Graphics Cards issues - Essay Example

Graphics Cards By Table of Contents Introduction The pictures and graphical illustrations that a computer monitor displays are composed of small dots that are known as pixels. In fact, at an ordinary setting, a computer screen can show more than a million pixels, however this decision about what to do with each of the pixels is made by the computer. It is the computer that uses these pixels to generate an image. However, in order to deliver this image, a computer uses a translator, which gets input from the CPU (central processing unit) in the form of binary data and convert it into an image that is delivered to the computer user. In addition, a computer carries out this conversion process using a graphics card (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Matthews, 2000). This paper presents an analysis of graphics cards. The basic purpose of this research is to discuss basic purpose and working of graphics cards. This paper also discusses different kinds of graphics cards. Graphics Cards: An Overview A graphics card (sometimes also acknowledged as a video card) is a hardware component integrated in a computer that is accountable for representing the graphics on the display screen or computer’s monitor. Though, several kinds of computer carry out this process through a built in graphics capability that is integrated into their motherboards. Though, a graphics card performs a difficult job but its functioning can be easily understood. In their article, (Tyson & Wilson, 2013) explain the basic working of a graphics card by relating a computer with an organization. For instance, a computer can be considered as an organization which has its own design department. In this scenario, when the employees from other departments of the organization want to complete a task related to artwork, they will have to send a request to that design department. Once the request is received by the art department it makes a decision about creation of image because it is the one that specializes in designing the image and then transferring it on paper. In this way someones thought turns into a real, understandable image. On the other hand, a graphics card follows the same working principles and rules. In this scenario, a computer is an organization that is working with various different departments (software applications) so whenever a software application requires showing output through images or videos, central processing unit functioning in association with these applications, transmits data and information regarding the graphics to the graphics card. After that it becomes the responsibility of the graphics card to decide how to better utilize the pixels on the computer monitor in order to convert them into the image. A graphics card sends these images to the computer screen through a cable. ­In the past few years, there have been massive developments in the field of information technology. In fact, these computers are being used in every walk of life. In the same way, these computers are used for architectural and construction projects which involve a lot of processing on charts and images (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Matthews, 2000). Without a doubt, converting binary data into a viewable and understandable picture is a demanding job. On the other hand, this job becomes more critical when a graphics card has to process a 3-D (3 Dimensional) image or an image map. It is complicated because of the fact that in order to create 3-D illustrations, the graphics card first develops a wire frame beyond straight lines and after that it fills in the remaining pixels. In addition, a graphics card is also responsible for adding texture, lighting and color. In fact, the execution of fast-paced games requires to computer system to undergo this process more than sixty times in a second. Hence, if a graphics card is not used with the computer then the processing and calculations will increase the load too much for the computer to handle (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Matthews, 2000). Parts of a Graphics Card Normally, a graphics card carries out its job using four major parts (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Murray, 2012): 1. First part is the motherboard, which establishes the connection for data and power 2. A graphics card uses the capabilities of a processor to make a decision what to do with each pixel on the screen 3. A graphics card also uses memory to store each pixel as well as to temporarily store desired results 4. A graphics card is connected to the monitor to show the final output to its users. Availability of Graphics Cards At the present, graphics cards are available in many varieties with a wide variety of features and functionalities and their price range extends from approximately $20 to $2,400 or even more. However, when a person makes a decision of purchasing a graphics card they must make sure that it can display the best resolution that their monitor can support. Additionally, different kinds of monitor support different resolution ranges. For instance, in case of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitors it should support the native resolution. On the other hand, people who use Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) should make sure that the graphics card can support the maximum resolution for the reason that these monitors do not have any native resolution, even though the CRT monitors can be commonly used at lower resolutions. As discussed above, a graphics card works very hard to turn the pixels into images. As compared to text files, data in picture formats and images are large size files having huge volumes of data that must be operated by the graphics card. In addition, a wide variety of graphics cards have their own internal memory chips to carry out this process effectively with the intention that they could not affect the computer’s RAM (Random Access Memory). On the other hand, many low quality graphics cards come with less internal