Warzone 2 is one of the more demanding FPS shooters with its life-like details and fast gameplay bringing many gaming PCs to their knees. Our guide to the best graphics card for Warzone 2 includes top picks the best Warzone players use to dominate the map. We also provide essential Warzone 2 graphics card insights to help you make the right buying decision the first time.
Table of Contents
Best graphics cards for Warzone 2
- Best overall: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Most powerful: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- Best for price and performance: EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3
- Best for price and performance: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080ti
- Best budget GPU: MSI Ventus 3070 3x OC
- Best budget GPU: MSI Ventus 3060 2x OC
Pro tip
We track gaming PC specs for the most popular Call of Duty players. Our Warzone 2 GPU picks are informed by this in-house data. We also include budget GPU options and helpful buying tips to ensure that all levels of players and budgets can run Warzone 2 at 144 FPS and higher.
- Great performance for the price
- Lots of VRAM
- Great FPS at 2K and 1080p resolutions
- Future-proof
- Expensive
- Limited stock
| GPU Cores | 10496 |
| VRAM | 24GB |
| Clock (Base | Boost) | 1395 MHz | 1695 MHz |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Power Supply | 750w+ |
| Resolution Capabilities | 1080p, 2K |
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is by far and away the most popular graphics card used by Call of Duty players. In fact, nearly a quarter of the pros we track gaming PC specs for play on this exact graphics card.
This powerhouse packs in a lofty 24GB of VRAM and high clock speeds that can render the most demanding AAA titles at high FPS with great graphics quality. Even with the newer 4090-series graphics cards now on the market, this graphics card is still in short supply due to its blistering performance for graphically intense workloads.
Knowing this, it’s not surprising that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 will cost an arm and a leg. But that investment may be worth it for many gamers who can get their hands on one. Your reward is securing one of the best Warzone 2 graphics cards around.
- Blistering performance
- Great FPS at 2K and 4K resolutions
- Lots of VRAM
- Future-proof
- Expensive
- Limited stock
- Requires DDR5 RAM and a big power supply
| GPU Cores | 16384 |
| VRAM | 24GB |
| Clock (Base | Boost) | 2235 MHz | 2520 MHz |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Power Supply | 850w+ |
| Resolution Capabilities | 1080p, 2K, 4K |
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is on the bleeding edge. Its 24GB of VRAM and high base and boost clock speeds can run Warzone 2 at competitively-high FPS at 2K and 4K resolutions. This combination of elite performance, high resolution, and great graphics quality wasn’t possible in Call of Duty installments until the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 was released in late 2022.
Of course, there are some considerations before opening your wallet for an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 beyond just limited availability.
You may need to invest in upgrading some of your gaming PC components. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 only works with DDR5 memory, you’ll need a beefy power supply of at least 850w (many gamers are actually using 1000w and 1200w power supply’s), and many gaming PC cases aren’t big enough to accommodate this thick boy.
- Good performance for the price
- Great FPS at 2K and 1080p resolutions
- High boosted clock speed
- Limited stock
| GPU Cores | 10240 |
| VRAM | 12GB |
| Clock (Base | Boost) | 1365 MHz | 1665 MHz |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Power Supply | 750w+ |
| Resolution Capabilities | 1080p, 2K |
The sweet spot for price and performance is within the RTX 3080 lineup. Based on our pro player usage data, it shouldn’t come as a surprise then that this lineup of graphics cards is the second most popular series.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080ti is among the best in that class since it can pump out more FPS in Warzone 2 at 1080p than many typical gaming monitors can handle.
This graphics card can even shine running at 2K resolution, although you may see some dips below 144 FPS depending on your CPU, RAM, and selected graphics settings. The 12GB of VRAM is also more than enough to future-proof you for years to come.
While performance is undoubtedly great, it does come at a cost. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080ti graphics card is worth it for many gamers, but it’s still a costly investment.
