Discover the perfect graphics card for your Z370 Motherboard, whether it’s the MSI Z370-A Pro or the Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming. With support for 8th Gen Intel processors and DDR4 memory, you’ll have an incredible gaming experience with any of the cards we’ve selected. Let’s dive in and find the best one for you!
Best Graphics Card for Z370 Motherboards
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio – Best Overall Graphics card for Z370
Specifications:
Cores: 5888 | Memory: 8 GB GDDR6 | Boost Clock: 1830 MHz | TDP: 240 W | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin
Reasons to buy and not to buy MSI RTX 3070
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line graphics card, the RTX 3070 from Nvidia is one of the best options out there. Here are some reasons to consider buying the MSI RTX 3070, as well as reasons why it may not be the right choice for you.
Reasons to buy:
- Excellent performance: The RTX 3070 can handle all the tasks that the RTX 2080 Ti can, including 1440p Gaming with RTX enabled and 4K UHD gaming with moderately high settings. The MSI RTX 3070 offers more than double the price/performance ratio compared to the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, making it a great value for the money.
- Overclocking capability: The MSI RTX 3070 comes with a factory overclock of +105 MHz, which makes it 4% better in gaming performance than the RTX 3070 Founders Edition. This extra boost in clock speed can make a noticeable difference in gaming performance.
- Excellent cooling: The MSI RTX 3070 has a great cooling system, which keeps the card’s temperature at just 64 degrees Celsius during heavy gaming. It’s also very quiet, producing only 28 dBA of noise, making it perfect for gaming without disturbing others.
- Great for 1440p gaming: The RTX 3070 is a perfect option for those looking to do 1440p gaming at high refresh rates of 144 Hz. It can also handle 1080p gaming at even higher refresh rates of 240Hz.
Reasons not to buy:
- Expensive: The RTX 3070 is one of the more expensive graphics cards on the market, so it may not be the best option for those on a tight budget.
- Overkill for casual gamers: If you’re not a serious gamer and don’t plan on playing games at higher resolutions and refresh rates, the RTX 3070 may be overkill. You may be better off with a more affordable graphics card.
In conclusion, the MSI RTX 3070 is an excellent graphics card for serious gamers looking to play games at higher resolutions and refresh rates. It offers excellent performance, overclocking capability, great cooling, and is ideal for 1440p and 1080p gaming. However, it may not be the best option for those on a tight budget or casual gamers who don’t need the extra performance.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti – Best Mid-range option
Specifications:
Cores: 4,864 | Memory: 8 GB GDDR6 | Boost Clock: 1665 MHz | TDP: 200 W | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Power Connectors: 1x 12-pin
The Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti is an excellent choice for gamers looking for a smooth AAA gaming experience at a resolution of 1440p, with additional power for RTX ray tracing. It is also capable of providing an impressive performance for 4K UHD resolution without ray tracing or DLSS enabled, and it is likely to be very appealing to the e-sports audience, delivering 1080p gameplay at higher refresh rates, such as 144 Hz, with High graphics settings. The RTX 3060 Ti has outperformed the RTX 2080 Super by 3%, all while being significantly more affordable.
For gamers utilizing the 1440p resolution, the RTX 3060 Ti is an outstanding option. It still has enough power to handle 4K, but more demanding games may require some detail reductions. The value for the price point is very good for many users. Additionally, many players using 1080p Full HD would benefit from the RTX 3060 Ti, as it provides enough FPS for high-resolution displays with maximum graphics settings.
Comparing the cooler of the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and the RTX 3070 FE, there is no difference. This indicates that the RTX 3060 Ti would perform significantly better, as the heat output is much lower than that of the RTX 3070. Overall, the RTX 3060 Ti is the best affordable option for users with a budget under 400 dollars.
Reasons to buy
You’re comfortable staying at 1080p
If you prefer gaming at 1080p or 1440p resolutions and don’t want to break the bank, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti might be the perfect graphics card for you. While it can handle entry-level 4K gaming, its real strength lies in delivering high-framerate gaming at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. You can expect years of smooth gameplay at these levels.
