Video Card with It's Components

 Alternatively known as a display adapter, graphics card, video adapter, video board, or video controller, a video card is an expansion card that connects to a computer motherboard. It is used to create a picture on a display; without a video card, you would not be able to see this page. More plainly, it's a piece of hardware inside your computer that processes images and video, some tasks normally handled by the CPU. Video cards are used by gamers in place of integrated graphics due to their extra processing power and video ram.

A visual overview of a computer video card

Below are two visual examples of what a video card may look like inside of a computer. First is a picture of an older model AGP video card with multiple types of connections and components on it. Second is an example of a more modern PCI Express video card used with today's gaming computers.

Note

Some motherboards may also use an onboard video card, which means the video card is not a separate expansion card like those shown below.

Video card ports

The pictures above also help illustrate the types of video ports used with video cards. For more information about any of these ports, click the links below.

• DVI
• HDMI
• S-Video
• VGA

In the past, VGA or SVGA was the most widely used connection with computer monitors. Today, most flat panel displays utilize DVI or HDMI connectors.

Video card expansion slots (connections)

A video card expansion slot is where the card connects to the motherboard. In the picture above, the video card is inserted into the AGP expansion slot on the computer motherboard. Over the development of computers, there were several types of expansion slots used for video cards. Today, the most common expansion slot for video cards is PCIe, which replaced AGP, which replaced PCI, which replaced ISA.

Note

Some OEM computers and motherboards may have a video card onboard or integrated into the motherboard.

Does every computer need a video card?

No. Many computer motherboards have an onboard video card that would allow the computer to work without a video card connected to an expansion slot. Also, many servers do not need a video card because they're accessed remotely.

Can I install more than one video card?

Yes. Both AMD Radeon (utilizing CrossFire) and NVIDIA GeForce (utilizing SLI) cards are capable of running two or more video cards together.

Video card history

While graphics circuitry has been used in arcade games since the mid-1970s, it wasn't until the early 1980s that the first graphics chips emerged for computers. Developed by NEC, the High-Performance Graphics Display Controller 7220, or NEC 7220, was one of the earliest processing chips for computer graphics, capable of 4 MHz to 5.5 MHz clock speeds. It was a popular and advanced graphics chips throughout the 1980s.

In the early 1990s, multiple developers started integrating 2D acceleration into their graphics chips, with S3 Graphics being the first. Named the S3 86C911, it utilized the ISA slot on a motherboard and featured 1 MB of video memory.

Developed by NVIDIA and released on October 11, 1999, the GeForce 256 was touted as the first video card for consumer PCs with 2D and 3D hardware-accelerated graphics in a single unit. The first GeForce 256 chips featured 32 MB SDR video memory and had a 166 MHz clock speed. Later versions of the GeForce 256 changed to DDR video memory for improved performance. The GeForce 256 helped pave the way forward towards the video cards we know and use today.

Introduction to Hardware

Abbreviated as HW, hardware is best described as any physical component of a computer system containing a circuit board, ICs, or other electronics. A perfect example of hardware is the screen on which you are viewing this page. Whether it be a monitor, tablet, or smartphone, it is hardware.

Without any hardware, your computer would not exist, and software could not be used. The picture is a Logitech webcam, an example of an external hardware peripheral. This hardware device allows users to take videos or pictures, and transmit them over the Internet.

External hardware examples

Below is a list of external hardware or hardware found outside a computer-

• Flat-panel, monitor, and LCD
• Gamepad
• Joystick
• Keyboard
• Microphone
• Mouse
• Printer
• Projector
• Scanner
• Speakers
• USB thumb drive

Internal hardware examples-

Below is a list of internal hardware or hardware found inside a computer-

• CPU (central processing unit).
• Drive (e.g., Blu-ray, CD-ROM, DVD, floppy drive, hard drive, and SSD).
• Fan (heat sink)
• Modem
• Motherboard
• Network card
• Power supply
• RAM
• Sound card
• Video card

What is the most common hardware included with a computer?

Below is a list of the most common hardware often found in a computer or connected to a computer today (desktop computer or laptop)-

• Processor (CPU)
• One or more fans and heat sink
• Motherboard that most likely has an integrated video card, sound card, and network card.
• For most desktop computers (especially gaming computers), a separate video card is used.
• RAM
• Hard drive
• Power supply
• Cables that connect internal components and external peripherals.
• Keyboard
• Mouse or touchpad with a laptop.
• Flat-panel, monitor, or TV for desktop computers and LCD as part of a laptop.

How does hardware communicate with software?

For any hardware device to communicate (talk) with software and other hardware in the computer, instructions must be given to the computer. These instructions are included in drivers that are either part of the operating system or installed into the computer after adding the hardware. Hardware may also use firmware, which is data stored on the hardware device that works with a computer or by itself.

What are hardware upgrades?

A hardware upgrade is any new hardware better than that which it replaced or additional hardware that improves performance. An example of a common hardware upgrade is a RAM upgrade, where the user increases the computer's total memory. Another example is a video card upgrade, which is the act of removing an old video card and replacing it with a newer, more powerful model.

Where can I buy computer hardware?

There many locations to buy computer hardware today. Many local computer retail stores and repair shops have hardware available in stock for purchase immediately. However, for more options and lower prices in most cases, it is generally better to buy hardware online.

Can hardware run without software?

Most hardware cannot run without software or some form of instructions programmed into the firmware. Hardware that does not require software are basic devices. For example, a basic pair of headphones require no software or instructions because they're only passing the audio from a computer to your ears. However, more sophisticated headphones (e.g., wireless headphones) require instructions for connecting wirelessly to a computer.

When was hardware first created?

If you think of hardware as any device with moving parts, hardware could be said to be first created as early as 2700 B.C. with the first abacus. However, most think of hardware as something containing a mechanical component, which means the Antikythera mechanism constructed between 200 and 60 B.C. would be the first hardware device.