Graphics cards (or video card to some) are an essential component of anyone’s computer, and many will argue that it’s even more important than the central processing unit (CPU). Whether you do high-end multimedia creative work like video editing, or want to run computer games, you will need a graphics card that will make your programs run smoothly. The better the card, the higher resolution and graphics settings you can run it in. It may feel overwhelming to find the right sort of graphics that will suit your needs. With a bit of due diligence and some research through various websites, you will be able to find the right one within your price limits. It usually doesn’t always end there, as owning a graphics card means to put it through the proper tests, as well.

Graphics Card Benchmarks

Since there are so many brands of graphics cards out there available to the everyday consumer, it can be a daunting task to choose the right card to fit your needs. Do you want to play high-end computer games? Are you a video editor? Or perhaps a full-time artist? In cases like this, benchmarking tests help you determine which card is best for what you want to do. To get the most accurate readings and results during the full test, it is wise to close out of all over non-essential programs on your computer. A majority of benchmarking tests will grade your graphics card on a scale between and 100. The higher the number your card receives, the better your card will perform under stress. Why should you benchmark?

• You're testing how your graphics card will perform under heavy stress.
• You've built your own computer or even overclocked it to test stability.
• You want to ensure there are no manufacturer defects.

How can you benchmark?

• The most common way to test is through DirectX, a program used by popular graphics cards from NVIDIA or AMD.
• Unigine 2, which is a program used to test out a graphics card under extreme conditions.
• Run your program's built-in testing tools or go line-by-line on various graphical settings to determine which settings are causing performance issues.

Best Online Retailers

When it comes to purchasing the best graphics card for your computer, it can be difficult to determine the best retailer, or even where to go to purchase them. Because graphics cards are one of the most important components in any gaming build, or even a multimedia build, it pays well to check multiple sources and websites to find the best deal. It pays well to be diligent to check multiple websites to find the best deals, as well as comparing prices and searching for any sales, or even coupons. The best time for sales usually falls around Black Friday, or Cyber Monday, If you can’t find discounts for your store of choice, check coupons sites to see if there are any ongoing promotions, as buyers often share private coupons and promotions not available to the public. Some of the top graphics card retailers include:

• Newegg
• Amazon
• AMD.com
• Ebay
• NVIDIA.com

Most Popular Graphics Card

The popular online platform Steam, a software distribution company that primarily specializes in computer games, surveyed well over a million of its users for their system information back in May 2019. Steam asked what users were presently using to determine the most popular. It’s no surprise that NVIDIA graphics cards came out on top, due to their vast marketing campaign, but also that most pre-built computers sold to consumers are bundled with it. Many are under the impression that NVIDIA’s competitor, AMD, produces inferior graphics cards. This simply isn’t the case, as they offer as many competitive cards that are comparably cheaper than their NVIDIA counterparts. Depending on which engine was used by the developers of any particular game, the game may run better on an AMD card. During the testing cycle of most games, some manufacturers are obliged by contract to prefer one manufacturer to the other, though information regarding these sponsorships is not always available. Some of the most popular graphics cards include:

• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
• AMD Radeon VII
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti