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 it at. At a
resolution of 1600 x 1200, you're going to need a 256MB card.
Bare in mind that the memory is used to store image data, the
more data it can store, the faster the rendering of images.
Also, make sure the board uses DDR memory. It's not too much
more expensive, but is much faster.
Clock Speed For the most serious gamers, you'll want a clock
speed of at least 350MHz. This doesn't mean that if you are a
hard-core SimCity gamer you need speed like this. A 200MHz card
would be fine for that, but the more processor intensive 3D
rendering of games like Tomb Raider will greatly benefit from
the increase in power. The clock speed alone doesn't dictate how
effective the card is, but it's usually a good indicator of what
it will be capable of.
Interface The ultimate gaming rig will utilize AGP 8x or, if
your PC supports it PCI Express. AGP is faster than standard
PCI, but PCI Express is even faster yet. Again, make sure your
PC supports it before you drop $500 on an Express board.
Connectors Here's one place it's good to get only what you need.
You'll pay more for a lot of different in/out connectors, so if
you're not going to use them, find a board that only has what
you need. Instead of spending money on all those connectors, you
can get a faster 3D card for the same price, that only has the
connector you need. If, however, you do want to do some video
editing, all the options are available on the higher end cards.
Software Microsoft has released DirectX 9, so you'll want to
find a card that supports the DirectX 9 API. As always, check
the software that comes with the card. 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.
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