What is a Video Card?
When purchasing a computer or looking to get computer repair, people often become overwhelmed with technical specifications they do not understand. Unfortunately, video cards are one of the aspects of computer technology most commonly misunderstood by consumers when buying a computer or looking for repair. Having a capable video card is very important to users who want to view and edit high definition video or play any sort of video games, two of the most common activities associated with personal computing. Many parents, grandparents, siblings and friends have bought computers for their loved ones that were not useful because they did not understand what type of video card was necessary for their loved one’s activities. Fortunately, RESCUECOM can provide help both in understanding what a video card is and in how to make sure you have one that’s best for your specific situation.
Video cards, or graphics cards as some people refer to them, are the pieces of hardware within a computer that process the graphics people see on their displays. Video cards generally process the images a user sees while playing games, looking at photos or watching videos. This means that the higher quality video card a user has, the higher quality images his or her computer can handle. Video cards help computers process both 2D and 3D images. Because of this, having the correct video card is as important to people editing photo and video as it is to those playing graphically intensive games and designing 3D models.
The range of available video cards on the market is likely intimidating for people unfamiliar with how they work. Video cards for desktop computers can range from relatively simple devices that cost under a hundred dollars to extremely powerful cards that cost upwards of $1,000. The good news is that the vast majority of people do not need extremely expensive and powerful cards, even if they are editing video or playing games. When looking for a computer with a video card that will serve your needs (or a replacement video card if you need one for an onsite computer repair), it is important to consider the specific requirements of the software that you or the person you’re buying for will use. If you need the computer to run a certain video game or image editing software, look into what type of video cards will fulfill the specific needs of that software. Asking a tech support specialist may be a good idea if you find yourself overwhelmed.
When looking into the technical specifications of video cards themselves, most people need to pay attention to two things—the video card’s available memory and what ports it has available. Just as computers need memory, commonly referred to as RAM, for general processing needs, video cards need RAM to process graphics. As a general rule, more memory is better. However, having more memory does not automatically make a video card superior. More advanced video cards in higher price ranges may have faster processors that make them better than other cards, even if they have less RAM. Still, a video card’s available memory is a useful indicator of quality when comparing two video cards in the same price range. The ports a video card has available are also important because users need to match the ports available on their monitors to those available on their video cards. If a user has a high-definition monitor that requires an HDMI connection, that person will want a video card that has the same port so they can properly connect the computer to the monitor. The most common high-definition port is an HDMI port, which is available on most video cards manufactured today. Other connections video cards often have are VGA ports, which is only for standard definition displays, and DVI ports, which is a less common type of high-definition connection. It’s important to make sure the ports available on your computer’s video card match what you have on your monitor.
Another aspect of video cards that is important to consider is that there are differences between video cards in laptops and video cards in desktops. Video cards in desktops are usually replaceable, which means users can install new cards if one breaks or if they want to upgrade. However, since laptops need to be more compact, they do not have room for large replaceable video cards. With laptops, video cards are generally built-in in such a way that people cannot remove or replace them.
When purchasing a computer for yourself or as a gift, it’s best to ensure that you receive one that will fit your graphical needs. Always check to make sure a computer’s video card meets your software’s requirements and ensure that it has the proper connections for your monitor of choice.
About RESCUECOM:
RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.
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