How to Select Graphics Card Upgrades

Find the best graphics card for your computer system.

If you are looking to upgrade your computer system's graphics card, you need to compare the different options available to you. These video cards come with different components and features, allowing you to not only use higher quality video graphics but also to connect to external video equipment. In order to choose the best graphics card for your money, you just need to know specific information about the cards to find which one best suits your needs.

Instructions

1. Look at the RAM the video graphics card has. High-end video games and other graphic-based programs require additional RAM to help process the graphics. The more RAM the card has, the faster programs will run. The RAM is always a multiple of eight and reads such as 128 MB (megabytes).

2. Look at the GPU (graphics processor) clock speed. The processor is like the processor built into the system's motherboard, only this functions as the brains of the graphics card. It sends instructions to the different parts of the card. The faster the GPU clock speed, the more tasks the graphics card is able to run. The clock speed is displayed in megahertz (MHz), so a graphics card clock speed display reads the number, followed by MHz (such as 725 MHz).

3. Check to see if the graphics card comes with a built-in fan. These cards run hot, and if there is no additional fan built in, the card is able to overheat. The extra fan helps keep the card from overheating while in use.

4. Find the video connections on the card. Although most graphics cards have a standard VGA connections, more advanced cards also have DVI, s-video and HDMI connection ports.

References

• Geo Fusion: Graphics Cards Information