How much Graphics Power Does a PC Really Need?

Introduction

The only exception when it comes to video would be when any kind of high definition (HD) content is viewed. For HD you need a very fast CPU to handle the immense amounts of video data involved; alternatively, a graphics card with the appropriate features can also help by sharing or even minimizing the burden of the decoding work. If the system has neither, playback will begin stuttering.

Another trait that can differ between graphics cards is the quality they offer during the playback of movies and films. There are distinct differences in image quality between cards when interlacing, scaling (resizing) and other video features are used. However, the importance of these criteria is a matter of personal quality standards and depends on the individual user's perception. If the task at hand is only playing back a DVD or a simple video clip downloaded from the Internet, any graphics solution available today is up to the job.

Given all this, how can anyone explain such a large range of prices in graphics cards? And what could possibly justify a graphics card costing $500 or more? The answer is simple, really: games! Virtually all modern games strive to create a gaming environment that is as realistic as possible by using highly complex and elaborate 3D engines. To this end, they require an enormous amount of computing power to be able to handle the calculations required and the large amount of data processed. Simply put, modern 3D accelerators are really highly specialized, self-contained 3D computational units, acting basically as a computer within the computer.