Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
You can attach most LCDs to a VGA analog port, but the most current models are de-
signed to work with Digital Visual Interface (DVI), HDMI, or DisplayPort connectors,
which are replacing the older analog VGA.
Older systems used AGP or PCI interfaces for video cards, whereas modern systems use
PCI Express. Windows supports multiple monitors on a single system, and it's a feature
that can be useful for a variety of applications. If gaming performance is your ultimate
goal and you can tolerate the added expense, look for a system that supports two or more
PCI Express x16 graphics cards. Both NVIDIA and AMD offer high-performance video
chipsets that you can use to run multiple video cards together to increase video display
performance.
Many motherboards with onboard video also have an PCI Express video card slot (older
systems have an AGP slot); if your motherboard has one, you can insert the applicable
card into this slot. The onboard video should be automatically disabled in most cases, al-
though you might have to disable it in the BIOS setup in some cases.
Note
Some AMD-based systems with integrated graphics support ATI Hybrid CrossFire, which
enablescompatiblevideocardsandthemotherboard'sintegratedchipsettoprovidefaster3D
rendering than either component could perform independently.
Audio Hardware
All systems today should be capable of playing audio to some degree, which means you
need at least a passable set of external speakers and either a motherboard with integrated
audio or a separate sound card. Most systems today feature integrated audio, but you can
disable it if you prefer to add a dedicated high-quality sound card. Dedicated cards are
ideal if you want the best possible sound quality for video playback, audio capture and
editing, or surround sound for gaming. Almost any motherboard-integrated audio system
or sound card on the market today is compatible with the baseline Creative Sound Blaster
series, Windows DirectSound, and other sound APIs.
Speakers designed for use with PCs range from tiny, unpowered devices to large
audiophile-class systems. Many of the top manufacturers of stereo speakers now produce
speaker systems for PCs. Some include subwoofers or even a full Dolby surround sound
implementation.
Note
If you decide to replace your system's onboard audio with a sound card, be sure to look for a
card that supports your system's available expansion slots. Some high-performance gaming
