The Graphics Card Buyer’s Guide

The GPU, or graphics card, is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating components in any PC setup. Along with the processor, your graphics card has the most influence on the overall performance of your PC. That makes it a high-stakes purchase, especially considering how costly GPUs can get.

Regardless of your needs or budget, the GPU market offers much. You have a lot of possibilities, whether you want something incredibly cheap to enable some light browsing or huge to tackle the most GPU-intensive games. This guide will show you what to look for so that you can choose the finest GPU for your budget and demands.

Nvidia or AMD

There are many different graphics cards from hundreds of manufacturers. Still, only two businesses build the GPUs that run these components: Nvidia and AMD. AMD is more competitive in general performance than in years with Nvidia and its current-gen Ampere cards, such as the GeForce RTX 3080 with its RX 6000 cards.

“Team Green” was introduced as a key new feature with Nvidia’s now previous-generation RTX 20-series cards, and it is now on its second-generation RTX with 30-series GPUs. AMD (“Team Red”) made a significant name with their RX 6000 cards in 2020, but it’s still in its early stages with real-time ray tracing and hence lags behind Nvidia.

Nonetheless, the release of games that employ (and particularly well use) ray tracing has been sluggish. There’s little doubt that more games are adding RT support. There will be many more in the future, as ray tracing is also supported by the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Series S|X consoles. 

Screen Resolution

If you’re a gamer, one of the most important factors is whether you want to play games in 1080p, 1440p (2K), or 4K resolution. This feature also applies to other users because a higher display resolution means more screen real estate, which benefits almost everyone. The transition from 1080p to 1440p is evident, whether for productivity or enjoyment and scaling up to 4K has even more impact.

When planning to buy a graphics card, you should keep screen resolution in mind. Assume you purchase a 1440p graphics card, such as the RTX 4070 Ti, intending to use it for gaming. You’ll be wasting some of the performance your GPU could be putting out until you buy a display that matches it.

Ray-tracing

Ray-tracing is an intriguing new technology that may be found in current graphics cards. It is a rendering technique that provides incredibly realistic lighting effects and is commonly used in gaming. This feature is accomplished through an algorithm that traces a light path and then attempts to imitate how light interacts with objects in the real world.

Although ray-tracing technology has not yet achieved its full potential, game-makers enthusiastically adopt it. While the technology has been utilized by film studios for years, particularly in big-budget action blockbusters, rendering it in real-time in your PC game is more complicated.

Previously, game developers employed rasterization, which converts 3D polygonal models into a 2D image and pre-renders light effects. Despite the beginnings of ray-tracing, current graphics cards can still deliver some astounding performance. That includes everything from massive explosions in a conflict to sunlight shining via a window in a dark room.

Power Supply Compatibility

When selecting a graphics card for your gaming PC, ensure it is compatible with your power supply. Because graphics cards use more power than other components in your PC, it’s advised that you select a power supply that can handle this. Don’t forget to check your graphics card’s compatibility with your computer’s motherboard, RAM, and other critical components.

Budget

All the best GPUs worldwide are meaningless if they don’t fit your budget. Most are limited by financial restraints, and how you manage your PC construction money significantly impacts how it performs afterward.

You could be tempted to take the “go big or go home” strategy and simply buy the greatest GPU you can find while skimping on other components. However, it is preferable to strike a balance by selecting a good processor and graphics card. Do not attempt to spend money on the power supply or cooling. Your computer is only as strong as its weakest components.

Empower Your PC with the Best Graphics Card

Most, if not all, GPUs from the last two generations can run recent games at an acceptable level. The cheapest alternatives will necessitate significant compromises in settings, but they will still function. Don’t be too concerned, and try to choose what works best for your budget.