A graphics card is hardware that renders images on a computer monitor. When buying a graphics card, consider the monitor’s resolution and onboard memory. The GPU processes data in parallel lines, and factors that affect performance include bus speed and onboard memory. Graphics cards generate heat and can be installed easily. Prices vary widely, with the average gaming enthusiast satisfied with a card in the $150-$300 range. Look for discounts and read customer reviews to learn about issues like noise and fan performance.
A graphics card, also known as a video card, is a piece of hardware installed in a computer that is responsible for rendering the image on the computer monitor or screen. Graphics cards come in many varieties with different features allowing for a price range from around $20 US Dollars (USD) to $2,400 USD or more.
The first consideration when buying a graphics card is to make sure it is capable of displaying the best resolution your monitor can support. For liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors this means supporting the native resolution. Cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors do not have a native resolution. In this case, make sure that the card is capable of supporting the higher resolution, even if the CRT monitor will be used frequently at lower resolutions.
The second consideration is onboard memory. A graphics card has to work hard to render images on the screen. Unlike text files, graphic images are much larger files consisting of large amounts of data that your graphics or video card needs to process. A faster card has its own resident memory chips to perform this function so as not to mess with the system’s Random Access Memory (RAM). Less robust cards have less resident memory and require sharing of system RAM to process images.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that a graphics card with shared memory will be unsatisfactory, but a lot depends on the primary purpose of the computer and how much system RAM is present. More system RAM is better if it will be shared, but for gaming and multimedia enthusiasts, a card with resident memory is a better choice. This also applies to those who want to watch, work with or edit movies.
The graphics processing unit (GPU) is a chip similar to a computer processing unit (CPU). The GPU on the graphics card processes data in parallel lines called “pipelines”. The more pipelines a board has, the faster it can process data. Some cards feature dual GPUs for added performance. Other factors that affect performance include bus speed and the type of onboard memory supported by the card.
Because graphics cards work hard, they generate heat. For this reason, most high-performance video cards use built-in fans. Fans can be quiet or loud, depending on the card model. High performance fanless video cards are also available. These cards use heat sinks to draw heat away from the GPU. The advantage of a fanless card is the absence of noise; disadvantages include expense and a larger footprint that can take up two slots inside the computer.
Installing a graphics card is very easy. The card has an interface that plugs into a port or slot inside the computer on the motherboard. Older motherboards offer an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) interface, while newer motherboards have the faster Peripheral Computer Interface Express (PCIe) interface. A PCIe card cannot be installed in an AGP slot and vice versa, so make sure you get a card that is compatible with your system.
External ports on the card can allow connection of an additional monitor for gaming or advanced graphics displays that can be spread across two monitors. A graphics card might also have an “S-Video Out” port for sending the signal to a television or a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port. Advanced ports that extend functionality add to the cost of the card.
While prices vary widely, the average gaming enthusiast is likely to be satisfied with a card in the $150 – $300 USD range. For someone who uses a computer for more general purposes, a graphics card closer to $65 USD will likely do the job. Look at discounts and sales to get a good deal, and read customer reviews to learn about issues like noise and fan performance.
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