While gamers can debate hours on whether Call of Duty is better than CSGO, or if Forza is better than Need for Speed, one issue and discussion where all of them sit together is which Graphics Card should they purchase for their Gaming PC.
Buying the right graphics card is, arguably, the most important decision that a gamer has to make to ensure a seamless and high-quality gaming experience. We’ll take you through a step-by-step guide to ensure you do not end up making a flounder.
Size
One of the most important and foremost factors that you should be checking in a GPU (graphics card) is the Size. While it is generally (and rightly) believed that larger GPUs are better performing – partly because of the fact that they cool better. Some GPUs have as many as three fans attached to them which ensures a seamless gaming experience.
However, you shouldn’t just blindly choose the biggest possible graphics card available on the shelf, rather should do some research beforehand. The first thing that you should notice is the form factor of your PC case – your money would be wasted if the GPU ends up being bigger than the case itself, leading to a total waste of money. Secondly, you should keep a check on how many extension ports the GPU will take up.
Occupying all of the ports with GPU isn’t the best idea, so choose the GPU which occupies the least possible number of ports so that you have extension ports available for other components of the PC. Third, and the last consideration with regards to size is your usage. If the PC is going to always rest in the Gaming Room, a larger GPU won’t be a bad choice, but if you have a traveling bug in your personality, don’t make your gaming system incredibly heavy with an enormous GPU.
Clock-speed
Clock-speeds are one of the first specifications that you should check in GPUs. High clock speed simply means better resolutions and frame rates while you play your favorite titles, therefore do look for big numbers in your GPU. Any GPU that has a clock speed of higher than 2.5GHz is considered to be optimum for running high-end games.
Overclocking is another aspect of GPUs that you may want to have a peek at before making your decision. Adding on excess speed to your existing GPU is surely a great feature – albeit difficult to achieve this feat, but not impossible. Graphics Card that offers to overclock could be a plus-point, so do check for that.
Resolution and Ports
Amongst the most common GPUs are 4K Graphic Cards. These can support 4K monitors and TVs and provide an optimum resolution for enjoying games fully. Moreover, some graphic cards have HDMI ports that support 8K monitors which is the highest possible resolution available in any monitor/television. More than one HDMI port is always a plus which ensures more than one display can be connected to the same GPU.
Other ports such as USB ports are also a great feature to have as they can help attach certain extra features. Moreover, ports for adding extra cooling fans can be found on certain GPUs, so do keep an eye for excess ports.
Aesthetics
While you’ll find a lot of people saying that how a GPU looks apparently doesn’t matter, but guess what; you’ll definitely get a bonus point amongst your friends for having some doo-dads on the GPU.
The color scheme of the graphics card could make an impact – sporty, cool, and vibrant colors with a neon finishing are often praised a lot in the gaming fraternity – however you could choose to get a different color scheme based on your personal preference. Some sellers also offer to get a certain degree of personalization by changing colors and even adding customized logos on the body of the GPU.
RGB lights also make the ambiance of your PC absolutely aesthetic, therefore having some RGB lighting on the GPU will have no harm, but do make sure you take a look at a tutorial on how to set these lights up!
The Final Evaluation
High clock speeds, a hefty form factor, and high-resolution ports are a dream for every gamer, but there are certain constraints that would hold you back – these include the size of your PC and obviously; the budget. But we do have one piece of advice for you: do not spend massive amounts of money and time on the last point we discussed (aesthetics), rather first focus on getting a GPU with high numbers.
Interesting Related Article: “What is the Importance of the Graphics Card in a PC?“