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Questions tagged [graphics-card]

An expansion card inserted into a motherboard for rendering graphics with enhanced performance over integrated graphics solutions.

A graphics card, or video card, is an expansion card inserted into a computer motherboard used to render graphics and designed to provide enhanced graphics performance over integrated graphics solutions such as Intel HD Graphics. This enhanced performance is enabled through a high-performance graphics processing unit (GPU) and dedicated, high-speed video memory which avoids bottlenecks associated with shared main memory. More powerful graphics cards can also drive several monitors at once.

Modern graphics cards connect to motherboards using the PCI Express (PCIe) interface. These cards have replaced those that use the older Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) interface.

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Transatlantic ping faster than sending a pixel to the screen?

John Carmack tweeted, I can send an IP packet to Europe faster than I can send a pixel to the screen. How f’d up is that? And if this weren’t John Carmack, I’d file it under “the interwebs being silly”. But this is John Carmack. How can this be…
Konrad Rudolph
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How does the CPU and GPU interact in displaying computer graphics?

Here you can see a screenshot of a small C++ program called Triangle.exe with a rotating triangle based on the OpenGL API. Admittedly a very basic example but I think it's applicable to other graphic cards operations. I was just curious and wanted…
JohnnyFromBF
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How is graphics RAM different from system RAM?

I know that a GPU and a CPU are fundamentally different things and why they both suck at doing the other's job. But what I don't get is why standard system RAM has always been a generation behind the RAM used on video cards. As I understand it,…
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Split monitor into virtual monitors

I'm searching for a solution to split one physical monitor into two( or more?) virtual monitors. Let's say I've a monitor (monitor_a) with the resolution of 1920*1080. Now I want this monitor_a to be divided into (monitor_a(1)[960*1080]) and…
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Broken mouse cursor on main monitor, Windows 7 64 Bit, ATI Radeon HD 7870

UPDATE: Please check out the new answer I've posted to this problem. It might be that a solution to this frustrating problem exists now. Scroll down to see it. Quite a while ago my graphic card died and I had to buy a new one. I decided for an ASUS…
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How can I test my GPU memory/RAM?

I run MemTest86 a lot at work on customer's machines, and it's great for troubleshooting memory issues. My question is, how can I test that a GPU is starting to go? I know of programs like 3DMark to push the graphics card to its limits, but what…
Canadian Luke
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How do I determine which graphics card I'm using?

I recently read this answer on Gaming.SE, which made me realize that I actually have no idea how to tell which graphics card I have in my PC. Where can I find this information?
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Must a CPU have a GPU if the motherboard provides a display port (when there isn't any separate video card)?

There is such a configuration: MSI A320M PRO-M2 V2 + AMD Ryzen 5 1400 BOX and there isn't any separate video card. When the PC is switched on, the monitor shows nothing. The MSI tech support said: There is no GPU in the CPU Ryzen 5 1400, and the…
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What is the use for built-in graphic card on a "gaming" motherboard?

Many motherboards marketed as "gaming" has an integrated Intel graphic cards. Examples are the ASUS B150I PRO GAMING/WIFI/AURA and the Gigabyte GA-Z170N-Gaming 5 but these are just a couple of many. Note the "Gaming" word in their respective…
Andrew Savinykh
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How can I detect the model of my graphics card?

I know of many ways to get a rough idea of my graphics card model. Here are two examples (instructions for Windows 7): Method 1 1) Click start 2) Type dxdiag and press enter 3) Go to the Display tab and check the Name property. Method 2 1) Click…
Rupert Madden-Abbott
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What exactly is a laptop "display audio" driver?

I've downloaded an Intel HD Graphics driver for my Dell laptop and the installer's welcome screen says it will install the following components: Intel Graphics Driver Intel Display Audio Driver What exactly is "display audio"? Dell's and Lenovo's…
Dan Dascalescu
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Why did my graphics card explode?

How did my graphics card "explode" like it did in the picture I have here? And if I was just plugging into my on-board graphics, why wouldn't the PC boot up like it normally would? It wouldn't come up until I opened the cover and removed the card,…
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How to Use 3 Monitors

Right now my setup has a nice big 24" flatscreen in the center with a 19" flatscreen to the left. But I have a big gaping hole on the right. I have a 3rd monitor to put there, but I'm not sure how to get the computer to recognize it. Do I need a…
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I have a laptop with an HDMI port and I want to use my old monitor which has VGA port. Do I need HDMI-to-VGA or VGA-to-HDMI adapter?

I have an old monitor that only has a VGA port. I have a new Dell laptop that only has an HDMI port. I want to use that old monitor with my new laptop. Do I need a HDMI-to-VGA adapter or VGA-to-HDMI adapter? My common sense would tell a…
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Motherboard says PCIe 3.0, but chipset only supports PCIe 2.0. Who's right?

As part of integration testing for our product, we received a client machine with a Supermicro X10DRi motherboard in it, with 2 Xeon E5-2620 v4 CPUs and a Quadro P5000. That motherboard is using the Intel C612 chipset. While doing basic research for…
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