10 tips to buy a graphics card from a game player

Intel, NVidia, or ATI often sponsor gaming teams because video games are the software that consumes the most computer resources. Directly deciding the image of the game is the graphics processor (GPU). Choosing a graphics card to upgrade is always a concern for professional hands.

Graphics processor (GPU), like the central processor (CPU), is continuously upgraded by manufacturers in a short period of time with a series of new models targeted at multiple market segments and groups. different customer statues. Therefore, if you are not careful when choosing, users can buy a graphics card for general users when playing the game "hardware killer". The following 10 tips are designed to help those who are interested have the right things.

1. Memory (Video RAM) is not all

Equipped with 512 MB RAM with Radeon XT1300 GPU, this card is no better than the Radeon XT1600 with 256 MB RAM.

A good graphics card can play games at high resolutions of course there must be quite a bit of memory. If the memory is too small, it will waste the GPU's capacity while waiting for the command to process.

However, the manufacturer also understands that non-sophisticated customers will only see the memory capacity to judge the difference because it is easy to see. That is why there are cheap GPU cards also equipped with RAM up to 256 MB, even 512 MB. Graphics cards of this type can give very good indicators in tests, but for gaming, the memory capacity can not improve the image quality as much as the new technology in the new generation GPU.

2. GPU is extremely important

Video RAM is an important parameter, but the real heart of the graphics card is GPU. When referring to the name of the intended card, the user should pay attention to the GPU type of the card and when it was released. The best rated GPUs today are the products of NVIDIA and ATI. However, with the same brand "nVidia GeForce" or "ATI Radeon", the product will cost from under 100 USD for general users to over 500 USD for high-end products. Normally, the higher the model number, the better. However, the accompanying special symbols such as GT, GS, GTX, XT or XTX will provide important information about the ability of the processor chip to be shaded and clocked.

Please refer to the review articles on the GPU or instructions required by the game to understand the performance of the cards you want to buy.

3. Data transmission, shading technology and processing speed

The high-end GeForce 7900 GTX graphics card is equipped to 24 pipelines.

Previously, GPU processing speed parameters, number of data channels (pixel pipelines) were used to show the performance of the graphics accelerator card. But modern video cards can do more than processing every pixel. Special effects related to light can be brought directly through individual processing units called shaders without the need for precious pipelines. This is a very important part of selecting graphics cards as more and more games focus on using shader technology to improve image quality.

In general, buyers can still evaluate the graphics card through the number of pipelines that the GPU equips from the manufacturer's notice. This is like special highways for data from video memory RAM to GPU for processing. This parameter is as large as possible. If the pipeline is too small compared to the processing power of RAM and GPU, the phenomenon of "bottlenecks" because of data stagnation will occur, limiting the overall processing power of the video card. Typically, the basic graphics card has four pipelines. Mid-range products have from 8 to 12 pipelines. High-end graphics cards are equipped with 16 or more pipelines.

The operation speed of the card is as high as possible because it shows the ability to process at each time unit. But if you have to choose between a pipeline and speed, you should choose a card with a higher pipeline number. For example, a graphics card with 8 pipelines operating at 400 MHz would be better than a 4-pipeline card running 500 MHz.

4. Windows Vista and Direct3D 10

Microsoft is about to launch its latest operating system, Windows Vista, in early 2007. The new operating system that supports DirectX 10 has many upgraded features so that application software can access many system resources. more, including 3D graphics card. The new version of Direct3D is designed to reduce the load on the CPU, the graphics data stream goes straight to the pipeline and is processed at the GPU. Windows Vista will still work with current DirectX 9 graphics cards, but consumers will need DirectX 10-compatible video cards to play new games in the best mode.

NVidia and ATI had the first DX 10 shipments shipped in the first half of this year. However, buyers do not need to rush about conversion. DX 10 will need a few years to become popular and games that claim "DX 10 support" like Halo 3 or Shadowrun will still play well with current DX 9 cards.

5. Consider buying time

The fierce competition between NVidia and ATI brings continuous development for 3D graphics processing technology. GPU makers for new chips come from 12 to 18 months. As a result, more powerful graphics cards and more features are constantly appearing on shelves. However, the manufacturer also seeks to overclock (overclock), improving some features to extend the life of the old GPU line for several months.

If you don't need the latest video card, the user should consider time. Whenever a new product line is launched, the price of a slightly older or weaker product will be pushed down quickly to an acceptable level. Buying the latest graphics card will require a huge budget. In return, buyers can play games for a long time without upgrading.

6. Need to spend up to 500 USD

NVidia GeForce 7900 GT is considered to be the most valuable for less than 300 USD.

The latest graphics cards usually cost over 500 USD. However, there are still really strong products with mid-range prices of 200-300 USD. This is the best price for every dollar spent between the price of the flexible card line and the discounted premium card.

Check the pipeline parameters and the action clock when comparing two different generations of technology. If the parameters are the same, choose a newer card because there will be more features. Often new chip architectures provide better processing capabilities even with the same pipeline.

7. Predict the power supply capacity of the power supply

Power supply capability is also one of the important factors promoting video card processing capability. This is one of the most expensive devices in the PC. Typically, the manufacturer will print the card's power consumption right on the box. This number will be a bit higher than actual to prevent system overload. Mid-range graphics cards consume about 400 to 450W. Type of dual card such as CrossFire Radeon X1900 XTX consumes up to 550 W of power.

8. AGP and PCI Express slots

After two years of appearance, PCI Express took over the AGP standard graphics card slot in newly shipped computers. Most new graphics cards follow this standard. The main reason is that the PIC Express for broadband is 4 times the AGP. Manufacturers continue to support AGP in new GPU versions like the NVidia GeForce 7800 GS, but PCI Express is always a priority.

Computers about 2 years old will have an AGP slot. Upgrading to PCI Express is a big investment because it must replace the motherboard, CPU and RAM. The only consolation is that a 2-year-old computer is time to upgrade.

9. Using SLI or CrossFire double card?

There will be up to 4 GPUs on a computer when using SLI GeForce 7950 GX2 dual-core dual-card pairs.

A PCI Express system is required if you want to set up a computer system using dual-card video. In addition, there must be an appropriate motherboard, a powerful power supply and a type of video card that supports parallel operation mode.

NVidia and ATI both offer parallel graphics cards with their compatible motherboards. In 2004, NVidia introduced its first SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology. Later, the company promoted platform standardization and testing of other components such as power supply, motherboard, memory . Users can attach 2 video cards from 2 different manufacturers. Just make sure they have the same SLI GeForce GPU supported by NVidia.

Similar to SLI, ATI's CrossFire dual card technology introduced in 2005 requires a special motherboard to support and high quality RAM. Choose a more complex CrossFire graphics card because you have to install one labeled "CrossFire Edition" with the "CrossFile Ready" card to work together.

The debate about the performance of these two parallel graphics acceleration technologies continues, and the final conclusion is still not over.

10. Integrated graphics chip is not for gaming

When buying a computer to play games, pay more attention to the graphics card. If it is a machine with integrated graphics processor, do not buy and find one with a discrete graphics slot (PCI Express or AGP) and a real video card.

The integrated graphics processor only serves basic applications such as text editing, web browsing. It doesn't even have the capacity to play mid-range games, unless buyers are satisfied with the quality of moving images at 15 frames per second at 800 x 600 resolution.