How to install a graphics card in a desktop




















If you don't have one, you can ground yourself by touching a metal water tap. Make sure that the open computer is not resting on carpet, and that you are standing on tile or linoleum when working inside the computer. Make sure that the computer is unplugged from the wall before you begin working on the insides. Identify the old card. Most graphics cards are fairly large, and will likely be the largest card installed in your system.

They often have fans and heatsinks attached to them. If your computer was using integrated graphics before your monitor was connected directly to the motherboard , then there will be no card to remove. Remove your existing card. If you are upgrading graphics cards, you will want to remove the old card before installing the new one. Unscrew the screw that is connecting the card to the chassis.

Most newer cards have a tab underneath near the back of the PCI slot that will need to be released in order to pull the card out. When removing the card, pull it straight up so that you don't damage the PCI slot. Make sure to disconnect any displayed plugged into the old card before removing it. Clean out any dust. With the old card out, this would be a great time to clean out some of the dust that's accumulated.

Use compressed air to clear the dust from the crevices around the PCI slot. Dust can build up and cause your components to overheat, so staying on top of cleaning will help your computer run for a long time.

Insert the new card. Gently remove the card from its antistatic bag, avoiding touching any of the contacts or circuitry.

Insert it straight into the empty PCI-e slot and apply even pressure to the top until it is fully seated.

If you have a clip for your PCI-E slot, you will hear it click into place. Make sure no cables or any other components are in the way before completely seating the card. Secure the card. Use case screws to secure the graphics card to the chassis. If the graphics card is two panels wide, you will want to secure it with two screws, one for each bay.

Make sure the card is inserted completely before securing the screws. Connect the power supply. Most modern cards will have power supply connector ports built-in to the top of back of the card. You will need to connect one or two PCI-E connectors from the power supply, which are typically 6-pin cables. Without connecting the power supply, these cards will not work properly. Many graphics cards come packaged with adapters that will change your existing connectors into ones that will fit into the graphics card.

Close up your computer. After you've verified that the card has been seated properly, secured, and been connected to the power supply, you can close up the case. Make sure to connect your display to the new graphics card. If you were using onboard video before, the monitor was likely plugged into the motherboard.

In order to take advantage of your new card, your display will need to be connected to it. Part 3. Power on your computer. Your operating system will most likely detect the new card and attempt to adjust your display so that it is using the optimal resolution and color depth.

Accept the changes and enter the operating system. If your monitor does not display any picture at all, you need to troubleshoot your installation. Check to make sure you have the card properly installed and connected. An irregular, jagged-looking or distorted picture might indicate a problem with your graphics card.

Check that your card is properly installed before contacting the manufacturer. Insert your driver disc or download the drivers. If your graphics card came with a driver disc, you can insert it now to begin the driver setup process. If your card did not come with a disk, or you want to ensure that you have the latest release of the drivers possible, you can download the drivers directly from Nvidia or AMD depending on what card you have. Install the drivers. The driver installation process is mostly automatic, though you may get asked if you want to install any additional graphics card management software.

This additional software is optional, but can help ensure that your drivers stay up to date. Your display will most likely flicker and reset during the installation process. Drivers contained on a disc are almost always out of date by the time they are purchased, so you will most likely be asked to update after installing them. Start up a game. Let's be honest: the reason you got this card is so that you can play the latest and greatest games.

So what better way to test it out than to fire one up? Before starting to play, explore the game's Video settings menu. Turn all of the settings up as high as they can go and give the game a whirl. If it performs smoothly then you're good to go! When setting the resolution, you should always try to keep it at your monitor's resolution. For most flat screen monitors, this is x, though newer monitors have a higher native resolution than that. If the game is choppy or otherwise performing badly, start lowering settings one-by-one.

Don't worry too much if your card can't handle the Ultra settings; sometimes games come out that don't work right with any card! A game's performance is affected by more than just the graphics card. Your processor, RAM, and even hard disk speed will all play a part in how the game performs. Yaffet Meshesha Computer Specialist.

Yaffet Meshesha. You will usually need to install additional drivers on your computer for the graphics card to run properly. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3. Actually, the monitor is only half of the computer. The monitor is where you see the results of what you are doing, but there is always a processor somewhere that powers it. If you own an all-in one PC which I assume, by your question, that you do , such as an iMac, the computer parts will be in a compartment behind the monitor.

Look for the USB ports, they are directly connected to the inside. To replace the graphics card in an all in one PC, please see the corresponding tutorial. The latest iMacs do come with quite good graphics cards, so you might not need an upgrade. Some research about your computer model would be beneficial. Not Helpful 14 Helpful If taken care of, a graphics card can last for years.

It is, however, recommended to replace your graphics card once it becomes outdated to ensure that you can keep up with any new computer needs.

You may use either of the two slots. It will work in both ports. If neither work, call the manufacturer for further help. Not Helpful 16 Helpful If it is an integrated graphics card, you can't do it. If it is dedicated, you can change it anytime. Not Helpful 10 Helpful Well, all graphic cards or video cards can only be installed on the motherboard, but if your computer case is open-style or frame-only, you can install it without removing the case.

