Hey, since most tech help sites are sketchy as fuck and probably less useful than stack exchange when wanting a concrete answer, I'll ask here:
First time getting a graphics card. I've been using intel graphics for 4 years and while it was better than the 1GB of ram system I had before, it's time to upgrade to a dedicated graphics card. The card I am looking at is a GTX 1050 ti.
I have a few questions. First of all, it says the card width is two slot. That refers to just the backplate, correct? I only have one pcie slot and multiple sources say that just refers to the slots in the back, but I would like to be sure.
Second, how good is Zotac as a brand? Their cards are 30$ cheaper but I am wondering if it is worth it or if they are reduced in quality. There so far are no bad reviews about them, other than their cards get a bit hot, but I think that might be a general problem.
Third, is that card a bit overkill for my specs? It has good power for its price, and I think is a solid upgrade. My specs are:
8GB ram DDR4
i3-4160 @ 3.6 GHz
SATA 6 GB/s HDD
The power supply is the recommended for the card, and I've measured the space inside my case, and it should fit. Is there any warnings or advice you guys have about getting a new card? Thanks for all the help.