Advantage of adding new graphic card ?

[maryeleek]

I have a HP 8300 elite mini tower that uses Intel integrated graphics 4000. The power supply is only 320 watts so I've read if I want to add a graphics card, it must be powered from the PCI slot only and not draw excessive wattage. I have read that people have had good success in this older computer by installing the GTX 1050 card.

My question is, will adding a graphics card improve, help with depth of color, shadings, detail etc. so that photos and videos take on more depth or does the card have more to do with the movement, speed or rendition of video on the screen?

I don't play games but I do like to work with photos and a bit of home video, doing some editing, etc.

I just can't seem to wrap my head around the purpose of the various cards. It seems that most discussions center around gaming so unsure if adding a graphics card would benefit my situation.

HP Elite 8300 small tower case
Core i7 3.4GHZ,
512GB SSD,
16GB RAM,
Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit

My thanks,

 

[Mellon Head]

In your case, I'm not sure that the GTX 1050 will enhance your computing experience. It won't change the rendering of photos, or the detail, etc. It may help a little with videos. Playback might be smoother, and you might be able to play videos with higher resolution than the graphics system that you have now. I can't say this for sure, though, because it's been a while since I've used my machine with Intel graphics for anything but a server head. No graphics needed for that.

I guess you have to weigh whether spending $150+ on a new GPU is worthwhile if you aren't taxing the card all that hard. Gaming will obviously tax the card, but you're not a gamer. Home video editing might give the 1050 a workout, meaning that you'll get better performance by using it. The problem is that you might not really notice the difference.

The short answer from me is that I don't think the money would be well spent to upgrade to the 1050, considering the applications that you are using.

 

[iko22]

It seems that most discussions center around gaming so unsure if adding a graphics card would benefit my situation.

The question is very mathematically intensive. Could be why some people are left feeling out of it. Graphics cards are very mathematically intensive, especially when considering performance and physics effects. Little is of much use when considering working on photos and home video.

I think what you are looking for is a discussion on colour gamut, for it is here that depth of colour is discussed at a greater length. I have never seen a review of a graphics card where it was suggested that the card affects the colour gamut.

I think you need to consider other things in your system, like camera, photo software and monitor. The rest of your computer appears to be up to spec for your purposes.

 

[maryeleek]

I'd like to thank you, Mellon Head and iko22, for taking time to address my question. I have recently purchased a new 27" monitor. The integrated graphics of this HP 8300 appears, so far, to nicely handle the display on the new monitor at maximum resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) so I think, based on your advice and suggestions, I'd best leave well enough alone and enjoy what I have.

 

[iko22]

Good for you. I think you have chosen well as a result. Least it be said, a suitably specc'ed graphics card can make desktop graphics faster (ie, more responsive) and make fonts smoother. Just to clarify that matter - it depends on your priorities.

 

[Barman58]

The only advantage I can see is dependent on what applications you use for your Photo & Video work ...

The Adobe CC suite of programs have an option to use the graphics card to augment the Main CPU and Memory for Processor / Memory intensive tasks, which could speed up the Image and video processing.

Check the specs of whatever applications you use and see if there is a "Use Graphics Processor" option and check which Graphics cards are supported / recommended.

Of course if you are only working on basic Image and Video projects the need for this processing boost is less than with complex work - My last panorama image was approx 1.2 GB in size so the extra support in Photoshop CC was helpful

 

[mrjimphelps]

If what you have is working excellently for you (and it sounds like that is the case with your new monitor), don't change a thing. A new graphics card may draw too much power for what your computer is capable of, so you might need to address that by getting a new power supply. Also, you'll need to make sure the proposed GPU card is compatible with your computer.

No changes need to be made to the computer, however, when all you do is get a really nice monitor. It has its own power supply, so it draws no power from the computer. And as long as it has a compatible connection (typically HDMI), you're good to go.

 

[LMiller7]

If you want the best in image quality a gaming card such as the GTX1050 is not ideal. Gaming cards are designed to provide high performance as is required for many modern games. Image quality is secondary.

For the best image quality NVIDIA has the Quadro series, designed for use in professional workstations working with CAD, CGI, and DCC. These computers are expensive. These cards are designed for professional use where cost is not a serious consideration so prices are high. Unless you are working at a professional level the cost is hard to justify.

The hardware in the Quadro series is essentially identical with that in gaming cards. It is the firmware and drivers that are different. They trade performance for image quality.

This is provided primarily for interest, not something you should consider.

I agree with others that the GTX 1050 would not help you much. Integrated Intel graphics have become quite good in recent years for general use. A gamer would not be impressed but you are not a gamer.