Which company to choose a video card. How to choose a video card for a motherboard. Dependence on the central processor.
Before talking about buying a video card, let's take a look at what it is all about. Video card - the so-called. a graphics card or video adapter is a device that changes an image in the computer's memory to a video signal for display on a monitor. The speed at which the image will be built on the monitor and its quality directly depend on the characteristics of the video card, so gamers choose only the best.
They come in two flavors: built-in and discrete. The name of the former speaks for itself - such cards are already integrated into the motherboard of your computer and replacing them is very difficult, even impossible. If the computer is used only for working with text editors and working on the Internet, then this is a perfectly acceptable option.
After choosing the right graphics card for gaming, now there is an interesting theme! The purpose of this article is not to answer this question, but by at least, to give you some tips, especially if this is your first time thinking about upgrading your graphics card for gaming. The simple answer to this seems to be as much as possible, and in all seriousness, which is actually the correct answer!
But there is obviously more to this. There is actually a lot more to it than that, but here we go over some of the basics you should consider when purchasing a new graphics card for gaming. What about the resolution of my monitor? Therefore, if you plan to spend more on a monitor with high resolutionyou will also need to plan to spend more on your graphics card.
But we will talk specifically about discrete video cards, because they can be changed, which means you need to find the most suitable one for a particular case.
Where?
In order to put a video card on the motherboard there are expansion slots. Basically there are several of them (depending on the speed of information transfer).
Previously, the AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus, developed by Intel, was widely used, which is a 32-bit system bus. But after 2002, it is practically not used anywhere. It was then that the PCI Express bus was developed, which was distinguished by higher performance. It was based on the software model of the PCI bus with serial data transfer. It had several options with different speeds (from PCI Express x1 to PCI Express x16). The newest solution - PCI Express 2.0 bus - appeared in 2007. Even better performance and full compatibility with the PCI Express bus are observed here.
In fact, you can simply multiply the numbers together to give you an idea of \u200b\u200bwhether your chosen resolution requires more or less horsepower. For whatever reason, there is no reason to choose one manufacturer over the other, they offer similar technologies and a similar user experience. It would also be wrong for me to suggest otherwise.
How much memory should a video card have? Will it fit into my motherboard? Also keep in mind that graphics cards come in all shapes and sizes, some are short, some take up one slot on your motherboard, and others take up three slots. The most important aspect of its physical size is its length. Some graphics cards are up to 300mm in length, so make sure your case has enough room to accommodate.
If you already have a computer, you must definitely see which video card you can put there, but if you assemble a computer with your own hands, it is better to choose a motherboard with a high-speed slot.
Video card processor
The main component of any video card is the graphics processor. It affects all functions and performance of the card. With the development of technology and technology, the speed of data processing also increases. The most famous and reliable manufacturers of video card processors are Nvidia and ATI. But not always a more modern version gPU this means that the video card is more productive.
Modern processors supported by DirectX technology (for solving graphics, video, animation and sound problems in OP Microsoft Windows). The newest version is 11. It is the most suitable for gamers, while for the average user a card with support for 10 or 10.1 versions of DirectX is suitable, but not earlier than 9.
Do I need a dedicated power supply? As a simple generalization, if you assume that each video card requires a maximum of about 250W, and a typical system also uses about 250W. In fact, most video card manufacturers will list the wattage they can use, which you can simply use for your own calculation. Just try not to push the PSU too hard, it's always best to have a little headroom.
Are these video cards installed? You will need at least one fan to draw in cold air and one fan to draw in hot air. This means you will be doing the overclocking yourself, just remember there were never guaranteed results! Or you can pay extra to get guaranteed overclocking and therefore better performance, it's really up to you.
If you have chosen a video card with support for version 11, then pay attention to shaders and anisotropic filtering. The latter improves images on surfaces tilted relative to the camera, provides more detail and reduces blur. Shaders describe the absorption and scattering of light, its reflection and refraction, shading, surface displacement. The newer the version of the Shader Model (4, or 4.1), the better and better the image will be drawn.
A discrete graphics card is a must for gaming, but will also improve the performance of other applications. You can find one that suits your needs and your budget if you keep these simple things in mind. 
Oh, of course, discrete graphics cards can bring additional benefits for video playback or transcoding, but who are we kidding?
Share the link on social networks!
The ugly truth about buying discrete card can be judged by five sad words: the more expensive, the better. There's almost nothing to do with the more money you're willing to throw on a graphics card, the better your gaming experience will be. However, there are a few additional things you want to keep in mind when choosing a graphics card. They are all auxiliary to this, but can help you make a clearer estimate if you do not want to buy a single Card for the same amount of money that you would pay for a complete computer system.
