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.

Onboard video is our catch-all for various integrated GPU options. If you have further questions about which specific onboard video solution is present on your configuration or quote, please feel free to contact us.

Onboard video is often a good option for systems where 3D graphics performance is not a major concern. Most modern onboard graphics will provide a platform suitable for multimedia and office use, along with reduced power usage, heat, and noise compared to most dedicated graphics cards. If you do take advantage of onboard video, expect it to use a small portion of the system RAM for storing video data.

If you have any questions, be sure to contact our sales consultants at sales@pugetsystems.com. They will be happy to help you find the right video card for your specific needs.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: The newest generation of onboard video on today's motherboards is finally reaching a good level of performance and features. In fact, it isn't generally on the motherboard anymore: both Intel and AMD have integrated graphics into parts of their mainstream processor lines! On the Intel side that isn't designed for gaming, but can handle all manner of video acceleration (DVD, Blu-ray, etc) very well and can handle moderate 3D usage in other applications. AMD has done one better, combining Radeon graphics with some of their processors - thus making chips capable of entry-level gaming without need for a dedicated video card. The one exception to this is the add-on video chips found on some server motherboards. Those are extremely basic, designed to simply allow access to a command-line interface for occasional server administration. They are often not even capable of handling a modern graphical user interface well, and should be avoided in any situation where direct access to a system will be commonplace.

The GeForce GT 1030 is an entry-level dedicated video card from NVIDIA. It is generally a step up from integrated graphics, which are built into some CPUs from Intel and AMD, but it is more commonly used for basic video output on systems that don't already have that functionality built-in. It can also be effective for providing two additional monitor outputs, if the applications being run are not dependent on GPU performance.

EVGA's version of this card is passively-cooled, meaning it has no fan... but the heatsink is quite tall, taking up the slot next to the video card as well. As alluded to above it has two video outputs: HDMI and DVI, which can be used at the same time. It is also low-profile, allowing use in some cases which cannot accommodate a full-height card.

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NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1050 is an entry-level graphics cards using the Pascal architecture. Though based on the same technology as the faster 1000-series cards, the GTX 1050 has been cut down to reduce cost and power usage - resulting in a very efficient card which does not require any extra power connections. Those changes limit performance as well, so the 1050 is only about half the speed of the 1060 when it comes to gaming and other GPU-intensive applications.

In addition to its high efficiency and low price tag, the GTX 1050 also has the same under-the-hood improvements that the other Pascal cards feature. In terms of major standards, the 1050 includes support for CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology. Finally, it supports three monitor outputs which can all be used at the same time: DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort.

Puget Professional Advice:

Christopher Crader (Customer Support) Says: This is a good entry-level gaming video card. It's also fine for if you need some video acceleration, but only need it rarely, with a limited performance boost. Don't expect too much out of it, but it's a major increase over integrated video performance! Oh! Do note that the GTX 1050 Ti will offer a little bit better performance, and potentially at about the same price. So check that out if it's available.

The NVIDIA Quadro P600 is an entry-level, Pascal-based professional graphics card. It offers a performance boost over the earlier K600 and K620 models, and while the amount of video memory stayed the same (2GB) the number of video outputs increased from 2 to 4. That lets the P600 run up to four monitors, though with the limited video memory the resolution of the monitors should be kept at a moderate level.

As described above, this card has four Mini DisplayPort connections - and includes adapters to full size DisplayPort as well. Adapters to DVI or HDMI can be purchased separately if needed, but please note that if you are using DVI adapters you will be limited to a lower maximum resolution per screen (1920x1200). A wide range of standards are also supported by this card: DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.4, CUDA 5.0, and OpenCL (to name a few).

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: This is a good choice if you need basic graphics output to go alongside Tesla GPU accelerators. It is also viable for entry level CAD workstations, especially with primary 2D or simple 3D workloads.

Jeff Stubbers (Technology Consultant) Says: Nvidia lists these (4) Mini DisplayPort outputs as supporting 4x 4096x2160 @ 60Hz, or 4x 5120x2880 @ 60Hz. This card comes with (4) Mini DP, to DP adapters.

