How we choose the Video Card
Quick review of Video Card technology
Video card or integrated graphics?
The first question is whether to use a separate video card or a graphics
processor unit (GPU) integrated in the motherboard chipset. Integrated
GPUs are a substantially cheaper option, given the additional cost of a
separate video card. For most users whose graphics needs include playing
casual video games, watching DVDs and streaming videos certain integrated
GPUs will do more than great and save you money. However if serious 3D
gaming is your thing you really don't have a choice, you need the power of a
separate video card.
Integrated graphics for most
AMD's 780G, 785G and 790GX chipsets for AMD CPU platforms are
breakthroughs in integrated GPU performance and will do an excellent job
for the majority of PC users who are not serious 3D gamers. NVIDIA's 9300
and 9400 chipsets known as Ion, for Intel CPU platforms are also top notch
integrated motherboard GPUs but are more expensive. Intel's G45 Express
integrated chipset has some catching up to do on the graphics front.
Low end video cards
Intense competition exists between the two video card designers - AMD's
ATI and NVIDIA at all levels of video cards. We don't recommend any of their
low end cards. They don't do a good enough job for 3D gaming. Its better to
save with integrated graphics if you're not a serious gamer or better to get
a higher class of video card if you are.
Mainstream video cards
NVIDIA's GeForce GT 240, 9600GT and 9800GT are all excellent mainstream
video cards which we recommend for their price performance ratios. Note
the new Geforce GT 240 cannot run in SLI configuration (dual cards) which is
a negative. However the card could be a good upgrade for a single slot PCI
Express 16 motherboard. Lets hope NVIDIA doesn't stop the supply of their
9600GT and 9800GT cards which can run in SLI. ATI's Radeon HD 4670, HD
4770 and HD 4850 are ATI's mainstream cards we would also recommend.
High end video cards
At the next performance level but getting more expensive are ATI's Radeon
4870 and NVIDIA's GTX 260 to consider. At the ultra high end for extreme
gamers, NVIDIA's GTX 295 and ATI's Radeon HD 4870 X2 will give you still
higher frames per second. ATI now has its new Radeon HD 5800 series cards
but apparently these are in somewhat short supply. The extra graphics
power of all these high end cards you will cost you a lot more, increase your
power supply and cooling requirements and also the noise levels.
SLI and CrossfireX
You can get close to double graphics performance by combining two cards in
a SLI (NVIDIA dual cards) or Crossfire (ATI dual cards) configuration in the
same PC. For this reason given constantly falling prices of video cards, for
gamers we recommend getting a motherboard that supports either SLI or
Crossfire. Then one has the option of adding a second video card anytime
for a quick upgrade.
Quick review of Video Card technology
Video card or integrated graphics?
The first question is whether to use a separate video card or a graphics
processor unit (GPU) integrated in the motherboard chipset. Integrated
GPUs are a substantially cheaper option, given the additional cost of a
separate video card. For most users whose graphics needs include playing
casual video games, watching DVDs and streaming videos certain integrated
GPUs will do more than great and save you money. However if serious 3D
gaming is your thing you really don't have a choice, you need the power of a
separate video card.
Integrated graphics for most
AMD's 780G, 785G and 790GX chipsets for AMD CPU platforms are
breakthroughs in integrated GPU performance and will do an excellent job
for the majority of PC users who are not serious 3D gamers. NVIDIA's 9300
and 9400 chipsets known as Ion, for Intel CPU platforms are also top notch
integrated motherboard GPUs but are more expensive. Intel's G45 Express
integrated chipset has some catching up to do on the graphics front.
Low end video cards
Intense competition exists between the two video card designers - AMD's
ATI and NVIDIA at all levels of video cards. We don't recommend any of their
low end cards. They don't do a good enough job for 3D gaming. Its better to
save with integrated graphics if you're not a serious gamer or better to get
a higher class of video card if you are.
Mainstream video cards
NVIDIA's GeForce GT 240, 9600GT and 9800GT are all excellent mainstream
video cards which we recommend for their price performance ratios. Note
the new Geforce GT 240 cannot run in SLI configuration (dual cards) which is
a negative. However the card could be a good upgrade for a single slot PCI
Express 16 motherboard. Lets hope NVIDIA doesn't stop the supply of their
9600GT and 9800GT cards which can run in SLI. ATI's Radeon HD 4670, HD
4770 and HD 4850 are ATI's mainstream cards we would also recommend.
High end video cards
At the next performance level but getting more expensive are ATI's Radeon
4870 and NVIDIA's GTX 260 to consider. At the ultra high end for extreme
gamers, NVIDIA's GTX 295 and ATI's Radeon HD 4870 X2 will give you still
higher frames per second. ATI now has its new Radeon HD 5800 series cards
but apparently these are in somewhat short supply. The extra graphics
power of all these high end cards you will cost you a lot more, increase your
power supply and cooling requirements and also the noise levels.
SLI and CrossfireX
You can get close to double graphics performance by combining two cards in
a SLI (NVIDIA dual cards) or Crossfire (ATI dual cards) configuration in the
same PC. For this reason given constantly falling prices of video cards, for
gamers we recommend getting a motherboard that supports either SLI or
Crossfire. Then one has the option of adding a second video card anytime
for a quick upgrade.
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