by JarJar2940
What are Video Cards?
4:32 pm in How-To's, Opinion Pieces by JarJar2940
What are video cards?
A video card, also known as a graphics card, is what allows the user of a computer to see what they are clicking on, typing, managing, etc. Video cards can either be integrated (Also known as “On board Graphics”, but for the sake of this essay we will be calling them integrated), or separately adaptable through PCI, AGP, or PCIe slots on the motherboard. All video cards consist of the following things: A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a Video BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), and Video memory.
Integrated graphics
Integrated graphics are called on board graphics since, ofcourse, they are directly attached to the motherboard. An integrated graphics card usually has a low level of performance, when it comes to heavy 3D applications. Integrated graphics are available with all motherboards, for the reason that every person using a computer needs to see what they’re doing. With that in mind, the motherboard manufacturer figures 2 things: 1. They need to make their motherboards as cost efficient for them as possible, so a not so high-performing card is integrated in. 2. They can’t put one in through PCI-e and what not, because the motherboard needs to manufactured as a whole part, not 2 or 3 things put together.
Integrated Graphics usually overheat when executing heavy 3D applications, because of not having a heatsink or a fan. Some DO have heatsinks, but thats far and few. In fact, I can relate from personal experience because as you’re reading this paragraph, my computer’s side tray is open and i have a fan blowing on my graphics card, considering that if the fan isn’t on, it will overheat to 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit. Thats hotter than the boiling point of water!) during any type of 3D game. Then I’ll get about 4 fps, and somehow, my audio will start to repeat, and that’s when it all goes to hell. On rare occasions, I’ll end up with the Blue Screen of Death (It’s happened about 4 times so far). So there’s your example on how integrated graphics cards can overheat.
Separate Video cards (Through PCI, AGP, or PCI-E)
Video cards can also be bought separately through either a store whether it is online, or right in your hometown (i.e. Best Buy, Radio Shack, Newegg, Amazon, and so on). The only thing is that you have to open up your computer case and look to see if the video card slot is PCI, PCIe, or AGP. PCI and AGP are quit PCI slots are VERY commonly used, especially on somewhat newer to somewhat older makes of motherboards. AGP slots are not used as much as PCI or PCIe, thus causing manufacturers of video cards not making them compatible. PCIe (PCI Express) slots are starting to become very popular among the newer makes of motherboards. Video cards can be bought after you have purchased your new computer, or if you customize one from an online source, for example IBuyPower, you can add in what video card you want, or you can go with on board graphics. These types of cards, 90% of the time, have their own fans. The other 10%, is either heatsinks, or on old models, nothing at all. This is definitely the way to go if you play lots of heavy 3D games, and want your card to perform at it’s best, and yet, staying cool at the same time. I highly recommend using this type of card, whether it be PCI, PCIe, or AGP.
GPU, VIDEO BIOS, AND VIDEO MEMORY
GPU: A GPU, or Graphics Processing Unit, is quite like a CPU in what it performs. The only difference between a GPU and a CPU, is that a GPU is solely dedicating to the video card ONLY. It is meant to “translate” 3D images into 2D images, in the arrangement of pixels. Every GPU is, what is called clocked, at a certain speed, measured in hertz (Hz). Hertz is the measure of the frequency of a wave. Frequency is how many waves pass a single point in one second (1 Hz= 1 wave passing by a point in one second, whether it be from crest to crest, or trough to trough). In the computing world, it also can be measured in Kilohertz (KHz), Megahertz (MHz), and Gigahertz (GHz). 1 KHz= 1000 Hz. 1 MHz= 1000 KHz. 1 GHz= 1000 MHz. So, in turn. 1 GHz= 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) Hz. That’s a lot of energy! I’d hate to bog you down with all this math, so I’ll stop there. To sum it up, the higher the clock, the faster the information gets processed, which is always a good thing.
VIDEO BIOS: The video BIOS is essentially the firmware for the video card, and regulates what the video card is clocked at, how it performs, information about the memory, and other important aspects of the card. changes can be made to the BIOS to possibly overclock the video, but if done wrong, it can perform serious damage to the video card.
VIDEO MEMORY: Video memory comes in many different forms and amounts. Modern memory amounts can range from 128 MB to 4 GB; integrated video card memory usually ranges from 128 MB to 512 MB. The types of memory consisted with video cards are: VRAM, DDR, DDR2, GDDR3 (Produced by ATI), GDDR4, and GDDR5.
I hope you enjoyed, and learned a ton from this review that I put together. Check back for more reviews, like this one!
Links:
http://www.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDHomePage.aspx
http://www.nvidia.com/page/home.html
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_card
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock_frequency
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/4-types-of-graphics-cards
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GDDR3
