When buying a video card for my comp what are the most important things & specs I should look at besides price

Should I look at core clock speed if so how much would be enough to run high level 3d games.



Should I look at memory if so how much would be enough to run high level 3d games.



What should I look at plz tell me.|||The first thing you'll want to identify is if you have an AGP slot or PCI Express. Most newer computers have PCI Express, but I'm still rocking an AGP slot. I assume you have that out of the way.



Now, when looking for a graphics card the numbers tell much of the story, but it's not always true to form. For example, depending on the quality of a graphic chip or the memory used, you might get varying results.



There's also varying degrees of "high level" 3D. Odds are you are looking at specific game or two? You can check the game's recommended graphics card levels on the box or website. They will give you two levels "required" and "recommended." Required is the bare minimum. You'll want more than that. Recommended is what they say is best. A good rule of thumb for PC games is to find the recommended specs, and then boost up your power a level or two. This way you won't be lagging behind completely 1 one year. But PC games the way they are now, 2 years is about as long as you'll ever get at "high level."



Memory is highly important, one of the key features of a graphics card. I'd recommend a minimum of 256mb at this point.



Now I could talk specs with you all day, but your main concern here has to be price. Graphics cards that can play any modern game on the shelf today range from $100 to well over $700. What is the difference? Well that $700 is going to be BRAND NEW and have every new piece of technology out there. The $100 card, while serviceable, probably is on it's dying breath and will need to be upgraded to play next years games. The question is, are you going to want to play a specific game now? Are you looking to the future? And how much are you willing to pay for future proofing?



Another item to consider is that a new graphics technology, DirectX 10 is JUST coming out. If the future if your concern, you'll want a card that features this technology.



In short: the number one thing you want to look for is a good price to performance ratio. You can do this by researching reviews and all the technical numbers that these kind folks will feed you. A good sweet spot for graphics cards is typically $200-300. More than that and you're paying to be an early adopter. Less than that and you're buying an already outdated card.



I've avoided using specific numbers, due to the fact that "high level" changes every 6 months. And it varies greatly depending on what game you are wishing to play. World of Warcraft is an entirely different beast than F.E.A.R.



I've linked a great source for you to check graphics card reviews. Often times you can find the card you are looking for and see how it stacks up to other cards of similar price and features.|||Ah, sorry, I thought you meant you knew price was a consideration.



If money is no issue, the GeForce 8800 is an absolutely gorgeous card. It will run you over $600, but it has DirectX10 and will steamroll through any of the latest games.

Report Abuse