How to select a Video Card for your Computer

[kattman]

A graphics card is composed mainly of a processor, GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) and memory.

The graphics card alone is a small PC, dedicated to graphics applications, independent of the rest of the PC, the only link being the information passing through the port graphic and food.

Choosing a card is based on its needs and its budget:

• For desktop applications, a map called "entry level" is sufficient;
• For 3D video games (and generally all 3D applications), a more powerful card is essential.

Summary:

• General considerations
• How to identify the performance of an nVidia graphics card
• How to identify the performance of an ATI graphics card
• Performance graphics card for playing different video formats
• Some other advice

General considerations

The essential component that will determine the performance graphics card is the GPU:
A modern GPU is based on different units calculation:

• Processors flow,
• Units of texturing,
• Raster Units (ROPs)

Most important are the processors flux: the more processors flow is important, the GPU will be more powerful (for a given architecture). The model number of the card is linked to the GPU, which will be explained later.

Next comes the choice of memory:
Its quantity:

• 256 MB enough for the tickets range;
• 512 MB is required for cards with a powerful GPU;
• 1GB cards are essential high-end GPU or 2.

His type:

DDR2, DDR3 or DDR4: the higher the figure, the higher the memory is fast. His type does not need to be the same as that used for the RAM on your PC: you can have a PC DDR2 and a graphics card DDR3.

Its frequency:

Plus it is high, the card is more powerful.

Finally, there is the width of bus: it may be 64, 128, 256, 384 and 512 bits: plus the bus is large, most trade between the GPU and memory are fast.
It takes at least 256 bits for a powerful card.

The problem is to identify the performance of a map based on the trade name.

Two manufacturers share the market for graphics card: nVidia and ATI (now acquired by AMD)

For the general public range that interests us here, the cards are all called nVidia GeForce and ATI Radeon call and all this for over 8 years.

The ATI HD concern cards capable of playing videos High definition, but the appellation is a little vague, the reading skills of different video formats will be specified in a specific paragraph.

Here are the details of the classification of graphics cards from these 2 manufacturers.

[unidentified]

Also check out Tips: How To Remove And Re-install Video Card Drivers?

[kattman]

How to identify the performance of an nVidia graphics card



At nVidia, numbering follows an order about logic, at least until June 2008:The

figure thousands characterized the family of GPU, is about the year of output. For

example, a 8600 GT, released in 2007, is older than 9600 GT, released in 2008, thus

less efficient;



The hundreds figure is linked to the power of the GPU, the higher, the GPU is more

powerful (in the same family) is the determining factor. For example, a 8600 GT is far

less powerful than 8800 GT;



Finally, a suffix comes complete reference, it is bound to frequencies GPU and memory,

the number of units activated GPU (or processors flows), it substantially increases the

performance, the lowest in the highest, it was: LE, G, GS, GT, GTS, GTX, Ultra. All

suffixes do not exist for all cards. For example, a 8800 GT is less powerful than 8800

GTS, and they are all 2 based on the same GPU, but the GTS works with any treatment

units activated and with the GPU and memory frequencies higher than the GT version .

But unfortunately, it sometimes becomes complicated:

nVidia released in early 2008 maps from different generations with the same name:

careful not to confuse the "old" 8800 GTS 320 or 640 MB of 2007 with the new 8800 GTS

512 MB of 2008, they are not based on the same GPU: G80 on the old 8800, G92 on the

news.



Conversely, nVidia has launched the 9000 series, but these maps are based on the same

GPU as the 8800 output to the winter 2007-2008, the G92, mainly with increasing

frequency:
the 9600 GT, with a half off the G92, 8800 GT is a diminished and the 9800 GTX is

roughly a 8800 GTS over clock. This does not detract from the performance of these

cards, it's just a matter of name.

At the end of June 2008, nVidia has released the series GTX 200, composed for the

moment of the 260 and 280: these references have nothing to do with the old ...

We can compare with this method of cards of different generations, but not maps which

reference is completely different: a 7600 GT is less powerful than 8600 GT (a

single-digit difference), but nothing can be said has priori on performance compared

with a 7600 GT and a 8400 GS (everything is different)

[kattman]

How to identify the performance of an ATI graphics card
One can say that the designations follow roughly the same principle as at nVidia, at

least for older generations, because the numbering has changed little for the new

generation released at the end of 2007:
leased at the end of 2007:



The figure thousands characterized the family of GPU: 1900 is older than 2900;

The hundreds figure is linked to the power of the GPU, the higher, the GPU is more

powerful: a 1950 Pro is more powerful than 1650 Pro;

Finally, a suffix comes complete reference.Obviously these suffixes are not the same as

those of nVidia. The most common suffixes in 2007 were in ascending order of

performance: GT Pro, XT.For example:

• A 1950 GT is less powerful than 1950 Pro,
• A 2600 Pro is less powerful than 2600 XT.

For new generations, the figure of thousands willing to say the same thing, but the

numbering of the power of the GPU is different and suffixes have been abandoned:

• The 4000 series is higher than the 3000 series;
• A 3850 is more powerful than 3650: the figure indicates a hundred different GPU
  
  different, as before;
• A 3850 is less powerful than 3870: here, ATI has changed the dozens, because it is
  
  the same GPU operating at a higher frequency (the memory), instead change the suffix as
  
  before.

