A Graphics Card (also known as a video card) is a unit capable of processing and displaying graphical information. The GPU has become increasingly important due to increasingly complex and photorealistic graphics, rendering the CPU unable to keep up.

A graphics card provides better performance than your computer’s processor for 3D computer games and applications such as AutoCAD.

A Beginner’s Guide to Graphics Cards

The IBM PC was the standard computer at the dawn of the computer age, thanks mainly to its modular design and replaceable components.

Like the original IBM, every PC’s motherboard now includes slots into which any third-party manufacturer may put the components required to operate the PC. Among these components is the graphics card, which shows all of the pictures on the screen.

What you should know about graphics cards

A graphics card resembles a miniature version of a computer motherboard; it is a printed circuit board that contains a CPU, RAM, and other components. A graphics card is often referred to as a graphics processing unit, or GPU, although the GPU is simply a component (albeit the primary, defining component).

In reality, GPUs are classified into two types:

The integrated GPU

The integrated GPU is incorporated into the motherboard and cannot be updated or removed. This is common in laptops and low-cost desktop PCs. Unfortunately, these graphics generally have low performance and are unsuitable for gaming or professional graphics creation activities.

Read Next – What Is A Graphics Card & What Is A Graphics Card Used For 

A discrete GPU

A discrete GPU is installed on a graphics card inserted into a computer’s expansion slot on the motherboard. This kind of graphics card is changeable, which allows it to be updated when newer graphics cards are produced, preventing a PC from becoming outdated.

How Do You Choose a Good One

Choosing the best graphics card for your budget is a difficult job, but that’s just the beginning. It makes little difference whether you’re considering an AMD or Nvidia GPU; once you’ve decided on a particular GPU—choosing.

Read Next – Best AMD Graphics Card For You in 2022

Graphics card memory amount

For 1080p gaming, choose a card with at least 6GB of RAM, ideally 8GB or more. If you play with all of the settings cranked up or install high-resolution texture packs, you’ll need additional RAM. More than 8GB is excellent if you’re gaming at extremely high resolutions, such as 4K.

Form factor

This is crucial. You must ensure that there is enough space in your case for your card. Next, take note of the length, height, and thickness. Graphics cards are available in half-height (slim), single-slot, dual-slot, and triple-slot configurations (or more). Most game cards will be full-height and take up two or more expansion slots, with current-gen cards being thicker and more extensive than many previous-generation versions.

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TDP

TDP is a measurement of heat dissipation, but it also provides you an estimate of how many watts you’ll need to operate your card at factory settings. (Nvidia is switching to TGP, or Total Graphics Power, which refers to the total power of the card.)

If you’re using a 400-watt power supply unit (PSU) with an overclocked 95-watt CPU and wish to add a card with a 250-watt TDP, you’ll almost definitely need to upgrade the PSU.

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Power Connectors

 All strong gaming cards use more power than the usual maximum of 75W provided by the x16 PCIe slot. As a result, these cards need the use of additional PCIe power connections, which are available in 6- and 8-pin configurations.

(The RTX 30-series cards from Nvidia use 12-pin links, but they also come with 8-pin to 12-pin adapters.) Some cards have one of these connections, while others have two or three, and 6- and 8-pin ports may coexist on the same card.

Clock speed

This is essential. Some cards with the same GPU (for example, an RTX 3060 Ti) will be factory overclocked to a little higher speed, which may result in a minor variation in frame rates.

Memory speed, core counts, and architecture must all be considered in addition to clock speed. On cards with the same GPU, better cooling often overcomes clock speed.

CUDA Cores / Stream Processors: 

Like clock speed, this is somewhat significant, but it only tells you a portion of what you need to know when attempting to estimate the approximate performance level.

Again, comparing core counts within the same architecture is more informative than comparing core counts across architectures.