- Great performance for the price
- Great FPS at 1080p resolution
- High boosted clock speed
- EVGA is getting out of the GPU business
| GPU Cores | 8704 |
| VRAM | 10GB |
| Clock (Base | Boost) | 1440 MHz | 1800 MHZ |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Recommended Power Supply | 700w+ |
| Resolution Capabilities | 1080p |
EVGA makes some of the best GPUs for Warzone 2, especially the company’s FTW3 lineup which offers premium performance compared to other manufacturers. That theme holds true for the EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3. The boosted clock speed far outpaces other 3080-series graphics cards, and it packs in 10GB of VRAM. This will give you plenty of GPU headroom when running Warzone 2 at high FPS.
While the EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 is a solid pick, consider EVGA announced in 2022 that it is getting out of the graphics card business. EVGA graphics cards will still be for sale for some time, but it wouldn’t be surprising if prices for this popular graphics card increase as supplies dwindle. Importantly if you’re buying a new EVGA graphics card, the company will still be servicing its graphics cards, and its one-year warranty remains in place.
- Packs in performance for the price
- High boosted clock speed for the price
- Great FPS at 1080p resolution
- Not capable of smooth gameplay above 1080 resolution in demanding games
| GPU Cores | 5888 |
| VRAM | 8GB |
| Clock (Base | Boost) | 1500 MHz | 1755 MHz |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Power Supply | 550w+ |
| Resolution Capabilities | 1080p |
In many other PC games, an MSI Ventus RTX 3070 3x OC could be considered a premium pick for casual gamers. But for Warzone 2’s demanding needs, we consider it a “premium” budget pick.
Value-based performance can best characterize this graphics card, especially when it comes to base and boost clock speeds. The MSI Ventus RTX 3070 3x OC’s clock speeds go toe to toe with video cards that are more than double its price. This is one of the several reasons why this GPU is a clear winner as a budget GPU for Warzone 2.
Even with great clock speeds and sufficient VRAM, don’t expect the MSI Ventus RTX 2070 3x OC to be on par with other picks on this list regarding graphics power. This graphics card won’t be able to run Warzone 2 at competitive FPS levels beyond 1080p resolution.
- Packs in performance for the price
- High boosted clock speed for the price
- Great FPS at 1080p resolution
- Not capable of smooth gameplay above 1080 resolution in demanding games
- Future-proofing is limited
| GPU Cores | 3584 |
| VRAM | 12GB |
| Clock (Base | Boost) | 1320 MHz | 1807 MHz |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Power Supply | 450w+ |
| Resolution Capabilities | 1080p |
The MSI Ventus RTX 3060 2x OC is the best budget GPU for Warzone 2. But don’t let its price tag make you think it doesn’t pack in a performance punch in Warzone 2. The video card has plenty of VRAM to render high frame rates at 1080p with solid graphics quality, and the clock speeds are some of the best in this range of GPUs.
Again, any cheap GPU for Warzone 2 will struggle beyond 1080p resolution. But frames win games, not resolution. This explains why many of the top Warzone 2 players play at low settings to prioritize FPS over eye candy. You can get the same competitive advantage with this budget GPU pick but at a fraction of the price.
How much GPU do you need for Warzone 2?
Playing Warzone 2 at competitively-high frame rates at 2K and 4K resolutions is possible, but you’ll need a decently-powered graphics card when going beyond 1080p and aiming for at least 144 FPS. Here are some suggested Warzone 2 graphics cards based on differing FPS and resolution scenarios.
144Hz+
All of our picks for the best GPUs for Warzone 2 can render the game at 144 FPS or higher at 1080p resolution, with an appropriate CPU and enough RAM. The MSI Ventus 3060 2x OC and the MSI Ventus 3070 3x OC won’t be able to render Warzone at competitively-high FPS above 1080p resolution, though.
240Hz+
While the MSI Ventus 3060 2x OC and the MSI Ventus 3070 3x OC may be able to hit 240+ FPS in Warzone 2, it’s impossible without seriously-degraded graphics. If you want to hit at least 240 FPS in Warzone 2, you’ll need an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 at 2K resolution and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 to do so at 1080p resolution. You’re cutting it close with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080ti and wanting to render Warzone 2 at 240+ FPS and 1080p.
