Best Graphics Cards to Buy for Baldur’s Gate 3

Suggested Article: Best Budget GPUs to Buy in 2023

If you’re looking to jump into this popular RPG, but lacking a graphics cards powerful enough to do so, then we’ve got you covered. In this buyers guide, we’ll be offering our top picks for the best graphics cards to play Baldur’s Gate 3 with, as well as the PC requirements needed to run this exceptional game from the collective minds at Larian Studios.

Our Recommendations

1. AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT

👑 The best budget GPU for Baldur’s Gate 3.

For those looking to build a gaming PC just for Baldur’s Gate 3 and don’t want to spend a ridiculous amount, then the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is a great budget-friendly graphics card to consider. Like most of AMD’s Radeon 6000 series cards, the 6650 XT has received a significant price drop recently, which has drastically increased its value. With clock speeds of 2.06GHz and 2.64GHz respectively, this GPU should have no problems running a variety of games at 1080p, making it an ideal choice for Baldur’s Gate 3 users on a budget. On top of solid performance at 1080p, the 6650 XT includes AMD’s FSR technology, which provides a small bump in visual quality to make menus and in-games actions clearer.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Ideal for 1080p gaming: AMD’s Radeon RX 6650 XT is simply one of the best graphics cards for 1080p gaming on a budget. Offering high framerates at lower settings, gamers can expect smooth sailing when using this card to play Baldur’s Gate at 1080p.

Very low price point: As one of the cheapest graphics cards on the market that we’d recommended for this game, the 6650 XT is the ideal choice for those looking to keep their coin for another venture.

Things We Don’t Like

Previous-gen hardware: Whilst AMD are yet to release a lot of their Radeon 7000 series graphics card, the 6650 XT is still considered a last-gen card. Because of this, anyone picking up this card won’t have access to AMD’s latest architecture, leading to a slight dip in performance.

8GB VRAM: A contentious talking point with GPUs recently has been whether 8GB VRAM is enough to keep up with the demands of modern games. Whilst this card will handle Baldur’s Gate 3 without any issues, it could have issues with future RPG releases.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT on:

2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

👑 The best GPU for playing Baldur’s Gate 3 at 1440p.

Our next recommendation should have no issues running this title at 1440p, the RTX 3060Ti. Whilst this GPU has technically been replaced by the RTX 4060Ti, the RTX 3000 series equivalent is still the more popular choice due to its better value for money proposition. For a price that is significantly less than its successor, gamers can pick up a card that offers strong 1080p and 1440p gameplay in a range of the latest titles, including Baldur’s Gate 3. You could even try pushing this GPU to play BG3 at 4K, but this could be a step too far. With help from Nvidia’s DLSS technology, the RTX 3060Ti will provide a strong combination of performance and visual fidelity when slotted into a mid-range gaming PC, allowing you to enjoy the Forgotten Realms in a swift manner.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Great value for money: Ever since this GPU was released, it has been praised for offering great value to consumers. Whilst AMD have caused it’s value to depreciate in recent months, the 3060Ti still possesses a strong enough price to performance ratio to be worth considering.

Performs well at 1440p: One of the main reasons why this graphics card has remained a popular choice for consumers is due to its excellent gaming performance at 1440p. With games like BG3 in particular, the improved visuals without having to sacrifice too much performance is always appreciated.

Things We Don’t Like

Older generation hardware: Whilst it won’t have too much of an impact on turn-based RPGs like this one, this GPU is from Nvidia’s previous-gen line-up. This means this card does not have access to the frame-generation and ray-tracing benefits of DLSS 3.

Better value options available: A lot can change over a short period of time within the PC gaming industry, and the RTX 3060Ti has been a casualty of such change. With AMD’s GPUs dropping in price, their cards have upped the price to performance levels, eclipsing Nvidia’s offering in the process.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti on:

3. AMD Radeon 6750 XT

👑 The best value GPU for Baldur’s Gate 3.

If getting your money’s worth is important to you, then the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is arguably the best value for money graphics card right now. As one of the many AMD Radeon 6000 GPUs to receive a major drop in price over recent months, the 6750 XT has been pinpointed as the best deal of the bunch, as it offers excellent 1440p gaming performance at a budget-friendly price point. Because of this, now seems like the perfect time to upgrade your budget system, allowing you to experience the plethora of Baldur’s Gate 3’s cut-scenes in greater detail. After a number of driver updates, the 6750 XT has developed into an excellent card for budget and mid-range gaming PCs, making it a worthy investment that will last beyond your journey through the world of BG3.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Excellent at 1440p: This graphics card will have no issues offering optimal framerates in a range of titles at 1440p, leading to consistent gameplay in the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Great value for money: We’d argue that the RX 6750 XT is the best value for money GPU on the market, offering a solid 1440p gaming experience for a price that rivals cards that target 1080p gameplay.

Things We Don’t Like

Heavy power consumption: Compared to the rest of the GPUs featured in this roundup, AMD’s mid-range offering draws the most power. This means gamers will have to invest in a larger power supply, which could hike up the overall price of your PC build.

FSR limitations: The biggest disadvantage this card has when competing against Nvidia’s designs is its super resolution technology. Whilst FSR 2 is supported in Baldur’s Gate 3, the impact on performance and visuals won’t be as significant as Nvidia’s DLSS.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT on:

4. Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070

👑 The best GPU for playing Baldur’s Gate 3 at 4K.

