Graphics Card Buying Advice
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We're here to help you buy a new graphics card. We've got advice and information about all the latest components like sound cards as well. We discuss the features and specifications you need to look for, and explain the difference between the technologies.It's worth making sure you spend wisely. To make it easier, we answer the questions you should ask yourself before you buy:
Introduction
Computers have transformed the way we work, play and communicate. No longer are computers just used for number crunching, but also used as tools for video conferencing, watching movies, and storing photos. Additional advancement of its applications in the areas of medical imaging, architecture, emulations, etc have made the computer ubiquitous to both home as well as business. Display technology has now advanced from not just being able to project images, but also offer a 3-dimentional experience to the user. Graphics cards or more widely termed as video boards are the engines that drive the way your computer projects images using the monitor. It is through the graphics card or video adapter that a logical representation of an image which resides on your computer gets displayed through a signal on the monitor. Early computers were introduced with a monochrome Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor, which used a green phosphor based coating, thus creating the term “green screen”. This was created by the engineers at IBM and as most computers in that era were made by IBM, the “green screen” monitor became the norm. At this time emphasis was given on displaying text only and not graphics as most computers were bought and used by companies for data analysis and number crunching. In 1981, IBM once again set the standard for launching a monitor capable of displaying 16 colors. With the launch of the Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) standard, computers now could display various modes for text and graphics. This was also the first time that a video card was created with a memory module of its own. Thus, in the development of following video standards, video cards have drastically increased the capacity of memory available. VRAM or Video RAM is used to define the Random Access Memory (RAM) which is dedicated to displaying bitmapped graphics and is physically separate from the RAM present in the motherboard. As displaying images is a memory intensive activity due to the constant refreshing of the monitor, manufacturers have realized the advantage of allocating dedicated RAM for buffering the data sent by the processor, thus keeping the flow of data constant and making it appear seamless. As applications such as games, authoring of DVD’s, real-time editing, web streaming, etc need enhanced graphics capabilities, the graphics cards of today offer to support up to 256MB of VRAM, thus rivaling the memory of the main processor itself.
The current flavors of graphics boards available in the market come with their own on-board processors, VRAM, interface, etc. We take a look at how to narrow down your search to the board of your choice.
Hardware
Most motherboards come fitted with an onboard display adapter and a display memory of 2MB which allows the user to use basic applications such as watching a movie, chatting using a video camera, etc. For optimizing the computer for any further application, it is mandatory to install a graphics board. The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is the default interface by which the graphics board is fitted onto the motherboard. Board manufacturers are constantly upgrading their offerings as users are demanding a realistic display. High-end gamers, movie enthusiasts, animation experts, etc. are demanding further improvement in the way the computer interfaces with other devices such as flat-panel displays, TV-tuners, S-Video and FireWire interfaces. The graphics board can be classified as a full fledged motherboard with the sole purpose for controlling the function of displaying data. The core of the graphics board lies in the capabilities of the on-board graphics processor. It is this processor that will control and manage the data sent or received to the monitor or from an external device. Most gamers need the processor to be able to display a flicker free 60 frames per second (fps) as this is the measure by which the human eye does not detect any flicker or loss in image. Most 2-D and 3-D games or images are programmed with a texture rich environment which required dedicated memory for processing. Most boards come fitted with either 64MB or 128MB of Double Data Rate SDRAM, while expensive boards offer the user 128MB to 256MB. This memory is what makes the experience of playing a 2D or 3D game different as well as aids in video editing. Some options such as DVI-out, S-video-out/in, and dual-display are standard features available on these boards.
- Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is the port that enables a connection to digital monitors. This port is in addition to the standard VGA port and some boards allow a dual functionality of using both these ports at the same time
- S-Video-Out/In enables the board to transfer data to and from external devices such as TV, VCR, Projector or camcorder
- Dual-display ports allow the board to connect to an additional monitor or TV. This port uses additional RAMDAC chips to convert digital images to analogue signals
In addition to the above functionality, the clock speed of the graphics processor needs to be kept in mind. Processor speed from the lowest of 166MHz up to 500MHz will offer a good indication of processing 3D images. The higher the clock speed, the faster the processing.
Software
While most functionality in graphic boards are hardware-based, there are a few features that are controlled by the software bundled with the graphics board or any editing product. Most boards offer the functionality of Anti-aliasing, which at low resolutions, effectively smoothen and soften the jagged edges in a 3D image. This function is a trade off between speed and display to the user as it lowers frame rates while displaying sharper images. While most boards would be supporting Windows, if you are using a system from Apple or a Linux-based computer, check the board for compatibility and driver support. Most Linux-based computers have a driver compatibility issue and need specific drivers for the various flavors of Linux. Games created or supporting Microsoft’s DirectX needs to have a processor that supports DirectX hardware acceleration. For non Windows-based programs or systems, the Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) standard comes in to play. This standard cuts across most of the areas of graphic usage such as gaming, virtual reality, CAD, scientific and information based emulations. In addition, it works seamlessly with Windows, Apple and Unix-based systems and applications.
Interface
The interface that connects the graphics board with the motherboard is important as this optimizes the speed and functions of the graphics board. Currently, the most standard interface is the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) while most advanced graphics boards adhere to the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) standard. The major difference between these two interfaces is the speed at which they transfer data. While the PCI bus has a maximum transfer rate of 133 mega bits per second, AGP offer the user a data transfer rate of 266 mega bits per second. Due to this difference, images can be refreshed much faster. To further increase the transfer rate, the next generation of interface is being launched with the PCI-Express or 3GIO-3rd Generation Input/Output standard. Although this standard is currently under formation, it is expected to be able to transfer data at a blazing speed of 2.5 giga bits per second. This is expected to take gaming and video applications to the next level. Currently, most motherboards come equipped with at least one AGP interface slot along with four PCI interface slots.
Optimizing Pricerunner
Trying to narrow down your search for a Graphics Board that is apt for you, Pricerunner.com offers search parameters on Name, Price, Chipset, System, Interface, Memory, TV-Out Connection, TV-Tuner, DVI. As the search module also includes an individual search criteria on TV-Tuner and TV-Out connections, which can be helpful to users that need a graphics board for the sole purpose of video editing. Users need to be a bit attentive to the explanations provided against every field as most details are provided in-depth and can help you in choosing the right board based on your existing system and application. For users that need boards for their linux-based systems, it is mandatory that the board supports OpenGL.
Conclusion
Narrowing down your purchase to a graphics board that fits in your budget as well as offers you the maximum functionality could be a bit difficult. The bottom line in choosing a graphics board is the application that you will be using it for. Since the graphics board does not operate on a stand alone basis, it needs to gel well with your current existing hardware and software. Merely purchasing a feature rich graphics board will not be enough if the motherboard it interfaces with and the software that is used do not match it. Look for a board that allows you to expand its on-board memory as you would not need to replace the board in the event your applications emerge as memory heavy. Gamers need not bother with a board that offers a TV-output or TV-Tuner connections, while a DVI as well as a dual display port is a must for connecting to a digital monitor in addition to the standard VGA one. Medical imaging applications do not need the heavy memory intensive 3D capabilities and a board with 2D capabilities will do the job just as well. Finally, amount and speed of on-board memory, interface compatibility with the motherboard and input/output ports supported are the three basic parameters that will help you narrow down your search.
