Tips for choosing a graphics card for your PC

Buying a video card is not an easy task, in addition to such an obvious question as the amount that you are ready to allocate for the purchase, you have to determine a lot of other parameters. Even if you are settling on a specific GPU, for example, there is a choice between the RTX 2060 and the GTX 1070 – you will still be presented with a huge range of different models from at least half a dozen manufacturers. These cards will vary in price, features, warranties, and more. So how do you determine which one is better?

Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all solution, it all comes down to personal preference. For example, using a budget graphics card is a perfectly viable option … unless you plan on playing modern games with 3D graphics.

First of all, I would like to remind you that the definition of a graphics processing unit (GPU) refers to a chip that is used by a graphics card, for example, a GeForce RTX 2070. A graphics processor performs the same functions as a central processing unit in video processing, while a video card itself is similar to a motherboard. board. But unlike buying a motherboard and a processor, where you can choose a chip separately, buying a video card provides only “all in one”: the board, GPU, memory and cooling system.

Tips for choosing a graphics card for your PC

Size and connection

It is believed that the larger the video card, the better, but this is not always true. Although large graphics cards are more efficiently cooled and quieter than compact ones, there are many PC cases that simply cannot accommodate some large graphics cards. Take the Zotac Amp Extreme line of GPUs, for example – they are massive, with three 90mm fans and a thick heatsink. This video card occupies as many as three expansion slots, since two adjacent slots are blocked by a cooler. If you only use one card and you have a large ATX case, this is not a problem, but for a micro-ATX or mini-ITX build, it clearly will not work.

Besides size, the weight of a graphics card is another parameter to consider. While heavier weight is an indicator of better cooling (since copper heatsinks, which dissipate heat more efficiently, weigh more than aluminum ones), a heavy card puts additional stress on the PCIe slot, and in extreme cases, this can even lead to metal bending in the expansion slot of your chassis. If you have to move your computer, it is better to choose a lighter graphics card. Or, alternatively, you can purchase a case with the option of vertical installation of the graphics card.

It is always worth checking the availability of the necessary video outputs, this is especially true for those who plan to work with two monitors at the same time. Almost every graphics card will have at least one DisplayPort and one HDMI connector, but the rest depends on the manufacturer.

The issue of energy consumption is no less important. If you want to purchase a graphics card that requires two 8-pin connectors to function and your PSU only has one, you will need a new PSU. This is usually not a problem, as even modest 500W PSUs these days usually have two 8-pin connectors, which will be enough for just about any modern GPU, but it can be a limiting factor if you are upgrading an older PC. which the power supply has only 6-pin connectors. By the way, we strongly advise you to avoid adapters from Molex to 6-pin, as well as double Molex to 6 and 8 Pin.

When there is no point in overpaying

Most graphics cards based on the same GPU perform roughly the same with a small range of difference, so the much-touted ultra-overclocked model can only be 10 percent faster than the reference graphics card. If there is only a small increase in price, this is normal, but when it comes to a difference of $ 100 or more, it is better to just take a card with a GPU of a higher level.

Clock speed, cooling and noise

Many buyers pay too much attention to the GPU clock speed. But as mentioned above, there is such a thing as factory overclocking, which we overpay for. For example, there are overclocked GTX 1660 Ti cards that cost basically the same as the RTX 2060. The problem is that the RTX 2060, even at the reference clock speed, almost always gives better performance than the overclocked GTX 1660 Ti, as overclocking will not make up for power and bandwidth shortages.

Nowadays, hybrid systems have become very popular, in which there is a liquid cooling and an external radiator with a fan. They really do an excellent job and are also lighter in weight as the heatsink and fan are installed directly onto the PC case. However, such a cooling system only really justifies the investment for high-end graphics cards such as the RTX 2080 or 2080 Ti.

Modern graphics cards, with their cooling requirements, can be a source of noise. Therefore, it is preferable to take a system with three small coolers than with one large (and therefore louder). The most noisy are the turbine cooling systems, but they are ideal for those who want to build a powerful computer in a compact ITX case, as they dissipate heat well.

Warranty and service

Experience shows that high-quality video cards from well-known manufacturers rarely fail during the first two years of operation, so although the warranty is important, it should not be overestimated. As for the service, it is still worth reading the reviews about the manufacturer: how quickly the video card is repaired or replaced, where the service centers are located, etc.

Design and lighting

It makes sense to pay attention to the appearance of the graphics accelerator only if you plan to install it in a case with a transparent side cover. Nowadays there are quite a few models of video cards with RGB backlighting that look very stylish in such a case, especially if the lighting is matched to the motherboard and other components. Some of them have the ability to adjust colors, for which special software is supplied in the kit.

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