A video card is the most expensive part of a modern computer and, if we talk about gaming models, it is also the most important detail to look out for when choosing a PC.
It is necessary
A computer with an internet connection
Instructions
Step 1
Keep in mind that there are integrated (built-in) and discrete (standalone) graphics cards. If the goal is to buy an office computer that will support office programs and perform simple tasks, choose built-in models, which will also save you money. The downside is that such cards use the system's RAM and do not have their own cooling system, which affects the computer's performance. If necessary, you can always buy a discrete analogue.
Step 2
Install a discrete card on your computer to watch FullHD movies. Such models are called multimedia. Typically, they are used to display high-quality, high-resolution images on plasma monitors. For this purpose, you do not need to spend 7000 rubles on a copy with the maximum parameters, because half of these opportunities will simply not be used.
Step 3
When choosing a multimedia card, pay attention to the following parameters: the card must support DirectX11 (for Windows 7); the amount of video memory for a resolution of 1920 × 1080 will be sufficient within 1 Gb DDR5; to connect the plasma panel, there must be an HDMI connector.
Step 4
There are currently two video card manufacturers on the market: ATI or Nvidia. The budget card options will be the following: GeForce GT630 / 1024Mb / GDDR5 / 128 Bit / HDMI / DirectX11- Nvidia, Radeon R7 250 / 1024Mb / GDDR5 / 128 Bit / HDMI / DirectX11- or ATI / AMD. Such models will cost no more than 3000 rubles.
Step 5
If the video card is chosen for games, then you will not be able to save on it. In this case, choose a powerful video card, because games are the most demanding applications, especially modern ones. ATI products here will be cheaper than Nvidia, albeit insignificantly. Still, you won't be able to choose a universal card, because some games are optimized for one manufacturer, while others are optimized for a second.
Step 6
For old games, a 1024-2048 Mb memory card like Radeon R7 260X or GeForce GT650 will suffice. In these models, the main role is played by the generation of the graphics processor, its frequency, as well as the frequency of the memory type (preferably GDDR5).
Step 7
In order to play more demanding games and not overpay twice, pick up a product from the "golden mean". You can get the most out of such a card by playing a modern toy. Pay attention to the same parameters as in the lower price category, plus the bus width should not be lower than 256-bit. Examples of such models can be: GTX 760- GTX 770 from Nvidia; Radeon R9 270- Radeon R9 270X- Radeon R9 280X And from ATI / AMD.
Step 8
The purchase of a so-called top-end video card may be necessary only when using a 40-inch plasma panel instead of a monitor. True, they consume energy many times more, and are also much more expensive. Therefore, do not chase the biggest indicators if you use only half of their capabilities. Top video cards include: GeForce GTX 780Ti and GeForce GTX TITAN from Nvidia and Radeon R9 290 and Radeon R9 290X from ATI / AMD.
