Many friends get confused when using AI software and see the requirement "Needs NVIDIA graphics card acceleration": My graphics card is Colorful, ASUS, GIGABYTE, not NVIDIA, can I use it?
Don't worry, today we will talk about the "secrets" of graphics cards in plain language to help you figure out whether your graphics card is of "NVIDIA blood".
Understand Graphics Cards with an Analogy
Imagine building a car:
- NVIDIA is like a manufacturer that produces car engines. It designs GPU chips (such as RTX 3060, 4090), but it is not responsible for assembling the entire car.
- Colorful, ASUS, GIGABYTE and other brands are like car assembly plants. They buy NVIDIA's "engines" (GPU chips), add their own car shells, cooling fans, circuit boards, and assemble them into complete graphics cards to sell to you.
What Styles Do These Brands Have?
Each brand has its own "car manufacturing characteristics", but the core engines are all from NVIDIA:
Colorful: Like a "domestic high cost-effective car", the price is affordable and the performance is sufficient.
ASUS/ROG: Like a "high-end modified car", especially the ROG series, which focuses on luxury and strong performance.
MSI: Like a "racing style car", with good heat dissipation and strong overclocking.
GIGABYTE: Like an "all-round family car", with good cost performance and stability.
ZOTAC: Like a "mini steel cannon car", specializing in small graphics cards.
GALAX: Like a "cool supercar", with a stylish appearance and full of personality.
Inno3D: Like a "practical utility vehicle", focusing on heat dissipation and durability.
Key Point: AI Acceleration Depends on the Chip, Not the Brand
How to determine if you can use it? As long as your graphics card model starts with RTX or GTX (such as RTX 4060, GTX 1660), no matter the brand is Colorful or GIGABYTE, the core is NVIDIA's chip, and it can run AI without any problem!
What is the difference between brands? The brand only determines the appearance, heat dissipation, warranty and other "external" factors. The AI acceleration capability completely depends on the model of the NVIDIA chip (such as 3060, 4090).
Tips for Self-Checking Graphics Cards
- Look at the name: The name of the graphics card is usually "Brand + RTX/GTX + Number", such as "Colorful RTX 4060".
- Look at the software requirements: If it requires "RTX 3060 or above", as long as your model number is ≥3060 (such as 4060, 4070), any brand will do.
- Check the computer: Windows users press "Ctrl+Shift+Esc" to open the Task Manager, click the "Performance" option, and view the graphics card model.
Summary in One Sentence
NVIDIA is the "chip boss", and Colorful and others are the "assembly brothers". Identify RTX/GTX + Number, and AI acceleration is definitely no problem!