You have decided to upgrade your computer. Fortunately, the choice of hardware today is very large and varied. But here you come to the store and encounter a problem: will all the main components of the system unit be compatible with each other if you buy them separately? Now let's figure it out.
So, let's talk about the compatibility of the video card and the motherboard. The first thing I want to draw your attention to is that in general, the compatibility of the video card and the motherboard is not affected by the frequencies at which they work. The type of memory (DDR) for the motherboard and the video card are different concepts. And do not pay attention if these values are different. Of course, the first, it should be noted, is the interface of the video card and the motherboard socket. The simplest example: you can never use a video card with an AGP connector in a motherboard that supports PCI. Of course, there are exceptions, but this is rare. In addition, the compatibility of the video card and the motherboard is affected by the fact that they can be of the same manufacturer. If you are fond of 3D graphics or computer games, then you must have heard about the technology of combining multiple video cards on one machine. Combination methods are different. There is SLI - it is supported by video cards from nVidia and Crossfire - this is an analogue from Ati. Not all motherboards support both of these types. So when choosing a motherboard and graphics card, pay attention to this detail.
Now consider the compatibility of the processor and the video card. Remember, far from always a powerful, modern processor and a good graphics card will show decent results, working together. Until now, there is no exact classification of which processor is better to take for a particular video card. However, there are two more or less precise definitions. Firstly: when buying, NEVER pick up the processor for the video card. Practice shows that nothing good comes of this. Rather, the opposite. Secondly: if you need a good gaming PC, then buy a video card and processor such that they seem to complement each other. Otherwise, you run the risk of overpaying a tidy sum for them. With 3d graphics, everything is simpler - the more cores the processor and memory on the video card, the better. As a rule, in this case there are no special priorities in choosing these components. In any case, do not chase the coolness in the names. Personally, I can say that a strong intel core i 7 processor does not "love" ATI's 5th series video cards at all (I mean not those that are a couple of tens of thousands of rubles, but more affordable ones).
Well, finally, we got to the most interesting. A lot of works have already been written about the compatibility of video cards, however, the materials often vary. One thing is certain: if you intend to use any of the technologies for combining SLI or Crossfire, be very careful. Video cards must be completely identical in characteristics. This means that manufacturers, tire speed, number of cores, etc. should be the same. Otherwise, you, at a minimum, will not get a noticeable increase in productivity, and sometimes in general - non-working video cards. Regarding Crossfire, I want to say separately. In addition to the fact that this miracle of thought works only on ATI video cards, and supports up to 4 video cards, a significant minus should be noted. Almost all video cards in crossfire mode overheat very, very quickly, provided that they do not have powerful cooling, almost at the cost of the video card itself. So be careful, it’s not an hour, your video card will burn.
In conclusion, I will say that the compatibility of the video card and the motherboard, as well as the processor and generally the compatibility of all these details between themselves is affected by one simple factor - what you expect from your PC. You just have to pick up those desires that the computer can fulfill. In something you win, but in something you lose - this is an axiom.