You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here
Thinking of building a PC that will match the performance of your console? No problem, let’s look at the PS4 GPU equivalent so you can get the right graphics card to match or exceed the capabilities of your PlayStation. We’ve already covered what graphics cards are equivalent to the Xbox Series X in 2024 if you want to get a graphics card that matches the latest Xbox. Let’s get into it.
Though over a decade old now, with a release date in November 2013, the PlayStation 4 is by no means out of date or forgotten. With new titles still being released and older games receiving updates, the PS4 remains a steadfast console still able to deliver decent quality gameplay. The PlayStation 4 is definitely capable of running 1080p graphics, though it’s likely a lot of titles for this console may not be designed to reach such graphical heights, meaning you’ll be limited to a frame rate of around 30fps. That’s before factoring in the increased visual fidelity of the PS4 Pro, too.
While it may seem a bit strange to compare a PC component to an entire console, it’s an important comparison to make. When we compared the RTX 4080 Super Vs PS5, the graphics card and the console’s raw specs appeared fairly well matched when on paper. But, most notably, the MSRP between a GPU and a console tend to differ drastically.
For instance, of the RTX 4080 Super is $999 / £959, while the PlayStation 5’s MSRP is, at its highest, $499 / £449, which means not only is the PS5 cheaper, that is for the entire, pre-constructed console, while the RTX 4080 Super is just for the graphics card. That being said, the graphics card is more flexible in its use, especially if you are building your own PC, as a graphics card can be paired with other pieces of hardware to deliver the best gaming experience. While the hardware of the console is not hardware upgradable, due to the nature in which it is constructed and the software used to run it.
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 Super OC
Base Clock
2.024 gigahertz
Boost Clock
2.505 gigahertz
VRAM
16GB
TDP
320
PlayStation 4 graphics card
The PS4 uses a very unique GPU that makes it slightly harder to compare to a PC component. With an APU (accelerated processing unit) created by AMD and Sony which combines the PlayStation 4’s CPU and GPU into one chip. It consists of an 8-core x86-64 AMD Jaguar CPU and an AMD Radeon GPU.
This APU is equipped with 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM, a 256-bit memory bus, and a clock speed of 2.75GHz, as well as a power consumption of about 150 W. So, when finding an equivalent graphics card to the PlayStation 4, we’ll be looking for GPUs that match, if not exceed, those specs.
What graphics cards are equivalent to PlayStation 4?
In terms of minimum equivalent, you could get away with an AMD Radeon 7850, though this would not, for example, meet the minimum Palworld system requirements. If you want 4K gaming on AAA titles, this one won’t be for you. Released in 2012, the AMD Radeon 7850 can handle up to 1080p and has an impressively low price tag, due to its age. With a shockingly low 2Gb of GDDR5 VRAM and a 256-bit memory, the 7850 is currently available to buy for less than $200.
Or if you’re looking for the closest GPU equivalent to the PlayStation 4 from Nvidia, the GTX 750 Ti is as close as you can get. Using Nvidia’s Maxwell architecture, the 750 Ti has 640 CUDA cores, 50 texture units and can comfortably run games at 1080p. With an MSRP of $149, this GPU also has a comparatively low cost due to its age and performance compared to newer, faster and more powerful GPUs released since 2014. We can’t really recommend anything this old or out of date, but that’s okay because we can turn our attention to mainstream graphics cards for 1080p60 instead.
If you want to step up your computer’s game and exceed the PlayStation 4’s graphics capabilities without a demand for 4K Ultra, then the RTX 3060 is a good choice. The RTX 3060 is equipped with Ampere architecture, a comparatively low power consumption of 170 W and about 3,584 Cure Cores, alongside a 12.7 TFLOPS. The RTX 3060 has a clock speed of 1320MHz, a 192-bit memory card and 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which is still comparatively lower than modern games will require; for instance,. But the RTX 3060 is a newer GPU, released in January 2021, while the GTX 750 Ti and the AMD Radeon 7850 are both nearly a decade old, which may make them cheaper and equivalent to the PS4, but doesn’t boast great performance abilities. Nvidia’s RTX 3060 has an MSRP at $329. Alternatively, for an extra performance boost and overhead with DLSS 3, we recommend checking out the RTX 4060 which features 8GB GDDR6 VRAM but is available for $299. It’s slightly cheaper but features a touch less memory but can utilize Frame Generation.
And if you are looking for a GPU that not only surpasses the PlayStation 4, and even competes with the latest PlayStation 5, you should consider the RX 7900 XT. Using a later generation of architecture, the 7900 XT is built on RDNA 3 with a production size of 5nm. This graphics card is equipped with 20GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a 320-bit memory bus. It does have a fairly high power consumption of 315 W, so if you’re trying to keep the electricity bills down this may not be the best choice. It also has a clock speed at 1500MHz, and when tested in 4K gameplay by Testing Games on YouTube, AMD’s graphics card coped well at 4K reaching an impressive frame rate of 163fps. If you want to see how we thought the RX 7900 XT stacked up against Nvidia’s latest high-end Super GPU, check out RTX 4080 Super Vs RX 7900 XT for an in depth comparison. The RX 7900 XT does, however, come with a higher price tag at $899. We recommend this GPU for anyone wanting to build a machine more powerful than even the PS5!
SAPPHIRE Radeon RX 7900 XT
Base clock
2075MHz
Boost clock
2400MHz
VRAM
20GB GDDR6
Dimensions
276 x 51 x 135mm
Recommended PSU
750W
Final thoughts
Overall, the PlayStation 4 is capable of running 1080p resolution games with a relatively decent frame rate for a console over ten years old. If you want to match the PS4’s capabilities and nothing more, then you can get away with an ancient GPU such as the GTX 750 Ti or Radeon 7850. However, for a far more modern solution, we recommend a build with an RTX 3060 or RTX 4060 to keep up with today’s 1080p gaming. Or, if you want a GPU that can comfortably run higher quality graphics and exceed the PlayStation 4’s abilities, the RX 7900 XT is a more up to date GPU that is capable of running 4K and offers more longevity with its architecture. But it does have a higher cost.
If you are running on a budget, buying a GPU will not work out as cost effective unless you already have a PC that you’ve built, as you’ll need to invest in CPUs, motherboards and other components that will very quickly add up. The GTX 750 Ti is a good choice for a cheaper GPU, or if you want to save money in the long run, the PlayStation 4 is a good quality console for half the price of high-end graphics cards. And you won’t have to worry about constructing it yourself.
What GPU does the PlayStation 4 use?
The PS4 uses a very unique GPU that makes it slightly harder to compare to a PC component. With an APU (accelerated processing unit) created by AMD and Sony which combines the PlayStation 4’s CPU and GPU into one chip. It consists of an 8-core x86-64 AMD Jaguar CPU and an AMD Radeon GPU.
Should I buy a GPU or a PlayStation 4?
If you are running on a budget and want up-to-date technology at a lower price, buying a console like the PlayStation 4 is going to be cheaper in the long run.
About the Author
