The rays are traced and the load times are next to nothing - now this is heaven...
but I'll pause it for you.
When building a PC, determining what type of graphics and storage you'll need
makes a big difference in your user experience.
But what solution is the right solution for you?
I got you... just as soon as I'm done with this game.
This is DIY in 5.
Hey everyone!
And welcome to DIY in 5, the show where we break down technology into easily digestible bits for the everyday user.
I'm Trisha Hershberger and today, we'll be talking all things graphics and storage.
This is part of our quest to equip you with all the know-how you need to build your own PC.
If you wanna check out our other videos covering things like motherboards, CPUs, cooling options
and RAM, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a beat.
Let's chat the pc component most people drool over - the graphics card or GPU.
The GPU processes data from the CPU and renders it visually on your display.
And who doesn't want impressive graphics when they boot up their PC?
I mean after all, THAT is one of the main ways your power and performance translate directly to user experience.
Let's break it down.
Integrated GPU vs Dedicated GPU: Integrated graphics are featured on specific models of Intel and AMD CPUs.
They use less power AND there are rarely any driver or compatibility issues.
This is the simpler and more cost-effective way to go.
Dedicated (aka discrete) graphics on the other hand offer more powerful, killer performance
and more variety of ports for that multi-monitor setup, but you'll be spending a lot more money for that eye candy.
Plus you'll need a compatible slot in your motherboard and power from that PSU and cooling
(cough, next episode, cough) that can handle it.
How do you decide which one you need?
Let's talk gaming.
Most older and low-demand indie games don't need a dedicated GPU
but if you play more modern AAA games or you dabble in the worlds of VR, photo or video editing, CAD software
or 3D art rendering, then you'll definitely want to set some budget aside for a dedicated graphics card.
If you don't feel like you need a dedicated graphics card, that's ok!
GPUs tend to get a lot of attention, but they aren't for everyone.
And you might be able to use the money you save in this category
for another component that better suits your needs.
If you do decide to go for gold with the dedicated graphics,
the two top contenders in the GPU market are NVIDIA and AMD, although Intel now makes their own Intel Arc Alchemist GPUs as well.
Each brand has its own strengths and weaknesses to any given generation of cards
but in general you can expect newer GPUs to have features like ray-tracing -
real-time rendering of how the human eye processes light, reflection and shadows,
GSYNC or FreeSync tech to minimize screen tearing with compatible monitors,
hardware encoding for streamers and creators and I could go on and on.
In addition to the brand and amount of features each card offers,
you'll want to decide how much video memory or vRAM you'll need in aGPU.
Broadly, the more memory a GPU has, the more details it can process, and resolution plays a big factor here.
One last GPU consideration, take into account how much power and what power connector your GPU uses.
We'll talk more about GPU power and cooling in the next episode,
but it's something to keep in mind as you're putting the puzzle together.
Speaking of putting the puzzle together, we need a place to store all our data!
Whether it's movies, video games, programs or photos - whatever your favorite indulgence may be,
you'll want to make sure you've got enough storage - aka big enough storage,
so you're not scrambling for an external just to get game save data.
What is this a console?!
I mean I kid, but not really.
This is your build and no one knows what you'll be using it for better than you.
When it comes to storage, there are two main types to consider - HDD and SSD.
An HDD, or hard disk drive, is the more traditional type of data storage.
It uses one or more magnetic spinning disks to read and write information.
Then there are SSDs, or solid-state drives, which read and write data using microchips.
Because there are no moving parts in SSDs, they are quieter, use less energy
and have a longer lifespan than their hard drive counterparts.
They are also an order of magnitude faster than HDDs.
If you do decide to go SSD, you'll have to decide on form factor (2.5 vs M.2)
and storage protocol (SATA vs NVMe).
We've got a detailed video on this channel explaining in more detail,
but the broad overview is that M.2 NVMe is designed specifically for SSDs and uses the PCIe bus,
so you'll be able to get much faster speeds and less bottlenecks than with a SATA SSD.
In terms of form factor, M.2s are super tiny and plug right into your motherboard,
assuming it has an M.2 slot, and 2.5 drives, while still tiny, connect more like a traditional HDD.
So do you go GPU or no GPU?
SSD or HDD?
We've covered a lot today.
If this video helped and you learned some stuff, give it a like and a share!
And if you want more details on the specifics of GPU and SSD tech,
feel free to check out the videos linked in the description.
If you've got a particular storage or GPU tip to share, please leave it in the comments.
Next episode, we'll be talking all things power and cooling and then we are so very, very close.
My name's Trisha Hershberger and I'll see you next time with more DIY in 5!