Video memory
The most expensive graphics memory, and therefore the most productive, is GDDR5, but even enthusiastic gamers choose the cheaper option - GDDR4. If you do not belong to them, then the earlier version - GDDR2 or GDDR3 is quite a decent option.
Video card manufacturer
Most people will pay more attention to how realistic the game is and how it stutters during play than the specific types of anti-aliasing, physics processing and multi-monitor technologies that are used. If you find a card for a price you can afford and reviews say it does well, go with it.
If you want something more affordable, but still undeniably powerful, go for or. But Company C is the most powerful card, at the time of this writing, which has been unleashed in this one, the only significant exception at the moment: Otherwise, in each company's catalog, the card with a higher number on its behalf is invariably an excellent performer. Memory and Clock Speed \u200b\u200bUltimately, video cards don't differ much from many rules, including those about memory and clock speed.
Another important parameter is tire width. There are 32-, 64-, 128-, 256- and 512-bit. The more bits, the more bandwidth the memory has. Better to take buses with the number of bits 256 and 512, because fewer may not be enough.
When choosing a video card by volume, feel free to use the principle "the more the better." But remember: the price directly depends on its size. Sometimes inexpensive models use motherboard memory as memory, and this immediately has a negative impact on performance and speed. The designations of such models for Nvidia - TurboCash, and for ATI - HyperMemory. But it is better to choose a video card with its own memory, even if they are more expensive.
Video outputs
On-board memory capacity
Graphics cards have their own collections of both, although specific values \u200b\u200bwill either usually be less immediately important than when you select a system processor. Cheaper graphics cards sometimes have faster clock speeds to make up for missing power in other areas, but that usually doesn't translate to higher performance in the real world.
Which gaming GPU chip should you choose - AMD Radeon or NVidia GeForce?
Backward, when all computers were towers two feet high, no one thought about the fact that video cards were clogging up space a lot. If you're building a smaller computer, or want to update a thumbnail video that you already own, keep in mind that your card choices may be limited.
Make sure your graphics card is equipped with ports for DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort output, and not a VGA connector, because the latter is used less and less.
Let's take a closer look.
DVI ports, in turn, are divided into DVI-D and DVI-A. The second supports both analog and digital signals, while the first only supports digital. However, now almost all monitors are LCD-type, and they use a digital interface, but if you have an old monitor, then you need to take a video card with a DVI-A type output.
The HDMI port is smaller than the DVI and higher definition ports. It has built-in copy protection technology as well as support for multi-channel digital audio signals.
DisplayPort is the most advanced of all. It helps to connect audio and video equipment (for example, a computer to a home theater).
It makes sense to buy top video cards if
It is often also more visually appealing than anything else that is meant for entering a computer. Many high-end graphics cards are illustrated or have decorative fans or heatsinks. But a high-performance card delivers more power than most people need. People who use their computers primarily for word processing or web surfing can find all the graphics support they need with integrated graphics. For most casual gamers, the middle card is enough.
In general, when focusing on this parameter, you need to build on the equipment you have (monitor, set-top box).
Heating video card
In a computer, the video card heats up more than all other devices, so proper cooling is a very important parameter for its successful and efficient operation. It can be passive and active.
When passive, the video card is cooled using a radiator and heat pipes. The design may differ depending on the manufacturer, but the principle of operation is the same - heat enters the radiator, and then dissipates from it. Such systems are silent, but they are not suitable for high performance, since the heatsink will not keep pace with cooling the video card.
People looking for a high-end powerful card include game lovers and people who do a lot of 3D graphics work. A good general measurement of a card's performance is its frame rate, measured in frames per second. The frame rate describes how many complete images the card can display per second. Frame rate components.
Impact of video memory on performance
Triangles or Vertices Per Second: Images are composed of triangles or polygons. The hardware of a video card directly affects its speed. These are the hardware specifications that most affect the card speed and the units in which they are measured.
Active, in turn, works on the principle of a fan. It rotates and the air flow cools the graphics card. This type of cooling system is installed for high-end graphics cards. But they are noisier, although this cannot be considered a significant drawback.
Important little things
The resolution of the video card must not be higher than the resolution of the monitor, otherwise it will not allow using it in full. Although now most models support HD-resolution and higher.
Color Depth indicates how many colors the monitor can display. For example, with a color depth of 32 bits, the number of colors that the monitor can display will be about 16 million. And this number will be enough for even the most demanding customers.
The computer also plays a role as a very fast graphics card can't make up for the motherboard's inability to ship. To receive additional information for graphics cards and related topics, see the links on the next page.
Integrated graphics and overlap. Many of them have integrated graphics capabilities and features without a separate graphics card. These motherboards handle 2D images with ease, making them ideal for productivity and web applications. Connecting a separate graphics card to one of these motherboards overrides the onboard graphics functionality.