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 9. What could be wrong if I followed the instructions for installing my video card correctly, but I had no picture on my monitor after rebooting the computer? The first thing to check would be if the monitor is connected to the card instead of the motherboard. If this isn't the problem, look at the post codes, and match those up with the motherboard's manufacturer. Not Helpful 18 Helpful How do I know which graphics card to buy? I have an office computer that I game on.

Look at the minimum specs for the game. Then look at a list showing graphics cards in order by performance. Choose one that is a couple of steps above the game's minimum requirements. Not Helpful 5 Helpful 5. It depends on what graphics card the laptop has. I would suggest that you find out the specifications of the laptop by Googling its name and seeing whether or not its graphics card is a Gtx or newer.

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 5. I followed all of the directions for installing my video card correctly, but when I booted the computer I had no picture on the monitor. What did I do wrong? Make sure that you have connected your monitor to the correct video slot. If your computer supports two graphics cards, you may have plugged into the slot with no graphics card inserted.

If that doesn't help, try calling the customer support of the card you bought. Not Helpful 23 Helpful 8. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

As with anything you do inside a computer case, move slowly and carefully. For maximum precision — like when you're pulling out your graphics card — keep your arms close to your body and arrange your task so your arms move laterally across the front of your body. This will allow you to use your chest and abdominal muscles as well as your arms to make fine adjustments.

Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Be aware that changing your computer graphics card may void your warranty. For most computers, especially ones that you build yourself , this will not be the case. You may not even be able to change the graphics card in other computers you use, like your computer at work or at school.

You Might Also Like How to. How to. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: August 10, Categories: Featured Articles Video. If the card needs a separate input, it will require either a 6-pin or 8-pin plug. Some more powerful cards even require multiple connections. Make sure your power supply has the right cables and plug types for the card you want. On many modern power supplies, those plugs are even labeled PCI-E.

There are also splitters like these that can split a single 8-pin plug into two 6- or 8-pin plugs. These are basically external boxes into which you can plug a PCI-E graphics card.

Some come equipped with a graphics card already; some are empty enclosures for plugging in whatever card you want. They do require an extra power outlet and a high-speed connection to your PC. At that point, you have to start considering whether upgrading your PC or just building a low-cost gaming desktop is a better route to take. The first thing to take into account is your budget, and then you can narrow down from there.

The graphics card market is fairly competitive, and as a general rule, the more money you spend, the more powerful the graphics card.

Choose the best card that fits your budget. Note: Due to the continuing influence of the cryptocurrency mining market, prices for graphics cards are somewhat inflated at the moment. To put it bluntly, it sucks. You may need to lower the resolution setting or the graphical effects for newer games, but anything designed with a lower hardware tier in mind like Rocket League or Overwatch will still look great.

And of course, older games and indie 2D titles will run just fine. You can also search for benchmarks to see how different cards compare, and sometimes how well those cards run particular games. And after the headache of sorting through reviews, choosing a new card, and parting with your money, this part is easy. And some manufacturers make this harder than others. When in doubt, check your manual or just search the web for how to take the case off your computer model.

If not, skip to the next section. The graphics card should be pretty obvious. It may or may not have cables from the power supply plugged into it. And it may or may not have fans right on the card. First, look for a power connection on the installed card.

This will be a black plug with multiple pins, plugged into either the top or rear of the card. Unplug the cable and set it aside. Now, look at the metal piece where the graphics card touches the back of the PC. Now, this next part can get a little tricky, depending on how crowded your case is. Your card likely has a little plastic tab that holds it securely into the slot on your motherboard.

Sometimes, you push the tab down; sometimes to the side. And with bigger cards and more crowded cases, that tab can be hard to reach. If you have trouble, just be patient and make sure not to force anything. You can also check YouTube for videos of people demonstrating this on different types of rigs. Gently grasp the card with your hand and pull up, starting with the side closest to the back of the case.

It should come free easily. If you just removed an existing card, you know where the new card goes. You may need to remove some screws to do this—set them aside.

Gently slide your card into place on the PCI-E slot. Next, use the screws you set aside to secure the graphics card to the metal piece at the back of the case. And finally, connect the power cable if your card requires one. Make sure to connect your monitor to your new graphics card, not to the video-out connection on the motherboard itself! If your display is blank after turning everything on, go back through this guide—you may not have installed the card correctly.

Some systems may not. Check your BIOS and you should find a setting that lets you set your default display. When your PC starts, everything will probably look fine. Windows includes basic drivers for most video cards. Luckily, this is pretty simple these days. Just select whichever ones apply to your system and download them in with your web browser.

This might take a few minutes—the complete graphics suites are generally a few hundred megabytes. Use Google Fonts in Word. Use FaceTime on Android Signal vs. Customize the Taskbar in Windows What Is svchost. Best Smartwatches. Best Gaming Laptops. Best Smart Displays. Best Home Security Systems. Best External Solid State Drives. Best Portable Chargers. Best Phone Chargers. Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders.



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