How to choose a graphics card: resolution, memory, power supply and whether it fits the case

The card is chosen by the monitor

The graphics card decides the frame rate more than everything else together. So it is chosen by the resolution and refresh rate of the monitor you will play or work on – not by what was left in the budget after the processor.

• Full HD (1920×1080), 60–144 Hz – a mid-range card with 8 GB of memory. The most common target and the best price-to-performance ratio.
• 1440p (2560×1440), 144 Hz – upper mid-range with 12–16 GB. Today's sensible maximum for most players.
• 4K (3840×2160) – the top class with 16 GB and more. Here the price grows faster than the performance.
• Work (video editing, 3D, AI models) – memory and support for compute libraries decide; here too, the higher the resolution and the larger the projects, the more VRAM.

If you do not have the monitor yet, read How to choose a monitor first – card and monitor are chosen together.

How much memory (VRAM)

The card's memory does not speed up a weak chip, but when it runs out performance drops in steps: the game starts moving textures over the bus and frames stutter. 8 GB is today's limit for Full HD, 12 GB the sensible base for 1440p, 16 GB and more for 4K, video work and AI models. A card with little memory and a strong chip is a poor buy for the years ahead.

Power supply and the 12V-2x6 connector

With every card we list the manufacturer's recommended power supply wattage. Mid-range cards usually want 550–650 W, high-end ones 750–1,000 W. High-end cards use the 12V-2x6 connector (the successor of 12VHPWR), best served by an ATX 3.x power supply with a native cable; adapters from older 8-pin connectors work but are a compromise. Older and cheaper cards use the classic 6+2-pin PCIe connectors. A power supply with 80 Plus Gold and headroom above the recommendation is always better than one "exactly at the limit" – more in the guide Which power supply for a PC.

Will it fit the case?

The card's specifications list its length in millimetres, height and the number of slots occupied (2, 2.5 or 3). Three-fan cards commonly exceed 300 mm and 3 slots; they do not fit a compact case. The case maker states the maximum card length – compare the two. A card with more fans is usually quieter and cooler than the same card with one. The configurator checks card and case length for you.

PCIe bus and processor

Current cards use PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 x16; they are backwards compatible, so a PCIe 5.0 card runs on a PCIe 4.0 board with a negligible loss. Watch only for cheap cards with an x8 or x4 bus on an older PCIe 3.0 board – there the loss shows. The processor need not be the strongest, but it must not hold the card back: for mid-range cards a six-core of the current or previous generation is enough.

AMD or NVIDIA

Both brands make cards for every class and within a class the performance difference is small. They differ in the extras:

• Frame upscaling and frame generation – each has its own technology; the AI-assisted versions give a sharper picture and need a newer card generation.
• Ray tracing – both can do it; in the most demanding scenes cards of one brand tend to lead in the same class, and that lead is paid for.
• Work and AI – many professional and AI programs are optimised for one platform first; if you use a specific program, check what its maker recommends.
• Memory for the same money – in the mid-range one brand often gives more VRAM at the same price, which helps at 1440p.

For Full HD and 1440p gaming choose by price and memory; for a specific work program, by its recommendation.

Buying from us

In the Graphics cards category you filter by chip, memory, length and connector. Cards in stock ship within 1–2 working days, delivery is free from CZK 6,000, warranty 24 months. In the configurator you see for every card whether the power supply can drive it and whether it fits the case; we then assemble and test the whole computer in Písek.