如今，计算机(Computer)图形学非常复杂。尤其是在电子游戏中，其中一些几乎是逼真的！这一切都归功于称为GPU 或图形处理单元的专用(GPU or graphics processing unit)硬件组件(hardware component)。一种复杂的微处理器，其设计与处理所有通用处理(purpose processing)任务 的CPU（中央处理单元）(CPU (central processing unit))有很大不同。
虽然CPU可以像GPU一样工作，但它很糟糕。GPU使用数以千计的微型处理器内核协同工作，以非常、非常(very)快速地执行一组相对较窄的图形相关任务。
在本文中，我们将解释如何为您选择合适的显卡，以及如何更换您台式PC 系统(PC system)中当前使用的显卡。我们还将介绍笔记本电脑用户可能拥有的少数升级选项。
显卡与嵌入式 GPU 与离散 GPU(Graphics cards vs Embedded GPU vs Discrete GPUs)
您会听到术语“ GPU ”和“显卡”可以互换使用，这在大多数情况下都很好。但是，图形卡一词特指可升级的可移动、独立GPU板。
“嵌入式” GPU(GPUs)内置在CPU(CPUs)中或构成单个“片上系统”的一部分，就像您在智能手机或平板电脑(smartphone or tablet)中看到的那样。笔记本电脑中的“离散” GPU(GPUs)基本上相当于显卡，但内置于系统中的方式往往排除了对部件的升级。
尽管我们将在后面讨论一些例外情况。
您需要了解的有关规格的信息(What You Need To Know About Specifications)
显卡非常像一个完整的、专门的计算机。它通过高速物理连接连接到计算机的其余部分，通常使用PCIe（外围组件互连 eXpress(Peripheral Component Interconnect eXpress)）协议。在撰写本文时，PCIe 3.0是该协议的最新版本。
在台式 PC 上，这些卡使用长插槽，通常是PCIe x16 插槽(PCIe x16 slot)。这表明该时隙有 16 个“通道”可用于数据传输。许多主板可能有多个插槽，其中一些具有较少的通道，以便在一个系统中启用多个显卡。我们不会在这里讨论这个，因为它与绝大多数用户无关。
在查看规格以选择合适的显卡时，您通常会看到以下术语：
- 核心/处理器数量
- 内存量
- 以 Ghz 为单位测量的 GPU 速度
- 电源要求
当谈到有关GPU 速度或核心数量(GPU speed or core numbers)的详细信息时，您实际上不必太在意。由于这些数字实际上并不能告诉您相关显卡的性能如何。
相反，在线查找特定卡(card online)的基准会更有效。您还需要为自己的结果上下文化。例如，如果您是游戏玩家，请决定您最想玩哪些特定游戏。请注意您的显示器使用的分辨率并确定您可以接受的帧速率。
现在搜索您正在考虑的与您的情况相匹配的卡的性能数字。该卡(card run)能否以您想要 的速度、细节和分辨率设置运行标题？(detail and resolution settings)
将似乎提供您正在寻找的东西的卡片列入候选名单，然后考虑价格。虽然您可以深入挖掘极端细节，但这种简短而甜蜜的方法在大多数情况下都适用于大多数人。
其余规格值得您花时间。您绝对必须遵守卡制造商(card maker)规定的最低电源(power supply)要求。如果这意味着购买新电源(power supply)，那么将其计入您的总成本！
最终的重要规格(big-ticket specification)是视频内存的数量。这是存储数据以供GPU快速访问的地方。如果您没有足够的内存，则必须将信息交换到其他形式的存储中，这绝对会破坏帧速率。在 2019 年，8GB 内存是一个不错的目标，6GB 是绝对最小值(absolute minimum)，但寿命有限。
大品牌(The Big Brands)
在当今市场上真正重要的GPU品牌有两个： Nvidia 和 AMD(Nvidia and AMD)。两者之间的竞争程度因代而异，但Nvidia拥有明显更多的市场份额(market share)，并且通常拥有更强大的GPU(GPUs)。AMD在价格上竞争激烈，在中档和更低档。这(Which)使得他们的卡对主流用户特别感兴趣。
在撰写本文时，英特尔公司(Intel corporation)正准备发布自己具有竞争力的GPU产品。英特尔(Intel)是嵌入式GPU 市场(GPU market)的主要参与者，其大多数主流CPU 都具有(CPUs featuring)集成图形内核。
您是否应该关心选择特定的显卡品牌(card brand)？并不真地。最佳策略是为您找到性能、噪音、功耗和价格(power consumption and price)最佳组合的显卡。有时这将是来自AMD(AMD)的卡，有时是来自Nvidia的卡。
如何更换台式电脑的显卡(How To Change The Graphics Card In Your Desktop PC)
如果您用同一品牌的卡更换卡，您已经安装的软件很可能会自动运行。只需(Just)确保您的软件已更新
如果您更改了品牌，只需像卸载计算机上的任何其他软件一样卸载该软件，然后为您的新卡下载正确的软件。(correct software)更换显卡前卸载旧软件，更换完成后(AFTER)安装新软件。
现在我们可以开始物理安装显卡的业务了。
如果您的台式计算机(desktop computer)带有独立显卡或主板上有一个开放插槽来容纳一个，那么您可以升级计算机的图形性能。
确保(Make sure)您要安装的卡：
- 将与您当前的电源(power supply)一起使用。
- 将适合您的情况。
确保您的计算机已关闭(Make sure your computer is switched off)。但是，如果可能，请让计算机连接到主电源以充当地线。或者，购买接地带(grounding strap)，或者作为最后的手段，在处理任何组件之前将自己接地。
