About ATI Video Cards

For computer users who are interested in beefing up their PC configuration and getting the most out of their machine, it’s tough to go wrong with an upgrade to a PCI express graphics card. ATI currently produces some of the most advanced video cards on the market, and while many of them would make a fine addition to your home PC setup, the sheer number of choices can be bewildering to the inexperienced. While the terminology of graphics card hardware is somewhat confusing, the average consumer can narrow their decision down to a few major options that work with most computers.

ATI Radeon Video Cards

The mainstream flagship line of graphics processors from ATI is the Radeon family of video cards. Utilizing cutting edge microprocessor technology and impressive memory and speed, they run the gamut from budget low-end units to top-of-the-line, high end GPUs. From casual gaming and image manipulation all the way up to high definition media rendering and graphics modeling work, they can handle most anything that you throw at them. A decent Radeon HD 5450 will cover light computing loads. For the average computer user, an HD 5570 or 5750 would likely suffice for the majority of tasks.

High End ATI Video Cards

At the upper end of the market, the Radeon HD 5980 is tough to beat in performance terms. There is also the Crossfire arrangement which is a direct response to nVidia’s dual Graphics Card SLI offering. It allows users to implement from two to four ATI graphics cards simultaneously, to maximize output for applications that require a lot of computing power, or for supporting output to multiple monitors. For those who are looking for a more “all-in-one” graphics card solution, the appropriately named All-In-Wonder Video Card combines a typical graphics card with a TV tuner card that’s ideal for home multimedia center PCs.

Older ATI Video Cards

If you have an older PC that you’d like to reinvigorate with a suitable card, the now discontinued Rage and Mach series of ATI video cards can add some pep to your computer. Models such as these that are now considered somewhat obsolete have the advantage of being far cheaper as they’re no longer in high demand.

Newer PC models require advanced Radeon chips to deliver high performance graphics. Whether you’re retooling an aging computer or maxing out a brand new one, ATI video cards deliver incredible value and reliability for a very reasonable price. As far as bang for your buck is concerned, they’re a tough product to beat.