How to choose a graphics card for your computer: the types of adapters, the characteristics and the main producers

Why do you need a video card in your computer

Under special graphics card implies a device which is necessary to convert the incoming information from the central processor to a video signal which is displayed on a PC monitor. In simple terms, this board is responsible for the graphics component of the personal computer. The video card - is one of the most important components of modern PCs.

The first models of video cards that have been used in early computers made simple conversion of digital information. Inherently, these devices are part of the video path and is responsible for generating an analog signal from the incoming bitstream. By an increase in power required as the complexity of microprocessor technology, however steelmakers supply separate graphics processor and special blocks, which object was just converting the signal, but also its treatment.

These models have not learned to make independent calculations, which resulted in the release of a CPU computing capacity.

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Next came the three-dimensional graphics standard, which led to even more serious complication of processors, responsible for graphics processing. Current models, in some cases, distinguished even more processing power than a CPU. The only difference is that the video card for a laptop or desktop PC solves narrowly focused task.

Can a computer to operate without a video card

The answer is unequivocal - no. Without the video, regardless of whether this will be a discrete or integrated embodiment, when attempting to run PC user will hear a few warning signals BIOS, and then boot the computer pause. Not as straightforward answer would be, if you have two video cards in one computer. A case in point comes to have a separate or discrete "vidyuhi" which is set into the corresponding motherboard connector and integrated or soldered to itself "mamma". In case of failure of one computer can be operated using the other.

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But if in the system unit or laptop does not have a device for video processing, the computer will not start, and work on it will be impossible.

How does the video card in your computer, and where it is

To determine where in the computer graphics card is and how it looks, you should determine what type of charge of the graphics device is installed in the PC. It also affects the appearance. There are two types of video cards - external and embedded.

Built-in (integrated) video card

Almost all manufacturers, especially manufacturers of laptops, equipped with its integrated graphics products. Externally, it is a small chip that unsolder the motherboard. Determine its location, you can:

• or by the presence of a small fan, which is required for cooling;
• marking the manufacturer, which is applied to the cover board.

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Integrated video cards do not have their own memory. It stands out from the CPU resources. Also do not have a power, because power supply is carried out directly on the motherboard or processor.

When installing an external adapter Some users are interested in how to disable the integrated graphics on the computer that the entire schedule went through a discrete model. This can be done through the "device manager" or by BIOS. If you want to know how to enable the built-in graphics card, here everything is done exactly the opposite. In the "Device Manager," you must find an adapter and pressing the right button, select "Enable".

Embedded devices for video processing are distinguished by their small size, it is not the best way affects their performance. They are suitable for solving daily tasks or video viewing, but their power is not enough for demanding games. Therefore, if you plan to buy a graphics card for your computer that will be used more with the purpose of active "gaming", the choice should be made in favor of a discrete card.

External (discrete) graphics card

As the name implies, an external graphics card is a separate fee, on which the graphical CPU, memory, and other necessary for the calculation and conversion of binary code chips and the system cooling.

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On the motherboard graphics card is placed into a special connector. It was previously AGP cards, all now available for PCI-E format, which is associated with a greater capacity of this type of connection sockets and the bus. The video card is placed in the closest to the CPU slot. This is done intentionally to ensure "vidyuhi" priority over other peripheral devices, since it is more important than the audio or network card.

It is possible to determine visually when parsing the video card of the system unit. This will be the biggest card on the "motherboard", which has a fan or other cooling system.

Also, when there are many more peripheral devices to locate graphic follows:

• find the cable connecting the monitor and the system unit. Place in the system unit, which will join the wire is the output of a video card;
• Early models had a VGA output, which is always painted in blue. New models of cards have a DVI output, which has a white hue.

How to remove the video card from the computer when leaving it fails or needs to be replaced? After identifying the location of the graphics adapter to disconnect the locking lever, which is on the connector, and then carefully remove the card from the slot. Pre-necessary, disconnect the monitor cable. Also need to unscrew a few screws that hold the bar outputs on the rear panel of the PC.

Key Features, or How to choose a graphics card to a computer

Before proceeding to the description of technical parameters vidoadaptera should be acquainted with the integral components of the card. It consists of the following parts:

1. Graphics processor, or GPU. This is the core of the adapter, which is required for product calculations and creation of the graphic information displayed on the monitor. Advanced gaming graphics card for your computer can be a processor, a power superior to the CPU.
2. Memory. The purpose of this assembly is identical to RAM. The memory in the graphics card acts as a buffer, which temporarily put the display information elements, as well as parts needed to form the image.
3. video controller. Element responsible for the correct formation and transmission received from the CPU and GPU information for digital-to-analog converter card.
4. RAMDAC, or DAC. Digital-to-analog converter is required for converting a binary code to an analog signal to be displayed on the monitor. Digital peripherals that connects to the graphics card uses its own DAC, so do not use the possibility of embedded RAMDAC.
5. ROM. Furthermore RAM comprises a ROM card or a video-ROM. This node is BIOS graphics adapter and a basic input-output system, a system which determines the interaction between all the details of the video card itself.
6. Cooling system. An important part of which is used to remove heat from the GPU memory and that provides good performance and stability.

