Graphics Beginners' Guide, Part 1: Graphics Cards

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This could come in handy for those who are not quite computer savvy when it comes to computer hardware.


Graphics Beginners' Guide, Part 1: Graphics Cards

Graphics Card Fundamentals

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/7721/introji4.jpg

The PC architecture has been around for over two decades, but it's interesting to note that powerful graphics accelerators - the unit responsible for the 2D or 3D output you see on your display - have only been around since the mid 1990s.

For the sake of interchangeability, the graphics unit usually is an add-in card that is plugged into an expansion slot on the motherboard inside your PC. Low-cost graphics solutions - reserved for 2D graphics or displaying Windows or text - are often integrated with the core components on a motherboard. Modern graphics cards sport a confusing list of capabilities and specifications that seems to grow almost on a monthly basis. Terms like HDMI, ROPs, bandwidth, pixel shaders and the like are bandied about all the time in hardware reviews. If you're new to the graphics card scene, or you're coming back after a short vacation from the hardware world, it can be extremely daunting. So if you count yourself among the confused or newbies, then this guide is for you!

Our graphics beginners' guide is structured into three distinct articles.

Article Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/24/graphics_beginners/index.html

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Beginner's Guide to Motherboard Selection

Which Features Matter Most To You?

We were all beginners once, but it's easy for experts to forget how much they didn't know at the outset of their journey. So, even as Tom's Hardware Guide constantly publishes motherboard comparisons, it's easy to forget that many newcomers lack the requisite knowledge to take advantage of the advice we give.

So what goes into choosing a motherboard? Certainly the support for a desired CPU is key, and Tom's Hardware Guide is there again with everything from low-power mobile processors to 200+ watt overclocked monsters. But a motherboard is far more than simply the device a CPU plugs into!

A somewhat common worst-case scenario for first-time builders is to spend hundreds of dollars in parts, only to find that they do not all fit together. Less common is when parts that fit together don't work together. But the most frequent problem new builders face is an inappropriate component selection that may limit the performance of a high-priced system, making the added expense a waste of money.

Choosing parts that fit and work well together requires consideration of motherboard size, socket type and chipset features. Getting the best performance involves intricacies such as memory configuration and graphics support. Ultimate functionality requires consideration of onboard devices and/or additional card slots.

That seems like a lot of things to consider, and with over two dozen brands offering hundreds of options, nobody said it would be easy. However, a little general knowledge and a few reviews can take the guesswork out of motherboard selection so you can narrow the market down to a small number of "best matched" models.

Article Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/26/beginners_guide_to_motherboard_selection/

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Part 2 (this article): Graphics Technology

* Glossary
* Graphics processor architecture: features
Vertex/pixel processors, shaders, fill rate, texture/raster operating units, pipelines
* Graphics processor architecture: technology
Manufacturing process, graphics processor speed, local graphics memory (size, bus, type, speed), multi-card solutions
* Visual features
DirectX, High Dynamic Range (HDR), anti-aliasing, texture filtering, high definition textures


Article Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/31/graphics_beginners_2/