- 首先，按照随附的手册打开您的电脑机箱。(computer case)您通常只需卸下一侧面板(side panel)即可露出主板顶部和所有卡槽。
- 如果您已经安装了显卡，请从显卡上断开电源线（如果有）。
- 接下来卸下将显卡固定在背板上的固定板螺钉。(retention plate)
- 下一部分可能会很棘手，具体取决于您的案例有多狭窄。显卡插槽的背面是一个小的固定夹(retention clip)。
- 它们的设计因一个品牌的主板而异，所以如果你不知道如何发布它，请参阅手册。释放剪辑。
- 现在轻轻地从插槽中取出显卡。您可能需要稍微前后摆动它才能释放它。尽量抓住电路板的边缘，不要用裸露的皮肤(bare skin)接触任何裸露的铜连接器。你现在应该有一个空位。
要安装新显卡，只需颠倒这些步骤或阅读我们安装新显卡(installing a new graphics card)的深入指南。
- 现在再次关闭您的计算机并打开它。如果一切按计划进行，您将重新启动Windows，尽管可能会使用低分辨率的图形。如果需要，现在是安装新软件的时候了。如果没有，则应检测并自动设置新卡。你完成了！
升级笔记本电脑显卡(Upgrading Laptop Graphics)
如果您拥有一台支持外部显卡的(external graphics)Thunderbolt 3端口的笔记本电脑，那么您可以购买一个“eGPU ”外壳(” enclosure)并以这种方式连接显卡。有些比其他的更便携，但它比购买和全新的笔记本电脑便宜。
一些笔记本电脑具有可升级的图形，通常称为“MXM”模块。请联系您的笔记本电脑制造商或查阅文档以查看是否适合您。如果是这样，很可能只能直接从他们那里购买这些特殊的升级模块。
How to Choose and Change Your Next Graphics Card
Computer graphics arе amazingly sophistіcated these days. Especially in video games, some of which are almost photorealistic! This is all thanks to a dedicated hardware component known as the GPU or graphics processing unit. A sophisticated microprocessor that has a very different design to the CPU (central processing unit) which handles all general purpose processing tasks.
While the CPU can act like a GPU, it’s terrible at it. The GPU uses thousands of tiny processor cores that work together to perform a relatively narrow set of graphics-related tasks very, very quickly.
In this article we’ll explain how to choose the right graphics card for you and how you’d change the graphics card currently in your desktop PC system. We’ll also touch on the few upgrade options that laptop users may have.
Graphics cards vs Embedded GPU vs Discrete GPUs
You’ll hear the terms “GPU” and “graphics cards” used interchangeable, which is fine for the most part. However, the term graphics card refers specifically to removable, independent GPU boards that can be upgraded.
“Embedded” GPUs are built into CPUs or form part of a single “system-on-a-chip”, as you’d find in a smartphone or tablet. “Discrete” GPUs in laptops are basically the equivalent of a graphics cards, but are built into the system in a way that more often than not precludes upgrading the part.
Although we’ll go over some exceptions a little further down.
What You Need To Know About Specifications
A graphics card is very much like an entire, specialized computer all on its own. It connects to the rest of the computer through a high speed physical connection, usually using the PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect eXpress) protocol. At the time of writing PCIe 3.0 is the latest version of this protocol.
