Without video our computers don't really do a whole lot for us. Visual is a big part of the Internet and everyday computing. So most computers today come with the video built into the motherboard, but they still have an optional PCIe Video slot if you choose to upgrade. Video cards today can be more powerful than the mail processor/CPU. There are three basic types of video cards and we will talk about each of them and which one will work for you. For most people the onboard video will work fine, but if you want to upgrade or need to due to desktop publishing, gaming, CAD, video editing or you just really want a better video experience we can help you get the right video card.

First let us talk about what kind of video expansion slot you have and what kinds of cards you can use on your computer. If you have a name brand computer, Dell, Compaq, Gateway HP etc. then is will be pretty easy to find out what kind of slot you have a what kind of card you need to buy. First go to the manufactures website and click on support, typing in the model number of the computer, then click on specification: look down the list take note of the video slot type and the power supply size, also take note if there are other types of slots such as PCI slot. Now we will list the three types of slots you will look for.

1. "PCIe" this is also known as a PCI express slot, they come in 16x and 8x speeds, also check to see of its supports what version such as 2.0 (this is the current most common slot today).

2. "AGP" this is a older slot, not really found today, if you own of these on your computer then is more than 5 years old and you really shouldn't be spending at money on it, it has reached its life expectancy and you will probably only be able to find these card in recycle PC stores or online at Ebay.com

3. "PCI" this is a basic slot, they are phasing these slots out new computers. But some cheaper computer don't have a enhanced video slot so this is your only other choice.

A brief description of each type of slot.

"PCIe" slots are the longest and comes in brown, white and blue, this one 16x in speed.(16x = 6400MB's per sec)

"AGP" slots are mostly brown and are set more toward the middle of the motherboard, they support 4x and 8x in speed.
(8x = 2100MB's per sec)

"PCI" slots are almost always white and really aren't classified at any speed.(133 MB's per sec)

As you can see the fastest of the three slots is the PCIe slot.

The right card for you: now that you know what kind of computer slot you have its time to decide what kind of card you will need. Not every card is right for your computer, bigger is not better, and more power does not always make a better video experience. You have to understand that the video has to work in concert with the amount of memory and what kind of processor you have. If you don't understand let me break it down and simplify it for you. If you have a state-of-the-art computer that was bought or built in the last year running a quad core processor and at least 8GB's of memory, then you can run pretty much any card on the market today. If you have a quad core processor or dual core processor built in the last 2 to 3 years, stay with the midrange cards, your computer may not keep up with a newer high-end graphics that are built today. If your computer is more than three years old consider getting a basic card, this card will run better than your onboard video but not faster than your processor and memory can keep up with. Look any $40 to $80 dollar range for this type of card, if the card he chosen is large and requires external power this is probably not the card that you want for your older computer. Once again if you're not understanding this please consult a friend or computer store for more information.

Card sizes: when choosing your card you must consider the size of the card as well is the type computer. If you have a small compact or what they call mini model of computer you are limited to a low profile video card this will significantly decrease the number of cards that will work in your system. If you have a full-size tower called micro ATX size, this will also limit the type of card that you can choose. If you have a full-size mid-Tower you should be able to use most any video card, however still do some measuring of how much room you have for your new card. Most new gaming video cards are between 10" and 11" long and require a mid-size full-size case to be used. Even though you may say I have a new full-size HP many of the motherboards restrict the size of the video card. If you don't fully understand please consult the article in this section about how to choose computer case. In that article we will explain how to measure what size video card you will need. Where the slot is on the motherboard is has allot to do with it to.

Card fit: we already talked about the size of the card in relation to the case now I want to talk to you about the size of the card in relation to what you do with it. What I mean by the "fit" of the card is, does it fit what you do with your computer. If you're a gamer and do a lot of first-person shooters then a nice high-end video card will work well for you. But if you just do video editing or very lightly editing most onboard video cards will work fine. If you want a small boost a small to medium after-market card will work best without spending a lot of money. Bigger is not always better, if all you edit is a small video off your camcorder or phone and occasionally do a video a huge card will work, but you're throwing good money away. If you just want to do some desktop publishing a midsize $50 to $60 card will work fine without spending hundreds of dollars. You need to understand that the card has to fit what you do. Yes I can buy a Ferrari and drive it all around town but what a waste it will be if my $250,000 car never goes faster than 35 mph, I can spend $60,000 a nice Corvette and have just as much fun.

Power Supply: many of the mid-to high-end range cards consume a lot more power than they can receive from the card slot. These high-end cars require extra connections from the power supply, many of your off the shelf computers power supplies are just not large enough. So if you decide to use a high-end card you may need to replace your power supply with a larger one. When choosing a card look at the specifications and see what size a power supply they recommend, if you can't find a recommendation their go to the manufactures website and look under specifications and you will find what they recommend for the card. Most video card manufactures will recommend a power supplies that is between 450 to 600 watts, this will work fine for a high-end cards. Most of the off the shelf computers only have a 250 to 300 watt power supply installed. Use our article on how to choose a computer case to understand and make sure you choose the right power supply to go with the right card. Once again bigger is not always better I've seen people there say " oh well I'll buy a 1000 watt power supply and never have any problems, this is kind like using a bazooka to get rid of the pesky fly. The right tool, for the right job, creates right result. Purchase a power supply that is between 30%to 50% larger than required and it will work fine. Once again if you're not sure, always consult a professional or knowledgeable friend that you trust.

There are thousands of video cards out there for thousands of applications, which one is right for you only you can decide. The best advice I can give to you is, read recommendations and reviews of each card you are looking at, choose 2 to 3 of the most popular programs you use and go the manufactures website and find out what kind of video card they recommend. Ask a friend or professional what they use for the same software and if the type of video card they use, works for them. With a little research you be able to find the right video card that will make you happy every time you use your computer.

Check out Newegg.com they have hundreds of Video Cards and detailed specification on each.

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