I'm looking into purchasing a graphic card for my PC. My motherboard will accept up to PCIe x16. I don't have the money for a high end card. Instead I'll be searching for the best bang for my buck. Possibly in the $100 - $150 range.

Question: What are the critical specifications I need to evaluate as it relates to how Krita might utilize a graphic card to increase the program's speed and take advantage of it's features. In short, what is it that Krita will benefit most from and is there anything that might be missing from a card that might limit or prevent use of any of it's features?

Currently I'm running Windows 7 on an Intel Core i3 530 with the graphics card on the processor. I've reserved 128MB for graphic use via BIOS setting. I have 8 Gigs of RAM.

Any input will be appreciated.

Chuck

As I understand it, krita is a lot more dependent on cpu than gpu. That being said, Krita suggests either Intel or nvidia graphics. if you really want to see improvements you can upgrade your cpu- but I digress.

Tldr; nvidia 760 is the Ideal card within your price range and more than enough for what you need.


I'd strongly suggest upgrading your system. here's an example of a mid-low end set up... new Intel cpu have fairly decent integrated graphics. I kept the price as low as possible without compromising.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Ncxrgs
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Ncxrgs/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($166.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($40.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($37.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $322.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-06 23:29 EDT-0400

Yes, krita only uses the GPU for displaying the rendered image. Using OpenGL makes a huge difference there, though! I've had good results with nvidia and intel, depending on the driver version. Intel's 2014 drivers were completely broken! Sad to say, AMD's gpu's usually give trouble.

Tavet and boudewijn:

Thank you for the detailed responses. Your information was very helpful.

Chuck

Can I ask what this would mean for integrated cpu/gpu's like intel Iris? I tend to think of it as an ideal investement when low on budget...

If you're on Windows then you need to make sure the intel gpu driver is up to date. Then everything is fine.