• Hardware
  • Is ANY video card better than none? (p.3)
2018/01/30 03:07:46
pb7r47sz
davdud101,
I put the following list together to help demystify the purchase of my video card. It may help you.
 
The GPU should handle the max resolution of my video camera.
In my particular case that is 1080P 60 fps, which is more than adequate
for posting to U-Tube, any promotional, or any family video.
This requirement says the HD 530 or UHD 630 IGPU of intel will not cut it, having
frame rates slightly below and slightly above 30 FPS respectively.
 
For beginner video makers, the video card should have at least 600 pixel processing units or
cuda cores to get reasonable editing speed. As we know parallel processing makes things go faster.
Case in point, my render time is half the film length time using an Nvidia 1050 design.
Higher cuda core counts give faster results, but may not be worth it unless you do this professionally.
 
Since video cards can dump large amounts of heat into the case, I found the following to
be important. Card length and width physically divides the air flow in the case.  The smaller
the card the easier it is to get cool air to it and hot air away from it.  The card's heat sink orientation needs
to direct air flow to compliment the flow set up by the case fans, not oppose it. The card's
shroud should enclose it enough to direct the heat out the back of the case.  The GPU full
load temperature should be 70 degrees celsius maximum. Do not get a card with a back cover.  A back
cover blocks case air from cooling this surface.
 
Video card noise during audio processing should not be audible and full load noise should be less than 45 dB(A).
Reputable reviews can be found at "Ted's Hardware" and "Guru3d".  Performance ranking for gaming can be found at "Game-Debate".
 
Card should output a digital signal HDMI, DVI-D, or DP for at least 2 monitors.
 
As the rest of the fellows in the forum have stated, the Nvidia GTX 1050 is a good candidate.
There are several modifications available to cooling, memory, and clock rate are from different suppliers.  
What suited my requirements was the EVGA 1050 TI SC, it runs cool and even though the fan is
always on, I cannot hear it.
As you have seen, prices vary. It is worth your while to check "pcpartpicker" for historical
prices of a part. Typically, (not always) part prices are lowest at the end of the first quarter, August, Black Friday,
and a couple of weeks before Christmas.
2018/01/30 19:19:16
davdud101
Thanks a ton, Forest! As far as all the consolidated information I could need goes, I think you've set to rest all of my worries about when and what to buy in one post. With this being my first video card ever - been running on on-board since the very start of it all - it's awesome to be able to get specific information like this.
 
 
Thanks again! And thanks to all who answered and helped out.
 
btw, abacab - I bought Fallout 4 for $15 on Humble Bundle, only to find out I can't play it yet with my (current onboard) graphics 
2018/01/30 19:37:41
abacab
davdud101
 
btw, abacab - I bought Fallout 4 for $15 on Humble Bundle, only to find out I can't play it yet with my (current onboard) graphics 




Ha! Now you have an urgent reason to grab a GTX1050 card!!! 
2018/01/30 22:17:04
abacab
davdud101
 
btw, abacab - I bought Fallout 4 for $15 on Humble Bundle, only to find out I can't play it yet with my (current onboard) graphics 




And just fyi, Fallout 4 detected my GTX950 and set the graphics automatically to ultra!  Runs very smooth on my rig, looking great on a 40" 1080 LCD.
 
So you should expect no trouble at all with that GTX1050!!! 
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