Best Graphics Card (GPU) for Minecraft in 2022

A bunch of buzzy bees
A bunch of buzzy bees (Image credit: Mojang)

Minecraft, the sandbox game that essentially lets you do whatever you want, might just be the best-selling game of all time. It appeals to all ages; it can be played as a survival challenge or a creative outlet, and, perhaps most importantly, it can be played on both wimpy and beefy PC hardware. We've put together this collection of graphics cards (GPU) that will deliver a varying degree of performance so you can get the right hardware for your Minecraft PC.

How to pick the right GPU for Minecraft

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Thanks to relatively low GPU requirements, you can get away with integrated graphics and still have a good time. However, if you'd like to crank up the graphics settings to make the vanilla game look as good as possible and still get a high framerate, a dedicated GPU is recommended. While there are some truly budget options that will give Minecraft a substantial boost, we recommend checking out the ZOTAC NVIDIA GTX 1650. It's a GPU that will deliver smooth framerates at 1080p and 1440p, and it will even afford you the ability to run some lightweight Java shaders.

This GPU is also a good option for playing other games. It's not going to push modern AAA titles to their limit, but it will deliver the performance needed to play less-intensive indie and competitive games at a high framerate.

If you're interested in Java shaders and want to give your Minecraft world a much more realistic look, a higher-end GPU like the AMD RX 5700 or NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super is recommended. And if you're eagerly anticipating the RTX upgrades to Bedrock Minecraft, a high-end NVIDIA card is what you want.

When choosing a GPU, keep in mind that Minecraft also relies heavily on the processor (CPU). Even if you have an expensive, powerful GPU listed in our best graphics card roundup, an aging or underpowered CPU is going to cause a significant bottleneck. If you're building a new PC from scratch, be sure to have a look at our collection of the best CPUs for a custom rig.

Cale Hunt
Senior Editor, Laptop Reviews

Cale Hunt is formerly a Senior Editor at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on laptop reviews, news, and accessory coverage. He's been reviewing laptops and accessories full-time since 2016, with hundreds of reviews published for Windows Central. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.