2K resolution (1440p)
An NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080ti, or EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 is needed to play Warzone 2 at competitively-high FPS at 1440p resolution. Consider, though, that once you move lower into 3080-series graphics cards, your mileage may vary when trying to hit at least 144 FPS at 2k resolution.
4K resolution
You’ll need an NVIDIA RTX 4090 graphics card to play Warzone at 4K resolution with high enough frame rates to be competitive. While an NVIDIA RTX 3090 can render smooth gameplay at 4K resolution, chances are you won’t have competitively-high frame rates on many CPUs.
Remember that the best Warzone 2 graphics settings make a world of difference in how well the game performs across different gaming PCs.
Should you get an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card for Warzone 2?
An NVIDIA RTX-series graphics card is unanimously the best GPU for Warzone 2. It’s best to also avoid purchasing older generation NVIDIA GTX-series graphics cards to future-proof against the inevitable trend of games becoming more demanding year after year.
For several reasons, NVIDIA graphics cards have a leg up on AMD and Intel.
Firstly, NVIDIA’s DLSS upscaling technology helps run Warzone 2 at high frame rates. The technology reduces the resolution and then uses AI to upscale the frames, all while boosting frame rates and maintaining a sharp picture. DLSS is most useful for lower-end gaming PCs that are struggling to hit high frame rates at low resolutions.
NVIDIA RTX-series graphics cards also include both NVIDIA’s Reflex Low Latency technology and raytracing capabilities.
NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency reduces latency in Warzone 2, which is critical with Call of Duty’s rapid gameplay style.
Raytracing doesn’t offer performance advantages – that’s why the most competitive gamers disable it – but it adds life-like detail to environments that make for great eye candy.
Lastly, NVIDIA offers color and filter customizations in Warzone 2 that make it easier to spot other players and improve your environment’s vibrance and clarity. Our guide to the best NVIDIA filters for Warzone 2 is a must-read for improving visibility in Warzone 2.
What graphics cards do Call of Duty pros use?
We aren’t alone in thinking NVIDIA graphics cards far outshine AMD graphics cards in Warzone 2. Pros and popular Call of Duty streamers overwhelmingly play on NVIDIA graphics cards to gain the competitive edge needed to be among the best.
In fact, 97% of the Warzone 2 players we track game settings and gear for play on NVIDIA graphics cards. The other 3% of players tracked play on AMD graphics cards.
This trend isn’t likely to shift in the foreseeable future. Warzone 2 is highly optimized for NVIDIA graphics cards and its latest generation of RTX 4- series graphics cards pummel the performance of its still highly impressive RTX 30-series graphics cards.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is the most popular NVIDIA graphics card model Call of Duty pros use. 19% of Warzone 2 players use this graphics card model specifically.
This theme of preferring RTX 3090 graphics cards can also be seen when reviewing the GPU series of graphics cards that Call of Duty players pick most frequently.
| GPU Series | Pro Player Pick Rate |
| RTX 3090 | 52% |
| RTX 3080 | 20% |
| RTX 4090 | 11% |
| RTX 3080ti | 5% |
| RTX 3090ti | 3% |
| RTX 2080ti | 3% |
| RTX 3070 | 2% |
| Other NVIDIA graphics cards | 4% |
Many other brands license NVIDIA’s technology to use in their branded graphics cards. Here’s a breakdown of player trends by graphics card brand.
| GPU Brands | Pro Player Pick Rate* |
| NVIDIA | 32% |
| EVGA | 21% |
| Asus ROG/Strix | 16% |
| MSI | 12% |
| Gigabyte | 7% |
| Zotac | 4% |
| Other brands | 7% |
*Does not sum to 100% due to rounding.
CPU and RAM considerations for Warzone 2
Warzone 2’s performance will be closely tied to your gaming PC’s CPU and RAM, not just your graphics card. Slapping an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 into a PC with an under-equipped CPU with too little RAM is like adding a turbo into a Honda Accord.
Simply, you can get only so much performance from an under-equipped gaming rig. Spend a few moments thinking through the best Warzone 2 CPU and your RAM when in the market for a new graphics card.
Warzone 2 can run on 8GB of RAM, but aiming for 16GB of quality DDR4 RAM is better for consistently better performance and future-proofing.
