Can anyone with good knowledge of graphics cards help me out?

AwesomeChad·6/8/2016, 8:55:09 PM·1 votes·375 views

I am looking to upgrade my graphics card (currently: AMD Radeon HD 6670 ) for my desktop computer. My goal is to get a better graphics card so I can run the witcher 2 and other more modern games without lagging (some steam games I can't run without lagging hard). What do I need to know regarding changing graphics cards? Do I have to upgrade any of my other hardware? I am not trying to run everything on ultra settings. At best, I would prefer running medium as the main point is for me to be able to run these newer games. Also, if you have recommendations, that'd be great.

3 Comments

Akerasi6/8/2016, 9:02:07 PM1 votes

A lot of my recommendations would depend on what sort of budget you have to work with. Although to answer one question, if you have to upgrade any other components, it'll be power supply. Some graphics cards just require more power to run than that 6670 you've got.

ElysMustache6/8/2016, 9:02:34 PM1 votes

Do I have to upgrade any of my other hardware?

Your motherboard needs to have the right kind of slot to accommodate the card.

There needs to be enough physical space inside your case for the card to fit. Cards are trending pretty large these days.

Your power supply needs to have enough wattage to power the card, as well as everything else in your computer. You can find calculators online that allow you to pick specific components, and it will add everything up to make sure you have enough power. It is reasonable to have a bit more than you need.

Most good graphics cards these day require additional power, plugging them into the motherboard is not enough. This may be a 12 volt power cord coming from your power supply, or it may be more than one power cord coming form your power supply. Make sure the power supply you have has the correct wires and plugs for the type of graphics card you want.

Keep in mind the type of video outputs the card has. I picked up an AMD R290, and it has two DVI outputs, one HDMI output, and one DisplayPort output. I can drive my two old 1080p monitors, my television, and my new 4K monitor all at the same time with this setup. Consider not only the screen(s) you are using now, but what screen you might get in the future.

That's all I've got; I'll let someone else answer the rest of your questions.

Deep Terror Nami6/8/2016, 9:10:08 PM1 votes

Video cards are more or less universally compatible. If your motherboard isn't too old and your case has space for the card size then there shouldn't be an issue most of the time.

Check the power input requirements and make sure your power supply unit has the plugs for it (such as two 6-pin connectors); if it doesn't you can probably buy splitters or adapters, though if your PSU is on the lower end (like 400W) use a power calculator like on Newegg to make sure it can handle the card. Also check what outputs it has; you may need new cables to connect to your monitor(s), and it's possible they could have only outputs that your monitor doesn't support, but cables and adapters are cheap.

Some newer cards may have features that didn't exist when your CPU was made if it's old, so read through the features info of both and cross-check to see that it supports all the features. Check if you have a 16x PCI-e slot with double spacing (triple for large 3rd party coolers, sometimes single for liquid cooled) and the CPU can run the full 16x with what else you have hooked up on your PCI-e slots. Google and customer reviews are your best friend.

If you have the cash, I do suggest getting the newest series of card possible. The newer you get the longer it'll last before it can't run the new games reasonably anymore.