Why Buy a Graphics Card?

 Whether you are a gamer, a video editor or work in the graphic design field, the standard integrated video chipset that came with your PC is not generally good enough to handle heavy graphic workloads. These integrated GPUs use the processing power of your computer, which slows down your computer and speeds up your frustration. You need an independent graphics card with strong processing power and an optimal frame rate to be able to work or game quickly. We've created side-by-side comparisons and detailed reviews of the best graphics cards, such as the Nvidia GTX 690, the ATI Radeon HD 7970 and the Nvidia GTX 680. You can also read articles about graphics cards and tips to help you get the best video rendering capabilities out of your computer.

Graphics Cards: What to Look For

The jungle of graphics cards grows thicker every year with newer, faster models releasing frequently, and it's easy to feel lost and overwhelmed by the terminology, information and available options. However, finding the best graphics card is not a hopeless cause. First, think of what you want to do with a new graphics card. Do you want to play the latest games at ultra-high settings? Are you looking to edit videos? Or do you just want to speed up your system? The following key aspects will guide you through the dense graphics card jungle and help you choose the right graphics card for your needs.

GPU/Interface
The most important aspect of a graphics card is its graphic processing unit, or GPU. The GPU is designed to lighten the load of your computer's main CPU by processing graphics separately, allowing your PC to function faster. Look for a card that has high pixel and texture fill rates, as these determine your frame rate, or how fast and smooth your scrolling and animations are.

Video Memory
Like your computer, your graphics card needs enough RAM to hold information and store pictures. You may think that more RAM is better, but if you have a high-end graphics card with lots of RAM and a CPU that is not fast enough to utilize that additional RAM, then you would be better choosing the card with 1GB of RAM instead of the 4GB card. Look for a card that has at least 1GB RAM and a high memory bus width. The larger the memory bus and bandwidth, the faster your graphics card can process information simultaneously.

Rendering Technologies
The two major manufacturers in the graphics card world are ATI and nVidia. These companies have developed their own rendering technologies to process graphical data. nVidia uses CUDA Cores and ATI uses ATI Stream technology. While these technologies are measured differently, their purpose is to accelerate the communication rate between the graphics card GPU and your computer's CPU. Look for a card that has higher numbers of CUDA Cores or ATI Stream capabilities. The higher the number the faster your video card will be, and this makes your program or game run smoother and faster. ATI and nVidia have also made great strides in the graphic world integrating real world physics and offering 3D capabilities.

Supported API
The Application Programming Interface (API), such as DirectX, OpenGL and OpenCL, is what enables your graphics card to interact with your software. You need to choose a graphics card that is compatible with the API of the programs you wish to run. For example, if your card only supports DirectX 9 and you buy a game or application that requires DirectX 11, you will have to upgrade your card in order to play it.

Display Interface
Display interfaces let you connect your monitors to your computer. With the use of high definition monitors becoming more prevalent, most graphics cards now include DVI and HDMI connections. These interfaces support higher resolutions, with dual channel DVI being the most common. To enjoy high definition on your monitor, you need to use the correct connection cable between the monitor and your graphics card, so you'll want to make sure the connections (DVI or HDMI) are compatible with your monitor. Look for a card that will let you connect as many monitors as you want to use.

Additional Features
We reviewed the base models of each manufacturer. Typically, third party manufacturers will have additional versions with multiple fans, liquid cooling and other variations. The dimension of the graphics card is important, especially if you have a mid-sized or mini tower. It will not do you any good to get the fastest card ever made if it will not fit inside your computer case. Take into consideration how much power is required to run a graphics card. If your computer's current power supply does not supply enough power, you can either upgrade your power supply or choose a card that will run within your current voltage supply.

There is no such thing as a perfect video card for all situations, but by combining all of these key features and determining which features fit your needs best, you will get a great graphics card that will do exactly what you need it to. The newest, fastest cards will be expensive, but base your decision on what you need your graphics card to do, and the results can be well worth it.