Specifications graphics include a number of basic parameters.

Memory

Memory for the graphics card is no less important than the similar characteristics of the PC, because this unit is one of the components of performance. It varies according to the type and volume. This is especially important when the goal is to buy a gaming graphics card for your computer, which should provide a qualitative study of complex video.

By type of memory is divided into GDDR2, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5. The number in the name indicates the generation to which he belongs adapter. Logically, each successive video memory should be better than the last, and provide a greater working frequency. In fact, this is not entirely true, because, not only the volume or type of memory, but also its performance. The memory capacity may vary. For home computers, which are used as gaming, the best would be the size of a 2 or 4 GB.

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The volume also affects the performance, but this occurs to a certain limit, because it is important when purchasing guided further on performance.

Performance graphics memory

Productivity, in practice, is the weakest point. It has less to do with the volume or capacity of the GPU, but with the bus bandwidth, which determines the speed of data exchange between the graphics processor and memory. It is dependent on two criteria: speed or clock frequency vibrations and the tire width, measured in bits, which implies a number of data information transmitted in one operation tact.

Example: There are two graphics cards. One operates at a frequency of 1000 MHz and has a bus width of 256 bits. This means that for the second job she transfers the amount of information of 256 bits, and its speed is 256 000 bit / s. Another card has a frequency of 1800 MHz but the bus width - of 128 bits. It turns out that the actual speed of 230 400 bits / s. It turns out that the memory has a higher frequency is slower.

Cooling system

This set of elements, which is required for removing heat when the card. Current models use a system of vacuum termotrubok that provide better heat dissipation and thus almost do not produce noise during operation. Obsolete fans take up more space in the graphics package and with an increase in the load starting to produce an audible hum and noise, which makes the job or the gameplay less comfortable.

Energy consumption

Another option to consider when choosing a graphics card, because it shows how much energy is required graphics adapter with an increase in the load on the processor. Video card manufacturers on the official websites of the table provides illustrative, as the adapter will consume at peak load. Depending on this need to select the power supply, so that he can provide the necessary amount of energy.

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dimensions

Physical dimensions directly depend on the video card installed cooling system. Here the collision occurs - the more the cooling element surface, provides better heat transfer process, but the larger the space inside the system unit takes adapter. The largest size have maps that are installed coolers or fans. They can overlap when installed adjacent slot, then they are called dual-slot or even trohslotovymi. This point is also necessary to provide at the time of acquisition of the video adapter.

connection interface

The selection process should take into account the graphics card expansion slot, which is available on your computer to match the existing map, otherwise it simply will not work.

The following types of expansion slots:

• AGP. Slot, allowing to provide a direct link between the CPU and the adapter is currently outdated and little used;
• PCI Express. There are three versions of this slot - 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 the difference is to increase the speed of the transaction. In the latest version, it is up to 8 GT / s;
• External PCI Express. Special variety, which is the external interface, which has 4 species: x1, x4, x8, x

Most modern adapters work with the support of interface PCI-E 2.0, which, according to analysts, will be relevant for several more years.

The main producers of graphics cards

The most important detail of the graphics card is a chip or processor. Currently on the market there are two major players, producing GPU, - is AMD and NVIDIA. There are more small brands (SiS, S3, Matrox), but their share is negligible. The bulk of the video card manufacturers use in their models of the chips mentioned majors.

Troika's leading manufacturers of graphics cards, according to the user and computer analysts, represented by the following manufacturers.

Asus

Company from Taiwan, which produces models with chips of both brands. The range is represented by two main lines:

• Dual, which are low-end models, equipped with two fans;
• RoG Strix. Advanced graphics cards that have already three cooler "on board" and provide top graphics settings.

MSI

Lineup of the company is represented in three series:

• Armor. entry level adapter having quality and cooling capacity to disperse;
• Gaming. Advanced range that is distinguished by its high frequencies and large (100 mm) for cooling fans;
• Sea Hawk. The top products, which has a liquid cooling and a great potential for overclocking.

Gigabyte

Company offering a 4 line cards:

• Mini ITX. Model having a compact size, which leads to the downsized cooling system as only one fan;
• WindForce. Next power line adapters with two coolers and high frequencies;
• Gaming G models, whose distinctive feature is the high frequency of the graphics processor;
• Extreme Gaming. Trohslotovye cards that have maximum overclocked characteristics "out of the box".

Among the least popular brands, which produce the video card, there may be mentioned the company Zodac, Palit, Inno3D. And, of course, do not forget that the chip manufacturers produce models under its own brands - is from NVidia GeForce and Radeon from AMD.

How much is the card to the computer

Price graphics on computer depends on the producer (to a lesser extent), because of the characteristics. The most expensive models are designed for gaming, since they have enhanced performance and more memory.

Low-end models, which are designed to solve everyday problems, will cost considerably cheaper.

The acquisition of graphics is dependent on the user's priorities and its financial capacities, as high-end solutions from manufacturers can reach a price of 50 000 rubles and even higher. Once again, look at how to choose a graphics card for your computer in the video to the material: