A video card, (also referred to as a graphics card, graphics accelerator card, display adapter and numerous other terms), is an item of personal computer hardware whose function is to generate and output images to a display. The term is usually used to refer to a separate, dedicated expansion card that is plugged into a slot on the computer's motherboard, as opposed to a graphics controller integrated into the motherboard chipset.
A video card consists of a printed circuit board on which the components are mounted. These include:
Graphics processing unit (GPU)
Main article: Graphics processing unit
The GPU is a microprocessor dedicated to manipulating and rendering graphics according to the instructions received from the computer's operating system and the software being used. At their simplest level, GPUs include functions for manipulating two-dimensional graphics, such as blitting. Modern and more advanced GPUs also include functions for generating and manipulating three-dimensional graphics elements, rendering objects with shading, lighting, texture mapping and other visual effects.
Video memory
Unlike integrated video controllers, which usually share memory with the rest of the computer, most video cards have their own separate onboard memory, referred to as video RAM (VRAM). VRAM is used to store the display image, as well as textures, buffers (the Z-buffer necessary for rendering 3D graphics, for example) and other elements. VRAM typically runs at higher speeds than desktop RAM. For the most part, current Graphics Cards use GDDR3 or GDD4 whereas desktop RAM is still using DDR2.
Video BIOS
The video BIOS or firmware chip is a chip that contains the basic program that governs the video card's operations and provides the instructions that allow the computer and software to interface with the card.
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768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
eVGA - 768P2N831AR
Rating: 5 Star Review (1 Review)
$638.01
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Extreme Edition GeForce 7950 GX2 Video Card (1GB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) XFX Extreme Edition GeForce 7950 GX2 Video Card
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XFX - PVT71UZDF9
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GeForce 7950 GT KO Video Card (512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) eVGA GeForce 7950 GT KO Video Card
512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
eVGA - 512P2N635AR
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$269.99
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GeForce 7800 GS OC Video Card (256MB, AGP 8X, DVI) BFG Technologies GeForce 7800 GS OC Video Card
256MB, AGP 8X, DVI
BFG Technologies - BFGR78256GSOC
Rating: 4_5 Star Review (9 Reviews) $5.00 Bonus!
$219.99
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Radeon X1950 PRO Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) ATI Radeon X1950 PRO Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
ATI - 100437807
Rating: 5 Star Review (2 Reviews) $30 Rebate
$249.99
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GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card (768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) XFX GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card
768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
XFX - PVT80FSHF9
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e-GeForce 7600 GT Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16) eVGA e-GeForce 7600 GT Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16
eVGA - 256P2N615TX
Rating: 5 Star Review (1 Review) $20 Merchant Restricted Rebate
$129.99
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GeForce 7600 GS Video Card (512MB, AGP, Dual DVI) PNY GeForce 7600 GS Video Card
512MB, AGP, Dual DVI
PNY - VCG76512SAPB
Rating: 4 Star Review (1 Review) $5.00 Bonus!
$139.98
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All-In-Wonder X1900 Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16, DVI, VIVO) ATI All-In-Wonder X1900 Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16, DVI, VIVO
ATI - 100714800
Rating: 4 Star Review (10 Reviews)
$212.74
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GeForce 7900 GT KO Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) eVGA GeForce 7900 GT KO Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
eVGA - 256P2N584AR
Rating: 5 Star Review (7 Reviews) $5.00 Bonus!
$219.99
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GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card (768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) BFG Technologies GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card
768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
BFG Technologies - BFGR88768GTXE
Rating: 4_5 Star Review (1 Review)
$658.78
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GeForce 6600 Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16) PNY GeForce 6600 Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16
PNY - VCG66256XPB
Rating: 4_5 Star Review (10 Reviews)
$89.70
(1 Seller)
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GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card (768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) PNY GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card
768MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
PNY - VCG8800XXPB
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$595.77
(6 Sellers)
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GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card (640MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) PNY GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card
640MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
PNY - VCG88GTSXPB
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$459.99
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Radeon X1900 XTX Video Card (512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) ATI Radeon X1900 XTX Video Card
512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
ATI - 100435805
Rating: 5 Star Review (21 Reviews)
$379.99
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GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card (640MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) eVGA GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card
640MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
eVGA - 640P2N821AR
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$469.99
(18 Sellers)
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EAX1950PRO/HTDP/256M Radeon X1950 PRO Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) Asus EAX1950PRO/HTDP/256M Radeon X1950 PRO Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
Asus - EAX1950PROHTDP256M
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$205.00
(1 Seller)
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Radeon X1950 PRO CrossFire Edition Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) Sapphire Radeon X1950 PRO CrossFire Edition Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
Sapphire - 100176L
Rating: Write a Review $5.00 Bonus!
$204.99
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GeForce 7950 GT OC Video Card (512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) BFG Technologies GeForce 7950 GT OC Video Card
512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
BFG Technologies - BFGR7950512GTOCE
Rating: Write a Review $10 Merchant Restricted Rebate
$259.99
(22 Sellers)
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Radeon X1650 Pro Video Card (512MB, AGP 8X, Dual DVI) ATI Radeon X1650 Pro Video Card
512MB, AGP 8X, Dual DVI
ATI - 100437809
Rating: Write a Review $30 Rebate
$203.46
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GeForce 6800 XT Video Card (256MB, AGP 8x, Dual DVI) XFX GeForce 6800 XT Video Card
256MB, AGP 8x, Dual DVI
XFX - PVT42KUDE3
Rating: 4 Star Review (6 Reviews) $20 Merchant Restricted Rebate
$129.99
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Radeon X1300 Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16) ATI Radeon X1300 Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16
ATI - 100437600
Rating: 5 Star Review (1 Review) $5.00 Bonus!
$86.78
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GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card (640MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) XFX GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card
640MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
XFX - PVT80GTHF9
Rating: 4_5 Star Review (1 Review)
$449.10
(17 Sellers)
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GeForce 7600 GT KO Video Card (256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI) eVGA GeForce 7600 GT KO Video Card
256MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI
eVGA - 256P2N554AX
Rating: 5 Star Review (7 Reviews) $20 Merchant Restricted Rebate
$137.99
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Radeon X1950 XTX Video Card (512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI, VIVO) ATI Radeon X1950 XTX Video Card
512MB, PCI Express x16, Dual DVI, VIVO
ATI - 100435843
Rating: 2_5 Star Review (3 Reviews) $30 Rebate
$439.99
(30 Sellers)
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