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NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is an entry-level graphics cards using the Pascal architecture. Though based on the same technology as the faster 1000-series cards, the GTX 1050 Ti has been cut down to reduce cost and power usage - resulting in a very efficient card which does not require any extra power connections. Those changes limit performance as well, though the 1050 Ti is a little faster than the vanilla GTX 1050 and has twice as much video memory (4GB instead of 2GB). Still, the 1050 Ti is quite a bit slower than the GTX 1060 when it comes to gaming and other GPU-intensive applications.

In addition to its high efficiency and low price tag, the GTX 1050 Ti also has the same under-the-hood improvements that the other Pascal cards feature. In terms of major standards, the 1050 includes support for CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology. Finally, it supports three monitor outputs which can all be used at the same time: DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort.

Puget Professional Advice:

Christopher Crader (Customer Support) Says: This is a good entry-level gaming video card. It's also fine for if you need some video acceleration, but only need it rarely, with a limited performance boost. Don't expect too much out of it, but it's a major increase over integrated video performance! There's also the GTX 1050 (not Ti) available. It's typically about the same price, so I'd go with this if it's available, but if the non-Ti version is a good deal cheaper, it might be worth considering.

Nick Krader (Production Technician) Says: This really is an amazing entry level GPU. The price/performance value is very good, it has super low power draw and because of that this 1050 ti requires no additional auxiliary power. This will handle most games at 1080p at a reasonable frame-rate while remaining quite quiet also at the same time this card would have no issue with productivity allowing the use of three (or more) monitors to be attached to the card.

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NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1060 is the third mainstream graphics cards using their new Pascal GPU architecture, released a couple of months after the GTX 1080 and 1070. This generation is based on a die shrink to 16nm, allowing for a lot more circuitry to be packed into the same physical space used by previous graphics chips. That means a huge boost in performance, making the GTX 1060 roughly equal to the previous-generation GTX 980 - along with 50% more video memory (6GB) and lower power draw.

In addition to its speed and efficiency, the GTX 1060 also has the same under-the-hood improvements that the other Pascal cards feature. Many of these are tailored to boosting virtual reality performance, and this card will set a new, lower price point for NVIDIA's entry level VR gaming experience. In terms of major standards, the 1060 includes support for CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology. Finally, it supports up to 4 usable display outputs across five physical connections: DVI, HDMI, and three DisplayPorts.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: The GTX 1060 is an amazing value card for gamers, handling 1920x1080 resolution great and doing well even at somewhat higher resolutions. It is also the entry-level card in the GeForce 1000 series for virtual reality. The performance it offers for the price is amazing: GTX 980 capabilities for half what that card cost in its day.

Christopher Crader (Customer Support) Says: The GTX 1060 is the gaming video card I'd buy if I were going with one this generation. Solid performance and good price. As William says in his blurb, it's nearly identical to the GTX 980 in terms of performance, but with lower cost and lower power consumption. It's pretty amazing all-around. If you absolutely need better performance, or if you're looking into doing some 4k gaming, go with a higher end card. If you just need a good workhorse, this is your stallion.

Gabe Martinez (Production Technician) Says: The GTX 1060 6GB is an excellent card and would most likely be my first choice if I were building a new system. It can game very well at 1080p and has no problems displaying higher desktop resolutions such as QHD and 4K for basic tasks such as media streaming and web browsing. It's got the right stuff for a quality card that is going to last you for quite some time. If you don't do much gaming or your monitor is a 1080p panel @ 60Hz, then you can feel good about choosing this GPU while saving some dough in the process.

The NVIDIA Quadro P1000 is a low-profile, professional-grade video card. It has mid-range 3D performance, and specializes in multi-display situations thanks to four separate outputs. That means you can drive up to four displays by using only one card slot and driver, or stack multiple P1000 cards in a system to expand that to eight or even more outputs. It is perfect for stock/day traders or any other professional users who need multiple monitor support without high-end performance 3D graphics.

As described above, this card has four Mini DisplayPort connections - and includes adapters to full size DisplayPort as well. Adapters to DVI or HDMI can be purchased separately if needed, but please note that if you are using DVI adapters you will be limited to a lower maximum resolution per screen (1920x1200).

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: This card has the same outputs as the less expensive P600, but since it has double the video memory (4GB instead of 2) it is much better suited to running several monitors at the same time.

