance, cost, and user experience, we’ve curated a list of the best GPUs that will undoubtedly enhance your creative process and help you achieve outstanding results.

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ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super OC Edition

Hands-on Review

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

• GPU: AD103
• CUDA Cores: 8,448
• VRAM: 16GB GDDR6X
• Bandwidth: 672.3 GB/s
• Memory bus width: 256-bit
• Base clock speed: 2340 MHz
• Boost clock speed: 2670 MHz

Reasons to Buy

• The best upper mid-range GPU from the latest gen
• Strong performer across our benchmarking
• Supports both ray tracing and DLSS 3.0, should you want to use it for gaming
• 16GB of VRAM gives you plenty of power for editing so long as paired with the right CPU

Reasons to Avoid

• Expensive and overkill just for Photoshop alone – so consider this if you’re also using video editing
• Prices may fall once the rumored 50 Series comes out
• Lags behind the 4080 in our benchmarks, which is a far superior card although more expensive

• Shop on Amazon

The RTX 4070 Ti Super is an ideal graphics card for a wide range of content creation tasks, making it a perfect fit for Photoshop users. As part of Nvidia’s 40 series Super variants, you’re getting a hefty 16GB of VRAM and a CUDA core count of 8,448. This trumps the standard RTX 4070Ti, which has 7680 cores and a not-to-shabby 12 GB of GDDR6X memory.

While both cards will do the job, the Super variants are undeniably far better than the cards they replace, so we would always recommend going for the best GPU you can afford. On our benchmarking as part of the RTX 4070 Ti Super review, we saw great performance across the likes of Blender and Firestrike – positioning the card just under the RTX 4080 non-Super edition.

In the real world, away from synthetic benchmarking, it’s safe to say this will help the card (providing the rest of your rig is up to scratch) deliver faster image and video processing times, as well as improved accuracy in tasks such as object recognition. If you’re a creative, chances are you’re going to want hardware that can handle more than just photo editing apps.

The 4070Ti Super has the horsepower to be a fantastic video-editing tool, although other, cheaper options we’ve highlighted in the best GPUs for 4K video editing may be worth considering. Add to the mix brilliant gaming performance at 1440p and 4K and it’s no surprise, then, that we’ve named this one top of the pile.

What users say

On Amazon, the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super OC has a rating of 4.7 stars, and more than 1,000 people have reviewed it. Most of the customer reviews wrote positively about the performance, quality, and overall value of the card. “Only have tried a few newer games, but at 3440X1440 on Ultra with DLSS on quality, this thing does deliver. Framerates hover around 90-100. Compared to my 1080, this runs much hotter, so make sure you have a case with good ventilation to keep it cool,” one of the customers wrote in a review. While most users were satisfied with the GPU, a few said that the card was big in size.

The Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti may have had a tough time when it launched, but as we found in our RTX 4060 Ti review, it’s still a more than capable graphics card. As our tests revealed, the synthetic performance of the RTX 4060 Ti is surprisingly strong, especially considering the limited power of the hardware inside. However, it really struggled when we cranked up both the resolution and graphical fidelity in the Extreme and Ultra variants of our tests.

Another downside is the lack of a Founders Edition, so you’ll need to rely on partner cards. We would recommend our test card, which was an overclocked version of the 8GB variant supplied to us by ASUS. The good news is the 4060 Ti only needs a PSU of around 550W, which is very much in line with units often paired with 2nd-gen and 3rd-gen Nvidia cards. In theory, then, the 4060 Ti could be an easy upgrade and won’t require too much swapping around other components.

A cheaper alternative still could be the Nvidia RTX 3060, which comes with 3584 CUDA cores, 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, and a 192-bit memory bus. Those specs would provide solid performance for photo editing and graphic design tasks. Again, though, we’re not recommeding this too strongly here as it’s last-gen tech, but if you’re on a budget, prices will continue to fall for the now aging Nvidia 3rd-gen cards.

What users say

On Amazon, the Zotac Gaming RTX 4060 Ti Twin Edge OC has a rating of 4.6 stars and over 60 reviews. Most customers said that they liked the card’s performance, appearance, and value. “This card is a great improvement over the previous card I had GTX 1650. The RTX 4060 Ti runs everything smoothly and so much faster than my previous card,” one of the customer reviews mentioned.

