A video card allows your computer to send graphic information to video display devices such as monitors, televisions, and projectors. Many companies manufacture graphics cards, but almost all have graphics processing units (GPUs) from NVIDIA Corporation or AMD.
A graphics card is rectangular computer hardware with several contacts on the bottom of the card and one or more connectors on the sides for connecting to video displays and other devices.
Graphics cards are installed in expansion slots on the motherboard. Most graphics cards come in PCIe format, but other formats, such as PCI and AGP. These additional formats are older standards and do not communicate with the CPU and other components as quickly as PCIe.
Each motherboard supports a limited number of graphics card formats, so always check with your motherboard manufacturer before purchasing. Many modern computers don’t have video expansion cards but a video GPU built into the motherboard. This allows you to use cheaper computers, but it also reduces the performance of your graphics system. This option makes sense for the average business and home users who aren’t interested in advanced graphics features or the latest games.
The easiest way to check which graphics card you have in Windows is to use Device Manager. Another method is to use a free system information tool such as Speccy, which identifies the make, model, BIOS version, device ID, bus interface, temperature, memory capacity, and other graphics card details.
Another option is to open the computer case and check the graphics card yourself. Of course, this is necessary if you plan to replace the card, but it’s best to use the software above to identify information about the card.
Like any other hardware, graphics cards require device drivers to communicate with the operating system and other software. The exact process you use to update other hardware applies to updating graphics card drivers. If you know which driver you need, go directly to the manufacturer’s website and download it manually. This is always the best method, as you can be sure it is stable and free of malware.