Jeff Stubbers (Technology Consultant) Says: This is a great card choice when you need to support many monitors for tasks like stock or commodities trading. This is a moderately powerful graphics card, but if you have higher-end 3D demanding programs that you intend to run such as CAD or 3D modeling, then you would want to choose a more powerful graphics card. When choosing a graphics card, it is always important to make sure the monitor(s) that you intend to use will have compatible connection types with the graphics card outputs. This card can support (4) 4K displays (4096x2160 @ 60Hz) with HDR color using its (4) Mini DisplayPort 1.4 connections. This card comes with (4) Mini DP to DP adapters. Adapters from Mini DP to other types can be purchased separately. Keep in mind that if you use the Mini DP to DVI adapters, the maximum resolution from those DVI adapters will be 1920x1200.

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 is among the first AMD workstation graphics cards to use the Radeon branding name. Compared to its predecessor, the FirePro W5100, it features both more stream processors and higher clock speeds - resulting in significantly more computational performance. While not as fast as the next model up, the WX 7100, this card is less expensive and uses less power. It is equipped with 8GB of video memory and support up to four monitors via DisplayPort outputs.

As with other RadeonPro professional-grade cards, the WX 5100 supports DX12, OpenGL, and OpenCL. Full 10-bit-per-channel color is also available, when paired with supported monitors. In terms of size and power requirements, this card is single-width and does not need a supplemental power connection.

NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1070 is the second mainstream graphics cards using their new Pascal GPU architecture, having arrived shortly after the launch of its bigger brother - the GTX 1080. This generation is based on a die shrink to 16nm, allowing for a lot more circuitry to be packed into the same physical space used by previous graphics chips. That means a huge boost in performance, making the GTX 1070 equal to or even faster than the 980 Ti and Titan X, depending on the application. And where those cards can draw up to 250W of power under load, the 1070 draws only 150W - making it far more efficient, and less expensive, for comparable performance.

In addition to its great speed and efficiency, the GTX 1070 also has under-the-hood improvements tailored to boosting virtual reality and multi-monitor performance. It is excellent at maintaining good frame-rates in games and VR experiences, even in graphics-laden titles and at high resolutions, and includes support for CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology. Finally, it supports up to 4 usable display outputs across five physical connections: DVI, HDMI, and three DisplayPorts.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: This is basically the little brother (well, not so little really!) to the GTX 1080. If you are gaming at 2560x1440 or lower, I would recommend the 1070 - there is little reason to spend more on the costlier 1080. It also does great with current-gen VR technology like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

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The NVIDIA Quadro P2000 is a mid-range, Pascal-based professional graphics card. It represents a solid upgrade from the previous M2000 model, with moderate speed increases in most areas and 25% more video memory. A wide range of standards are also supported by this card: DirectX 12, Vulkan, OpenGL 4.5, CUDA, and OpenCL (to name a few).

In addition to solid performance for professional 3D applications, the Quadro P2000 also supports higher resolution monitors than previous generations. It can run up to four 5K screens at the same time via DisplayPort 1.4 outputs. HDMI or DVI monitors can be connected through adapters, available for purchase separately, but when using such adapters the maximum resolution will be reduced substantially if not using an DP to HDMI 2.0 Active adapter.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: This is a great mid-range Quadro card, which is ideal for applications which need a "professional grade" video card but don't require cutting-edge 3D performance. It also supports 10-bit color, so it is a great choice for Photoshop users with high-end, 10-bit capable monitors. If you don't fall into one of those categories, though, a GeForce card around the same price will give more raw 3D performance in most situations... or of course a more powerful Quadro model.

Jeff Stubbers (Technology Consultant) Says: This is a great choice if you are looking for a mid-range 30-bit graphics card (10-bit per channel RGB) for most accurate colors when pairing with a 10-bit monitor. The manufacturer lists this card as supporting up to HDR 5120 x 2880 resolution @ 60Hz with each of its (4) DisplayPort 1.4 outputs.

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NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1070 Ti is the last high-end graphics cards to be released using the Pascal GPU architecture, which debuted a year and a half earlier with the original GTX 1070 and 1080. The GTX 1070 Ti falls between those two models in terms of performance, near the 1080 in many applications while having a price point much closer to the affordable 1070. Thanks to more CUDA cores and higher clock speed, though, power consumption (180W) and noise are right on par with the 1080.

