The video card is an integral part of each computer. Not only the quality of the transfer of pictures, movies and games, but also the performance of the PC depends on its correct choice. To choose the best video card itself and, do not overpay, it is necessary to take into account only a few important parameters.
Types of video cards for computer
Before you decide on the replacement of the video card, it is worth understanding which model is installed on your computer. Usually all video cards are divided into two types:
- integrated. Computers with a similar video card more often buy for simple office work, where there is no need to use large resources for graphic components. The integrated video card is built into the motherboard and it will not be replaced;
- discrete. Under the discrete video card, there is usually a special motherboard slot, it is not yet possible to replace much work - it is enough to remove the old card and install a new one in its place. Computers with a discrete video card buy demanding people for whom PC is not only a working tool. They choose professional gamers and lovers of widescreen films.
A huge range of video cards with price tags from $ 70 to $ 1000 can confuse even the most advanced gamer. Therefore, choosing the desired card is necessary with the knowledge of the case and the main characteristics of the product, it will help to find the appropriate option and do not overpay within this extra money.
How to choose a video card for a computer
Purpose
The first, where to start the selection - to decide which tasks will be performed at the computer. To work with 3D graphics, a professional video card will be required, for "heavy" games - a game, with work on the Internet and watching movies a multimedia format of the card will quite cope.
Important! Any video card should relate to the power of the processor. No need to purchase a top video card if the computer has a weak processor and vice versa, the budget video card is not able to provide a powerful high performance processor.
Video card developer
Pay attention to the developer of the video card. There are only two of them - Nvidia and AMD. Products of the first company perfectly copes with high load on the schedule during the "heavy" games, the second win in price, but do not always solve the problem with braking and graphics defects.
Guarantee
In modern PC, video cards are experiencing huge loads and overheating, so most often fail compared to other components of the computer. High-quality video card manufacturers provide a good guarantee from 2 to 3 years.
Interface
Most modern discrete video cards are connected to the motherboard using PCI Express Connector. It has different versions - 2.0, 2.1 and 3.0, so before buying, make sure that on your motherboard the connector is the corresponding version. For old PCs until 2006, video cards are still produced with another type of interface - AGP.
Video processor
The most important video card performance indicator is the number of computational (shader) blocks in the video chip. Not only the class of video chip depends on them, but the price is the simplest in the arsenal of only 400-600 blocks, the middle class is about 800-1000 shader blocks, in a high class, their amount reaches 1500 thousand. A separate price category is displayed video cards with a powerful video processor from 2300-2800 blocks.
Type of video memory
In order to select a good video card, pay attention to the type and frequency of memory. In the initial class card, it is indicated - GDDR3, more powerful and expensive have fast memory - GDDR5. There is still a separate top class video card with GDDR5X and HBM memory.
Volume of video memory
Budget video cards are enough to have 1-2 GB of video memory, the average class, in the price category from $ 150-250, 2-4 GB is required. In order to play on the monitor with the highest 4K resolution, a video card with a large volume is required - from 6-8 GB.
The easiest way to focus on the cost of the product, because each class of the video card is enclosed in its price frames:
- initial class - 100-150 $;
- middle - 200-250 $;
- high - 300-500 $;
- top video card - 700-1000 $.
In order to choose the most optimal cost and performance option, it is best to compare models of different manufacturers in one price category. Thus, you can choose the best video card suitable for your requirements for the lowest possible price.
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