GRAPHICS CARD

2021 saw the release of some fantastic graphics cards. Truly desirable cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti met the needs of gamers with ultrawide and 4K screens, while more affordable cards like the RTX 3060 and RX 6600 set a new 1080p 60FPS baseline. As more and more gamers make use of high refresh rate screens, the need for faster graphics cards was more apparent than ever. Image scaling technologies such as DLSS and FSR, along with ray traced lighting effects, went mainstream, but sadly, any discussion around the state of the GPU industry can’t ignore the unprecedented challenges that continue to blight the industry. The one-two punch of pandemicrelated supply chain issues along with surging mining demand meant that fewer cards made their way into the hands of gamers. It’s a sad state of affairs when a supposed mid-range card like the RTX 3060 sold for well over $1,000. Saying that 2021 was a lost year for PC gaming isn’t an exaggeration. 2022 is already looking much better as we look towards the launch of next generation GPUs, not just from Nvidia and AMD, but relative newcomers Intel too.