Are you considering buying a gaming computer? This concise guide will introduce you to some of the basics you should think about to purchase the right graphics card. Let’s get started.
You might be confused about which card you should invest in. With so many different options available, it can become a challenging decision.
Prior to making your selection, it is essential to think about various factors, including power, memory, clock speed, bandwidth, and the resolution of your display screen. Similar to the processor, your video card significantly affects the functioning of your gaming computer. Ensure to conduct thorough investigation before reaching a final decision.
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AMD vs. NVIDIA: Which Is The Best Choice?
There are currently two leading manufacturers that create graphics cards: AMD and NVIDIA. These two graphics card giants then license other companies to sell their GPUs, including MSI, ASUS, EVGA, and many others. Both companies offer diverse types of software, cooling solutions, and rapid speeds on their cards.
The most important question is: which company ultimately makes the best GPUs? Both companies have strengths and weaknesses and offer several different series of graphics cards. For some budgets, NVIDIA provides superior performance and value, while on other tiers, you might find excellent options by choosing AMD.
AMD is renowned for offering affordable mid to upper-range graphics cards. Their recent AMD Navi RX 5000 series cards provide potent competition to NVIDIA in terms of performance.
When it comes to high-end graphics cards, however, NVIDIA is the leader. Their top-tier RTX cards were considered the best graphics cards in 2020, always in extremely high demand.
The Types Of Games That You Play
The types of games you want to play are key factors for determining what you need to look for to buy the right graphics card. If you play graphically-demanding games, you will need to invest in a robust graphics card.
PUBG, Far Cry 5, Project Cars 2, Metro Exodus, Battlefield 5, and Grand Theft Auto V are some of the most popular GPU-demanding games. If you aren’t interested in playing GPU-intensive PC games, you will be able to save a lot of money by choosing an affordable entry-level graphics card instead.
Your Display’s Resolution
It’s also vital to know which resolution you will be playing your games at. The higher your monitor’s resolution, the more powerful your graphics processing unit will need to be to make the most of it.
PC games become more demanding at higher resolutions. If, for example, you have a 4K monitor, you will need a robust graphics card to enjoy 4K visuals.
Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate
In addition to resolution, you also need to consider the refresh rate of your monitor when selecting a graphics card. The refresh rate refers to the number of times your monitor can update with fresh images each second. For instance, a 60Hz refresh rate means your monitor updates its image 60 times per second.
If your monitor has a substantial refresh rate, you will need a robust graphics card to make the most of it.
Compatibility With Your Power Supply
When choosing a graphics card for your gaming PC, you also need to check its compatibility with your power supply. As graphics cards consume more power than other components in your PC, we recommend that you choose a power supply robust enough to handle this substantial load.
Don’t forget to check the compatibility of your graphics card with your computer’s motherboard, memory, and other essential components.
Conclusion
This guide has described the most vital factors to consider when choosing a graphics card for your gaming PC. These tips should help you buy your perfect graphics card.
If you want to broaden your understanding of graphics cards, GPUs, and video cards, it’s worth exploring our additional resources.
We are dedicated to helping users find the suitable graphics card to match their budget and particular needs.
