Do you know where is the graphics card in a Pc? It’s like the brain behind all the fun stuff you do on your PC. Some are basic and let you do everyday things like typing documents or surfing the web. Some computers act like fast race cars, playing fancy video games.
Now, there are different types of these cards. Some are for gaming, others for work, and even ones made for video editing. Think of them as different flavors of ice cream – you pick the one that tastes best for you.
But here’s the kicker: where is that graphics card inside your computer? It’s like a treasure hunt trying to find it amidst all those wires and other techy bits. It’s a mystery, but you’ll spot it with a bit of digging around and some guidance. Trust me; it’s in there somewhere!
So, I had this itch to figure out what’s inside a computer. Not brave enough to peek into mine, I opened my partner’s PC instead. Who wants to break their own? Inside, I spotted something that got me thinking about where the graphics card was.
A computer’s graphics card can be found in two spots. The first is onboard graphics, tucked away in the CPU itself. The second is the real deal, the extensive graphics cards, and they’re hanging out in a slot right next to the CPU fan.
Sounds confusing? No worries! Stick with me, and I’ll break it down so anyone can understand. How’s that sound?
“I’m going to discuss several topics with you:
- The various kinds of graphics cards
- Where onboard CPUs located
- How traditional PCIe Graphics cards placed
Let’s start with the first section, where we’ll discuss different graphics cards.
Kinds of graphics cards
There are two kinds of graphics cards: the regular PCIe cards and the ones built into the computer. If you’ve got a newer computer, you’ve got both. Older ones? One or the other.
Onboard graphics Cards
Now, about onboard graphics. You know, the kind that comes already built into many Intel CPUs? They’re the ones that are meant to be efficient and not suck up too much power. If you’re not big into gaming, they’ll do fine.
But here’s a little insider info. Most of these onboard graphics cards are system-on-chip (SOC) graphics. They’re all over the place in laptops, consoles, and even CPUs. These things save money and energy. But if you want to play new games at high quality, like 1440p or 4K, they might need some improvements.
Oh, and one more thing about onboard graphics. They’ve got to share memory with the CPU. Imagine two kids fighting over the last cookie – your CPU and graphics card wrestling over memory. It can slow everything down, making your computer feel sluggish.
PCIe Graphics cards
Do you know those big, flat things inside a gaming computer? Those are PCIe graphics cards. Picture a device with many fans on one side. It has a connector that fits into a slot on the computer’s motherboard. The other end sticks out the back so you can plug in your TV cables like HDMI.
You’ll see exactly what I mean if you ever look inside a computer. That flat, fan-topped piece is the gaming graphics card.
Most computers have a spot or two where you can plug these in on the motherboard. They’re way more potent than those built into your computer, but they need a lot of power and give off a lot of heat! That’s why they’re designed to be big and flat; they’ve got to cool down somehow.
Most new graphics cards have big cooling parts called heatsinks. They also have fans to push the hot air away. The stronger the card, the more cooling it needs, so sometimes you’ll even find more fans on them.
And here’s something cool – these cards have their particular RAM. It’s called GDDR RAM, which helps the card do its job without waiting in line with the computer’s brain, the CPU.
There are two types of graphics. Some are inside the CPU itself, and others are big cards that you plug into the computer’s main board.
Next, I’ll share where you can find those onboard graphics cards. Some people call them graphics “French fries.” How’s that for a fun piece of information?
Do you know how a computer has a graphics card? You might be wondering where it’s located. Is it inside the CPU? Let’s dig in!
If your computer has an “onboard graphics card,” it’s part of the CPU. This is common with Intel processors. But if you see an Intel processor with an “F” at the end, like the i5 6400F, it doesn’t have the graphics card inside.
Now, AMD CPUs are a bit different. Only some have a graphics card built in. If it has a “G” at the end of the model name, it has onboard graphics.
So, where’s this onboard graphics card hiding? Right in the CPU! If you’re ever poking around inside your computer and want to find the graphics card, look for the CPU. It’s all there together. Simple.
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Check out the vast silver cooling part on your computer. See that black fan to the right? It blows cool air through the silver piece. Remove this whole cooling thing if you want to get to particular components like the GPU. Not easy stuff, mind you!
Open your computer and spot a big fan sitting next to a metal block. That’s what cools down the brain of your computer, known as the CPU.
removing this if you know what you’re doing. If you do, you’ll see the CPU covered with a sticky substance that helps keep it cool.
The CPU is a small metal block. Inside, it is where the graphics magic happens. But warned; you can only upgrade it by changing the entire CPU. And that’s a job best left to the pros!
You can switch to a regular PCIe graphics card instead of using the one built into your computer. You found out that the built-in graphics card is part of the CPU. It would help to remove the cooler or fan on top of the CPU to get to it. But if you want to upgrade this built-in graphics card, you must change the whole CPU. In the next part, I’ll show you where to find regular PCIe graphics cards.
Hey, you know those big, board-like things called graphics cards in a computer? Yeah, they can get super hot and be plug into this particular spot on the motherboard called a PCIe slot.
Finding them is straightforward. Want to know how? follow these steps:
- Look for the CPU cooler in the back of your computer. It’s a smack dab in the middle of the motherboard.
- Now, gaze below the CPU fan, and there it is – your graphics card!
- If you’re struggling to locate the graphics card, look for two or three horizontal lines. That’s where a long, thin object should fit. No funny business here – that’s the spot where the graphics card would go if you had one.
There you go! Simple as pie, right? Let me know if you need anything else!
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Do you know those slots on your computer? They’re known as PCI Express slots, where the graphics card goes.
See a big piece with many fans in one of those slots? Yup, that’s your graphics card. Have a glance at a picture of one connected to a motherboard. It’ll stick out like a sore thumb if it’s one of those large gaming ones!
These days, having more than one graphics card in a PC is rarer, but it can still happen. If they’re Nivida graphics cards, you can use SLI to make them work together. It’s like having a team of players boosting your computer’s graphics! And if you have AMD cards, you can get them to work with Crossfire. It’s like giving your computer a turbo boost! How cool is that?
These two technologies, SLI and Crossfire, are different. They use different rules, so you can’t connect two random GPUs and expect them to work together. It’s always been challenging, right? Both have specific hardware and software needs. Usually, you must go to the manufacturer’s website to download the right software for your GPU
If you have many graphics cards, they’re next to each other and easy to spot. These PCIe graphics cards are close to the CPU fan. They plug into a specific slot on the motherboard, known as a PCI Express slot.
Wow, we covered a lot! My brain is swirling with information, so let’s break it down. In this article, we talked about:
- Two types of graphics cards: onboard and PCIe.
- Onboard graphics cards are part of the CPU.
- PCIe graphics cards look like big plates with many fans and large heatsinks.
- You’ll find onboard graphics cards under the CPU cooler, inside the CPU.
- Look for PCIe graphics cards in a motherboard slot close to the CPU cooler.
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I hope that clears things up!
FAQs
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What are the two main types of graphics cards?
- Onboard graphics cards and traditional PCIe graphics cards.
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Where is the onboard graphics card located?
- Integrated into the CPU, under the CPU cooler.
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Where is the conventional PCIe graphics card found?
- In a PCIe slot on the motherboard, near the CPU cooler.
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Can onboard graphics cards be upgraded?
- No, unless you replace the entire CPU. Yet, you can use a conventional PCIe graphics card instead.
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Can you use many graphics cards?
- Yes, through technologies like Nvidia’s SLI and AMD’s Crossfire.