Like all of the Pascal-based GeForce 10-series cards, the GTX 1070 Ti also has under-the-hood improvements tailored to boosting virtual reality and multi-monitor performance. It is excellent at maintaining good frame-rates in games and VR experiences, even in graphics-laden titles and at high resolutions, and includes support for CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology. Finally, it supports up to 4 usable display outputs across five physical connections: DVI, HDMI, and three DisplayPorts.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: The GTX 1070 Ti basically splits the difference between the original 1070 and 1080 models. If you were considering a vanilla 1070 you might as well get this instead, as it isn't all that much more expensive for a nice performance boost (at least in games and other applications that heavily use the video card). It comes remarkably close to the GTX 1080 I own as well, considering the much lower price. I think I'd have a hard time recommending the older 1070 and 1080 today; the 1070 Ti and 1080 Ti offer better price:performance ratios in my opinion, though if prices drop on the older cards as a result they are still all based on the same tech. In terms of cooling, this version is NVIDIA's reference design, often called the "Founders Edition" - with a nice heatsink and blower fan to exhaust the card's waste heat out the back of the computer.

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 is among the first AMD workstation graphics cards to use the Radeon branding name. Compared to its predecessor, the FirePro W7100, it features both more stream processors and higher clock speeds - resulting in significantly more computational performance. Performance-wise it lands between the WX 5100 and WX 9100 cards, while only taking up a single expansion slot. It is equipped with 8GB of video memory and support up to four monitors via DisplayPort outputs.

As with other RadeonPro professional-grade cards, the WX 7100 supports DX12, OpenGL, and OpenCL. Full 10-bit-per-channel color is also available, when paired with supported monitors. One 6-pin PCI-E power connector is required for proper operation.

NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2070 is part of the first wave of graphics cards based on the Turing GPU architecture. This generation represents only an incremental improvement in general graphics performance, making the RTX 2070 a little faster than the previous generation GTX 1080 (and slightly more expensive as well). The big thing that this new GPU architecture brings to the table is forward-looking features not found on previous GTX cards: dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for machine learning inference. The RT cores are brand-new, while the Tensor cores have existed on previous Titan and Quadro cards - but this is the first time they've come to the mainstream GeForce series. This specialized hardware will allow for new functionality in games and GPU-accelerated applications, but will require such programs to be written specifically to utilize them in order to see much benefit.

This particular variant has a single-fan "blower" style cooler. This won't be as quiet under load as a dual-fan design, when comparing individual cards, but since it exhausts most of the card's heat out the back of the computer it is much better for use in multi-GPU configurations.

Finally, in regards to connectivity, this variant has outputs for three monitors: one HDMI 2.0b and two DisplayPort 1.4. VirtualLink - a specialized Type C port combining DisplayPort, USB 3.1, and power - is also included, for single-cable connectivity to next-generation VR headsets.

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NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2070 is part of the first wave of graphics cards based on the Turing GPU architecture. This generation represents only an incremental improvement in general graphics performance, making the RTX 2070 a little faster than the previous generation GTX 1080 (and slightly more expensive as well). The big thing that this new GPU architecture brings to the table is forward-looking features not found on previous GTX cards: dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for machine learning inference. The RT cores are brand-new, while the Tensor cores have existed on previous Titan and Quadro cards - but this is the first time they've come to the mainstream GeForce series. This specialized hardware will allow for new functionality in games and GPU-accelerated applications, but will require such programs to be written specifically to utilize them in order to see much benefit.

This version of the RTX 2070 features a dual-fan cooling layout. This is great for keeping a single card running cool and quiet, but results in most of the heat the card generates being pumped back into the computer. That makes these a poor choice for use in multi-GPU systems, especially in configurations where there will be no space between each card. When installing more than one video card in a system, models with a blower-style fan and rear heat exhaust will be much better.

Finally, in regards to connectivity, the RTX 2070 supports up to four monitors. Unlike the higher-end RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti, it still has one dual-link DVI output - along with one HDMI 2.0b and two DisplayPort 1.4. VirtualLink - a specialized Type C port combining DisplayPort, USB 3.1, and power - is also included, for single-cable connectivity to next-generation VR headsets.

