How to buy a new video card
From ArticleWorld
Nowadays, all computers come with decent multimedia capabilities, among which the ability to display at least some basic graphics is a must. However, you will sometimes find yourself in the position of buying a new graphics card, when you see that your old one cannot handle things anymore. Here are a few steps you should follow when choosing and buying a new video card.
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Steps
- Make up your mind on what you will do with the video card. A high-end video card will be required if you are interested in the newest games or otherwise need some fancy graphics effects. If you need your PC only to play some easy, 2D arcade games and for your work, chances are you can settle with a video card that has a rather modest performance, but also a lower price.
- Think about what peripherals you are going to use. Go for a card with a TV-Out if you are going to use a TV with it. The same applies for LCD monitors that have a DVI input.
- Look on your motherboard and choose the slot you will be using. An old PCI card may be enough if you do not need much performance. However, newer graphics cards require an AGP slot at their disposal. If you need high performance and a PCI Express slot is available, choose a PCI Express card.
- Choose a brand and a manufacturer. nVidia is the current leader in this field, with ATI catching up, at least in terms of performance. You should probably consider nVidia as the only alternative if you are not using Windows. nVidia offers excellent drivers for Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris and Darwin, while ATI only has good drivers on Windows. As for the manufacturer part, choose the one that suits your needs. If you do not need a warranty or support, you can go for a less known manufacturer who offers a lower price.
- Read reviews and comparative tests. Choose the card that seems best from there, and, once you are sure, buy it and install it.