How to Get the Best Performance Out of Graphic Cards

Get the best performace out of your video card.

Running too many programs or selecting software that is not compatible with the hardware will dampen the performance of even the best graphics cards. If you have a graphics card installed on your computer, you need to adjust a few of your daily computing settings and methods to ensure you receive the best performance possible out of the card.

Things You'll Need

• Damp cloth

Instructions

1. Wipe off the dust around the air circulation vent, located on the back of the computer near where you connect the video monitor to the graphics card. If this vent is full of dust, the air is not going to circulate around the card, causing the card to overheat and possibly crash.

2. Run only programs that do not exceed your current video graphic card's settings. The system requirements for the program is listed on the side paneling of the programming package. The exact information regarding your graphics card is found by clicking "Start," "Control Panel" and then "System."

3. Avoid running multiple programs at once that rely on the graphics card. Using a web browser and word processor is fine, while playing a video game while editing 3D animation should not be done simultaneously.

4. Download updates for the graphics card when they become available. Windows and Mac computers tell you when updates are available via a prompt window. Keeping your system up-to-date ensures your graphics card is always running at its best.

References

• Geo Fusion: Graphic Cards Information and Troubleshooting