Laptops and Computers Pty Ltd

I used to believe NVIDIA was more performance based while ATI was more visual based, but now it seems the tables have slightly turned.

Even now, it's difficult for users to decide which of the two to use, unless they're dedicated to the one side.

But firstly, what is the graphics card (GPU)? It is the visual processor which allows the computer to output a video signal to your monitor. Without it, you'd have nothing to see.

So other than being able to see, what else makes the GPU important?

Firstly, all computers will need a visual processor, whether built-in on the motherboard, or as a separate card. Separate cards will hold their own memory and processing power, usually more abundantly, in comparison to one that's on the motherboard, which its main purpose is to output a video signal.

So users who play games, use visual software, or watch a lot of movies, will require a powerful enough GPU to operate said action efficiently. Using an onboard GPU would work, but the lack of dedicated power of its own makes it borrow a bit from the CPU and RAM, which can't offer much, thus not only lacking in visual performance, but also slowing down the computer in general by a notch.

Even if you're not a gaming or visual enthusiast, we highly recommend even getting a basic card to help your computer run more smoothly.