Feature

The Right GPU for You

Your PC's graphics processing unit (GPU) is its second-hardest-working component, after the CPU. If you're like most PC buyers, however, you probably haven't given it much thought. Sure, if you play any games on your PC more sophisticated than FreeCell or Bejeweled, choosing a graphics card is probably the first thing you do when buying or upgrading a PC, because graphics performance makes all the difference for gaming. But if you don't play 3D games, edit video, or use computer-aided-design (CAD) software, you've had little reason to think about graphics performance.

Why? Because today, even the most basic graphics chip has plenty of power to make office and Internet applications run smoothly. In fact, it's been over a decade since magazines like this one bothered testing 2D-video performance, since everything out there is “fast enough” for most computer users.

With even basic graphics functionality more than capable for general Windows usage, computer manufacturers have moved from including dedicated graphics cards to integrating graphics on the motherboard, reducing costs. In fact, according to a September 2006 retail study by Current Analysis, more than 90 percent of new desktop and notebook computers use integrated graphics. That's a lot of computers on the low end of the graphics-performance scale.

Then came Windows Vista. With features such as the Aero interface and new slide-show capabilities, Vista is catching many PC users with their pixels down, in need of at least a little 3D horsepower. PC owners who never gave graphics a second thought are finding that, under Vista, they can't see Aero's transparent windows or use slick features such as Flip 3D (the 3D preview you get when pressing Windows key+Tab). Other recent developments, such as the increasing popularity of home theater PCs and dual-monitor setups (the latter thanks in no small part to dirt-cheap 15- and 17-inch LCD screens) have brought video cards back to the forefront, even for non-gamers.

The good news is that the newest integrated graphics chipsets enable most of Vista's slick features. We'll examine where graphics performance matters, take a look at some of the major options out there for onboard video, and help you choose which integrated solution will best fit your needs—whether you're buying a new desktop, or just a new motherboard.

Read more:

Introduction
Who Should Care About Good 3D?
HDTV, Big Displays, and Dual Monitors
The Chips
3D Performance and Quality
2D and Video
Memory Concerns
Before You Buy