On desktop PCs these cards use a long slot, usually the PCIe x16 slot. This indicates that the slot has 16 “lanes” available for data transmission. Many motherboards may have multiple slots, some with fewer lanes, to enable multiple graphics cards in one system. We won’t be discussing that here, since it’s irrelevant to the vast majority of users.
When looking at the specifications to choose the right graphics card, you’ll typically see these terms:
- Number of cores/processors
- Amount of memory
- GPU speed measured in Ghz
- Power requirements
When it comes to the granular detail about GPU speed or core numbers, you don’t really have to pay much attention. Since those numbers don’t actually tell you how well the graphics card in question will perform.
Instead, it’s much more efficient to look up benchmarks for that particular card online. You also need to contextualize the results for yourself. For example, if you are a gamer, decide which specific titles you most want to play. Note what resolution your monitor uses and decide what framerate is acceptable to you.
Now search for performance numbers of the card you are considering that match your situation. Can the card run titles at the speed, detail and resolution settings you want?
Shortlist the cards that seem to provide what you are looking for and then take price into consideration. While you can dig down into extreme details, this short and sweet approach will work for most people, most of the time.
The remaining specifications are worth your time. You absolutely must adhere to the minimum power supply requirements stated by the card maker. If this means buying a new power supply, then factor that into your total cost!
The final big-ticket specification is the amount of video memory. This is where data is stored for fast access by the GPU. If you don’t have enough memory, information has to be swapped to other forms of storage, which absolutely destroys frame rate. In 2019, 8GB of memory is a good number to aim for, with 6GB being the absolute minimum, but with limited longevity.
The Big Brands
There are two brands of GPU that really matter in today’s market: Nvidia and AMD. The level of competition between the two varies from generation to generation, but Nvidia has significantly more market share and generally the more powerful GPUs. AMD competes strongly on price, in the mid-range and lower. Which makes their cards of particular interest to mainstream users.
At the time of writing, Intel corporation is gearing up to release their own competitive GPU products. Intel is a major player in the embedded GPU market, with most of their mainstream CPUs featuring and integrated graphics core.
Should you care about choosing a specific graphics card brand? Not really. The best strategy is to find the card that offers the best mix of performance, noise, power consumption and price for you. Sometimes that’s going to be a card from AMD and sometimes it will be from Nvidia.
How To Change The Graphics Card In Your Desktop PC
If you’re replacing the card with one of the same brand, chances are the software you already have installed will work automatically. Just make sure your software is updated
If you’ve changed brands, simply uninstall the software as you would any other software on your computer and download the correct software for your new card. Uninstall the old software BEFORE changing the graphics cards and install the new software AFTER the change is complete.
Now we can get down to the business of physically installing the graphics card.
If you have a desktop computer with a discrete graphics card or an open slot on your motherboard to accommodate one, then you can upgrade your computer’s graphics performance.
Make sure that the card you are going to install:
- Will work with your current power supply.
- Will fit into your case.
Make sure your computer is switched off. However, if possible, leave the computer connected to the mains to act as an earth. Alternatively, buy a grounding strap or, as a last resort, ground yourself on something before handling any components.
- First, open your computer case as per the manual that came with it. You usually only need to remove one side panel to expose the top of the motherboard and all of the card slots.
- If you already have a graphics card in place, disconnect the power cables from the graphics card, if any.
- Next remove the retention plate screw holding the graphics card to the backplate.
- This next part may be tricky, depending on how cramped your case is. At the back of the slot the graphics card site in is a small retention clip.
- The design of these differ from one brand of motherboard to the next, so refer to the manual if you can’t figure out how to release it. Release the clip.
- Now gently remove the graphics card from the slot. You may need to wiggle it slightly front-to-back to release it. Try to handle the board by the edges and don’t touch any exposed copper connectors with your bare skin. You should now have an open slot.
To install your new graphics card simply reverse these steps or read our in-depth guide to installing a new graphics card.
- Now close your computer up again and switch it on. If all went as planned, you’ll boot back into Windows, albeit with potentially low-resolution graphics. Now’s the time to install the new software if you need to. If not, the new card should be detected and automatically set up. You’re done!
Upgrading Laptop Graphics
If you own a laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 port that’s enabled for external graphics, then you can buy an “eGPU” enclosure and connect a graphics card this way. Some are more portable than others, but it’s cheaper than buying and entirely new laptop.
Some laptops have upgradeable graphics, often referred to as “MXM” modules. Contact your laptop manufacturer or consult the documentation to see if that’s the case for you. If so, it’s most likely only possible to buy these special upgrade modules directly from them.