memory, hence they require sharing computer’s random access memory in order to process data. Though, it does not indicate that a graphics card that shares computer’s memory will be not good enough or disappointing, though it greatly relies on the key function of the system and on the available amount of computer’s RAM. Increasing the size of a computer’s RAM is an excellent choice if it has to be shared with the graphics card, however for a computer that has to be used for multimedia and gaming applications; a card with maximum internal memory is an excellent option. Additionally, this option is also suitable for those who want to watch, edit or work on movies or graphics (Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Safford, 2013; Murray, 2012). Figure 1Graphic card, Image Source: (Murray, 2012) GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) A graphics card incorporates a graphics processing unit (GPU) is a small chip similar to the computer processing unit (CPU). In this scenario, this processing unit performs functionality on data in parallel shapes and lines known as “pipelines.” The capabilities and performance of a graphics card heavily depend on these pipelines. In fact, the more pipelines a card has, the more rapidly it can perform its working. Additionally, high quality graphics cards incorporate twofold graphics processing units with the purpose of offering maximum performance. In addition, some other factors such as the type of on-board memory that a card can support and bus speed can also play an important role in the performance of a graphics card. In view of the fact that graphics cards work hard to create images and this process generates a lot of heat, hence the majority of high-quality graphics cards come with integrated fans (Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Safford, 2013; Murray, 2012). However, there can be various kinds of fans for instance they can be noisy or quiet fans, relying on the model of a graphics card. In addition, there are also a wide variety of high-quality fanless graphics cards that utilize heat sinks in order to pull heat away from the graphics card processing unit. In this scenario, one of the major advantages of a fanless graphics card is the lack of noise. In addition, they produce high quality images and performance. However, there are certain disadvantages as well linked with these graphics cards. In this scenario, one of the major disadvantages is that they are costly. In addition, these graphics cards produce a wider footprint that can occupy two periods within the system. The installation of a graphics card is very easy and it does not require any expertise or computer skills. In fact, a common computer user can easily install a graphics card. Basically, a graphics card comes with an interface that can be inserted into a slot or port on the motherboard within the system. In addition, computer with older motherboards present an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) interface, on the other hand latest motherboards contain high speed Peripheral Computer Interface Express (PCIe) interface (Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Safford, 2013; Murray, 2012). A system user must make sure that they buy a card that is well-matched with their system for the reason that a PCIe card cannot be inserted into an AGP port, and vice-versa. In the same way, an AGP card cannot be inserted into PCIe slot. Moreover, at the present there are emerging modern kinds of graphics cards that contain additional external ports, which can be used to connect additional devices such as a monitor for advanced graphics displays or for gaming that can be shared between two connected devices. Furthermore, some latest graphics card several additional ports such as a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) slot or S-Video Out” slot for distributing the signal to a television. However, these advanced features can be acquired at some additional charges for the reason that additional slots that add to the capabilities and functionalities of a card also increase its cost (Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Safford, 2013; Murray, 2012). Figure 2 Graphics Processing Unit, Image Source: (James, 2013) Selection of a Graphics Card It is an admitted fact that a computer’s motherboard can allow for only a limited range of graphics cards to be installed or integrated, hence system users must always identify with their motherboard producer previous to making a deal. In fact, a large number of systems do not provide the support for additional graphics expansion cards however in its place they offer graphics processing units integrated into a straight line on top of the motherboard. Though, they are helpful in decreasing the overall price of the system but also for a less effective graphics system. In fact, these computers can be an excellent choice for the average home and business user who do not want the latest games or superior graphics capabilities. There are many companies that manufacture graphics cards. Some of the well-known manufacturers of graphics cards include: AMD, NVIDIA Corporation, Matrox. These organizations basically produce the graphics processing units that operate the graphics card. In addition, a large number of other organizations use these processors in their specific products of graphics cards (Fisher, 2013; Kyrnin, 2012). Following link provides information about a wide variety of graphics cards: https://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/. However, the decision to purchase a particular graphics card heavily relies on the use or purpose. For instance, if a person uses a computer to play games then they must choose a graphics card according to this requirement. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/graphics-cards/42/ presents reviews of graphics cards. On this web site, people express their experiences with different graphics cards. These reviews should be read carefully before making a final decision. Measurement Factors The decision to purchase a particular graphics card can be made by taking into consideration various measurement factors. In addition, the performance of a graphics card is measured through its frame rate (that is mentioned as frames per second (FPS)). In this scenario, this frame rate tells the number of images that a graphics card can display in one second. In fact, the human eye is capable of processing approximately 25 frames in one second; on the other hand some action games require a frame rate of no less than 60 FPS in order to ensure continuous scrolling and animation. In addition, this frame rate is measured on the basis of two factors, which are outlined below (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Shepley & Harris, 2012): Pixel fill rate This measurement is based on calculating the number of pixels that a graphics processing unit can process per second. In other words, this measurement tells us how rapidly graphics processing units can rasterize the graphic (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Shepley & Harris, 2012). Vertices or Triangles per second It is an admitted fact that 3-D graphics are composed of polygons or triangles. In this scenario, this measurement is used to compute the vertices or the whole polygon that defines it. As a general rule, this measurement tells how rapidly a graphics card can build a wire frame image (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Shepley & Harris, 2012). In addition, there are many other hardware related factors that directly affect the speed and performance of a graphics card. Some of the hardware related factors are outlined below (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Shepley & Harris, 2012): Memory clock rate (MHz) The size of the memory bus (measured in bits) The bandwidth of Memory (usually measured in GB/s) Speed of GPU clock (normally measured in MHz) Memory available (usually measured in MB) RAMDAC speed (MHz) ­In addition, system’s motherboard and CPU can also affect the performance of a graphics card, in view of the fact that a high quality graphics card cant balance for a motherboards incapability to carry data rapidly. In the same way, the graphics cards links to system’s motherboard as well as the rate at which it receives data and instructions from the CPU have an effect on its performance. In addition, some people attempt to make changes into their system’s setting with the purpose of improving the performance of their graphics card. In this scenario, they make changes to system’s clock speed to a higher rate, acknowledged as Overclocking. Additionally, people frequently overclock their system’s memory, while overclocking the graphics processing unit can result in overheating, at the same time as overclocking can result in improved performance; it can also override the company’s warranty. Moreover, if someone wants to install a latest graphics card or want to upgrade from their existing graphics card, they need to think about whether or not their system is powerful enough to effectively deal with it (Tyson & Wilson, 2013; Shepley & Harris, 2012). Prices The prices of these cards vary depending on the quality, manufacturer, nature and model of a card. In this scenario, a card for gaming purpose can be purchased at the $150 to $300 range. In the same way, a person who uses a system for general purpose tasks, can purchase a card in $65 as it will provide adequate support for general purpose tasks. At the present, there are many web sites that provide information on the latest devices. So before purchasing a graphics card a user should read the information and reviews available on these websites (Kayne & Wallace, 2013; Safford, 2013; Murray, 2012). Conclusion This paper has presented a detailed analysis of graphics cards. A graphics card is a significant component of a computer system. A graphics card converts the pixels into an understandable image format. The selection of a graphics card heavily depends on the need of a system user. This research has shown that there are many varieties of graphics cards and their prices vary from $20 to onward. In this scenario, it also depends on the budget of a person. However, for playing games and using high definition multimedia there is a need for a high quality graphics card. However, the selection of graphics card also depends on various other issues. This paper has discussed a number of issues that affect the selection of a graphics card. References Fisher, T., 2013. Video Card. [Online] Available at: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/componentprofiles/p/p_video.htm [Accessed 09 March 2013]. James, D., 2013. 14 best graphics cards for every budget. [Online] Available at: http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/graphics-cards/14-best-graphics-cards-for-every-budget-654141 [Accessed 13 March 2013]. Kayne, R. & Wallace, O., 2013. What is a Graphics Card? [Online] Available at: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-graphics-card.htm [Accessed 13 March 2013]. Kyrnin, M., 2012. Best Budget PC Graphics Cards. [Online] Available at: http://compreviews.about.com/od/video/tp/BudgetVideo.htm [Accessed 11 March 2013]. Matthews, M., 2000. Graphics: Pick a Card.Any Card. Linux Journal, 2000(78es), p.Article Number 9. Murray, M., 2012. How to Buy a Video Card. [Online] Available at: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371083,00.asp [Accessed 12 March 2013]. Safford, M., 2013. Help Me Decide: Which Type of Graphics Card Do I Need? [Online] Available at: http://www.computershopper.com/feature/help-me-decide-which-type-of-graphics-card-do-i-need [Accessed 12 March 2013]. Shepley, P. & Harris, B., 2012. What Should I Consider When Buying a Graphics Card? [Online] Available at: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-should-i-consider-when-buying-a-graphics-card.htm [Accessed 12 March 2013]. Tyson, J. & Wilson, T.V., 2013. How Graphics Cards Work. [Online] Available at: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/graphics-card.htm [Accessed 10 March 2013]. Read More