So you’ve shelled out the cash for a nice shiny computer, and it comes with all the standard bits and bobs: a fast processor, adequate memory, and enough hard drive space to comfortably run your operating system of choice.
What more could you ask for?
Well, if you bought an average Joe computer, chances are the video card it contains is basic and performs to the bare minimum, and in many cases is non-existent.
But what good is a video card, and how can it transform your computer from the 99% to the 1%?
A video or graphics card is the component in your computer that transforms data into the pictures you see on-screen. As you read these words, your graphics card is hard at work delivering information to you in an intelligible form.
Most desk top PCs come with a graphics processing unit (GPU) which is integrated with your computer’s motherboard, and can only work up to a certain level. Installing a dedicated video card is one of the easiest ways to quickly boost your computer’s performance, without costing you an arm and a leg.
Usually when people think of “boosting performance” what comes to mind is piling on more RAM. RAM equals good, so more of it equals even better, right? Well before you leap right into that, think about the benefits that stem from upgrading your graphics card, too.
A dedicated graphics card gives you a performance boost by taking on tasks that would normally be handled by RAM, like displaying the monitor. This frees up space for more programmes to run at the same time, with faster response times.
Anything involving graphics will be significantly improved, too. You will find that video viewing and editing, image rendering, and other graphics-intensive tasks run smoother and faster (which can be soothing on the temper!).
And of course, let’s not forget that graphics cards are dreams-come-true for the avid video-gamers out there. Graphics cards add power to PCs that run games requiring huge amounts of processing at high speeds. Games that lag and have slow refresh rates are no fun at all, so gamers turn to video cards to solve these issues.
Video cards are for everyone who owns a computer and wishes to get tip-top performance out of it. Nowadays prices have dropped hugely, and you can get a video card for a fraction of the cost compared to five years ago.
Advanced Computers is running a special this week on the ex-lease Nvidia Quadro FX570 PCI-E graphics card. Normally the recommended retail price for one of these is $169, but this week we’ve got them on sale for $59.99!
Our technicians are thoroughly tested and evaluated these Nvidia FX570 graphics cards to ensure that they are in peak condition.
If you have any questions about this graphics card, you are welcome to give us a call on 0508 PC SERVICE (727 378), send us an email at info@advancedcomputers.co.nz, or pop into one of our stores at Glenfield or Penrose.