[Comfort] [Cases] [Processors] [Memory] [Disks] [Input devices] [Monitors] [Graphic Cards] [Printers] Also called video cards.
First of all, if you who have never opened a computer's case, a card is a small, thin board that fits into a slot inside the computer. Various kinds of cards add functions to the basic computer configuration. The graphics card in your system enables you to plug in your monitor and have it display what your computer wants it to.
Why are graphics cards important?
Since the Mac and Windows environments and the world wide web depend so heavily on pictures showing up on your monitor, graphics cards have taken on more and more computing power. They are themselves little specialty computers that process and store the information that you see on your screen.
A good monitor with a good graphics card will enhance your computer experience in the graphical environments we are used to now. And, if you deal with image processing, improvements will be dramatic.
What do you need in a graphics card?
Well, that depends.
 | A recognized manufacturer like Diamond, S3, ATI, CardExpert, or Matrox. |
| At least 4 MB of video memory on the card itself for basic work. |
| 8-16 MB of video memory on the card for more graphics-intensive work. |
| 32-64 MB of video memory for intensive graphics and multimedia. |
