There are many ways to buy a new graphics card, but there are a lot of choices of what and where to buy. Let me explain a few ways to get you in the right direction.

First you need to determine what type of game you are going to play. Is it is a brand new game that requires top end graphics, or an older game that does not require the latest and greatest. Once you have complied a list of games that you would like to play, you need to review the system requirements of each game. Most graphics cards follow a pattern: ATI, Nvidia, and intergrated graphics tend to be numbered. Usually the higher the number the better the card is. So if you have Nvidia 6800 as one and Nvidia 8800 as another the 8800 will be the better card (all newer cards will work if the game recommends a card that is older. i.e. an ATI 4870 will play a game that requires an ATI 4650 just fine.)

Occasionally that will not be the case, but you can view the manufacture’s website to learn about the different names and preformance specs. You will want to take the game that has the most demanding specs and review the ATI, Nvidia, and/or Integrated solution and compare cards the cards against each other. Example, Game X requires an ATI 4650 or an Nvidia 7800. Take a look at both cards. Use sites like Amazon.com, Newegg.com, ZipZoomFly.com, or Google search to compare prices and system needs. Cards can be attached to your computer via: PCI, AGP, or PCIe. If your computer supports PCIe, you will want to get an PCIe card. PCIe is the newest spec and most computers build since 2006 will have a PCIe slot. See if you powersupply has the right adapters. Some cards require a 4/6 pin power connection and you will not be able to power the card if your power supply supports it. If you play one type of game or just one game: i.e. an MMO like World of Warcraft, you might visit that game’s site and see if they have forums. Join the community and ask, “What is a good card at my price range that my system will support that will play this game well?” Be detailed! A great way to form that question would be, “I have a Dell Optiplex 480, and currently I am using the video card it came with. Do you know a good card for about $100 that will run this game?” When asking technical questions provide as many details as possible. That will help get you the best result quickly. Engage the community, if they ask you a question do what you can to answer it. You share a common passion and many people have no problem helpping you out.

In recap: 1. Know the games you want to play 2. Know the system requirements 3. Know your budget 4. Know if your system will support the card (port and power) 5. Don’t be afraid to ask question if you are confused or need guidence! 6. Shop around online. Avoid the Best Buys or brick and mortar stores they tend to have high prices and older hardware. 7. Don’t feel like you have to spend $500+ on a card if the games you play will run fine with a sub $100 card. 8. Buy NEW, avoid cards that are second hand. People can overclock cards to get more preformance, but at the cost of damaging the cards. A lot of times you will not be able to see if the card is damaged from overclocking. If you buy second hand, make sure you have a return or DOA policy that fits your needs. 8. Video cards are always being updated. Find a card that you like that will work for you now. If you can wait, wait, there is always new technology being released, but if you find a good deal take it!

A graphics card is considered “good” by a few key specifications a card has.

First off would depend on the card generation. If a graphics card is more then 2 generations old by today’s standards it isn’t very good anymore (eg. Geforce 6800 is a different generation from Geforce 8800). Secondly the polygon count is also a big factor. This is the feature that will be depended on for a more realistic rendering in 3d environments (eg. look at a PlayStation game compared to a PlayStation 3 game they have changed the polygon count dramatically).

Memory is also a big issue with today’s graphics cards. Without the correct amount of graphical memory you can display certain programs on your computer (eg. A graphics card with 64mb of memory cant even run windows vista).

Most standard “good graphics cards of today’s age have a DVI or Digital Visual Interface port on the back in contrast to the older not as good videos that still use VGA which produces lesser quality video. If a graphics card doesn’t have DVI or HDMI it cannot produce smooth high definition video. Not as important as the other specification the manufacture of the GPU on the card is also factor in what could be considered “good” (eg. Nvidia or ATI).

Many will argue that brand it the main specification for what makes a graphics card “good” however this is all just favoritism for their brand they like. All of the above stated specifications are what factor into what makes a graphics card “good”. In the end it mostly depends on what you are using the card for (eg. if you are using it for browsing the internet and built in video on a computer will be fine for you. If you are making a media center pc to play videos off of you will want something higher end.)

A graphics card’s job is complex, but its principles and components are easy to understand.

A graphics cards take data from the cpu and turn into pictures The CPU, working in conjunction with software  applications, sends information about the image to the graphics card. The graphics card decides how to use the pixels on the screen to create the image. It then sends that information to the monitor through a cable. ­

Creating an image out of binary data is a demanding process. To make a 3-D image, the graphics card first creates a wire frame out of straight lines. Then, it rasterizes the image (fills in the remaining pixels). It also adds lighting, texture and color. For fast-paced games, the computer has to go through this process about sixty times per second.

Without a graphics card to perform the necessary calculations, the workload would be too much for the computer to handle. The graphics card accomplishes this task using four main components:

A motherboard connection for data and power A processor to decide what to do with each pixel on the screen.  Memory to hold information about each pixel and to temporarily store completed pictures and a monitor connection so you can see the final result.