How to Tell If a Computer Needs a New Graphics Card
- 1). Click "Start" and click "Programs."
- 2). Open the most graphically demanding program you use, typically a 3D computer game of some sort.
- 3). Click "Options" and select "Video Options." Set the resolution to your monitor's native setting and increase all other settings to "High."
- 4). Start the game and play for 20 to 30 minutes, looking for graphical artifacts (e.g. corrupted or misdisplayed textures) or sections where the frame rate drops (e.g. the action become choppy). If the gameplay is not relatively smooth or error-free you should consider upgrading your graphics card.