At this day and age, what graphics card?

[CramBoom]

I was wondering, at this day and age, what graphics card do you recommend for a dual monitor set up? This is not for me, but for a friend. He wants to run 2 1080p monitors, and he games a lot. He plays games like Call of Duty, Minecraft, and Battlefield 3 (and other games, not sure which ones though). He wants to future proof his machine, for the upcoming COD Ghosts and other graphically intense games.

 

List of things he was wondering:

-How many GB of DDR5 ram?

-Any specific models?

-What to look for in graphics cards?

 

Thanks.

[EdEarl]

Your friend should read reviews such as this one and make up his own mind, considering the machine he owns or will buy. Some machines can have three graphics cards, and others only two or one. Be sure there is enough room in the PC for a big graphics card or two or three, and make sure there are enough connectors on the motherboard. Finally, make sure the power supply will support the additional graphics processors. Very fast graphics cards can be wasted on a computer with slower memory, be sure to have very fast DDR3 memory in the computer, and that the computer can use the fast memory.

 

If you intend to upgrade over time, Radeon graphics processors are probably your best option, because it is possible to mix different models of CrossFireX boards; whereas Nvidia require all the same model boards. However, computer technology changes so fast, that upgrading over time is difficult to achieve, except over short time frames.

[Greg H.]

I can only offer advice at this point, not specific recommendations without knowing what kind of PC your friend has but:

 

1. Direct X 11 compatible.
2. At least 1 GB of RAM. 2 or more would be better,
3. Multiple outputs (obviously).

 

I prefer the NVidia chipsets, but that's personal preference. I've used them for years, and they're normally very solid. As Ed stated, I recommend reading reviews of any cards you plan to buy. Some of the cheaper ones can have significant cooling issues, and some of the high end cards can take up A LOT of room inside the case.

 

Some examples (without any particular recommendations) of multi output NVidia cards can be found here.

Newegg

[EdEarl]

I agree with Greg, Nvidia are my preferred video boards, mainly because they work well on Linux and I have experience with them. However, both Radeon and Nvidia are good choices. But, I have had poor luck making Radeon boards work on Linux.

[CramBoom]

Thanks everyone! He built his own PC, so space shouldn't be a problem.

[lightburst]

I'm pretty sure you won't have to worry about DirectX support in graphics cards of the past 5 years.

 

Video RAM is a marketing ploy. It is not even close to a good performance benchmark. The easiest way to shop for GPUs in terms of performance is really just by thinking 'higher model number, the better'. For Nvidia, 350/450/550... is the start of the more gaming oriented cards. For ATI/AMD, 3650/4650/5650... is the start.

 

These companies want you to think that higher Video RAM makes a better GPU, but it doesn't. It's like having a large pool with only a dinner table glass to fill it with.

 

Which companies have better GPU lines or competing models vary every year or so. That's when you go to review sites and see benchmark numbers.

 

Gaming GPU will be the biggest power consumer in a system. Better have the juice to give it, otherwise something might break.

[AtomicMaster]

Video RAM is a marketing ploy. It is not even close to a good performance benchmark. The easiest way to shop for GPUs in terms of performance is really just by thinking 'higher model number, the better'. For Nvidia, 350/450/550... is the start of the more gaming oriented cards. For ATI/AMD, 3650/4650/5650... is the start.

 

Sorry that is entirely not true, do NOT shop based on how high the model number and that actually is as bad of a performance benchmark than the RAM. NVidia GeForce 7900 performs much better than say GeForce 8600; burst doesn't know what the model number means, and bigger doesn't mean better (I mean they claim it here in Texas, but i digress).

 

For graphics card makers, the model numbers represent roughly the same thing (and its still true with nvidia, just with 3 digit numbers now as well as them running 2 different models for the same architecture)

 

The first digit of the model indicates the generation and thus the architecture of the GPU, so for example 4/500 series cards were Fermi-based, where as 6/700 series is Kepler-based. NVidia split the lower, general computing lines in the lower number series (400ds and 600ds) and the higher power, higher end computing lines being 500 and 700 series respectively for the architectures. Furthermore the developments of the cores and their optimizations makes the dies and internal structures to be updated to allow for higher clock speeds and better performance (through optimization), which is indicated in the second series of numbers. For example it makes sense that the 550 card doesn't perform as well as a 570 card, but at the same time a 480 outperforms a 560 just because of the optimizations in the corresponding gpu/design/spec/driver iteration, and 590 performs on par with a 770.

 

AMD is roughly the same, just with extra digits and an occasional X2 to watch out for (as does NVidia) for dual GPU cards.

 

Select the manufacturer based on application/OS/personal preference. From there, the best thing you can do is find and research the hardware you can or are willing to afford, read reviews from reputable sites (tomshardware for example) that are least likely to have a bias, and based on that information, opinions, data, make your own informed decision.

Edited September 11, 2013 by AtomicMaster

[lightburst]

Sorry that is entirely not true, do NOT shop based on how high the model number and that actually is as bad of a performance benchmark than the RAM. NVidia GeForce 7900 performs much better than say GeForce 8600; burst doesn't know what the model number means, and bigger doesn't mean better (I mean they claim it here in Texas, but i digress).

Obviously. But surely a GTX 460 is better than a GTS 450, or an 8300 GS vs 8800 GT. Just out of the assumption that the company markets them as such. 'How much' better one is from the other is a different story and needs better research but in general that's how you would go.

 

I should have said 'per generation' and 'per company'. The logic doesn't also apply to AMD/ATI vs Nvidia because ATI has 'higher' model numbers for their gaming line of GPUs.

[AtomicMaster]

Logic totally applies to AMD as well. For example 7750 clocks memory at 1124, and core at 800 with a gig of vram, pushing 819 GFLOPS of Single Precision. A 6990 in contrast clocks gpu at 830-880MHz, memory at 1350 at 4 gig of vram, and rocks out 5.1 to 5.4 TFLOPS of single precision. Even 7790 only does 1.79 TFLOPS.

 

Again, best thing one can do is to consult specs, comparative reports (like PassMark or Tomshardware) and reviews from people who know graphics hardware (like say John Carmack if he were to ever do one)