A Graphic card is a part of computer hardware which is responsible for showing an image on our monitor. The graphic card converts the data provided into signals understandable by the monitor, thus enabling it to produce an image. A better and smoother image can be produced if the graphic card is of good quality. Graphic cards determine the clarification of image, color brilliance, and accuracy of motion on the screen. Excellent quality of printed cards is necessary for gamers, video editors, watching movies, and surfing the internet. So, you will get to know how to check the graphics card in the next 10 minutes.
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Table of Contents
TYPES OF GRAPHICS CARDS
Before knowing how to check the graphics card, you must know its types. Majorly you will find two types of graphic cards for your system. Majorly you will find two types of graphic cards for your order.
1.) Integrated graphics (UMA)
- Laptops that are designed with graphics processors that are built into the motherboard, cost-effective and not easily upgraded.
- These are built into most laptops and computers and don’t need intensive graphics.
- They use a computer’s memory for storage that can lower the performance in case of multitasking.
2.) Discrete graphics cards
- It is used in gaming, video editing and watching HD movies.
- They are separate from the motherboard as an extra component and have memory in gigabytes (GB).
- It improves graphics performance and accelerates image processing time.
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How to check graphics card that is appropriate for you?
You should keep the following factors in mind to know how to check graphics card properly.
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Budget
It is the first thing that you should have in your mind. It will filter out the unnecessary model 90% of the time.
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Intended games/application
You have to choose between AMD & NVIDIA
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) is good for graphics designing, video editing, and Crypto mining.
NVIDIA designs graphics processing units that are used in the gaming and professional market.
AMD to NVIDIA GPU is similar to the AMD to INTEL CPU.
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Compatible hardware
The output GPU should match the input options for the display. The PSU should be rated for the GPU. Other than this, RGB, cooling, heatsink, clock speed, etc play an important role in choosing graphics cards. GPU and graphics card are not the same. GPU does all the visual processing and it is the brain of the card. Therefore, GPU is a part of the graphics card.
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Don’t trust fake ads
Nowadays, there are so many fake advertisements who offer you the cards at unbelievable prices. They ask you for the token money before delivering the product and still, the product does not reach you.
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Find a deal nearby
Try to buy the graphics card from the location near you, where you or the seller can each travel and meet each other and carry on the deal
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Prefer something under warranty
Try to find a deal which is still under warranty. For example, if you buy a Zotac graphic card then it is understood that it comes with a 5-year warranty, so try to buy such cards.
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Don’t forget the paperwork
Paperwork is very necessary, if the seller is offering you a warranty period for the card then don’t forget to take the paper bill from him.
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Try testing the card
Always check the graphics card before buying it. Ask the seller to allow you to test the card yourself. If he doesn’t or you don’t know how to check graphics card then ask him to test the card and send the recording to you with date and time mentioned in the video
How to check graphics card by testing
- Download MSI Kombustor
- Follow the given steps and install the software
- Launch MSI Kombustor and perform the following stress tests for 10-15 minutes
- Test 1- GPU Core Burner (select your monitor’s maximum resolution)
- Test 2- GPU Memory Burner (select VRAM according to the card)
- Run these tests for 10-15 minutes. If your PC doesn’t freeze/ crash/ shows blue screen error/ GPU temperature remains below 95 C max, then you are good to go and buy the card.
That was all about how to check graphics card. Now, take a look at its varieties.
Best GPU for PC Gaming
1. MSI GTX 1080 TI Gaming X Video Graphic Cards
Specification
- It has got 11GB 352-bit GDDR5X
- Has a Core Clock 1569 MHz (OC Mode), 1544 MHz (Gaming Mode), and 1480 MHz (Silent Mode)
- Powered by Boost Clock 1683 MHz (OC Mode), 1657 MHz (Gaming Mode), and 1582 MHz (Silent Mode)
- With 1 X DL-DVI-D 2 X HDMI 2.0 2 X DisplayPort 1.4
- Works on 3584 CUDA Cores
- PCI Express 3.0 X 16
Merits
- Games glide smoothly even on the high setting of 60 fps
- Normally it is not found that the card heats up
- Fans make almost an inaudible noise
- Adobe after effects performance is seen double.
Demerits
- The only price may be the barrier for you but can avail of the amazing discount at Amazon.
2. Zotac GeForce ZT-P10810G-10P Graphic Card
- Nvidia is the name of the GPU brand
- The clock frequency is GPU, 1506 MHz
- The clock frequency is Turbo, 1620 MHz
- 3584 is the number of CUDA Cores –
- Memory size is 11264 MB
- The memory type is GDDR5X
- The memory clock frequency is 1376 MHz
- DirectX 12 is its DirectX version
- Works on an interface of PCI-Express 3.0 X 16
- Power connector types are 2 X PEG8
Merits
- Physical dimensions are extremely compact.
- It has a DVI port
- HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4 are two external ports available
- Out of the box overclock
Demerits
- Price is a bit high
- Small PC find it quite large
- Noise issues
Best Mid-priced Graphics Card (GPU) for gaming
3. Zotac Amp Edition GeForce GTX 1060
- GPU brand name is GeForce GTX 1060 Mini
- CUDA cores are 1280
- Video memory is 6GB GDDR5
- Engine clock base is 1506 MHz, Boost 1708 MHz
- Memory clock: 8,008 MHz
- PCI express:3.0
Merits
- Excellent performance
- Well balanced acoustics and cooling
- Top build quality with overclocking headroom
- 5-year warranty
Demerits
- No backplate included
- No LED lighting
- Price is a vital issue
4. MSI GAMING GeForce GTX 1060
(6GB GDDR5 DirectX12 VR Ready)
- GPU brand name is GeForce GTX 1060 6GT OC
- CUDA Cores are 1280
- Video Memory is 6GB GDDR5
- