How to switch video card

A video card is an expensive part of the "stuffing" of a home PC, so choosing it is a serious matter. Let's see what we are offered today. Below is the instruction on how to switch the video card.

Processors

All the video cards that we see in the stores today are based on video processors from only two manufacturers - Nvidia and AMD, and the video cards themselves are made by other companies:

AMD and Nvidia provide the manufacturers of video cards with the so-called "reference design" of the placement of parts and conductive tracks on the board. But manufacturers, as a rule, change it to avoid the appearance of video cards-twins, and try to improve the parameters.

In general, the functionality of the video card is 80% dependent on the applied graphics processor, and manufacturers can improve it by about 20%. They improve cooling, introduce additional video output interfaces, sometimes "disperse" the chip, forcing it to work at higher frequencies.

The creation of a cooling system is completely the producer's privilege, and what will be its dimensions depends only on it. General regularity: the more powerful the 3D accelerator and the more video memory the card possesses, the more powerful the cooling system, and accordingly - the larger the dimensions. Pay attention to the dimensions - the computer should have enough space, otherwise how to switch the video card, if it simply does not enter the slot due to overhanging other details of the "filling"?

Modern graphics cards usually occupy two different slots on the motherboard due to the large size of the cooling radiators. But occasionally there are compact models with a height of one slot. But even if the video card is low, it needs to be installed so that there is room for free passage of air.

A good graphics card has a large power consumption, which should provide a computer power supply. The characteristics of the power supply unit (PSU) are indicated on the label in its documents. The table looks something like this:

Look: here the power line + 12V is able to give up to 20A. But this is usually not enough.

How to switch the video card, if the power of the PSU does not allow it? There is only one way out: you have to replace it. The recommended parameters for the power supply are indicated on the package of the video card, information is also available on the manufacturer's website. A professional graphics card has a high consumption, but we are just considering the usual ones now. You can focus on the following parameters, which are suitable for most of them: power from 500W and 38A on the line + 12V.

How to switch the video card, if you change it to a new one, or is the video card installed on a laptop integrated into the motherboard? First, you need to remove the driver of the old video card. To do this, open the "Start" menu, then "Control Panel" and "System". In the "System Properties" window, click "Hardware", "Device Manager". In the line "Graphics devices" (video adapters) click the plus sign, right-click on the appeared line with the name of the video card, select "Properties", "Driver", "Delete". You need administrator rights to perform this task.

To physically install a graphics card, disconnect all power sources.

Choose one of the slots (PCI-E 16) on the motherboard. In the figure, these slots are the longest.

The graphics card should be inserted into the uppermost one, because The greatest number of tracks is fed to it.

The board can have 6-pin power connectors.

If the connector is the same as in the figure, you need to find the corresponding in the power unit harness, if there is not one, then you need to connect through the adapter (see figure).

Securely fix the board with screws, after that you can turn on the computer and start the software installation.

Note: If a graphics card is integrated in the card, check the value of the "PEG-Onchip VGA Control" item in the "Integrated Peripherals" section in the BIOS - it must be "Auto".

After the download, the system will install a new device, on the request to connect to the Internet to search for software, answer "No". When you are prompted to insert a disk into the drive in the drivers - insert and follow the instructions. After installation and reboot - everything is ready.

If the message about new devices does not appear, you need to open the driver disk in the Computer and run the file autorun.exe.