Video Card Information

When you are configuring a computer, the question you should always ask is, 'What will I be using this computer for?' This question applies to the video card as much as any other part of the system. For many applications - like gaming, 3D design, and animation - video card selection is just as important for performance as picking the right CPU. If you simply need a stable and solid video card for 2D graphics, everyday display and light tasks such as DVD playback then even our most basic models will be sufficient.

When it comes to more intensive tasks, there are generally two types of video cards that you need to look at:

Mainstream / Gaming Cards - Examples include the NVIDIA GeForce line and the AMD Radeon HD line. Among our customers, these are the most common video card choices. These cards are excellent for normal 2D / 3D applications and computer gaming. Most current models will support at least three monitors, and can be paired together to either provide support for more screens or to improve 3D performance in games. While most video cards have fans for cooling there are some which are passively-cooled and therefore silent - they make great choices if you are trying to keep a computer as quiet as possible.

Professional / 3D Design Cards - Examples include the NVIDIA Quadro line and the AMD FirePro line. These cards are particularly useful in CAD, animation and related fields where their custom drivers and enhanced vendor support are major advantages. Professional-grade video cards are more expensive, but they are built specifically to meet the needs of professionals using programs like AutoCAD, Solidworks, 3DS Max, and similar industry-specific applications. There are also some professional-grade cards that are aimed at multiple monitor support rather than advanced 3D performance; if you need to run more than four monitors from a single computer, one of these cards might be appropriate.