Plus, they don’t offer the same level of performance as an internal card. They do require an extra power outlet and a high-speed connection to your PC. Some come equipped with a graphics card already some are empty enclosures for plugging in whatever card you want.
#HOW TO INSTALL GRAPHIC CARD IN PC PC#
They have their own power supply and a way plugging into a PC (usually via USB 3.0 or USB-C). These are basically external boxes into which you can plug a PCI-E graphics card.
#HOW TO INSTALL GRAPHIC CARD IN PC UPGRADE#
If you can’t upgrade your motherboard, power supply, or case to work with the specific graphics card you want, or you’re using a laptop and you want more power than is available, you also have the option of using an external graphics card enclosure. If your monitor doesn’t use any of those, adapter cables are cheap and plentiful. This usually isn’t a big deal-most new cards come with at least one DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI connection. Of course, you’ll need a monitor that can actually accept the video output of your new card. Make Sure You Can Connect a Card to Your Monitor There are also splitters (like these that can split a single 8-pin plug into two 6- or 8-pin plugs). If you don’t see the right types of plugs, but your power supply is otherwise powerful enough for your card, you may be able to find adapters (like these 6-pin to 8-pin adapters). You’ll need enough power coming from the power supply unit to feed the the new graphics card, in addition to all of your current computer components. You’ll usually need an extra half inch of so of clearance for this plug, in addition to the dimensions of the card itself.Īnd speaking of power… Make Sure Your Power Supply Can Handle the Card’s Power Requirements The plug for this cable is either on the top of the card, or on the end of it (the side opposite the monitor connections). Mid- and high-end cards require a dedicated electrical connection to the computer’s power supply. There’s also one more factor to consider: the card’s power inputs. This Cooler Master Mini-ITX case can only accept short graphics cards (left), but it’s compatible with dual-slot designs (right). When you’re shopping online for cards, the specifications should list the measurements of the card. The easiest way to handle all this is to pop open your case and measure the space you have available. And in some cases your available space might be further limited by where hard drives are installed, where cables are plugged into your motherboard, and how power cables are run.Īlso some very small PC cases might limit the height of the card you can use. While low-end and mid-tier cards are generally short enough to fit most cases, more powerful cards tend to be much longer. If you have installed a Performance or Enthusiast class graphics card and your computer's framerates have not dramatically increased, it could be caused by a number of factors.The more thorny issue is card length. If you have upgraded and older graphics card on your PC to one of our Value PC line of graphics cards, you may not be getting the best performance you can get from your computer. While most 3d games should be able to run on these graphics cards, the graphics settings may need to be turned down to the lowest quality and resolution to operate smoothly. For this reason, these cards are targeted towards the casual gamer who uses his/her PC mainly for work, watching movies, browsing the web and occasional lite 3d gaming. The Value PC graphics cards do not provide the same 3d processing power as the higher end models. NVIDIA also provides GPU's for the Value PC market which feature many of the same 3d technologies found in our performance and enthusiast graphics cards. Designed from the ground up to deliver maximum visual quality and detail at the best possible frame rates, these cards will satisfy all gamers needs. These cards are better suited for the onslaught of next generation games as well todays hottest selling3d titles. For gamers, NVIDIA offers value, performance and enthusiast class GPU's (Graphics Processing Unit) which offer the latest 3d technology, the most advanced programmable video processor for DVD and HDTV playback and our award winning display drivers to meet different customer needs.įor users who enjoy playing the latest 3d games with enhanced visuals and lighting fast framerates, NVIDIA recommends stepping up to one of our performance or enthusiast class graphics cards. NVIDIA provides top to bottom solutions for every type of desktop PC user wanting to get away from low FPS.