The era of graphics processing units or GPUs is upon us, and the world of computing will never be the same. In a world where every console has its own custom-built CPU , a powerful GPU is the difference between being able to play your favorite games on a kiddy console and being able to side-scroll through them on your computer in virtual reality.
With this increasing demand for high performance, GPUs have become more power efficient than ever before, with the latest generation of graphics cards boasting up to 3x greater performance than their predecessors. But just how do they work? What makes them so special that they can take over your gaming rig?
Let’s take a look at what an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-series GPU is capable of and how you can use it to take your game playing from A to Z.
What is a GPU?
Graphic processing units or GPUs are the brains of the graphics card. They perform the math and carry out the image processing to bring your images and videos to life. They are the heart of any graphics card and are responsible for almost everything that makes your computer or device run.
The GPU (graphics processing unit) is at the center of modern graphics cards. It receives instructions from the CPU to carry out various tasks such as creating textures, rendering images, and performing other functions. The most famous use of the GPU is in video games, where it’s used to generate the computer-generated imagery (CGI) that is used to create the video and images on a gaming computer or video monitor.
Other applications that use the GPU include AI and machine learning, 3D printing, and some scientific and engineering apps. A GPU can be described as an enormous computer on a stick. In computer terminology, a GPU is a central processing unit that works in tandem with an array of graphics processing units (GPUs) to generate useful work.
What type of Card does a GPU Fit Into?
The NVIDIA lineup of GPUs is suited for various types of hardware and applications. Some of the more popular cards are the GeForce GTX 10-series, the GeForce GTX 15-series and the GeForce GTX 20-series. Depending on the type of hardware you have, you may or may not be able to use the same graphics card model in your computer as the person playing on their gaming computer.
This is because the models are made for different market segments and the types of hardware they are suited for. The most common type of computer is the general-purpose desktop computer. These computers usually have a graphics card that can be used in any computer that has an accompanying CPU.
The card is often attached to the motherboard near the back of the computer by a PCI-Express or SATA interface. On a desktop computer, the PCI-Express interface is usually located on the motherboard next to the RAM slots. In a notebook computer, the PCI-Express interface is usually located on the bottom of the computer next to the battery connectors.
NVIDIA’s Lineup of GPUs
The NVIDIA lineup of GPUs is stacked with quality products that will do almost anything you can imagine. The GeForce GTX 10-series is the newest generation of mid-range graphics cards, and they are packed with amazing new technologies such as DirectX 12.0, OpenGL 4.5, and VR Ready.
The GeForce GTX 15-series is also a top-notch card, boasting the NVIDIA VR Express technology to improve performance in VR apps and games. The GeForce GTX 20-series is the professional card of choice, and it’s loaded with technologies such as NVIDIA Ansel, RTX, and GeForce Experience.
The GeForce GTX 10-Series
The GeForce GTX 10-series GPUs were released in August 2017, and they are the successors to the original GTX 1050 and GTX 1050 Ti graphics cards. The 1050 and 1050 Ti were excellent cards that were able to maintain high performance even as the rest of the card’s features were upgraded to take advantage of upcoming GPUs.
The GTX 10-series uses the same 28nm process as the previous generation of cards, but it’s now equipped with more streaming multiprocessors, allowing it to hit higher clock speeds and perform more tasks simultaneously. The GTX 1060, GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 are the latest releases in the series, and they feature the latest technologies such as NVIDIA Ansel, RTX, GeForce Experience and so on.
Overall, the GTX 10-series cards are amazing and easy to use, thanks to the user-friendly display and controls on the card itself.
Final Words: Should You Buy a GPU?
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX lineup is one of the most popular graphics cards lines in the world, and it’s easy to see why. The latest generation of cards are capable of incredible things, and pairing them with an appropriate motherboard and CPU allows you to push your graphics card to the max.
If possible, it’s best to use the latest version of the card (e.g. the GTX 1080 or 1080 Ti) since they’re optimized for the latest gaming techniques and have better cooling systems to help them run more efficiently. If you’re on a budget or just want to start out with something cheaper, the Radeon RX graphics cards are capable of good results as they are not meant for high-end graphics processing.
However, if you’re looking for a powerful card that will do everything you need it to and then some, the GTX is the card for you.