In 2021, NVIDIA made big strides in graphics cards with their Ampere architecture. They improved both performance and efficiency. The top card, the GeForce RTX 3090, was designed for those who want the best power for gaming and creative work. It had 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, supporting high-resolution gaming and detailed 3D rendering. The more affordable RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 also brought significant performance improvements over earlier models, offering better value for gamers who want high frame rates and long-lasting systems.

The RTX 30 series introduced several new technologies that enhanced user experience. The list includes:

• Ray tracing: Improved realistic lighting and shadows for visually stunning graphics.
• DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling): Used AI to boost frame rates while maintaining high image quality.
• Resizable BAR: Enhanced communication between the CPU and GPU for better performance in some games.
• NVIDIA Reflex: Minimized latency to improve responsiveness, crucial for competitive gamers.

These innovations were aimed at elevating the gaming experience, making NVIDIA cards highly sought after despite stock shortages.

In 2021, it was hard for people to buy new NVIDIA graphics cards. A lot of people wanted them, like scalpers and cryptocurrency miners, which caused prices to go up. Many gamers were upset because they couldn't buy a card at the regular price. But those who managed to get a card enjoyed much better performance. Overall, the NVIDIA graphics cards from 2021 showed what high-quality graphics cards could do.

In 2021, AMD made big advances in the GPU market with new products that caught the interest of tech fans and gamers. The launch of the Radeon RX 6000 series brought strong competition to NVIDIA, thanks to the RDNA 2 architecture, which greatly improved performance. The top model, RX 6900 XT, delivered excellent 4K gaming capabilities and was often more affordable than NVIDIA's best products. Many users appreciated its efficient power use and advanced features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and Infinity Cache, which boosted gaming performance.

In 2021, AMD released several new models aimed at different parts of the market. These models focused on both strong gaming performance and efficient operation. Here are some of the notable releases:

• Radeon RX 6800: Known for its high performance at a reasonable price, making it ideal for QHD gaming.
• RX 6700 XT: Offers respectable 1440p performance, focused on mid-range efficiency and power.
• RX 6600 XT: Aimed at budget-conscious users who still want robust performance for PC gaming at 1080p.

AMD's GPUs were mostly liked by buyers, but they also had problems. Many people had a hard time finding them because there weren't enough chips available worldwide and more people wanted them. Consumers liked that these GPUs could perform better with AMD's Smart Access Memory feature, especially when used with Ryzen processors. They were a good deal for people already using AMD products. AMD's 2021 GPU lineup was an important move towards providing strong competition in the market.

In 2021, Intel released its own line of graphics cards, the Intel Arc series. This was a big step for Intel as it wanted to compete with other major companies like NVIDIA and AMD. These new GPUs are designed for both gamers and those who work in creative fields. They come with modern features such as hardware-accelerated ray tracing, variable-rate shading, and AI-enhanced graphics. This effort shows Intel's commitment to offering a range of computing solutions, not just their built-in graphics.

Intel released new Arc GPUs in 2021 with important improvements in technology and design. These improvements included:

• Xe-HPG Architecture: A new architecture designed for gaming with high-performance outputs.
• DirectX 12 Ultimate Support: Ensures compatibility with the latest gaming titles offering better visual effects.
• AI Acceleration: Provides improved performance in AI-related tasks, using dedicated hardware within the GPU.
• Ray Tracing Capabilities: Support for real-time ray tracing, enhancing realism in gaming experiences.
• Enhanced Media Capabilities: Better video encoding and decoding performance for content creation.

People interested in gaming graphics found the Arc series from Intel promising. Although it was a new product, Intel wanted to offer a choice that was both powerful and affordable. The series appealed to gamers who wanted the latest technology without spending too much. However, Intel had a hard time building trust in the market for separate GPUs because consumers were very loyal to other brands. Still, Intel's Arc series was an exciting new choice for buying a graphics card.