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The NVIDIA Quadro P4000 is a high-end "professional grade" video card, based on the Pascal GPU architecture and offering solid performance for 3D applications. Because of the Pascal architecture it is more efficient than previous Quadro cards of this caliber, with very good single-precision floating point performance as well. This card is not very good at double-precision calculations, though, being handicapped in that regard compared to more specialized models like the GP100. It has 1792 stream processors, a 256-bit memory bus, and 8GB of memory - giving it overall roughly half of the capability of the P6000... but in a single slot card, rather than the dual slot size of the P5000 and P6000.

In addition to good performance for professional 3D applications, the Quadro P4000 also supports several high-res monitors. It can run up to four 5K screens at the same time, thanks to the use of DisplayPort 1.4 outputs - which can be adapted to older video standards as well, if needed (only one DVI adapter is included). A wide range of standards are supported by this card: DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5, CUDA, and OpenCL (to name a few).

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: This is the fastest single-slot video card of its generation, and a good choice for professional applications which need a moderate amount of 3D performance across multiple monitors.

Jeff Stubbers (Technology Consultant) Says: This graphics card offer (4) DP 1.4 outputs. Nvidia lists this card as supporting (4) 4096x2160 @ 120Hz, or (4) 5120x2880 @ 60Hz.

NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2080 is one of the first graphics cards based on the Turing GPU architecture. This generation represents an incremental improvement in general graphics performance, as usual, along with the addition of two major features: dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for machine learning inference. The RT cores are brand-new, while the Tensor cores have existed on previous Titan and Quadro cards - but this is the first time they've come to the mainstream GeForce series. This specialized hardware will allow for new functionality in games and GPU-accelerated applications, but will require such programs to be written specifically to utilize them in order to see much benefit. General performance should be about 20-30% faster than the previous GTX 1080, in situations where the video card is the limiting factor.

This particular variant has a single-fan "blower" style cooler. This won't be as quiet under load as a dual-fan design, when comparing individual cards, but since it exhausts most of the card's heat out the back of the computer it is much better for use in multi-GPU configurations.

Finally, in regards to connectivity, the RTX 2080 has dropped DVI output entirely. There are still enough outputs for three monitors, though: one HDMI 2.0b and two DisplayPort 1.4. VirtualLink - a specialized Type C port combining DisplayPort, USB 3.1, and power - is also included, for single-cable connectivity to next-generation VR headsets.

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NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2080 is one of the first graphics cards based on the Turing GPU architecture. This generation represents an incremental improvement in general graphics performance, as usual, along with the addition of two major features: dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for machine learning inference. The RT cores are brand-new, while the Tensor cores have existed on previous Titan and Quadro cards - but this is the first time they've come to the mainstream GeForce series. This specialized hardware will allow for new functionality in games and GPU-accelerated applications, but will require such programs to be written specifically to utilize them in order to see much benefit. General performance should be about 20-30% faster than the previous GTX 1080, in situations where the video card is the limiting factor.

This variant has a dual-fan cooling layout. That is great for keeping a single card running cool and quiet, but results in most of the heat the card generates being pumped back into the computer. That makes these a poor choice for use in multi-GPU systems, especially in configurations where there will be no space between each card. In those cases, a video card with a blower-style fan and rear heat exhaust will be much better.

Finally, in regards to connectivity, the RTX 2080 has dropped DVI output entirely. There are still enough outputs for four monitors, though: one HDMI 2.0b and three DisplayPort 1.4. VirtualLink - a specialized Type C port combining DisplayPort, USB 3.1, and power - is also included, for single-cable connectivity to next-generation VR headsets.

NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is the highest-end GeForce model based on the Turing GPU architecture. This generation represents an incremental improvement in general graphics performance, as usual, along with the addition of two major features: dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for machine learning inference. The RT cores are brand-new, while the Tensor cores have existed on previous Titan and Quadro cards - but this is the first time they've come to the mainstream GeForce series. This specialized hardware will allow for new functionality in games and GPU-accelerated applications, but will require such programs to be written specifically to utilize them in order to see much benefit. The 2080 Ti should be about 20-30% faster than the previous GTX 1080 Ti in normal GPU-limited situations, and even higher in applications that utilize RT and/or Tensor cores.

