NVIDIA just launched a new optimized PC Configurator on the company's website designed to educate consumers on the importance of a GPU in overall system performance. The configurator website states that "At least half of the PCs shipped today have an underpowered GPU...You need the right CPU / GPU mix for the best experience. Whether you're using the latest operating systems, editing photos, watching videos, or playing a game..." It's difficult to verify that percentage, but the thought behind the statement is obviously true.
NVIDIA's Optimized PC Configurator
The optimized PC Configurator shows visitors to the site how shifting part of their PC budget towards a higher performing GPU, versus a more powerful CPU, should affect performance. Power users and enthusiasts know that you want to throw as much GPU horsepower as possible at graphically intense applications and a more powerful multi-core CPU will increase performance in multi-threaded and many other applications, but general consumers who haven't done any research are generally clueless on the matter.
To further their cause, a number of NVIDIA's partners have also made related web pages available to customers...
- CyberPower - http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/landingpages/nvidia/optimum/
- Gateway - http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529667905.php
- Puget Systems - http://www.pugetsystems.com/certified_sys.php?sys_id=92
- Velocity Micro - http://www.velocitymicro.com/wizard.php?iid=19
And for the do it yourself crowd...
- NCIX - http://www.ncix.com/go-optimizing
- Newegg.com - http://promotions.newegg.com/NVIDIA/OptimizedPC/index.html
We were also told that TigerDirect and ZipZoomfly will follow suit tomorrow.
What do you all think? Of course NVIDIA wants consumers to purchase one of their better GPUs, as much as Intel wants them to buy more powerful processors. But with the number of 3D accelerated applications on the rise, should the thought process behind configuring a PC change from "buy the fastest CPU you can afford" to "buy the most balanced PC that fits your budget"?
Marco Chiappetta
Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com
