Compatibility is a big issue when setting up a gaming PC. You need to be sure that the graphics card you’re investing in is totally compatible to your PC, otherwise, you’ll end up wasting a lot of your money on buying a new PC set up, or a new graphics card.
To save yourself from this hassle, you need to make sure you know how your refurbished PC and refurbished graphics card should click together to create the perfect combination. Here are some ways to make sure your PC and graphics card are compatible enough to give you the best gaming experience.
PCI Express x16 Slot
You need to have this slot on your motherboard to be able to run a graphics card on your PC. There are many versions of this slot as well including PCIe 1.0, PCIe 2.0, PcIe 3.0 etc. You’ll need to know which integration your motherboard slot supports before buying one. The latest motherboards usually support all the versions but if you have an old gaming PC and you’re trying to add a graphics card to it, it’ll be better if you check if your motherboard supports it first.
Length
Check the length of your refurbished graphics card before buying it. See if it will fit in your PC case. If it’s longer, you’ll have to get a new PC case or a shorter graphics card. Judge accordingly. Similarly, if you have mid-tower and mini-ITX cases, you’ll have to go for a graphics card with smaller forms. If your case is slim, you’ll have to look for a card with less width in order to fit properly. Usually, the regular length fits typical mid-tower cases but it’s a good precaution to get your case verified first.
Power Supply
Your power supply, usually called PSU should be good enough to support your new graphics card. Usually, you will need six-pin and eight-pin power connectors for a mid-range or high-end graphics card. If the one you’re buying is of a basic level then 300-400W will do. For higher version graphics cards like SLI and Crossfire, you’ll need 700 or more to make your card run smoothly.
Motherboard
The motherboard on your PC can be an issue. If you buy the latest version graphics card and your motherboard is too old, you’ll have to update the BIOS or change the whole motherboard. This is a high-level precaution because usually, all motherboard with the PCIe slots discussed above can run fairly well with any graphics card, but if you want flawless functions than you should keep this in mind as well.
Operating System
Most graphics cards support only Windows Os, Linux, FreeBSD, Mac, or Solaris. So check the one you’re buying if it’ll work with your operating system. Even cards that do support Windows OS tend to work badly with older versions, so make sure of this or you’ll end up in trouble.
Display Ports / Connectors
The right display ports should be present in your graphics card so you can use it with one or multiple monitors as well. If you want to use HTPC, you’ll need HDMI ports, and for your refurbished gaming PC, you should look for cards with DisplayPort and 4K support.
Graphics cards are quite pricey, so if you wish to buy a refurbished graphics card, make sure it ticks all these boxes to function properly with your computer. To get your hands on the best-refurbished graphics cards visit Tech Bazaar.
