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[-0MEGA-] · 10-18-2005, 07:43 PM

"Magic Numbers" To Watch For: Most video cards today are sold on the basis of the video chipset, not any magic number. However, the chipsets themselves are sometimes sold on the basis of their "bitness": for example, a "256-bit video card". This usually refers to some internal characteristic of the video card; it's best to ignore such claims and focus on the chipset's overall performance and features, and other performance and quality characteristics.

Performance Impact: Varies from none to tremendous, depending entirely on what you are doing. For routine Windows use, doing lots of 2D number crunching, compiling and other non-graphical tasks, the video card has no impact on the overall performance of the system. For 3D gaming and graphical development, as explained earlier, video performance is essential, and the differences between good and poor video cards are probably more important than the differences between CPUs.

Importance of Manufacturer: This depends on your needs as well. For routine uses a cheap generic card may be fine. However, a critical quality issue with video cards relates to driver support, and that may be lacking with generic cards. The saving grace is that since most video cards today are based on common chipsets, you may be able to get driver updates from the chipset maker if you have a generic. It's still better, of course, to buy a brand name. Most of the better-known big video card makers produce high-quality products.

Typical Component Lifetime: Video cards don't wear out, but they are rapidly replaced by new products. There being something new on the market doesn't make what you currently have obsolete, but over time new software comes on the market that may require extra functionality or performance to run well. As you might expect, the leading edge in this regard is typically gaming.

Driver Support Issues: As I have mentioned throughout this section, video cards have more driver issues than any other component. Driver quality significantly affects performance and stability, not just of the video card but of the entire system. Stay away from video card and/or chipset manufacturers that have a poor track record when it comes to driver quality, or providing driver updates.

10-18-2005, 07:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
[-0MEGA-] Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Concord, NH Age: 20 Posts: 27,082	"Magic Numbers" To Watch For: Most video cards today are sold on the basis of the video chipset, not any magic number. However, the chipsets themselves are sometimes sold on the basis of their "bitness": for example, a "256-bit video card". This usually refers to some internal characteristic of the video card; it's best to ignore such claims and focus on the chipset's overall performance and features, and other performance and quality characteristics. Performance Impact: Varies from none to tremendous, depending entirely on what you are doing. For routine Windows use, doing lots of 2D number crunching, compiling and other non-graphical tasks, the video card has no impact on the overall performance of the system. For 3D gaming and graphical development, as explained earlier, video performance is essential, and the differences between good and poor video cards are probably more important than the differences between CPUs. Importance of Manufacturer: This depends on your needs as well. For routine uses a cheap generic card may be fine. However, a critical quality issue with video cards relates to driver support, and that may be lacking with generic cards. The saving grace is that since most video cards today are based on common chipsets, you may be able to get driver updates from the chipset maker if you have a generic. It's still better, of course, to buy a brand name. Most of the better-known big video card makers produce high-quality products. Typical Component Lifetime: Video cards don't wear out, but they are rapidly replaced by new products. There being something new on the market doesn't make what you currently have obsolete, but over time new software comes on the market that may require extra functionality or performance to run well. As you might expect, the leading edge in this regard is typically gaming. Driver Support Issues: As I have mentioned throughout this section, video cards have more driver issues than any other component. Driver quality significantly affects performance and stability, not just of the video card but of the entire system. Stay away from video card and/or chipset manufacturers that have a poor track record when it comes to driver quality, or providing driver updates. __________________ Desktop // Laptop Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 4.0GHz // Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz Asus Rampage Formula X48 // Intel PM45 ATI 4870X2 2GB GDDR5 // 512MB GDDR3 9800M GTS 4GB (2x 2GB) DDR2 940 // 4GB DDR3 800 750GB SATAII w/32MB // 200GB SATAII 7200RPM Creative SB X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty SilverStone 750W +12V@60A 3DMark06: 21391 // 9179