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Installing a graphics card is one of the most important steps in building a PC, and fortunately one of the easiest. Having a graphics card in your PC is very important because without it you won’t be able to play all your favorite games. Sure, some CPUs might have integrated graphics that you can use to play games, but they’re not as powerful as a discrete (or dedicated) GPU. So if you are building a gaming PC, you need to install a graphics card.
How To Install Vga Card
If you need more help deciding which graphics card to buy, you can read all of our graphics card recommendations for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K gaming. You can also find the best prices for them in our regularly updated graphics card deals hub.
If You’re Having Graphics Card Problems, Try A Clean Driver Install
A few things to note before we begin. Your graphics card is one of the most powerful parts of your PC, so you’ll want to make sure you have the right power supply. Most graphics cards will list their minimum or recommended PSU rating on the box or on their online specs page, but this can vary between 450W and 750W. For example, Nvidia’s new RTX 3070 GPU recommends a 650W power supply, while the RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 recommend at least 750W.
You should also check that your power supply has the correct number of cables to connect to your new graphics card. For example, some graphics cards only require a single 6- or 8-pin connector, while others require two 8-pin connectors.
Finally, make sure your display output choices match those on the back of your graphics card. Newer graphics cards have either HDMI or DisplayPort outputs. So, for example, if you’re using an older monitor that only has a DVI or VGA output, you might want to upgrade your display as well. If you need help with that, check out our top gaming monitor picks as well as our gaming monitor deals hub for the best prices.
Switch off your PC at the plug and make sure that the switch on the back of your PC after the power supply is also switched off.
How To Mount Your Gpu Vertically [easy Guide]
Next, remove the side panel. First, loosen the screws on the back of your PC and slide back the side panel. This should free it so you can remove it and set it aside.
If you are installing a graphics card for the first time, read on, but if you are upgrading your existing graphics card, you can skip to step 4.
You should put your primary graphics card in the top PCIe x16 slot (the larger one is larger).
All graphics cards these days must plug into a PCIe x16 slot, which are the long, parallel connectors on the bottom of your motherboard. Some motherboards may have a second PCIe x16 slot that can run at full x16 speed – usually the more expensive ones – but most you’ll find additional PCIe x16 slots that can run at x8 speed or just x4.
Installing Of Graphic Card Stock Image. Image Of Disk
It is therefore best to install your graphics card in the top PCIe x16 slot if possible. It will always be the fastest PCIe x16 slot on your motherboard and offer the best performance. If in doubt, consult your motherboard manual to determine the exact running speed of all your PCIe slots.
Before we do anything with the PCIe x16 slot, you need to remove the corresponding backplates. To the left of these PCIe x16 slots, you should see several brackets with thumbscrews holding them in place. You may need to remove some of these to access your graphics card’s display outputs.
Most graphics cards take up two slots, but particularly large graphics cards like the massive RTX 3090 take up three. Use a screwdriver (or your fingers if you’re holding thumbscrews) to pry what you need to remove. Make sure you keep those backplate screws nearby though, as you’ll need them again in a minute to reattach the graphics card.
It sounds obvious, but you’ll need to bring your display outputs to the back to connect your monitor.
How To Install A Computer Graphics Card
Remove all plastic covers from your graphics card’s PCIe connector and display ports as they will prevent your graphics card from installing properly.
If you are upgrading an existing graphics card, you must also remove your current one. To do this, remove the screws that secure it, disconnect any disconnect cables attached to it, and unlock the PCIe slot security clip. It’s a small plastic clip on the right side of the PCIe slot and should be visible under your graphics card – see below. Then you can remove your graphics card from your motherboard relatively easily.
Before removing the existing graphics card, you must unlock the PCIe security clip by pushing it down.
Next, align your new graphics card on the top PCIe x16 slot in your case. Make sure the display output side of your graphics card is at the end of your case and slide your GPU into the slot.
Installing Of Graphic Card Stock Photo. Image Of Improvement
If you can’t slide it all the way in, check that there isn’t a loose backplate in the way. Otherwise, it should snap into place and sit right on the PCIe slot, just like your RAM. You might want to give it an extra nudge just to be sure. Once firmly seated, the safety clip should return to its original position.
Do you still have those backplate screws? Wherever you put them, pick them up again as you will now need to use them to finish securing the graphics card. Put them back in their respective holes and rotate them. This keeps the graphics card from bobbing up and down when you connect your monitor cables and generally keeps it nice and stable in your case.
Now it’s time to connect your graphics card to your PC’s power supply. Most graphics cards require at least one 6- or 8-pin connector, but more powerful cards sometimes require two – depending on the make and model. In any case, you should have the appropriate cables in your power supply box if you choose a modular power supply, or if you choose a non-modular one they may already be routed out.
If you have space you can route the connector to the back of your case to route it back around the main side using the appropriate hole on the side of your motherboard closest to your graphics card. Interconnects. This helps keep things nice and tidy and improves airflow in your case, but you can always plug it in directly if you prefer.
Vertical Or Horizontal Gpu Mounting
In any case, these connectors are very similar to the main power cables on your motherboard – just push them down and they should snap into place. And you’re done!
For those of you upgrading an existing graphics card, be sure to follow these few additional steps.
First you need to put the side panel back on your PC and reconnect your display cables. Remember to reconnect them to the display outputs on your graphics card, not the ones mentioned above from your motherboard. It sounds silly, but you’d be surprised how often people make this mistake. Once this is done, you need to turn on your PC and install some new display drivers.
To ensure your new graphics card is working in top condition, you need to ensure that the correct display drivers are installed. If you’re upgrading from an existing Nvidia card to a new Nvidia card (or indeed from an old AMD card to a new AMD card), all you have to do is download the latest drivers from their respective websites, which is what I do. Arrive in a minute.
How To Install A Graphics Card Into Your Windows Pc
However, if you are upgrading from an Nvidia card to an AMD card (or vice versa), you must first remove your current display drivers so they don’t conflict. AMD has detailed instructions on this, but Nvidia has not commented at the time of writing. The good news is that it works just as well.
To remove your current display drivers, open Windows Settings and select “Apps” or search for “Add or Remove Programs”. For AMD, click Uninstall AMD Software. For Nvidia, make sure to uninstall Nvidia Graphics Driver, Nvidia GeForce Experience, Nvidia HD Audio Driver, Nvidia PhysX System Software, Nvidia Control Panel and Nvidia USBC Driver
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