Enter the Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000, a workstation GPU designed for professionals who want the best in performance and reliability when it comes to Photshop and more. Released in 2010 but still a very good card, the Quadro features 8GB of high-speed GDDR6 memory, 2,304 CUDA cores, and dedicated RT and Tensor cores for ray tracing and AI-accelerated tasks.

The Quadro RTX 4000 is designed for stable performance across the Adobe Creative Suite, CorelDRAW, and Capture One. It also supports 10-bit color depth, HDR editing and includes ECC memory and hardware-based video encoding. The downsides? It won’t be the ideal choice for those wanting a well-rounded PC – so if you’re looking for a GPU that can work and play, opt for a 400 Series or AMD equivalent.

What users say

On Amazon, the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 GPU has a rating of 4.4 stars, and more than 190 customers have rated it. The positive reviews mentioned that the card had good quality. “Overall, I am very pleased with the no-hassle performance of this card, along with the very fast real-time render performance I get in Blender and Unity. It carries a load well, and the drivers are rock solid, which was important for me,” one of the customers wrote in a review. On the other hand, a few customers said that the card was fast, but not fast enough for their requirements.

The AMD RX 7600 XT is a decent little card, just managing to sneak onto this list with a commendable 3/5 in our AMD RX 7600 XT review. Under the hood, there’s a hefty 16GB of VRAM; however, unlike the RTX 4060 that seemed to over-perform in our benchmarking tests, we saw almost the opposite with the 7600 XT.

Still, the 7600 XT is a well-priced card that is more than enough to use Photoshop effectively – and is a good alternative to those wanting a solid all-around PC that can work and play. If that is the case, just don’t expect to be able to play games at 4K without serious sacrifices.

What users say

On Amazon, the GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC has a rating of 4.5 stars, and over 40 customers have reviewed it. Most customers wrote positively about the card, and they were satisfied with the performance and quality of it. “Used this for my first PC build. Very intuitive to install. Able to handle basically all the online games I play with uncapped frames. Fingers crossed it stays this way!” one of the reviews mentioned.

Considerations for the best GPUs for Photoshop

When it comes to choosing the best GPU for Photoshop, there are several key factors to keep in mind, ensuring that your graphics card meets your needs and enhances your creative workflow.

Compatibility

First and foremost, consider the GPU’s compatibility with the software and your system, as not all graphics cards are supported by Adobe’s software. It’s also essential to look at the amount of VRAM (video memory) offered by the GPU, as this will affect your ability to work with large files and multiple layers.

GPU Performance

Another important aspect to consider is the GPU’s performance in terms of CUDA cores or stream processors, which determine the card’s processing power. This is especially relevant for users who rely on GPU acceleration for tasks like rendering and applying complex filters. Moreover, it’s crucial to factor in the GPU’s power consumption and cooling system, as these can impact both your system’s overall efficiency and noise levels.

Price

Additionally, price and value is an important factor to consider. You want to purchase a GPU at the right time. You can do this by buying a GPU during seasonal sale periods, like Black Friday or Spring. Similarly, price tracker applications, such as Camelcamelcamel, allow you to track price dips so you can time your purchase just right.

Is Photoshop better on CPU or GPU?

Photoshop is primarily a CPU-intensive application, which means that most of its functions rely on the processor for optimal performance. However, with the increasing adoption of GPU-accelerated features in recent years, having a good GPU can significantly improve your experience with photo editing. Tasks like real-time rendering, complex filters, and 3D manipulation benefit from a capable GPU. So, while the software relies heavily on the CPU, a good GPU complements the CPU and enhances the overall performance.

Does Photoshop need a good GPU?

While Photoshop can run on a system with an integrated GPU, having a dedicated GPU is highly recommended for a better experience, especially for professional users.

A good GPU enables faster image processing, smoother performance when working with large files or multiple layers, and better handling of GPU-accelerated features like certain filters and 3D tools. Investing in a good GPU will not only improve your experience but also future-proof your system for more demanding tasks and updates in the software.