Should I buy a graphics card?

I am a real novice with computer hardware and just built my first computer. I have the new i5-4570 processor which has the intel hd graphics technology. I have an 8Gb stick of Ram, running Windows 7 Ultimate and I'm mainly using the computer to watch movies, burn videos, use virtual box to try different linux distros, maybe try playing Madden and games like the Sims. I'm not a heavy gamer. I have the computer connected to my tv which only gets 720p, so I'm wondering if I should get a graphics card or would that just be unnecessary for my needs?

 

If you experience any noticeable slowdowns in the games your play then yes you should get a video card, if your still on the fence wait until you buy a game your computer struggles to run then upgrade.

 

I can only speak from general experience, but by and large an add on video card makes for a more capable computer. The card takes all the graphics processing load off your CPU for one thing . . . also, a seperate card usually has more capability then on board graphics. Not to mention cards have their own RAM built in. Modern CPU's are far more cabable then ones of just a few years ago, and the performance increase may not be as great as it used to be, but I have no doubt you will see more functionality after adding a good video card. Just my opinion.

Like Rikky said, the decision to upgrade to an add in video card depends on what you use your computer for. If it does what you need it to then you don't need a card. I for one have never used onboard video on any computer I have built for myself.

Should you decide to get a card, the main thing to look for imo is the memory bus. Don't go below a 256bit bus, and the higher the better. The bigger memory bus the more a card will cost, but it's worth it. On board RAM is not nearly as important as the memory bus . . . but as for RAM don't go below 512mb.

 

The new Intel and AMD CPUs that support new integrated graphics are really quite capable graphics solutions, more than adequate for most users for most tasks. Only you can really answer your question. Do your games "play well" with your current configuration? If so, you don't "need" a card. Of course, when it comes to games and other forms of "entertainment", what you need and what you want can be two entirely different things. However, since you are connected to a 720p TV and not a high-resolution monitor, and you are not a serious gamer, my personal feeling on this is you don't need a card.

BUT I am concerned about one thing you said. You said, "I have an 8Gb stick of Ram". If running with just 1 stick of RAM, it is likely you have created a RAM bottleneck by using a single stick of RAM because the vast majority of motherboards support "dual-channel memory architecture" and the vast majority of the remaining motherboards support "triple-channel".

Dual channel allows your CPU (and system bus) to communicate with your RAM at twice the bandwidth as single channel - but in order for it to be enabled, two identical RAM sticks need to be installed in your motherboard (3 for triple channel).

So while 8Gb of is a substantial amount, it appears to be running only in single channel mode with 1 stick - you are only getting half the potential from your RAM, and that slows EVERYTHING down (or does not allow it to run at full potentials) - including graphics performance.

So, if true, and you only have one stick of RAM in your system, my advice is to buy another 8Gb stick (same as the other stick) and hold off buying a graphics card for now. With your RAM running in dual-channel, you should see improvement in all aspect of system performance.

Also, we need to remember that GPUs are often the most power hungry devices in our computers - often drawing much more power than CPUs. This means it is often necessary to upgrade the power supplies when adding a graphics card to meet the increased demands.

You did not state your hardware specs so we don't know what PSU (or motherboard) you have now so we don't know if your current PSU is adequate but it is very likely you will NOT need to upgrade your power supply to support another 8Gb of RAM.

 

Second Digerati and Spad comments!

Most people forget about their PSU limitation and the importance of memory-bus on video cards, its not all about ghz or amount of memory with video cards.

If you have a 300W PSU, you will need to go low-end video cards. 400w-500w PSU, you can go for low-med to med-range video cards, which would be more than sufficient for your typical gamer.

Another things to watch out for, if you do go down that track, is their fan noises. Some video cards with poor ventilation can heat up real quick, triggering their fans to go turbo , this can be extremely loud and irritating.

But most low-med range cards will drain very little power and would provide an improvement over the integrated GPU.

If you are playing with the classic Madden and Sim1/2, then your integrated video on the CPU would be more than sufficient. Sims3 on the other hand would see some improvement with a dedicated video card, but personally wouldnt say the improvement is worth getting a dedicated card, especially coming from your i5-4570 GPU.

As for your 720p video play back, your i5-4570 would be more than sufficient for these. Its only selected 1080p videos that 'may' see an improvement with in performance but otherwise, your i5-4570 should be sufficient.

 

No, sorry, but that is totally incorrect.

"Viewing" 1080p movies is a simple graphics processing task that involves virtually no "crunching" of numbers. It is just reading from the source (cable or drive) and tossing that information on the screen. Not hard.