2 video cards
If the video cards support their operation in SLI (Nvidia) or CrossFire (ATI) modes, then two or more video cards can be used. This option is suitable if you cannot buy an expensive top-end video card yet. After all, one card can be of average performance, but then you can buy more powerful cards, thus increasing the entire system performance.
Which one to choose?
Some people choose to improve the performance of their graphics card by manually setting their clock speed to a higher speed known as overclocking. While overclocking can lead to better performance, it also voids the manufacturer's warranty.
Choose your graphics card in 5 steps
The graphics card has evolved from simply rendering graphics on the screen and also has a powerful built-in processor. There are many technologies out there that make a great graphics card and learning how it all works together will help you choose the perfect card for you.
As mentioned above, there are two main processor manufacturers - Nvidia and ATI. Model numbers in series indicate the performance of the graphics card. For exclusively office work, an initial video card is also suitable, for home use - average functionality, but for gamers, of course, the highest. Nvidia and ATI do not sell video cards themselves, but only produce reference cards.
Comparison of memory types, clock frequencies and bit rates
They differ from each other in the type of memory, speed and bandwidth, as well as the heat sinks used. These chips operate at higher clock speeds compared to conventional desktop memory. More memory is good, but more bandwidth is better. The standard rates are 64 bit and 128 bit, but the higher end cards have much higher transfer rates.
Integrated graphics card models
So the amount of memory on the card is important, but also see the type, actual memory clock speed and memory bitrate. Are you framed? Think of your favorite cartoon, the images are drawn individually with little variation between each image, and then these images are added sequentially at speed. These are the "tricks" of your eyes to think that you are seeing moving images, in other words, cartoons. If we reduce the speed, your eyes will see a delay between moving images.
Other representatives sell the video card, having previously upgraded it. They change the design, the cooling system and may even increase its performance. These include Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, Sapphire, XFX, Leadtek, Sparkle, BFG, Foxconn, Albatron, Zotac, Elitegroup, Gainward, Point of View, BIOSTAR, EVGA, Palit, Chaintech, Club3D, Galaxy, PNY, Inno3D.
Consider specific models
1) Nvidia
They are mainly used for consumer PCs. The name of the video card is GeForce. There are three series of this model:
1. Series 8xxx (2006 release, with support for DirectX 10 and Shader Model 4.0, video chip with unified architecture) contains video cards - GeForce 8600GT, 8600GTS, 8800GT and 8800GTS.
2. Series 9xxx (2008 release, with support for DirectX 10 and Shader Model 4.0) contains video cards - 9300 mGPU, 9400 mGPU, 9400 GT, 9500 GT, 9600 GSO, 9600 GT, 9800 GT, 9800 GTX, 9800 GTX +, 9800 GX2 (dual-chip).
3. The GT200 series (one with the latest generation of graphics accelerators, ideal for powerful gaming computers and modern office programs) contains graphics cards - GT 210, GT 220, GT 240, GTS 250, GTX 260, GTX 275, GTX 280, GTX 285 for Mac, GTX 285 and GTX 295.
Step 5: Check the compatibility and ports on the card
A graphics card works the same - in documents, moving images do not change much, but in games, the speed of those moving images is critical. Also make sure your power supply has a spare and correct power connector for your graphics card. Double checking the size of the card to make sure it will fit into your computer case will also avoid erroneous cards.
Connectors on the video card
Finally, and most importantly, check the ports on the card itself, the resolutions supported, and how many monitors you can connect at the same time. Details and specifications for consideration. When it comes to how a computer displays graphics, it all comes down to using a graphics card.
2) ATI Radeon
The company appeared in 2000 (ATI), and in 2006 they bought the AMD corporation, and accordingly the Radeon trademark passed to them. They have 4 episodes:
1. HD2xxx series (with support for DirectX 10.0 and Shader Model 4.0).
2. HD3xxx series (with support for DirectX 10.1 and Shader Model 4.0, 4.1).
3. HD4xxx series (2008 release, with support for DirectX 10.1 and Shader Model 4.1) contains video cards - 4300, 4550, 4600, 4800, 4830, 4850, 4870 and 4890.
4. The HD 5800/5700 series (the latest development, with support for DirectX 11, for the highest performing systems) contains video cards - 5750, 5770, 5850 and 5870.
When buying a video card, a number of options appear on the market. Here you will find a brief description of the types of graphics cards available. Desktop graphics cards are made for desktop computers. All desktop graphics cards have been designed with the needs of desktop users in mind, however the quality of these cards varies.
Workstation graphics cards may be similar to desktop graphics cards, but the designs and capabilities of these cards are very different. These graphics cards can also operate under severe stress for longer periods of time. Laptops usually do not allow graphics cards to be updated. Portable graphics cards are designed to meet the needs of the average user. As in other contexts, the more expensive the laptop, the better the graphics card will be. If your laptop is used to run GUI intensive applications, make sure it comes with a graphics card that can handle the workload before purchasing, as upgrading probably won't be an option.