Again, one can compare maps of different generations, but not maps which reference is

completely different: a 1600 Pro is less powerful than 2600 Pro (only one digit

difference), but nothing can be said has priori on performance compared with a 1950 Pro

and a 2600 XT (everything is different).

[kattman]

Performance graphics card for playing different video formats

For reading the various video formats, decode the format by the graphics card is as

follows:

• MPEG-2: All ATI series X 1000 and beyond, all GeForce 7000 series and beyond are
  
  capable,
  
• MPEG4/h.264 all ATI HD 2000 series (except HD 2900) and beyond, all GeForce 8000
  
  series (except old 8800) and beyond are capable,
  
• VC-1: all ATI HD 3000 and all the GeForce 9000 series (except 9600 GT) are capable
  
  of.

The MPEG-2 DVD case "standard", MPEG-4/h.264 and VC-1 Microsoft concerning HD DVD and

Blue Ray.

Some other advice

So, you should be able to choose your card from nVidia or ATI.

By cons, to compare the performance of an nVidia graphics card and an ATI is more

complicated: it could decide to look more closely in the GPU, and compare the number of

processors flow of texturing units and ROP's, it is possible but quite different

architecture processors flows from nVidia and ATI can not draw conclusions easily.
The best solution is to read the comparative on specialized sites, only tests on games

can afford to know where they stand.

I draw your attention to 2 points:
Once the GPU chosen, attention to the amount of memory:

• Take a graphics card with lots of RAM is useless if the GPU is not very powerful:
  
  for example, 512MB and more are useless for 8600, it is better 256 MB DDR3 than 512 MB
  
  of DDR2;
  
• Likewise, have little memory on a powerful GPU limits: for example, are insufficient
  
  to 256MB with a 8800 GT, especially if one activates the filtering (AA, AF);

Do not take a very powerful graphics card if you have a PC a little old, because the

CPU can limit the graphics card, it is called "CPU limited," it is mostly those who

play on screen 17 or 19 ", read my article CPU Limited:

• For example, with a 3 GHz P4, still fairly common, it is not a great thing to take
  
  over a 3850 HD to play in 1280,
  
• Similarly, with a X2 4800 + 2.4 GHz, a 3850 HD is already somewhat limited, it is
  
  not really interesting to take a more powerful 9600 GT to play on a 19 ".

At the end of June 2008, the entry level is represented by the GeForce 8600 GT or ATI

3650: associated with a CPU E2160 or X2 4400 +, they will satisfy the casual players

with a screen of 17 to 19 inches. The online players can be satisfied with a less

powerful card, online gaming is generally poorly demanding system resources (attention

to the exceptions, like Crysis or CoD 4).

In mid-range, the new generation is represented by ATI at the HD3850, a 256-bit bus,

its power is twice the former midrange the year 2007, 8600 GTS; prefer the version 512

MB Combined with a E7200, it will give full satisfaction on a screen of 19 inches.

At nVidia, the new generation is represented by the GeForce 8800 GT, a card that has

prevailed in the middle maitre / high-end since its release in late 2007, it is better

to have a X2 6400 + or an E for 8200 to use it well .

The upper range is represented by the series 9800 at nVidia, and the series from ATI HD

4800. The HD 4850, roughly as powerful as the 9800 GTX, without doubt won the prize for

best price / performance ratio currently. Coupled with a Dual Core at 3 GHz, these

cards will play on a screen of 19 to 24 inches

The high-end is represented by cards 2 GPU, as the 9800 GX2, or HD 4870 X2, and new GTX

260 and 280 from nVidia: GTX 280 exceeds the performance of the 9800 GX2. It is better

to have a very powerful CPU in order not to restrict these cards, gender Quad Core at 3

GHz

[Jeffrey]

Nice work kattman great guide

[Ethex]

Thanx for the information its pretty good .

[Jeffrey]

thanks for the nVidia graphics card its really helpful .
where you got this thing .

[absolute55]

Classification of graphics cards for their reference

Two manufacturers share the market for separate graphics card: nVidia and ATI (now bought by AMD).

A problem that frequently arises is to identify the performance of a map according to the trade name.

This article will explain how to find it in the classification of graphics cards from ATI and nVidia, and then try to compare a theoretical performance maps of the 2 manufacturers.

In the range of public, nVidia GeForce are called, and ATI Radeon call all this since 2000 or so.

Here are the details of the classification of graphics cards in these 2 manufacturers.

[absolute55]

How to identify the performance of an nVidia graphics card

At nVidia, numbering follows an order about logic:

• The figure thousands characterized the family of GPU, is about the years of release. For example, a 8600 GT released in 2007, is older than 9600 GT, released in 2008, less efficient;
• The hundreds figure is linked to the power of the GPU, the higher, the GPU is more powerful (in one family) is the determining factor. For example, a 8600 GT is much less powerful than 8800 GT;
• Finally, a suffix comes complete reference, it is linked to the GPU and memory frequencies, the number of units activated GPU (or stream processors), it significantly increases performance, the lowest in the highest, it was: LE, G, GS, GT, GTS, GTX, Ultra. All suffixes do not exist for all cards. For example, a 8800 GT is less powerful than 8800 GTS; 2 they are all based on the same GPU, but the GTS works with all treatment units and activated with GPU and memory frequencies higher than the GT version .

