AMD vs. Nvidia — Which Is the Better Graphics Card Option?
Looking to buy your first graphics card?
Graphics cards are among the most vital parts of PC building. Building a gaming PC without one will only result in a giant paper weight that can’t even run minecraft.
When deciding which graphics card to buy, you will find yourself confronted with 2 choices. You can either go with AMD or with Nvidia.
Choosing between AMD vs. Nvidia is a choice that most people have trouble with. This is because they don’t understand what a graphics card does. This can happen to you, too, if you know nothing about these two brands.
Read below to learn which graphics card is the best option for you. We’ll compare each of them in the factors that matter the most.
1. Hardware
Nvidia comes on top because of the quality of their hardware.
Their cards don’t overheat as much as AMD’s do. They also consume less power, leading to a more efficient graphics card.
They also have a slimmer design compared to AMD graphics cards. This isn’t much of a factor, but the design choice may matter when installing the card into your PC.
Nvidia has the technological edge over AMD in every factor.
You shouldn’t disregard AMD graphics cards yet, though. They have a better memory bandwidth on their low-cost cards compared to the ones Nvidia sells at the same value. While they still overheat and consume more power than Nvidia cards, know that the gap between the two companies is getting smaller every year.
AMD got a big leap in their sales when they introduced the 7-nanometer workstation graphics card, the first-ever of its kind.
2. Software
Despite the large gap they have with their hardware, both brands are at a tie with their software.
Both brands do their due diligence in giving people their money’s worth. They both have proper drivers and user interfaces that fit the bill at which they’re sold.
Nvidia has a slight lead in their drivers, though. They have better consistency and are more stable overall. This will help keep your hardware updated and your PC visuals optimized.
AMD isn’t that far behind, though. Nvidia only has a slight lead because of their reputation.
Other than that, though, Nvidia has nothing else going on for their software.
This is clear in their user interfaces. Nvidia’s interface looks outdated compared to the clean, modern interface that AMD has. This makes the AMD control panel easier to understand for people who aren’t familiar with it.
Nvidia’s interface looks complicated. This is because of all the drop-down tabs it has that makes navigation difficult. You won’t know what you’re doing unless you have experience handling their software.
3. Performance and Prices
Choosing between AMD vs. Nvidia comes down to the graphics cards’ performance.
The performances of the brands are both affected by the price of the graphics card. This sets a clear divide that tells us which brand is better at what price.
For products at the low end of the spectrum, you can find AMD cards to be better. As mentioned above, their products are seeing a great increase in efficiency and reliability. You’ll be able to see this improvement in their cheaper products.
Nvidia also has products that perform like AMD’s graphics cards. Though they cost much more than the latter does. It’s often AMD that makes you feel you’ve spent your money in the best way possible for cheaper graphics cards.
This makes AMD a more viable option when you’re planning to have a multiple display setup. Monitors need little to be appealing to your eyes. They only need a good enough graphics card to display sharper images and colors.
With mid-range graphics cards, though, Nvidia will favor you more than AMD.
Nvidia has a better understanding of high-end processors and GPUs. AMD may cost less and offer the same specs, but their graphics cards will heat and burn out faster.
It makes Nvidia the only option when you’re running a high-end setup for your PC. They’ll cost you more, but you can expect their products to keep up with how you use them.
4. Features
Both brands have unique features for their graphics cards.
They also have the same features but with different names for each brand. Take the Nvidia CUDA cores and AMD stream processors as an example.
Both are GPUs that perform the same function. They have no notable differences in performance when they’re running their basic functions. Nvidia has better software optimization, though, with the Nvidia PhysX and Nvidia HairWorks available at the user’s discretion.
Both brands also have recording features. They function the same way but with small differences. Nvidia’s Shadowplay offers better video quality.
AMD’s ReLive is better for streaming, though. It faces fewer crashes when you’re streaming and it doesn’t interfere with as many applications. Consider getting a capture card if you want to use these features.
They also have their replacements for vertical synchronization. This is the feature that prevents screen tearing when you’re running applications in full screen. Both features that each company offer have a lot of positives including having no input-lag and increased screen refresh rates.
A notable advantage that Nvidia has is its upcoming 5G integration.
This will put Nvidia back on top if they will release it soon. This will mean that Nvidia’s support will have better connectivity with their customers should they have any problem with the software.
Choose Between AMD vs. Nvidia Today
Picking between AMD vs. Nvidia is a difficult choice if you don’t know what you’re getting.
Choose the right graphics card for your setup with the help of our guide! Make the right choice and optimize your PC today!
After you’ve chosen your graphics card, you’ll be faced with another key decision: an AMD or Intel processor.
