How to install a graphics card

2010-02-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

So, you've chosen your shiny new card, and it now lies waiting within its box. How do you actually go about installing a graphics card? Here is a complete guide to graphics card installation.

You will require:-

A screwdriver
An anti-static wristband (optional)
Software drivers for your new card - should come on a DVD with the card, or you may wish to download the latest drivers from the internet

Step 0 - If you are upgrading from an ATI graphics card to another ATI card or an Nvidia graphics card to another Nvidia card you can skip this step. If you're switching manufacturer though, you'll first need to remove your old graphics card drivers. This will avoid all kinds of conflicts later on - Nvidia and ATI drivers do not play nice together!

Step 1 - Having removed your old drivers if necessary, shut your PC down, and unplug all cables from the back. Put your case on a desk or similar work area where you have easy access.

Step 2 - Remove the side from case to allow access to the internal components. This will probably require you to unscrew a couple of screws that hold the sides of the case on - many cases have two large thumb screws to make this operation easier.

Unscrewing the side of the case

Removing the side of the case

Step 3 - If you are replacing an old graphics card, identify it within the case. Wear an anti-static wristband or touch the metal side of the case to prevent build up of static electricity that may damage sensitive electronic components. Move or unplug any cables obstructing access, and any screws that may connect the backplate of the card to the case. Unplug any power cables attached to the card. Lift the blue lever at the top right of the socket (Highlighted in the picture below) to release the graphics card, and gently but firmly pull it out of the motherboard.

Unscrewing the backplate of the card from the case

Removing the power cables

Lift the blue lever (circled) to remove the graphics card

Step 4 - Holding it by the edges, orientate your new graphics card to slot into the PCIe slot and push it in firmly, making sure the backplate lines up with the end of your PC case. Screw the backplate into the case. Consult your manual or examine the card to determine how many PCIe power cables are required - one is the norm but many high-end cards require two. Plug in the required number of cables.

Plugging the PCIe power cable in - it will only fit in the correct orientation

Step 5 - Replace and cables you may have unplugged to allow access and replace side of case. Screw in case screws.

Step 6 - Return your PC to its original position and plug all cables back in. Boot the PC up and install your new drivers, if switching between ATI and Nvidia.

Step 7 - Congratulations, you have installed your new graphics card!

Why upgrade your graphics card?

2010-02-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

In our post above we've shown you how to install a graphics card, but you might be wondering just why you would want to do that. The main reason is that it's usually the most cost effective way to upgrade your PC and improve gaming performance. Hopefully this post will go some way to explaining the importance of the graphics card nestled inside your PC!

Your graphics card is essentially responsible for handling the image that is sent to your screen and in particular it deals with any 3D graphics. With the graphics of modern PC games looking better and better with each new release, these games put a lot of strain on your graphics card. Most modern processors have multiple cores and run fast enough to handle any current game. Instead, it is usually a slow graphics card, not a slow processor, that will hold you back from running that latest game smoothly.

Provided your PC is not too old, upgrading your graphics card is much more likely to give you a noticeable increase in gaming performance than upgrading your processor will. It is also likely to be a lot cheaper! Upgrading your processor usually involves changing other internal components of your PC, such as the motherboard or RAM and can therefore be an expensive undertaking. On the other hand, installing a new graphics card simply requires you to remove the old one and plug a new one in! With the pace that technology moves buying a good value graphics card today will likely get you a card that runs a lot faster than anything more than a year or so old and you should benefit immediately from the change.

So now you know why you should upgrade your graphics card, you'll probably want to look in to what new graphics card you should choose. Why not take a look at our article about choosing a graphics card to help you decide.

Choosing a graphics card

2010-02-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

Now you've decided to upgrade and install a new graphics card you'll want to spend a little time picking the right one for your budget and your needs. As noted in our post on why you might want to upgrade your graphics card, nowadays it's the most important part of your PC when it comes to playing the latest games. Click through for some advice on choosing a new graphics card that's right for you.

It's worth doing some research at this point, in particular make sure you know the resolution of your monitor. You can check this by looking in your display properties in Windows. Most monitors nowadays have a resolution of either 1680x1050 or 1920x1200 for bigger screen sizes. You want to look for a card within your budget that will run games at this resolution. We'll go ahead and suggest some models that you might like to look at:-

Budget conscious:-
Nvidia Geforce 9800GT: This slightly older card will run most games at 1680x1050 extremely well and comfortably at 1920x1200 with lowered detail. For around $100 in the US or £80 it's still a steal.

Mid-range:-
ATI Radeon 5770: One of ATI's new 5 series of graphics cards, the only cards that support Direct X 11, which will help with future games. It's feature packed, will do a good job of running games at 1920x1200 resolution and costs around only $160 in the States and £120 in the UK.

Upper end performance:-
ATI Radeon 5850: Another of ATI's new 5 series - this a fast card that will run games at 1920x1200 with graphics settings on high. It's more expensive at $300 in the US or £200 - £250 in the UK but the performance is pretty impressive.

There are of course faster set-ups than the 5850, but if you're looking at those you probably already know what you're going for!

Once you've selected your card, head over to our article on how to install a new graphics card!

If you'd like some more information on how the cards above handle a specific game then why not check out the graphics card benchmarks at Tom's Hardware

What are SLI and CrossFire? Should they affect how I choose a graphics card?

2010-02-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

When looking for a graphics card upgrade you may have come across these two terms, but just what are they? For the majority of buyers they probably won't influence which graphics card you purchase, but in a nut-shell they allow you to install a second graphics card (or third!) to work together with your first. The two graphics cards split the processing between them, improving performance. However it's not as simple as plugging in a second card and there are important considerations before going down this route.

Firstly, ATI graphics cards will only pair with another ATI branded card (CrossFire) and Nvidia graphics cards with another Nvidia branded card (SLI). Typically the two cards your pair should be the same model. You will also need a motherboard that supports the appropriate system, SLI or cross-fire, typically a motherboard will support one or the other. Check the Nvidia and ATI sites for supported hardware. Finally you will need a free PCI express slot in which to install the second graphics card. For the majority of pre-built PCs this may simply not be possible! If you are putting your own together then make sure you do some research first, the performance gains seen from adding a second card vary from game to game and are unlikely to ever reach 100% increase, some games may show no gain over a single card at all.

We'd say that for most people installing a new graphics card is the best upgrade they can make to improve gaming performance, but that they should stick to a single card for reliable gains. Why not take a look at our guide to choosing a graphics card as well as how to install a new graphics card? We feel CrossFire and SLI are best suited for enthusiasts willing to deal with some potential technical issues and those looking for the absolute best graphics performance.

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2010-02-20T07:23:00.000-08:00

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