This is a short list of the meanest, fastest and most powerful 3D video cards on the market today. If you own one of them, well - lucky you!

XFX GeForce 7800 GTX

The XFX GeForce 7800 GTX video card comes with a PCI Express interface, 256MB DDR3 video memory and supports a maximum resolution of 2048 X 1536. Though its price is a bit steep, its one of the fastest video cards on the market right now.

Powercolor Radeon X800 GT

A leading manufacturer of video cards, Powercolor has come up with the Powercolor Radeon X800 GT card. It is PCI Express based, runs on 256MB of DDR3 memory and a maximum resolution of 2048 X 1536. Cheaper than many of the cards in this list, but still gives extremely good 3D performance. Great value for money.

BFG GeForce 7800 GTX

Another PCI Express graphics card, the BFG GeForce 7800 GTX runs on 256MB of DDR3 video memory and a maximum resolution of 2048 X 1536. BFG produces quality video cards and the GeForce 7800 GTX is no exception. Its price may scare off the casual user though.

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro

The ATI Radeon 9800 Pro is still one of the hottest selling high-end video cards in the market. The Radeon 9800 Pro graphics processor scores very high on most benchmark tests. With an AGP 8X interface, 128 MB of DDR video memory and a maximum screen resolution of 2048 x 1536, this card is highly recommended.

Connect 3D Radeon X850 XT Platinum

Built on the Radeon X850 XT graphics processor, the Connect 3D Radeon X850 XT Platinum is a PCI Express card that runs on 256MB of DDR3 memory and a maximum resolution of 2048 X 1536. Highly recommended for spectacular 3D performance, and gives the GeForce video cards a run for their money.

Conclusion

Buying a good performance video card will reap many benefits - you'll be able to play the latest 3D games in full screen glory, as well as edit video and graphics with ease.

However, please take note that having a good video card does not necessarily translate to great video performance. Factors like your CPU, motherboard and system RAM will come into play. For example, having a BFG GeForce 7800 GTX installed in a old AMD Duron or Intel Pentium Celeron system will definitely not give you the desired video performance you seek.

Now go do some research and buy that dream video card!

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.