The Best Graphics Card

You may not realize it, but behind the scenes, there are many components hard at work to make your computer perform. If you game, you probably know the difference between a top-of-the-line PC and one that has seen better days. But you don’t have to be a gamer to see the effects of lackluster electronic components.

A crucial piece of hardware in any PC is a graphics card, which delivers images from your PC’s hardware to the display. A less-than-powerful graphics card can bring a delay between transmitting that information to you, becoming a huge nuisance if you’re trying to enjoy your favorite game. Many of today’s graphics cards handle this task expertly, but you’ll still see some that are better than others.

Molly Thornberg, technology and parenting blogger for Digital Mom Blog,  finds that a good graphics card is essential to a satisfying gaming experience. In fact, next to the CPU, your graphic card has the biggest impact on the performance of your computer.

“As graphic cards evolve and become faster, so do the applications that use them,” Thornberg says. “Games are built to take advantage of the extra speed. Applications such as video editing and CAD are built with better performance.”

Your PC’s gaming performance can be affected by overheating. If your computer tends to run hot, you may see software glitches and slowdowns that get in the way of what you’re trying to do. For that reason, finding a graphics card that battles overheating by running cool can be the best thing you can do to improve the way your PC performs.

Noise is also something to consider. Some graphics cards can run on the loud side, which will also interfere with enjoying your game. You’ll find there are some graphics cards that have a built-in fan. Others offer fanless cooling, resulting in a noise reduction you can’t get when a fan is part of the process.

Before you can look at all that, though, it’s important to determine whether the card you’re choosing will work with your PC. Some cards have compatibility issues with Windows 10, while others have done away with analog support, meaning they’re phasing out VGA compatibility. Chances are, you have a monitor that is compatible with the DVI-D port on the card. Lastly, look at the size of the card and measure how much space it will take up inside your case before you buy.

• Clock speed makes all the difference when you’re pricing graphics cards. The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 has a 1721 MHz base clock and an 1860 MHz boost clock, making it the top option. The Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 ranges from a 1493 MHz to 1506 MHz boost clock, depending on the card you choose, and the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070 features a 1683 MHz boost clock. The faster the clock speed, the less lag you’ll experience while playing games or participating in other graphics-intensive activities.
• If you want to make sure your graphics really pop on your 1080p monitor, go for the Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050, which displays 1080p video at 60 frames per second.
• For those who are more interested in basic computer tasks like surfing the internet and checking email, the lower-end ZOTAC GeForce GT 710 should suffice. It can even handle less graphics-intensive games, but you won’t want this card for hardcore gaming activity.
• By now, everyone’s heard a noisy internal fan kick in while using a computer. While you’ll likely notice a little noise with any fan, the ZOTAC GeForce GT 710 card doesn’t use a fan at all to stay cool. However, you may find this card doesn’t stay as cool as the EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 or ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070, which are both relatively quiet even though they have fans. The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080’s and ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070’s fans turn off when your PC is idling for even quieter operation.
• Before you buy a graphics card, it’s important to make sure it will work with the equipment you already have. If you have Windows 10, you could have some issues with the ZOTAC GeForce GT 710. The design of the EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 makes it a great fit for most computers. The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070, on the other hand, doesn’t provide analog support. So if you have a VGA monitor, you’ll need to either upgrade your monitor or choose a different card.
• Price could be the biggest differentiator when it comes to graphics cards. The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070 is at the extreme high end of the price range. Slightly less expensive is the impressive EVGA GeForce GTX 1080. You can get the Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 and the ZOTAC GeForce GT 710 for much less.
• Size is something to consider when you’re shopping for a graphics card. Chances are, you have limited space inside your case, so you should measure before you buy.

“Ensure there are enough motherboard slots for your new GPU,” Thornberg advises. “Slot widths vary from single, double and triple slots.”

• The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 is designed for two slots at a moderate size, which makes it a fit for most cases. The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070, on the other hand, requires three slots and is larger than usual. It only fits ATX and eATX cases.
• More important than noise is the fan itself. If your card doesn’t stay cool, you’ll notice issues like your computer locking up at the worst possible times. The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 uses ACX 3.0 cooling, which brings two 100mm fans built with double ball bearings that make it outlast competing graphics cards. The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070 uses three Windforce fans to dissipate heat. Both the EVGA and ASUS fans shut off during idle periods to keep noise at a minimum and conserve energy.
• Setup is an important consideration, especially if you aren’t technically-oriented. The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070 can be confusing to set up, and it comes with an installation CD, which may not be much help if you have a PC without a CD slot. The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 comes with an installation guide to walk you through the process.