It takes very little CPU or GPU graphics to "play" HD content from an HD cable, or BluRay player. 1080p is NOT a super high resolution. For example, a 24" widescreen monitor displays at full HD 1920 x 1080 resolutions, and Windows, as well as many budget graphics solutions easily support 2 or more monitors - extending the resolutions across multiple monitors - again with little horsepower.

For this reason, many "videophiles" incorporate small PCs into their home theater systems as HTPCs to use as HD PVRs or to "play" BluRays or DVDs. Many use µATX or even smaller mini- ITX motherboards. That Gigabyte with its tiny integrated Celeron 1.5GHz easily supports full 1080p HD content with resolutions up to 1920x1200 - plus 7.1 HD audio.

So again, it does not take any horsepower to "play" or view pre-recorded movies and that i5 is more than enough. Lots of RAM is required but even a slow (to keep noise down) 5400RPM hard drive works fine to play HD content.

"Playing" games is another issue because all the "objects" being displayed on the screen are being controlled individually in real-time by the game program through the CPU and GPU. But "playing" a pre-recorded movie is just tossing up fully formed, and pre-processed images from the drive - at a slow snails pace (60Hz).

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Also, I note in this particular case, calbluejames has a 720p monitor/TV. So the monitor is the limiting factor and not the CPU or GPU.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies, I think I will wait on the video card. So far all I've been doing on my computer is watching videos and surfing the web, I haven't had time to play video games. Though I do have a 750W PSU, so I don't see any need to upgrade there. I hadn't realized about the bottlenecking with only one stick of RAM, so I think that will be my next upgrade, thanks for the advice.

 

Good plan. Note that dual-channel memory IS discussed thoroughly in your motherboard manual, which I urge you to read. You need to note where to install the second stick. On some boards, it will be in slot two. But many boards, including my two Gigabytes, require the pairs to be installed in slots 1 & 3 for channel A with 2 sticks and slots 2 & 4 for channel B with 4 sticks.

 

Thanks for the advice Digerati, I hadn't even thought about that. I was gonna put them side by side, but now I'll check out the manual. I haven't even opened up the manual up to this point.

 

No do not buy a graphics card! You state 720p.........the CPU already does 1080p so a video card will do "jack diddly"!

Wow you have the I5-4570 which can be noted to do the 4600 HD. Your post clearly implies a casual gamer.

What monitor do you have?

What cable are you running from the IGP to the monitor?!?

Digerati "ole school" FSB and RAM dynamics are largely if not entirely removed with the chipset in question and the I/O chip is more relevant as the processing and rendering is a lot more "dynamically" processed within the "POP".

What TV is it?

How is the PC plugged into the TV? (there are "significant differences in Video data bandwidth" across the differing cables, VGA, DVI, HDMI, DP, etc).

 

Sorry Bold Eagle, but that is not accurate. The chipset is not within "the package". Therefore, data between the CPU and chipset MUST travel across the bus - and that is a constantly happening. And the FSB and RAM "dynamics" as you call it, are very much involved because (1) RAM is not on the package either and (2) neither is the source (drive, or network) of the video data. And there are many more 1 I/O chips - even on entry level motherboards. Additionally, CPUs that integrate graphics STILL must have associated graphics components on a COMPATIBLE motherboard to then distribute the graphics signal from the CPU/APU to the monitor(s) - which again, travels across the bus. You don't plug DVD disks or monitors directly into the CPU! So in no way are these "dynamics" removed.

Yes, data transfer between the CPU and integrated GPU (with these specific Intel CPUs and AMD APUs) is done within the IC but the data coming into and out of the CPU from the RAM and from the I/O sources most definitely travels across and are dependent upon the motherboard bus. Motherboards with a traditional integrated graphics solution also rely on the motherboard FSB, and the PCIe bus - just as installed cards do.

The chipset is very much involved because it is the [compatible] chipset that tells the CPU how to handle the graphics tasks with these processors.

And the suggestion that RAM "dynamics" is removed is simply false. CPUs and GPUs can do nothing without RAM. On-board cache is not the same, or a substitute for system RAM. Therefore communications with system RAM is still essential, and that is done over the bus.

???

I don't understand the point here. Video bandwidth is dependent on the resolution and refresh rate. Even the older analog VGA interface is more than capable of providing sufficient bandwidth - especially at the 720p maximum his TV supports.

That's concerning to me since you said this is your first build. Motherboard manuals have a wealth of information dealing with ESD, RAM type and installation, SATA controllers, mounting CPUs and heatsinks, connecting fans, motherboard/case standoffs and more.