Things to consider when purchasing a graphic card

[Decypher]

The type of graphics card installed affects the overall performance of a computer. The programs and tasks that the graphics card may need to support could be RAM intensive, CPU intensive, or both. There are several factors to consider when purchasing a new graphics card:

• Slot type

• Port type

• Amount and speed of video RAM (VRAM)

• Graphics processor unit (GPU)

• Maximum resolution

A computer system must have the slots, RAM, and CPU to support the full functionality of an upgraded graphics card to receive all the benefits of the card. Choose the correct graphics card based on your customer’s current and future needs. For example, if a customer wants to play 3D games, the graphics card must meet or exceed the minimum requirements for any game they want to play.

Some GPUs are integrated into the CPU. When the GPU is integrated into the CPU, there is no need to purchase a graphics card unless advanced video features such as 3D graphics or very high resolution are required. To use the built-in graphics capability of a CPU, purchase a motherboard that supports this feature.