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At 1440p, 240Hz is a high-refresh target rather than a promise of 240 FPS in every game. The best graphics card for 1440p 240hz depends on whether you play esports at optimized settings or demanding AAA games at Ultra. Current benchmarks show a wide gap between those workloads, so match the GPU to your games, CPU, and display.
How to Choose a Graphics Card for 1440p 240Hz
Match the GPU to Your Games
For competitive shooters, reaching very high frame rates can be realistic with optimized settings, while demanding AAA games require substantially more rendering power. Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 raster suite at 2560×1440 Ultra averaged 116.5 FPS for the RX 9070 XT and 128.3 FPS for the RTX 5080, showing why 240Hz should not be treated as a universal 240-FPS target.
If esports is your main workload, the RX 9060 XT 16GB can serve as a lower-cost starting point, while the RX 9070 XT provides considerably more raster headroom. For visually demanding games, the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 move into a higher performance class. Your CPU also matters once frame rates become very high, particularly at reduced graphics settings.
Consider Native Rendering and Upscaling
A 240Hz monitor can display up to 240 refreshed images each second, but the GPU still has to render the frames. Native 1440p Ultra results therefore provide a useful baseline, while DLSS or FSR can change the workload by rendering internally at a lower resolution and reconstructing the output.
For the best graphics card for 1440p 240hz, decide whether native rendering is your priority or whether quality upscaling is acceptable. NVIDIA’s RTX 50-series supports DLSS 4, including Multi Frame Generation, while AMD’s RX 9000 series supports FSR technologies. These features can raise displayed frame rates, but generated frames should not be treated as equivalent to traditionally rendered frames.
Check VRAM and Platform Compatibility
VRAM becomes important when high-resolution textures, demanding games, and future software increase memory requirements. The four cards below provide 16GB of VRAM, with the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti using GDDR7 while the RX 9070 XT and RX 9060 XT 16GB use GDDR6. This keeps the comparison focused on current 16GB-class GPUs.
Compatibility also includes the motherboard slot, power supply, connector, and case clearance. All four cards use PCIe 5.0 x16 interfaces, but board-partner dimensions vary. NVIDIA lists 750W system power for the RTX 5070 Ti and 850W for the RTX 5080, while AMD lists 750W for the RX 9070 XT and 450W for the RX 9060 XT 16GB.
Use Consistent Benchmark Data
When comparing the best graphics card for 1440p 240hz, use benchmarks with the same resolution and settings instead of mixing unrelated FPS figures. Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 raster hierarchy reports 1440p Ultra averages of 128.3 FPS for the RTX 5080, 116.8 FPS for the RTX 5070 Ti, 116.5 FPS for the RX 9070 XT, and 67.3 FPS for the RX 9060 XT 16GB.
Those figures come from a broad game suite rather than a single esports title, so they should be read as comparative data rather than a prediction for your particular game. At 240Hz, CPU limits, game engines, graphics presets, upscaling modes, and frame-generation settings can materially change results. Keep the test method consistent when comparing cards.
Top Picks for 1440p 240Hz
| Product | Best For | Key Spec | Compatibility | Watch Out For |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | Best Overall | 16GB GDDR7, 128.3 FPS at 1440p Ultra | PCIe 5.0, 850W PSU | 360W GPU power |
| AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT | Best Value | 16GB GDDR6, 116.5 FPS at 1440p Ultra | PCIe 5.0, 750W PSU | Weaker RT performance |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | Best For Ray Tracing | 16GB GDDR7, 116.8 FPS at 1440p Ultra | PCIe 5.0, 750W PSU | 300W GPU power |
| AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB | Best For Esports | 16GB GDDR6, 67.3 FPS at 1440p Ultra | PCIe 5.0, 450W PSU | Not a 240-FPS AAA card |
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
The RTX 5080 suits buyers building around demanding AAA games, ray tracing, and high-refresh 1440p gaming. NVIDIA specifies 16GB of GDDR7, a 256-bit memory interface, 360W total graphics power, and an 850W recommended system power supply. It also supports DLSS 4, Multi Frame Generation, and PCIe 5.0.
The best graphics card for 1440p 240hz is workload-dependent, but the RTX 5080 gives substantial rendering headroom. Tom’s Hardware reports 128.3 FPS at 2560×1440 Ultra in its 2026 raster suite. Its main weakness is power consumption and system cost, so buyers focused mainly on esports should not assume this level of hardware is necessary.