But unfortunately, sometimes it is complicated:

nVidia released in early 2008 maps of different generations with the same designation: careful not to confuse "old" 8800 GTS 320 or 640 MB of 2007 with the new 8800 GTS 512 MB of 2008, they are not based on the same GPU: G80 on the old 8800, the new G92.

Conversely, nVidia launched the 9000 series, but these cards are based on the same GPU that the 8800 output in the winter 2007-2008, the G92, primarily with increasing frequency: the 9600 GT, with half of the G92 disabled, is a 8800 GT reduced and the 9800 GTX has the structure of a 8800 GTS overclockée and behaves almost like a 8800 GTX. The 9500 GT has the performance of a 8600 GTS, exit 2 years earlier.

In late June 2008, nVidia has released the series GTX 200, composed for the moment the 260 and the 280: these references have nothing to do with the old .

We can compare this with maps of different generations, but not maps which reference is completely different: a 7600 GT is less powerful than 8600 GT (a single digit difference), but we can not say a priori on performance compared with a 7600 GT and a 8400 GS (all different )

[absolute55]

How to identify the performance of an ATI graphics card

We can say that the designations are roughly the same as at nVidia, at least for older generations, because the numbering has changed a bit for the new generation output end 2007:

• The figure thousands characterized the family of GPU: a 1900 is older than 2900;
• The hundreds figure is linked to the power of the GPU; more, the higher the GPU is powerful: a 1950 Pro is more powerful than 1650 Pro;
• Finally, a suffix comes complete reference. Obviously these suffixes are not the same as those of nVidia. The most common suffix in 2007 were in ascending order of performance: GT Pro, XT. For example:
• A 1950 GT is less powerful than 1950 Pro
• A 2600 Pro is less powerful than 2600 XT.

For new generations, the figure is thousands say the same thing, but the numbering of the power of the GPU is different and suffixes have been abandoned:

• The 4000 series is higher than the 3000 series;
• A 3850 is more powerful than 3650: the hundreds of different figure indicates a different GPU, as before;
• A 3850 is less powerful than in 3870: here, ATI has changed the tens, because it is the same GPU operating at a higher frequency (memory too), instead of changing the suffix as before.

Here too, one can compare maps of different generations, but not maps which reference is completely different: a 1600 Pro is less powerful than 2600 Pro (only one digit difference), but we can not say a priori on performance compared with a 1950 Pro and a 2600 XT (all different).

[absolute55]

Comparison theoretical Cards nVidia and ATI / AMD

To compare the performance of a graphics card from nVidia and ATI is more complicated: It could decide to look more closely into the GPU, and compare the number of processors flow units texturing and ROP's, it is possible but quite different architecture GPU with nVidia and ATI does not draw conclusions easily, especially on stream processors.

Since 8800 the first version, nVIDIA proposes an architecture he calls SIMT ie "Single Instruction, Multiple Threads" which is in practice to the implementation of an operation on multiple threads as opposed to SIMD architecture Single Instruction, Multiple Data ", where an investigation of several operations is applied to an item, selected by ATI.
Technically, whether or LMIS SIMD architecture, the chips are in all cases with scalar units. In theory, the LMIS is supposed to be more effective, the programmer not to worry about filling the vector unit, which is not the case of SIMD.

Although the chips from AMD and NVIDIA both offer unified graphics architecture, architecture or LMIS SIMD induces a different accounting processors flow. And the simple comparison of the gross number of units can not estimate the power of a chip opposite each other, since NVIDIA and AMD are units of calculation in a different way.
For example, the GeForce 8800 GTS will work on 128 items at once and GeForce GTX 280 on 240 items at a time when the RV770 of 4850 will work on 160 items each element can contain up to five instructions: its units calculation are vec5 type effect, and ATI will announce proudly 5x 160 = 800 stream processors!

It must divide by 5 the number of processors gross flows announced for the ATI GPU to get a number that can compare with those given by nVidia: it takes 160 processors real flows for HD 4850, and not 800.
Thus, in the previous example, the performance of the 4850 fall between those of the 8800GTS and GTX 280:
160 stream processors for real HD4850, against 128 for the GeForce 8800 GTS and 240 for the GTX280, the HD4850 is a little more efficient than the 8800 GTS, what tests confirm.

[ronnieneedshelp]

ok, i have a really unique situation. i need help with how to put my old video card back because i accidentally deleted the drivers and everything for it now and when i turn on my computer, obviously not this one, nothing happens ad the screen is black. and it still makes the sounds and everything when i turn it on so i know it can't be anything else. Please help :*(

[hittingray]

Do you have a integrated graphics card? If you do, put the monitor on that and install the drivers. If it still does what it was doing open up your computer and make sure the card is connected in the correct slot (AGP in AGP, PCI in PCI, EPCI in EPCI)