If you are in the market to purchase a new graphics card and you are also a novice computer user you will find that there are many different graphic cards available to purchase from. Most novice computer users will normally go with something in a budget range although you should be aware of what you will need depending on what you are using your pc for.
Most people who look to upgrade or replace their existing graphics card normally want a graphics card for PC gaming since this component of the computer is most reliant on the speed and quality of gaming. You will find that the two major manufacturers of graphic card chipsets are either Nvidia or ATI. ATI produces the Radeon graphics card while Nvidia produces the Geforce series of graphic cards.
Both manufacturers have their benefits and it mostly will come down to consumer preference. You will find that the latest two cards from both manufacturers are either the Radeon 5000 series which would include cards like the Radeon 5670 and then Nvidia has the Geforce GTX 450+ series where you can find cards like the Geforce GTX 470. Both chipsets that you choose you will find there is always a high end card and budget versions of both chipsets. If you are into hardcore PC gaming you will want a midrange or high end card to satisfy your gaming needs, while the novice pc gamers can most likely settle for the budget graphic cards.
While getting the newest chipset is ideally the best way to go you can always purchase an older chipset although this isn't recommended if you plan to keep your PC up to date with the latest technologies. If you want to get an older graphic cards which is one or two generations behind you can usually get these at a much cheaper price although these are only ideal for people who are on a tight budget or someone that doesn't care much about having top quality graphics when playing PC games. Some of the older models of video cards which are still worthy of purchasing include Geforce models 8 and 9 series while the Geforce 9 Series is the newer version of the two. The older generation Radeon cards would include the Radeon 4000 series which still have a few models of cards that can run PC gaming at a reasonable rate and quality.
Graphics cards can be bought for computers to make them perform better but you should also make sure you have enough hard drive space for all your files and the games you'll be playing too.