Choosing the Right Video Card
This article covers criteria involved in selecting and buying
the graphics card that is right for you. It is meant to be used
as a reference to help beginners select and buy a new graphics
card.
With the magnitude of different video cards available on the
market, selecting one that is best for your computer can seem
like a daunting task. A video cards importance is often
overlooked and people tend to believe that a good video card is
only required for gaming. The fact is, a good video card can
enhance your computing experience and save you from computer
slow downs due to inadequate video resources. With a little bit
of research and a bit of planning, you can choose the right one
for you.
The first thing you need to do is decide how you are going to
use your computer. Are you going to play video games? Are you
going to only use office applications such as Microsoft Excel
and Word? Will you be doing any video or picture editing? These
are very important questions when trying to determine the best
video card for you.
At first thought you may say, I don’t have enough time for games
or I don’t plan on buying a digital camera so I won’t be doing
any picture editing. But really think hard about it. If there is
even the slightest, remote possibility that you will do more
with your computer than you initially think, then it is better
to spend a little more on a good video card now than be
disappointed when the game your friend or kid is playing won’t
work at all on your computer.
The most important features that differentiate video cards are
video and 3D performance and quality. If most of your time on
the computer is spent using office applications or other 2D
software, then the 3D performance of a graphics card won’t play
much of a role in your buying decision. Most video cards
manufactured today handle 2D graphics with ease, even though
there are differences in 2D performance between cards, these
differences are not enough for the average consumer to notice.
Simply put, reading your email using a high-end video card won’t
be any faster than on a mid-level card. All current graphics
processors are fine for office work and most video applications
so you don’t need to spend a lot of money to meet your needs,
just ensure it meets at least the following specs…..
* Memory: minimum 64MB recommended 128MB
* Ability to display in the resolutions you want to use
(example 1024X768) with a minimum refresh rate of 75Hz
* Has the proper connections for your monitor: Analog
(CRT monitors) DVI (Most Flat Panel LCD monitors)
Now, if you are looking to do anything more intense than office
applications such as gaming or even playing video, you will need
to start comparing the 3D performance of video cards, as this is
where the major difference lies. Even if you aren’t a hardcore
gamer, you shouldn’t try to save money in the wrong place, you
will be sorry in the end.
You may wonder why I mention videos in the same sentence with
gaming, as gaming generally requires more video card resources.
For all intents and purposes, any graphics card is capable of
displaying any video format, but there are differences in cards
that result in a CPU load on the PC. If the CPU load is too high
when playing videos there will be noticeable stuttering during
playback. The more tasks the graphics processor can handle, the
less work is left to the CPU, improving overall performance.
Here are some things to consider when choosing a 3D Graphics
Card.
Graphics processors
Most graphics cards are based on either the Nvidia Geforce or
ATI Radeon family of chips. Both have their strengths and
weaknesses but in the end they both offer high-end graphic
processing and have comparable features. Any graphics card you
choose should be compatible with the latest version Microsoft’s
DirectX graphics system and the latest version of Open GL.
Memory
Video cards have their own memory on board to store data, images
and textures. If the video card does not have enough memory to
perform a specific function then it will use the computers
memory resulting in decreased performance. The more memory on a
video card the better, so get one with as much memory as you can
afford. A video card with 128MB is the minimum recommended for
playing video games. Also, because memory on a video card can’t
normally be upgraded, you want to make sure you have enough for
your games or you will find yourself upgrading your graphics
card sooner than you would like.
A note on video cards integrated into the motherboard…. Some
integrated video cards will state they have a certain amount of
memory, lets say 128MB, but they are actually sharing some
system memory as opposed to having its own dedicated memory.
This will degrade performance and may affect the quality of your
video experience.
Prices
There are generally three main price groups:
* Entry-level or Budget Line (sub-$100 – $150US)
* Mid-priced or Mainstream ($150 – $300US)
* Higher-end enthusiast cards ($300 – $500US and up)
In each of these groups there are two versions with different
performance levels; one is the standard version, while the other
runs at higher clock speeds. The low cost cards can be
distinguished by having “SE” or “LE” in its name while the
higher end cards will have “PRO”, “XT”, “GT” and “ULTRA” in
their names.
Those wanting to play 3D action games at higher resolutions, and
need more video memory and a variety of output options, should
look at the Mid-priced cards for $150-$300. If you are real
hardcore gamer and want the fastest frame rates then you will be
looking to spend close to $500.
PCI vs AGP vs PCI Express
PCI, PCI Express and AGP are types of slots in your computer.
AGP is designed specifically for graphic cards while PCI and PCI
Express (PCX) cards can be used for graphics cards as well as
others. PCI Express is the newest interface standard from Intel,
offering double the bandwidth of an AGP 8x slot for even faster
and more complex graphics. If you have a PCX slot, I suggest you
buy a PCX card. If you don’t have a PCX slot the next choice
would then be an AGP card and finally a PCI card. If PCI is your
only choice, don’t worry, there are plenty of decent PCI video
cards available on the market.
Features
Features to look for include support for both VGA and DVI
interfaces for analogue (CRT) and digital (LCD) displays, and
S-Video and composite video outputs for use with TVs.
Video-editing or graphic design enthusiasts may want to look for
the dual monitor option to spread their desktop and applications
across two or more monitors at once. Some ‘all-in-one’ cards
have a built-in TV tuner and video capture options, saving on
separate purchases and potential compatibility problems.
In closing….
The most important part of choosing a video card is to take the
time and decide how you want to use your computer. If you buy a
card on the basis of only using office applications and then try
to play a game with the video card, chances are you will have no
end of frustrations. On the other hand, if you go out and spend
your money on a top of the line video card, you may be setting
yourself up for disappointment because your game doesn’t look
any better than your buddy’s who paid $300 less than you.
My recommendation would be to look for a card somewhere in the
mid-priced range for around $200US. Make sure that it has at
least 128MB of memory, 256MB would be better, check for
compatibility with the latest Direct X technology and that it
has the proper connection for the slot in your motherboard and
to connect your monitor. Be careful not to get hooked on added
features. Added features on the video card are your own personal
choice, think about what you actually need and will use, getting
an S-Video connection on your video card when you will never
connect it to your TV could be costing you more money. Don’t get
me wrong, some features will add to your experience but others
you may never use or even know you are using.
Happy Computing!
About the author:
Keith Park has been in the IT industry for the last 7 years and
is the author of the website
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more articles and resources.
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