This particular variant has a single-fan "blower" style cooler. This won't be as quiet under load as a dual-fan design, when comparing individual cards, but since it exhausts most of the card's heat out the back of the computer it is much better for use in multi-GPU configurations.

Finally, in regards to connectivity, the RTX 2080 Ti has dropped DVI output entirely. There are still enough outputs for three monitors, though: one HDMI 2.0b and two DisplayPort 1.4. VirtualLink - a specialized Type C port combining DisplayPort, USB 3.1, and power - is also included, for single-cable connectivity to next-generation VR headsets.

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NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is the highest-end GeForce model based on the Turing GPU architecture. This generation represents an incremental improvement in general graphics performance, as usual, along with the addition of two major features: dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for machine learning inference. The RT cores are brand-new, while the Tensor cores have existed on previous Titan and Quadro cards - but this is the first time they've come to the mainstream GeForce series. This specialized hardware will allow for new functionality in games and GPU-accelerated applications, but will require such programs to be written specifically to utilize them in order to see much benefit. The 2080 Ti should be about 20-30% faster than the previous GTX 1080 Ti in normal GPU-limited situations, and even higher in applications that utilize RT and/or Tensor cores.

This version of the RTX 2080 Ti features a dual-fan cooling layout. This is great for keeping a single card running cool and quiet, but results in most of the heat the card generates being pumped back into the computer. That makes these a poor choice for use in multi-GPU systems, especially in configurations where there will be no space between each card. When installing more than one video card in a system, models with a blower-style fan and rear heat exhaust will be much better.

Finally, in regards to connectivity, the RTX 2080 Ti has dropped DVI output entirely. There are still enough outputs for four monitors, though: one HDMI 2.0b and three DisplayPort 1.4. VirtualLink - a specialized Type C port combining DisplayPort, USB 3.1, and power - is also included, for single-cable connectivity to next-generation VR headsets.

The NVIDIA Titan Xp is an updated and faster version of the Pascal-based Titan X, now that the 1080 Ti has effectively supplanted that previous Titan. As of its launch in 2017 it is the new top-end of NVIDIA's consumer Pascal based graphics card line, roughly 10% faster than the Titan X... though depending on your application there may not be that big of a difference in real-world usage. That makes the NVIDIA Titan Xp the fastest card available in its generation for gaming, and also a powerhouse for single-precision (FP32) GPU calculation workloads.

The Titan Xp uses the same technology as the rest of the GTX 1000-series line, which is all based on the Pascal graphics architecture, and has a massive 12GB of dedicated video memory. That is the same amount that the Titan X had, 1GB more than the GTX 1080 Ti, and 50% more than the GTX 1070 and 1080. It also has more stream processors (also called CUDA cores) than any of those cards.

Like the other Pascal based cards, the NVIDIA Titan Xp includes support for CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology - as well as architectural improvements to increase performance in virtual reality applications. It supports up to 4 usable display outputs: one HDMI and three DisplayPorts.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: I don't normally recommend a card as expensive as the Titan Xp for gaming, since the GTX 1080 Ti gets you about 90% of the Titan X's performance for several hundred dollars less - but if you want to have the best 4K experience with a single video card then this is it (for this generation of video cards, at least). Its real purpose, though, is for computational workloads that can harness the GPU: there the Titan Xp and its 12GB of memory really shine, and the price is more justifiable.

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 9100 is among the first AMD workstation graphics cards to use the Radeon branding name. Compared to its predecessor, the FirePro W9100, it features both more stream processors and higher clock speeds - resulting in significantly more computational performance. It is equipped with 16GB of HBM2 memory and support up to six monitors via Mini DisplayPort outputs.

As with other RadeonPro professional-grade cards, the WX 9100 supports DX12, OpenGL, and OpenCL. Full 10-bit-per-channel color is also available, when paired with supported monitors.

The NVIDIA Quadro P5000 is a high-end "professional grade" video card, based on the Pascal GPU architecture and offering great performance for 3D applications. Because of the Pascal architecture it is more efficient than previous Quadro cards of this caliber, with very good single-precision floating point performance as well. This architecture is not very good at double-precision calculations, though, falling behind some older generations of Quadro cards in that area. It has 2560 stream processors, a 256-bit memory bus, and 16GB of ECC memory - giving it overall about 2/3rds of the capability of the P6000.

