A video card is an internal device that converts digital content into something that can be displayed by a monitor. When you are upgrading your computer or buying a new one, look for these key features of a video card:

• The type of computer interface the card uses
  You'll need a video card that has software support for your specific computer. New video cards use one of two types of internal interfaces:
  • AGP is still incorporated into many systems today, but it is gradually being phased out in favor of PCI Express.
  • PCI Express (PCIe) allows much faster data transfer and also supports devices besides video cards.
    
• The amount of video RAM on the card
  This determines the size of the desktop that can be displayed. For a 1024x768 display supporting 24 bit (16.8 million) colors, 8 MB of video RAM (VRAM) is more than enough, but a larger monitor may need more. VRAM is also needed by applications that use 3D graphics, such as games. Most new video cards have at least 64 MB, and some have 256 MB or more.
  
  
• Whether the card supports hardware-based 3D acceleration
  Make sure that the video card will meet the 3D acceleration requirements (e.g., OpenGL) of the software you will be using. For many games, the requirement is printed right on the box.
  
  
• What kind of display connector the card has
  Most monitors support the standard VGA connector. A newer standard is DVI (Digital Video Interface), designed for use with many (but not all) LCD monitors. If both the video card and graphics card support DVI, it can give you sharper images and text. Apple products use either standard VGA or ADC (Apple Digital Connector), a variant of DVI. To use a non-Apple DVI display with these machines, you would need to buy an adapter.

Last modified May 18, 2006 by shn