What Graphics Cards are Capable of Ray Tracing?
Ray tracing is a technology that has revolutionized the world of computer graphics. It allows for the creation of realistic and immersive graphics, making it an essential feature for gamers and professionals alike. But not all graphics cards are capable of ray tracing. In this article, we will explore which graphics cards can handle ray tracing and what features to look for when choosing a graphics card for ray tracing.
Direct Answer
The answer to this question is quite simple: only graphics cards from NVIDIA’s RTX series are capable of ray tracing. The RTX series includes the RTX 2060, RTX 2070, RTX 2080, RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2080 Super, and the latest RTX 3080 and RTX 3090. These graphics cards come equipped with dedicated hardware for ray tracing, including the RT cores, which are specifically designed for this task.
Why Ray Tracing Matters
Ray tracing is a technology that allows for the simulation of real-world lighting and reflections. It works by tracing the path of light as it bounces off various objects in a scene, creating a more realistic and immersive experience. This technology is particularly useful for applications such as gaming, where it can create more realistic environments and characters.
What Graphics Cards Can Handle Ray Tracing?
As mentioned earlier, only graphics cards from NVIDIA’s RTX series are capable of ray tracing. Here is a list of some of the most popular graphics cards from the RTX series:
| Graphics Card | Release Date | CUDA Cores | Ray Tracing Cores | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 2060 | March 2019 | 1920 | 24 | 6 GB GDDR6 |
| RTX 2070 | March 2019 | 2304 | 36 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| RTX 2080 | September 2018 | 2944 | 48 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| RTX 2070 Super | July 2019 | 2560 | 40 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| RTX 2080 Super | July 2019 | 3072 | 48 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| RTX 3080 | September 2020 | 4352 | 68 | 12 GB GDDR6X |
| RTX 3090 | September 2020 | 5248 | 84 | 16 GB GDDR6X |
What Features to Look for When Choosing a Graphics Card for Ray Tracing
When choosing a graphics card for ray tracing, there are a few key features to look for:
- RT Cores: These are the dedicated hardware cores that handle ray tracing tasks. More RT cores generally mean better performance.
- CUDA Cores: These are the general-purpose processing units that handle other tasks, such as 3D rendering and physics simulations. More CUDA cores generally mean better overall performance.
- Memory: Ray tracing requires a lot of memory to store the scene and render the final image. More memory generally means better performance.
- Memory Bandwidth: This is the amount of data that can be transferred between the graphics card and system memory per second. Higher memory bandwidth generally means better performance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, only graphics cards from NVIDIA’s RTX series are capable of ray tracing. When choosing a graphics card for ray tracing, look for features such as RT cores, CUDA cores, memory, and memory bandwidth. The RTX 2060, RTX 2070, RTX 2080, RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2080 Super, RTX 3080, and RTX 3090 are some of the most popular graphics cards from the RTX series.