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When you are building your own gaming PC, you want to make sure you’re experiencing the graphics in the way they were made to be seen. The Graphics Card (or GPU) is the key to making sure you’re getting the best visuals out of your build. We’ve got a GPU for every build and budget, from high-end to low-cost, you’ll be able to find the right fit for you.

What is a GPU & what does it do?

A GPU (graphics processing unit) is a standalone piece of hardware that processes the graphical data used in games and programs. The GPU renders images to your monitor by converting said data into a signal your monitor can understand.

Why is a GPU important in gaming & how it can affect performance?

The GPU is the driving force when it comes to the overall gaming performance of your PC. Modern-games are designed to put most of their demand on the GPU, making the graphics card one of the most important hardware components you can purchase in a gaming PC.

How Do I Find Out Which GPU I Have?

To check what GPU you have, simply type in Windows search “Run”. Once you’ve opened the run app, type “dxdiag” and click OK. This will bring up a diagnostic tool which will tell you what GPU you are running. Simply find the “Display” tab and it’ll show you which GPU you are running. Most likely you’ll have either AMD or NVIDIA in your computer as these are the most well known & used.

How To Choose The Best Gaming GPU For Your Build

Choosing the right GPU for your build can be a tricky process, especially if you’re new to computer building. For that reason, we’ve created some simple guidelines which will enable you to make a better, more rounded decision on your next purchase for the best GPU for your gaming needs.

Price – As a general rule, when building a gaming PC, you should always spend around 50% of your total build budget on your GPU. By doing this, you are subconsciously prioritizing gaming performance over other areas.
VRAM – This is your Video Random Access Memory. It acts as a buffer between your CPU/GPU and helps to render graphics more efficiently. Having more VRAM is great for highly-taxing 3D modeling or rendering type scenarios.
Clock Speed – A GPU’s clock speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) and represents the speed of your GPU’s core. Whilst this does have an impact on the GPU’s performance, it isn’t the sole contributing factor.

How To Maximise Your GPU Performance

At WePC we have created several hints & tips as to how you can get the most out of your GPU & in turn your gaming experience. Here are the main areas to look at;

Benchmarking GPU

Test and benchmark your GPU to the absolute limit so that you can see how stable your GPU will be in the most demanding of gaming conditions.

Stress Testing GPU

The main goal of a stress test is to actually cause a crash or overheating of your GPU, this will ensure that it won’t do during usage. Stress testing your GPU will let you know how far it can be pushed.

Overclocking GPU

Overclocking is a way of increasing the performance of your GPU by boosting its clock speed. However, there are a number of issues by doing this such as; more power consumption, system instability, and in severe cases, system damage. Overclocking your GPU, done correctly, can reap lots of benefits.

GPU Temperature

Keeping your gaming computer’s core components at the optimal temperature is essential as, if they get too high it’s more than likely to crash your computer. Here’s our guide about getting your GPU at the right temperature.