Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
- Computer Cases
- Internet Access
- Computer Cases
- Video Cards
- Internet Access
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Step 1
Check reviews in computer magazines and on the Internet to help you narrow your choices. Note that a video card is also referred to as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card.
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Step 2
Buy an AGP (accelerated graphics port) video card for a new computer. If your computer doesn't have an AGP slot, buy a PCI video card.
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Step 3
Buy a card with at least 128MB of video RAM. Get a card with more video RAM if you need to do detail work on a very large monitor or need an infinite variety of colors for original designs.
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Step 4
Look for a high frame-rate specification for action games or streaming video applications.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 2/21/2006 First of all, I don't think you could find a video card with only 8MB of RAM now. The worst cards have 64MB, and range all the way up to 512MB now. On the other hand, they are right about the buying a car based on the fuel tank, and if you are doing any major gaming you need to look into how the actual card does compared to others.
Also, AGP is now outdated. PCIe16X is the newest type, and although it doesn't give more power than AGP for current games, it increases headroom a lot, doubling the capacity of read and write.
As for monitors only taking a few MB, the major problem is that everything else takes some too. Most computers are set to 32bit color now, so it would take double the RAM to store the same size computer screen. That means you will take from 4 to 8 MB of RAM for a monitor, and running anything else, like a java plug in on a browser will jump that up. For light browsing, don't worry about a graphics card, as your computer will come with one that can get the job done. If you want to do some light gaming, consider upgrading from an integrated graphics card to a dedicated graphics card, with its own RAM. You can find a fair graphics card for about $50 - $150, but anything higher than that is only needed for running intensive games.
Oh, and there really is a difference between GPUs, unlike what that guy said about just updating the drivers. Modern GPUs support many hardware features, with a few basics like T&L (transform and lighting), and Pixel Shaders. Although these can be run without supporting GPUs, the speeds will be pathetic.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 One of the most highly recommended, consumer orientated video cards in the last decade, only comes packed with 16 MB of RAM per monitor. Anyone who claims a video card requires more is unknowledgeable on how a video card even works. RAM is nothing more than storage.
To base a video card's power on it's amount of RAM, is like buying a car, based on the size of the gas tank, rather than the motor. It's the CPU that processes instructions and the power of a video card, not the RAM.
Furthermore, many people don't know this because MFG's gloss over it in their video card ads, but, if a video card needs additional RAM to store a repeated instruction, it uses the system RAM. The need to bloat a video card with more than 16 MB of RAM is for sales of new cards, not actual need.
How much RAM does it take to run a monitor? 4MB for resolutions up to 1600 x 1200, and 2MB for the average user running their monitor at 1024 x 768.
PCI vs. AGP video card interface. Test results conclude, the advantage of the AGP interface over the PCI is only identified with elaborate test equipment, and unnoticeable to the end user. Speed advantages are less than .05 percent with the AGP interface.
To take advantage of the latest and greatest video card technology, simply down load the latest video drivers free from the MFG site.
To get a faster screen redraw, set your color to 16 bit, rather than 32 bit color. As a result, your computer will process less and screen result faster. Note- 16 bit color can display over 65,000 colors, which is more than any browser can display, and 60,000 more than your Photoshop's color wheel options.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 With over 40 years of experience in Electronics, Video, Design and Manufacturing, it still amazes me how misinformed the average computer user is when shopping for a video card, as exampled by the 'Scott' submission - "8MB of VRAM? Try 64 MB", review.
Such misinformation is exactly what manufacturers like to see, and need to sell their new cards. Truth is, video cards need far less video RAM than reviewers like this 'Scott' kid think.
1. Example, it takes 2 MB of video RAM to run a 1024 x 768 resolution in 16 bit color, and as much as 4 MB of video RAM to run 1600 x 1200 resolution in 16 bit color, and yes, there's good reason to use 16 bit color rather than 32 bit color.
As of Nov 2005, one of the most powerful, professional and highly recommended video cards available on the market today, only use 16 MB of RAM per display.
2. PCI vs AGP Interface. Here again, the general public has been led to think, AGP is faster than the PCI interface. Unfortunately the speed advantage is only traceable with elaborate test equipment, and unnoticeable to the average user, no matter who or what they say to the contrary. The AGP hype sells cards, not performance.
3. 'New Technology' only available from a new video card? Wrong again. You can't change the laws of physics, and as a result, the basic principals of the typical video card have not changed, but rather, the software that makes it run. If you want this new technology, just download the latest free driver versions of your video cards software.
4. No matter who the manufacturer or flavor of video card (or a computer system for that matter), it's the CPU that processes instructions, not the RAM. RAM is storage, nothing more. Anyone basing the power of a video card on its RAM is like basing their new car purchase on the size of the gas tank, rather than the motor.
5. The most commonly glossed over, leased mentioned or little know fact about a video card is; Even if your old video card is short of onboard RAM to store a repeated high color and resolution combination (small images), it will make up the difference by sharing and using the RAM in your computer system. Why system RAM is more important than Video RAM.
6. Should you wish additional information on how to demystify the mechanics, unravel the hype and read about the shell game common in advertising, stop by and read the article I've assembled on my eBay 'ME' page called, "Video Cards 101". Items covered include: Game cards, Utility cards, Workstation cards, Multi monitor cards, AGP vs PCI, Compatibility issues, On board video, RAM facts, RAMDAC, pro's and con's of CRT's and LCD's, Faster screen redraws, Testing for failing video, Heat facts, ESD static facts, Cables and much more, visit this eBay link:
http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=rgh7216
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Unless you're buying a card on Mars or staying on Earth but traveling back to 1997, you won't find a new video card with any less than 64 MB of RAM. So any card will do. That is if you're not a into heavy duty graphics or video work and/or are a gamer. Otherwise, you already know you can't have too much VRAM.
The best bet for moderate use is to not get a video card at all. If you're buying a new computer get one with the GPU (graphics processing unit) integrated on the motherboard. Most of these will be 64 or 128 MB of RAM shared with your computers RAM. If your computer has at least 512 MB of RAM and you don't do much other than surf the web, read/write email, spreadsheets and or word processing then that will be fine. 1 GB of RAM though would be better for the computer.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Before looking for a video card, first make sure what type of Video Bus you currently have on your motherboard. All late model motherboards have PCI slots, Most have AGP, and the latest ones have PCI Express slots. If you want the latest, greatest video card, make sure that your computer can handle it. Also, there are some generic manufacturers out there who make great video cards with name brand video chip-sets for a lot less than name brand.