The old days of computing asked us to be content with computers that uttered no sound except the occasional “beep,” printers that made more noise than a cat using a scratching post, and monitors that offered either an orange or green glow.

Fortunately, all that is history, and we may now bask in the glow of our high resolution monitors which offer us life-like images on a daily basis. We no longer squint at fuzzy displays, but instead, enjoy almost seamless animation on many websites. These images are simply a mass of barely visible dots, also known as pixels.

“antique” Nvidia GeForce2 MX

Now, monitors display more than a million pixels, and it is up to the computer to interpret how to allocate these pixels in order to create an identifiable image. This interpretation process takes place on the graphic card. Since these cards may be upgraded, many users are tempted to look for the latest and the greatest (or costliest) card out there, but are there better methods for choosing just the right graphics card for the job? The answer is an emphatic “yes” and here are five how-to solutions that will aide you in determining the best graphic card for your computer.

1. First and foremost, do you really need a graphic card? Let’s say that all you wish to do with your computer is a bit of Internet surfing, some word processing, and perhaps a little bit of e-mail and chat room activity. In this case, all the graphic support you will need can be found on a motherboard with integrated graphics capabilities.

2. If you find that you will indeed need more than your average motherboard can offer, such as those who work with graphic arts or who play a lot of computer games, you will want to look for a card that has a lot of memory as well as a high-speed processor.

3. Another tool a user may wish to employ is the frame rate measurement which is often a major advertising component for the different graphic cards. Essentially, this rate refers to the measurement of frames per second (FPS) which is nothing more than the rate of complete images a graphic card will display in one second. High end cards will display more than 60 FPS (which is more than twice the amount the human eye can process per second) and thus provide the illusion of animation and animated scrolling.

4. Those who do a lot of graphic work will not be content with the FPS rating. As anyone who has ever done any 3-D imaging on the computer will be able to tell you, FPS will actually do very little to measure the worth of a graphics card for them. Actually, 3-D images are nothing more than triangles, and graphic cards catering for the graphic artist demographic offer a rating that calculates how quickly the card can calculate the triangles and build the frame image.

5. One item that concerns everyone is speed. All graphic cards’ speed is directly affected by their hardware. If the clock speed and bit rate are low, then the card will operate much slower than if they were high. Additionally, the pre-existing hardware also plays a vital role. A high-end graphic card cannot make up for an otherwise antique computer system, and a low end computer processor or motherboard will counteract the speed of even the fastest graphic card. It is obvious that upgrading a graphics card is not so simple a task, and bigger is not always better.

If you have a somewhat antiquated system, it may be an useless endeavor to only upgrade your graphic card, since your system may very well negate any speed increase your card may be able to offer. Similarly, if your needs are very simple (in computing terms) then it might not be worthwhile to spend a lot of money on a graphics card that you will not use to its full potential. Thus, it is always wise to know what you will need prior to buying, and to be fully aware of your system’s hardware and software configuration prior to adding a new component to the mix.

State of the Art Nvidia 8800GTS PCI-Express

Three Main things to look for in a Graphic Card

Getting a Graphic Card for your PC is a great idea. Graphics have become an integral part of the computing experience. They were once a low key component of computers. In the past it made sense to have graphic circuitry stored in the motherboard. Now, the amount of graphic information being used is so intense that it makes perfect sense to have a ‘Graphic Card.’

A Graphic Card is really a small compact co-processor. It has its own memory, GPU and processing unit. They can be used to view next-generation games and enhance digital photos. Banks and other businesses use them to create eye catching web pages. This multi-display technology works to make everything brighter and clearer, no matter what you are accessing. This makes it a nice external storage unit to have handy. Maybe you are designing a web page at work that needs to be exciting and attractive. You aren’t going to be able to accomplish that with text alone. You’re going to need a Graphics Card to make things more interesting.

If you are a video game consumer, then you probably already have a Graphic Card. But since technology improves at lightening speed, you might need to brush up on your information. Get the right equipment the first time you buy it. There is nothing wrong with turning the ringer off and sinking your teeth into the latest 3-D PC game. But you are going to want to get the full effect of every successful play, which means purchasing the right Graphic Card so you can enjoy your games to the fullest extent.

Hold on! Before you get on the web and start hunting one of these babies down, there are a few things you should know. A Graphic Card is a highly specialized piece of equipment. This is one of the fastest growing technologies in the computer world. This means you will want to be sure to get the best deal you can. You’ll need to buy a new graphic card eventually if you do not start out with an efficient one. A little research can save you time and money.

Every gamer knows that you need to get the best Graphic Card for your system. The first thing to consider is your system. If you don’t know what type it is, find out. Are you working with a outdated Pentium III processor? Or do you have a more recent processor in your possession? Does the Motherboard you own support AGP or PCI-express? It is important that your Graphics Card is suitable for your CPU and your motherboard. If you do not have a newer computer, don’t buy a state of the arts Graphics Card. You may not be able to input it. And just because you have a top notch Graphic Card does not mean that your graphics will be better and you will be wasting your money. You will also be disappointed in the muted graphics. Go with an older, cheaper Graphics Card if you need to. Your graphic experience will reach the highest level possible based on the system you own.

Another factor to consider will be the type of games you play. Certain games may need a more expensive graphics card, but if the games you play don’t require one, you may be able to save yourself some money. Do your games require 2-D or 3-D acceleration? If they are 2-D, you will be able to use just about any Graphics Card. Your graphics will be crisp and clear without spending the extra money. However, if most of your games are 3-D, you may want a more sophisticated Graphics Card.

low budget ATi Radeon 9250

What requirements must your system have to work with the Graphics Card? Make sure the card matches with your system. Are you on a budget? No problem. You can find a Graphic Card under fifty bucks. It might not be the top of the line but you will still be able to enjoy your graphics loaded game. Again, be sure that the graphic card will not only work with your computer system, but also with your PC game.

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