Buying a Video Card by Jared Strop
Stunning visuals don't have to cost an arm and a leg with cheap graphics cards (aka video cards). Unless you are a hardcore gamer, you don't need to have the best of the best and a cheap graphics card will do you just fine. Now I'm not saying you should skimp on getting a good video card, but... Buying a top-of-the-line video card will run you over $400 while a decent one will be around $200. ... On the other hand, a serious gamer needs to get a good video card that can handle anything a game can throw at it.

Choosing The Right Graphics Card - A Buyers Guide by Harry Love
If you are a serious gamer or graphics designer, you know how important having a good video or graphics card is. For those that don’t know, your video card or graphics card is what renders the images to your computer. If you are upgrading or building your own computer, considering what your... Usually, the cooling system consists of an on-board fan attached to the card used to keep the card processing at the appropriate temperature. ... Having a cooling system on board will make sure that your card stays in top performance.

Combating Your Ancient Video Card by Pamela Stevens
You hooked up your new monitor and can’t wait to see how your game looks on the new screen, only to see pausing and skips. Before you rush it back to the store for a refund, the jerky animation you see could be your aged video card (graphics card) or outdated drivers. ... Although most games have a certain amount of flexibility; since manufacturers know that not all gamers can afford to upgrade their video card every six months. ... The word on popular gaming sites is that any card over two years old is outdated.

How to Choose a Video Card by Gary Hendricks
Want to know what piece of technology is changing most rapidly in the world of computer? That's right - video cards. The rate at which video cards come out is simply mind boggling. We're looking at a whole plethora of video cards based on graphics processors from ATI and Nvidia. ... Complex Applications If you need to perform more complex tasks like 3D computer aided design or video editing, it will make more sense to go for a heavy duty card. ... Server If you're using your computer as a mail server, FTP server, print server, or even a game server, you definitely do not need a...

Will Video Games Be The New Poker? by Andre Bias
Poker is a card game that has been around for many years but its popularity the last few years has taken the world by storm. Everywhere you look people are playing poker. People play in their homes, on college campuses, on television, and even on the internet. ... Video games have been popular for years and they never get old because new systems are released every few years. ... Even though their has been a slight growth in competitive gaming it has not been taken to the level that poker has been taken to.

Choosing a Video Card: PCI-Express or AGP? by Julien David
What is PCI-Express and AGP? There are two ways to connect a graphics card to a motherboard, either via an AGP or PCI Express slot located on your motherboard. A motherboard only supports one of these slots, so if you’re looking for a new video card make sure you’re aware of whether your... If you’re simply upgrading your gaming computer with a new video card, you should check whether your motherboard supports AGP or PCI Express, and then choose a card accordingly. ... We recommend choosing a gaming video card with PCI Express, and a motherboard that supports it.

Custom Gaming Laptops by Valli Schieltz
Today's gaming laptop computers have huge, crisp LCD screens, full-size keyboards, and video cards that are state of the art. These computers can not only compete with the standard clunky computer tower, but they can be custom made to meet the specifications of any gamer. ... Your gaming laptop video card must have its own memory on board. ... Yes, it is true that you can connect your gaming laptop to an external monitor, but if you cannot play on your gaming computer without the external monitor, then your laptop is not very mobile.

Video Cards: Is AGP Dead? by Nathan Holsing
If you’ve been looking to upgrade your computer video card you’ve probably heard a great deal about PCI Express and SLI. Don’t run out and buy a new computer just yet and take that AGP motherboard you just threw away out of the trash. The truth is you can probably make some simple upgrades to... For more information on AGP video cards visit the Video Card review section of my website. ... A new video card will probably float you for at least another year, likely two if you get a top of the line card.

PC Gaming Video: Meeting the Demands by Phil Moyers
If you have an interest in playing PC games that were made at least in the past couple of years, you’ve probably seen the serious video demands these games now have. It’s not only that you need a fast system that can handle all of the information in today’s games, but you need a major... You should make sure you get your hands on at least a good AGP 8X video card with lots of video memory (256 megs) and you won’t know the difference. ... Having your system already put together is one advantage, but Alienware tests different motherboard and video card combinations to find the optimal...

Gamers Graphics - Our Guide by John Gibb
Graphics for Gaming The die-hard gamer has some important features to examine when making a graphics card selection. Memory is probably the most important. For most gamers, a 128MB might be sufficient, but you have to check the specs on the game and think about what resolution you like to play... For example, if the card is a little pricey, but includes a $50 game you’re planning on buying, you could easily justify the cost of the card. ... Interface The ultimate gaming rig will utilize AGP 8x or, if your PC supports it PCI Express.