In addition to great performance for professional 3D applications, the Quadro P5000 also supportsup to four 4K monitors at the same time. That connectivity is provided by four DisplayPort outputs, and there is a dual-link DVI output as well for legacy monitors. A wide range of standards are supported by this card: DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5, CUDA, and OpenCL (to name a few).

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The Titan V is the first video card using NVIDIA's new Volta architecture. Volta debuted on the Tesla V100, but that accelerator does not have video outputs and is only available for specialized servers. Titan V has the same GPU (codenamed GV100) and brings it to a desktop / workstation graphics card.

Because of that lineage, the Titan V is the first time that certain features and specifications have been available outside the Quadro and Tesla series. In particular, it has fast HBM2 memory - along with Tensor Cores, which are a part of the Volta architecture. It also uses a smaller manufacturing process than previous generations from NVIDIA, allowing them to pack more CUDA cores in as well. And finally, it has unrestricted double-precision (FP64) performance for fast and accurate calculations when high precision is required. That was actually a feature of the first generation of Titan cards as well, but had not been included on the Maxwell or Pascal based Titans.

Beyond the new internal specs, the Titan V comes equipped with a very nice cooling system and four video outputs (one HDMI and three DisplayPorts). It supports CUDA, DX12, and NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology - but it does not have SLI. Multiple cards can be used independently, for GPGPU calculations, but it cannot be paired up to boost gaming performance. The Titan V isn't really designed for gaming anyway, with a focus instead on professional graphics and machine learning.

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: With how expensive the Titan V is I do not recommend it for gaming, even though it was technically the fastest single graphics card in the world as of its launch in December 2017. It performs very well in things like 3D rendering (for programs that support the Volta architecture, at least) so there it could make sense for some users, even with the high price tag. It should also work well in some machine learning and artificial intelligence workloads, though the benefit of the new Tensor Cores that NVIDIA added seems to be pretty niche.

Dr Donald Kinghorn (Scientific Computing Advisor ) Says: The Titan V is a great card and is essentially a Tesla V100 in a desktop friendly form. The standout features of the V100 like it's very good fp64 double precision, full fp16 functionality and Tensorcores are available on the Titan V. However, for most Machine Learning and HPC workloads that just utilize fp32 performance will only be 10-20% better than the Titan Xp. I recommend this card for developers that want try working with fp16 and Tensorcores or anyone that can make use of the great double precision performance.

The NVIDIA Quadro P6000 is the highest-end Pascal-based Quadro card, offering the best NVIDIA single card performance available in this generation. Because of the Pascal architecture it is more efficient than previous Quadro cards of this caliber. General graphics performance and single-precision floating point performance are higher than any Quadro card that came before it, though unlike some older Quadro cards its double-precision floating point performance is limited. It has 3840 stream processors, a 384-bit memory bus, and 24GB of memory with error correction for improved reliability.

In addition to extreme performance for professional 3D applications, the Quadro P6000 also supports up to four monitors at the same time. In terms of connectivity it has one dual-link DVI port and four DisplayPort outputs. A wide range of standards are supported by this card: DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5, CUDA, and OpenCL (to name a few).

Puget Professional Advice:

William George (Puget Labs Technician) Says: This is very similar to the NVIDIA Titan X (Pascal version), including its handicap in double-precision floating point performance, but with slightly more CUDA cores, twice the memory, and ECC protection. That means it is a very powerful GPU, and as part of the Quadro line it may have more specialized drivers and better support for certain high-end applications. For many users seeking high performance, though, the Titan X will offer similar capabilities for a lower price.

The NVIDIA Quadro GV100 is effectively a Tesla V100 but with graphics output capabilities included. That is why it is included under the Quadro banner, but even the model number conveys its relation to the Tesla line. Because of its heritage, the GV100 has unhindered double-precision floating point performance (FP64) - a big advantage over most Quadro and GeForce cards, albeit in a niche area.

The GV100 has 16GB of high bandwidth memory (HBM), and includes NVIDIA's NVLINK technology so that if you use two of these cards they can communicate directly with each other in a much faster way than PCI-Express or SLI would allow. For video output, the GV100 has four DisplayPort connections - all of which can be used at the same time, supporting up to four high-res monitors.