| Are you having problem deciding which | | | | as the standard for graphics card connection. |
| graphics card to buy? Do not worry, you are | | | | However, if what you want is only to upgrade |
| not alone! With a wide range of graphics | | | | a new video card, there are still a lot of |
| cards out there, each with different | | | | great AGP graphics card around for your |
| specification and function; it is definitely | | | | selection.GDDR2 or GDDR3? |
| a difficult choice to make.To choose the | | | | |
| right graphics card, you need to consider the | | | | GDDR refers to the bandwidth of the graphics |
| following points:AGP or PCIe? | | | | card memory module bandwidth. It is not the |
| | | | same as the DDR2 computer memory RAM you |
| AGP is the slot where the graphics card is | | | | install on the motherboard.GDDR2 has been |
| inserted in the motherboard. It has been the | | | | employed by graphics card manufacturers for a |
| standard for graphics card connection for a | | | | period of time. The main drawback for GDDR2 |
| long time.With the introduction of PCIe slot, | | | | is its severe overheating issue. This has |
| the days of using AGP slot will soon come to | | | | prompted ATI to develop the GDDR3. GDDR3 has |
| an end. PCIe slot boosts a speed 4 times | | | | a lower power consumption rate and a higher |
| faster than AGP slot and supports multiple | | | | bandwidth, which enables the graphic card to |
| video cards integration (SLi or Crossfire | | | | last longer and run faster. GDDR3 is now |
| technology). This is something that is | | | | commonly used in most NVIDIA- or ATI-based |
| impossible to achieve using the AGP slotIf | | | | video cards. Though price is more expensive, |
| you are looking to build a gaming computer | | | | it is definitely a better buy than a DDR2 |
| from scratch, it is advisable to get a PCIe | | | | graphics card. |
| graphics card as it will soon take over AGP | | | | |