So comparing Nvidia Pascal vs. Ampere CUDA cores (or Streaming Multiprocessors) isn’t as helpful as simply Ampere. Similarly, comparing Navi with Vega or Polaris Stream Processors (or Compute Units) isn’t very useful for AMD. It is even less helpful to compare AMD and Nvidia designs just on core counts.

Read Next – What Is A Good Processor Speed for A Laptop? – Learn Here

Memory speed / bandwidth

Considerably significant. More excellent memory, like quicker clock speed, may make one card faster than another. For example, because of the higher memory bandwidth, the GTX 1650 GDDR6 is about 15% quicker than the GTX 1650 GDDR5.

Ports 

Ports are critical. Some displays support HDMI, while others support DisplayPort, while some older models only support DVI. A few collections also enable USB Type-C signal routing for DisplayPort signals, although they are currently uncommon. Check that the card you want to purchase has the connections you need for your monitor(s), so you don’t have to buy an adapter.

Final Words

Finally, if you’re looking for a Best Graphics Card, we suggest familiarizing yourself with each card’s specifications, comparing benchmarks, and checking out recommendations from reputable sites.

The GPU chip in each graphics card is produced by either NVIDIA or AMD, while the card itself is built by a different manufacturer, such as EVGA, ASUS, or Gigabyte.

The significant differences between these manufacturers will be customer service, warranty, noise level, and heatsink quality.

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ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 6GB GDDR5 192-bit Gaming Graphics Card, Super Compact, ZT-T16600K-10M

$269.99
$232.77
 in stock
12 new from $210.41
17 used from $122.44
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 28, 2023 12:44 pm

AX Bundle RTX 3060 Ti LHR 8GB GDRR6 256-Bit HDMI/DP Nvlink Torx Fan 4 RGB Ampere Architecture OC Graphics Card (RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X 8G LHR) and AX HDMI 2.1 UHD 48 Gbps 4k@120Hz/8K@60Hz

 out of stock
Amazon.com
as of September 28, 2023 12:44 pm

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming OC PRO 8G Graphics Card, WINDFORCE 3X Cooling System, 8GB 128-bit GDDR6, GV-R66XTGAMINGOC PRO-8GD Video Card

$626.73  in stock
6 new from $626.73
3 used from $249.98
Amazon.com
as of September 28, 2023 12:44 pm

ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB GDDR6 192-bit Gaming Graphics Card, Super Compact, ZT-T16620F-10L

$289.99
$230.60
 in stock
15 new from $229.00
9 used from $147.19
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 28, 2023 12:44 pm

Newest 2021 MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 15 Gbps GDRR6 192-Bit HDMI/DP PCIe 4 Tri-Frozr Torx Fan Ampere RGB OC Graphics Card (RTX 3060 Gaming X Trio 12G) +AllyFlex HDMI

$887.00  in stock
Amazon.com
as of September 28, 2023 12:44 pm

MSI Gaming Radeon RX 6700 XT 192-bit 12GB GDDR6 DP/HDMI Dual Torx 4.0 Fans FreeSync DirectX 12 VR Ready RGB Graphics Card (RX 6700 XT Gaming X 12G)

$690.25  in stock
14 new from $690.25
6 used from $299.00
Amazon.com
as of September 28, 2023 12:44 pm
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Kevin Johnson
Hi, I'm Kevin Johnson, an author for TheComputerGeeks.org. I'm obsessed with all things related to computer monitors, from LCDs to LEDs, touch screens, and gaming. I've been writing about these topics for years and am passionate about helping people learn more about the latest in computer monitor technology. From selecting the right monitor for your needs to troubleshooting any issues you might be experiencing, I'm always here to provide helpful guidance. I always look for the latest monitors to share all my findings with our readers. I am a computer geek and proud of it. From building my custom rig to figuring out what's wrong with your PC, you can count on me for top-notch service at an affordable price. Whether you're looking for someone who knows his way around technology or wants help fixing the basics, like setting up email accounts, I'm here to serve. So if you need a reliable tech support professional in Denver, call Kevin today!