You might be thinking that 1080p or 1440p isn’t enough to experience the sprawling landscapes and detailed character design of this fantasy RPG, or perhaps isn’t enough to justify picking Baldur’s Gate 3 up on PC instead of the PS5. In that case, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4070 has you covered. This graphics card will meet the requirements to run this title at 4K high settings without any major technical faults. As one of the only RTX 4000 series GPUs to be received fairly positive on release, the RTX 4070 is one of the cheapest cards that is comfortable running the latest games at 4K. Additionally, the Ada Lovelace architecture introduces DLSS 3.0, which includes the revolutionary frame generation technology that will provide a bump in framerates in a range of titles. Though this architecture won’t be as important in Baldur’s Gate 3, it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in your experiences in future RPGs, after you eventually get through this game’s lengthy campaign.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Performs well at 4K: For a less graphically-intense title like this one, the RTX 4070 will have no issues running BG3 at 4K high settings. Additionally, it offers this level of performance for a price that won’t break the bank.

Efficient design: Despite being a more powerful GPU than the other options on our list, the power consumption competes with the lower-end card. Because of this, the RTX 4070 is a strong choice for those upgrading a budget or mid-range system.

Things We Don’t Like

Expensive price point: If you plan on picking up a gaming just for Baldur’s Gate 3, then a GPU like the RTX 4070 is quite a hefty investment. For the same price, you could pick up a PS5, which will run Baldur’s Gate 3 at 4K out of the box.

BG3 doesn’t support DLSS 3: At the time of writing, this game does not include support for DLSS 3. Whilst this is likely to change over time, those wanting to pick up BG3 right now will be missing out on the increased visuals and framerates on offer from RTX 40 series products.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 on:

Baldur’s Gate 3 PC Requirements

Though we’d consider the graphics cards listed above as the best options for playing Baldur’s Gate 3 at various settings, they’re not essential for this game. In fact, this game has surprisingly low PC requirements when you consider the grandiose nature of this CRPG. With so many triple-A games upping their minimum and recommended specs to unjustifiable levels on PC, it’s nice to see a modern game that can accommodate for a larger group of PC gamers.

As a result, most gamers with an existing build shouldn’t worry too much about upgrading their system just to play Baldur’s Gate 3. With graphics cards in particular, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a more CPU-intensive title, which means the focus of your upgrades should be towards the CPU. If you’re interested in the PC requirements for this game, we’ve listed the suggestions from the developers below:

What Gaming PC Do I Need for Baldur’s Gate 3?

Your graphics card of choice will have a major influence on how your gaming PC performs in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. In order to optimise your experience while travelling through this medieval world, you need your PC to be firing on all cylinders. Obviously, the specific components that are ideal for your build will depend on the resolution and settings that you want to play this game at. However, there are a few general suggestions when putting together a PC that is tailored towards RPGs like this one.

Our first tip is to make sure your CPU is comfortable playing games at your desired resolution, or even pick a processor that is more powerful than you need, as the complexities of the story and extensive prompts will take a heavy toll on a weaker CPU. To make sure your CPU doesn’t run hot, we’d suggest at least an i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU when playing this title.

In similar fashion, BG3 players will want to have a cooling system that is up to scratch. With this game demanding a lot from the CPU in particular, you’ll want to pick up and efficient CPU cooler, as this will prevent the temperatures from rising too high. Additionally, Larian recommend 16GB RAM for this game, but 32GB is the safer option in our opinion, as this will reduce the chances of technical issues when playing on higher settings.

On the whole, a gaming PC filled with the latest hardware should be able to run this game to a certain, with older-gen hardware being a viable choice in some cases too. However, to get the best experience possible, we’d suggest picking up a mid-range gaming PC that target 1440p gameplay and is full of current-gen components.

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If you’re interested in learning more about our editorial team and promise, head to the About Us section on our website.

How We Tested the Best GPUs for Baldur’s Gate 3

In order to test and evaluate the best GPUs for Baldur’s Gate 3, there are a number of factors that we take into account, these are:

• Performance
• Form Factor
• Thermals
• Aesthetic
• Value for Money

Conclusion

Best GPU for Baldur’s Gate 3: AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT

It won’t come as any surprise to our long-term readers, but our GPU of choice for a playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 is AMD’s Radeon RX 6750 XT. With this GPU, BG3 players will be able to experience this fantasy of RPG at 1440p with ease, which provides a solid blend of performance and visuals. All of this will be available at an affordable price point, making it an ideal choice for a mid-range gaming PC.

GeekaWhat Rating:

★★★★★

Read our Best AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT GPUs roundup, or Buy the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT on Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Baldur’s Gate 3?

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantasy role-playing game that is heavily inspired by the world of dungeons and dragons. Whether you are playing alone or with friends, this game aims to take you on an adventure full of important decisions that will impact the events of the story.

Is Baldur’s Gate 3 CPU or GPU Intensive?

As an RPG with an extensive set of customisation and narrative choices, this game is more CPU-intensive. However, you will still need a suitable GPU to run this game as intended.

Should I Buy and AMD or Nvidia GPU?

Both AMD and Nvidia have plenty of strong graphics cards to choose from. However, we would currently recommend AMD over Nvidia in most cases, as their GPUs are better value for money.

Are Last-Gen GPUs Still Worth It?

Yes. Recent price drops have made the RX 6000 and RTX 3000 series graphics cards incredibly valuable options for gamers. With performance that can compete with current-gen cards for a significantly lower price, these GPUs are still worth buying.