Quick Question :D

Mister Wolf · 24 Jan 2011 at 17:26

I feel pretty nooby asking this but...

when it comes to Graphics cards what are the main things you look for when purchasing one ?
like what do you look for on the specs?

thanks guy!
Wolf

Just realised i put this in the memory area!!! sorry guys missclick :/

1Day · 24 Jan 2011 at 17:53

Not to n00by at all. And better to ask than to make a expensive error.

Specs to not tell the whole picture. Different vendors use different methods to make a card and the specs while having a common language are not comparable.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is. What do you want the graphic card to do?

Now that sounds a pretty easy question but it is not. Well it is but the answer is not all that simple.

What work must the card do, if you game what games will it be expected to play - at what resolution and what level of detail. If work stuff then the same kind of questions but using the applications you use.

Then next question is the hard one. Budget - what is your budget. And once you have answered those two then it becomes much easier.

Card names or numbers are quite confusing right now.

Top of the pile is the 580GTX - which is a improved 480GTX see what I mean about confusing.

But lets take it one step at a time. Work out what you want the card to be able to do and then we take it from there.

cmndr_andi · 24 Jan 2011 at 17:55

Price and performance in a range of games.

In terms of specs - it really isn't worth comparing them purely on clockspeed, memory bandwidth core count etc. - you really need to see how they perform in the games you play compared to other cards.

Scuzzy · 25 Jan 2011 at 13:14

Yes, go with a card that suits your needs...and budget !!

Blue160 · 25 Jan 2011 at 14:48

Post in the graphics card forum with your budget, PSU, and screen resolution and they'll tell you what you need to get