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
The RX 9070 XT is aimed at users who prioritize strong raster performance and 16GB of memory without moving to the RTX 5080 class. AMD specifies 16GB GDDR6, a 256-bit interface, 304W typical board power, a 750W minimum PSU recommendation, PCIe 5.0 x16, DisplayPort 2.1a, and HDMI 2.1b.
For the best graphics card for 1440p 240hz, the RX 9070 XT fits systems where native raster performance matters more than maximum ray tracing performance. Tom’s Hardware records 116.5 FPS at 1440p Ultra across its 2026 raster suite. Its weakness is ray tracing performance relative to NVIDIA’s competing cards, so RT-heavy buyers should compare that feature directly.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
The RTX 5070 Ti fits buyers who want NVIDIA’s current high-end features without moving to the RTX 5080. Its reference specifications include 8,960 CUDA cores, 16GB GDDR7, a 256-bit memory interface, 300W total graphics power, PCIe 5.0, and a 750W required system power figure. Board-partner dimensions and cooling designs vary.
As a best graphics card for 1440p 240hz option, the RTX 5070 Ti is particularly relevant for ray tracing and DLSS-oriented builds. Tom’s Hardware reports 116.8 FPS at 1440p Ultra in its 2026 raster suite, close to the RX 9070 XT in that test. Its main drawback is the 300W power class and higher platform requirements than lower-tier cards.
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
The RX 9060 XT 16GB targets buyers whose priority is high-refresh competitive gaming rather than maximum AAA settings. AMD specifies 16GB GDDR6, a 128-bit interface, up to 320GB/s memory bandwidth, 160W typical board power, a 450W minimum PSU recommendation, PCIe 5.0 x16, DisplayPort 2.1a, and HDMI 2.1b.
For the best graphics card for 1440p 240hz on a tighter hardware budget, this card can make sense when game settings are optimized and the CPU is capable of high frame rates. Tom’s Hardware reports 67.3 FPS at 1440p Ultra across its 2026 raster suite, so it should not be positioned as a 240-FPS Ultra AAA solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any GPU run 1440p at 240 FPS?
No, 240 FPS at 1440p depends on the game, graphics settings, CPU, and rendering technology. Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 1440p Ultra averages range from 67.3 FPS on the RX 9060 XT 16GB to 128.3 FPS on the RTX 5080 across its tested suite, so demanding AAA games generally sit well below 240 FPS.
Competitive games can behave very differently because optimized settings and lighter workloads may produce much higher frame rates. A 240Hz display remains useful below 240 FPS through variable refresh-rate technologies, but the monitor itself cannot create additional frames. Your actual result should therefore be based on the games you play and their graphics settings.
Is 16GB VRAM enough for 1440p 240Hz?
Yes, 16GB is a substantial VRAM capacity for a current 1440p gaming build, although the requirement varies by game and settings. The RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, RX 9070 XT, and RX 9060 XT 16GB all provide 16GB, but they use different memory technologies and bandwidth configurations.
VRAM capacity should not be confused with raw GPU performance. A 16GB card can still fall short of 240 FPS because its shader performance, ray-tracing hardware, or CPU pairing becomes the limiting factor. Texture quality, ray tracing, mods, and game-specific memory behavior should all be considered before choosing settings.
Does 240Hz require an RTX 5080?
No, an RTX 5080 is not a mandatory requirement for a 240Hz monitor. The appropriate GPU depends on whether you want high frame rates in esports titles, native 1440p rendering, ray tracing, or higher displayed frame rates using upscaling and frame generation. Current 16GB options span several performance and power tiers.
The RTX 5080 provides 128.3 FPS at 1440p Ultra in Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 raster suite, while the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT are around 117 FPS in the same dataset. That illustrates why 240Hz and 240 FPS should be treated as separate targets, especially for AAA workloads.
Does the CPU matter for 1440p 240Hz gaming?
Yes, the CPU can become a major limit when frame rates approach very high levels, especially in competitive games using reduced graphics settings. At that point, the processor must prepare game logic, simulation, and rendering commands quickly enough for the GPU to produce additional frames. This is different from a GPU-limited Ultra workload.
The best graphics card for 1440p 240hz therefore depends partly on the rest of the system. A powerful GPU paired with a CPU that cannot sustain the required frame rate may leave performance unused, while a balanced system can make better use of a 240Hz display. Monitor refresh rate, VRR support, and game settings should be considered together.
Final Thoughts
The best graphics card for 1440p 240hz depends on the workload rather than the monitor specification alone. The RTX 5080 targets demanding high-refresh gaming, the RX 9070 XT emphasizes raster performance, the RTX 5070 Ti adds NVIDIA features and strong RT capability, while the RX 9060 XT 16GB suits optimized competitive workloads.