You don’t want to spend a whole lot of money
At only $399 (approximately £299, AU$540), the RTX 3060 Ti is a budget-friendly option that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. You won’t have to worry about spending an arm and a leg to upgrade your graphics card to the latest technology.
You want ray tracing at a reasonable price
One of the most appealing features of the RTX 3060 Ti is its ability to support ray tracing without breaking the bank. At 1080p, this graphics card excels at ray tracing and can handle even 1440p with DLSS enabled without causing unplayable frame rates.
Reasons not to buy
You are looking for 4K gaming
While the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti can handle some 4K gaming, it’s not the most ideal choice if you’re primarily aiming for this resolution. You’ll be better off opting for a more powerful graphics card like the RTX 3070 or RTX 3080, which can handle 4K gaming with greater ease and higher frame rates.
You are ready to spend more
Although the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a great performer for its price, if you have the budget to spare, you may want to consider investing in the more advanced RTX 3080. This graphics card offers significantly higher performance and is better equipped to handle demanding games and high-end applications. It’s an excellent choice for those who want the absolute best performance and are willing to pay a premium for it.
Pros
- Excellent 1080p performance
- Solid ray tracing performance
- Stays cool
Cons
- Only entry-level 4K performance
- Annoying 12-pin power connector
MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super Gaming X – Best Budget Option
Specifications:
Cores: 1,408 | Memory: 6 GB GDDR6 | Boost Clock: 1830 MHz | TDP: 125 W | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin
The MSI GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is a mid-range graphics card that sits between the Nvidia GTX 1660 and GTX 1660 Ti. This GPU is an excellent choice for gamers who want to play games at 1080p and is priced at less than $300.
Reasons to Buy:
MSI has overclocked the card to an estimated 1830 MHz gain, which results in a 3% improvement over the GTX 1660 Super stock. This graphics card is perfect for 1080p-60 Hz gaming, and almost every latest game, including Red Dead Redemption 2, Metro Exodus, Marvel’s Avengers, Assassins Creed Valhalla, and COD: Cold Wars, can be played with 60+ FPS with high-ultra graphics settings.
In addition, the MSI GTX 1660 Super features a dual-slot, dual-fan cooler that effectively keeps the card cool while delivering low noise levels. It is extremely quiet, producing just 30 dBA during heavy gameplay. The card also boasts the fan-stop feature, which turns off the fans entirely during idle, desktop functions, internet surfing, and light gaming. This graphics card has the best cooler of all the GTX 1660 Super cards.
Reasons not to Buy:
While the MSI GTX 1660 Super is an excellent graphics card, it may not be the best option for gamers who want to play games at higher resolutions or with demanding settings. It may struggle to deliver high frame rates at 1440p or 4K resolutions, and it may not be able to handle more intensive applications like video editing or 3D rendering.
In conclusion, the MSI GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is an excellent choice for gamers who want to play games at 1080p with high-ultra graphics settings. It is reasonably priced and boasts impressive performance and a great cooling system. However, if you need a graphics card that can handle more demanding applications or higher resolutions, you may want to consider a more powerful option.
Conclusion
For those seeking the best option for z370 motherboards, the MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio is the top choice. It can handle gaming at 1440p and 4K, as well as many games at 1440p with raytracing. In comparison to the RTX 2080 Ti, the GTX 3070 provides superior performance at nearly half the cost.
If you’re searching for a more affordable option and still want to experience 1440p gaming or 1080p high refresh rate gaming, the Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti is a great choice. At a release price of $400, it boasts one of the best price/performance ratios.
For budget-conscious gamers looking to pair their z370 motherboards with a graphics card, the MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Super is an excellent option for 1080p gaming. It can easily achieve 90+ FPS in many games at 1080p and 60 FPS at 1440p.
