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ACCESSORIES & HARDWARE

What Is a Video
Card?
Definition of a video card
and how to download video
card drivers
By Tim Fisher Updated on June 21, 2023

The video card is an expansion card

that allows the computer to send
graphical information to a video display
device such as a monitor, TV, or
projector.

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A staggering number of companies

manufacture video cards, but almost
every one includes a graphics
processing unit (GPU) from either
NVIDIA Corporation or AMD.

Note: Some other names for a

video card include graphics card,
graphics adapter, display
adapter, video adapter, video
controller, and add-in boards
(AIBs).

Video Card Description

A video card is a piece of computer
hardware that's rectangular in shape
with numerous contacts on the bottom
of the card and one or more ports on
the side for connection to video
displays and other devices.

The video card installs in an expansion

slot on the motherboard. While most
video cards are of the PCIe format, they
come in other formats as well, including
PCI and AGP. These additional formats
are older standards and don't
communicate with the CPU and other
components as quickly as PCIe.

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In a desktop, since the motherboard,

case, and expansion cards are
designed with compatibility in mind,
the side of the video card fits just
outside the back of the case when
installed, making its ports (e.g., HDMI,
DVI, or VGA) available for use.
How to Install a Graphics Card

Some video cards have only one port

for connection to a standard monitor or
projector while more advanced ones
may have ports for connections to
multiple output sources including
additional monitors and televisions.
Still, other cards may have inputs for
video editing and other advanced tasks.

Laptops, tablets, and even smartphones,

all have video cards, albeit smaller and
most often non-replaceable.

Important Video Card

Facts
Each motherboard supports only a
limited range of video card formats, so
be sure to always check with your
motherboard manufacturer before
making a purchase.

Many modern computers don't have

video expansion cards but, instead,
have onboard video GPUs integrated
directly onto the motherboard. This
allows for a less expensive computer,
but also for a less powerful graphics
system. This option is wise for the
average business and home user not
interested in advanced graphics
capabilities or the latest games.

Most motherboards with onboard video

allow BIOS to disable the chip in order
to make use of a video card installed to
an expansion slot. Using a dedicated
video card may improve overall system
performance because it includes its
own RAM, power regulators, and
cooling so that the system RAM and
CPU can be used for other things.
How to Buy a Graphics Card For Your
Gaming PC

What Video Card Do I

Have?
The easiest way to see what video card
you have in Windows is to use Device
Manager. You can find it listed under
the Display adapters section.

Another way is through a free system

information tool like Speccy, which
identifies the manufacturer, model,
BIOS version, device ID, bus interface,
temperature, amount of memory, and
other video card details.

Opening the computer case is another

option, allowing you to see the video
card for yourself. Doing this is, of
course, required if you plan to replace
the card, but just identifying
information about it is best done
through the software mentioned above.

How to Install or Update

a Video Card Driver
Like all hardware, video cards require a
device driver to communicate with the
OS and other software. The same
process you'd use to update other
hardware applies to updating a video
card driver.

If you know what driver you need, go

directly to the manufacturer's website
and manually download it. This is
always the best method because you
can be confident it's stable and doesn't
contain any malware.

If you don't know the specific driver you

need, or if you'd rather not download
and install it manually, use a free
program to automatically detect the
driver you need and even have it
download it for you.

More Video Card

Resources
Lifewire has several additional articles
relevant to video cards that you might
find useful. Here are some examples:

Multiple Graphics Cards: Are They

Worth the Hassle?
How Long Do Graphics Cards
Last?
How to Upgrade a Laptop
Graphics Card
How to Benchmark a Graphics
Card

FAQ
What might be the cause of a
black screen right after you
install a new video card?
You may experience a black screen if
you inserted the video card while the
power wasn't completely off. Also, the
card may not be seated properly in the
PCI-e slot.

How do I overclock a video

card?
To overclock a video card, figure out
the make and model of your video
graphics card, enter it into
Overclock.net, and determine its
maximum core clocks, memory clocks,
temperature, and voltage. Next, update
the card's drivers and download
overclocking software (e.g., MSI
Afterburner and Unigine Heaven).
Finally, establish your card's
performance baseline and see how far
you can overclock the card.

How do I clean a video card?

Be sure to unplug your computer and
remove it from any power sources. Use
a can of compressed air to clear away
dust and debris, and blow off both
sides of your cards, clearing dirt off
shrouds and fans. Use a Q-tip with
isopropyl alcohol to clean any caked-
on debris.

What video card should I get?

There are several things you should
take into consideration before buying
a graphics card. First, make sure the
GPU is compatible with your
motherboard, monitor, and power
supply. You also need to figure out
your budget because mid-range GPUs
can cost around $250, while high-end
graphics cards can cost several
hundreds of dollars.

What is a video capture card?

A video capture card converts a video
signal into a digital format. Capture
cards are commonly used to stream
video games on sites like Twitch and
YouTube because they allow you to
record game footage from a console.

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