Re: time for an upgrade?
2014/07/22 11:13:55
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Sometimes, it depends on the software you use for watching videos. VLC can use hardware acceleration on video cards, as can several other programs. However, not all video playing software can utilize the video card for better performance or features while watching. Sometimes hardware acceleration can also cause some problems with video cards, and the system becomes smooth after disabling it. If hardware acceleration isn't being used, the CPU will be utilized more than the video card. Ultimately, both will be used.
I wouldn't worry about your hardware at this point. There's a big difference between not playing a certain type of file and not playing a certain file well. If you're running into problems with the former, then it's probably just a software/application issue, possibly a codec issue. If it's the latter, then it's time to start considering an upgrade.