We hope that the information in the article will help you choose a universal video card for home use.
Which card do you need? Of course, people's needs in choosing a video card are completely different - someone needs to play at ultra settings, someone just needs to surf the Internet, and someone needs a video card to just turn on the computer. It is quite difficult to choose the right video card for your computer, you need to consider a large number of factors. Let's figure it out.
IMPORTANT. When reading the article, pay the least attention to the models and price of video cards, they are provided here exclusively for a rough estimate of the power and price categories... Computer technologies are developing by leaps and bounds, and the production of video cards does not lag behind this pace.
The first thing a beginner needs to know is that there are only two manufacturers: INVIDIA and ATI. If you see GeForce (G) is INVIDIA, Radeon (R) is ATI. That one, that another company regularly release a new product and equip it with new software, although the actual performance does not always grow. It often happens that game publishers optimize their creations for a line of cards and software of one company to the detriment of another, but it is impossible to say whose video cards are more powerful or more reliable, each released model has its own advantages and disadvantages over its competitor analogue, so it is worth comparing specific video cards, and not manufacturers.
Addendum: in low and medium price ranges, Radeon usually provides better price / quality options, but in the expensive segment, GeForce cards are usually more powerful (at the same price).
Video cards are integrated and discrete. Integrated ones cannot be replaced, they are built into the motherboard, while discrete ones can be easily removed and replaced if desired. We will, of course, talk about discrete video cards.
Categories of video cards
Conventionally, video cards can be divided into three segments:
How to choose?
Factors by which video cards are evaluated:
- Graphics processing unit (GPU) - its power determines the frame rate in games (FPS).
- Shader Model version - shaders. The newer the video card, the newer version shaders and a nicer picture on the screen
- Video card memory. Sometimes DDR, GDDR2, 3, 4, 5. The serial number or version, if you like, determines the characteristics, that is, the more, the better.
- The amount of local video memory. I do not advise you to pay special attention to this item, since most video cards now have 1 GB of memory or more, this is quite enough for productive work. A common beginner's mistake is to rank the power of a video card by this parameter. Taking more than 3 GB, in general, does not make sense, only if you do not use a large number of monitors.
- DirectX support. it software, which is used to solve certain problems. We will not delve into programming technologies, we will only note that the version of the supported DirectX significantly affects the picture quality.
- SLI and CrossFire - support for installing two or more video cards simultaneously. Used for its intended purpose - to increase productivity. Just don't think that two cards will double your performance, the tool is complex and requires additional diving into the issue.
Which graphics card should you choose?
If you just need to sit and print a text or go to the Internet and watch a video, then you can limit yourself to the integrated graphics in the processor (of course, choose the processor in which it is present). If you want to play games, but you do not care what settings you do it, then you can take video cards of the level of GTX 750ti, R7 260x and the like, you will be happy, and for the money it will be quite acceptable. There is also an option to find on the secondary market such video cards as GTX 580, 570 and other slightly younger generations, but already more powerful. They will give you good graphics for reasonable money, however they consume more energy than new cards and may have some defects, it all depends on your vigilance and honesty of the seller, you can look for them on the same Avito or hammer.
If you need a top-end video card, and you definitely decided to enjoy new games at ultra settings, then pay attention to the store versions of GTX 970, 980, R9 290 - 90x. You can also use SLI technology and combine two GTX 760s (let's say), then everything will be fine too. We'll talk about SLI technology in another article. It's better to buy one top-end video card than torment yourself with the SLI setting.
Conclusion
As a result, if you want to surf the Internet or play toys, but you don't really care about the settings, then most likely you need to pay attention to processors with integrated graphics or to the secondary market, where you can find a video card for the same 5 thousand rubles the level of GTX 580. This is a single-chip top of the past, good graphics cardwhich will allow you to play at ultra settings even in Battlefield 3, 4 at HD resolution. You yourself understand that this is already quite good. New games will not run so great, but you will achieve an acceptable frame rate in them. If you know for sure and are sure for sure that you need ultra settings in new games, then take top-end video cards in stores. Here, of course, there are also nuances. With a rather impressive, but still limited budget, the most powerful video card in the store may turn out to be too expensive, and then you have to choose from several cheaper ones, in this case more in-depth knowledge of choosing expensive gaming video cards will be useful select a video card for the computer ").
I hope this article was able to clarify a little which video card is right for you. We did not touch on specific brands, the quality is determined far from the degree of logo recognition. Ask a question in the comments and specify the information you are interested in if you do not fully understand how to choose a video card.
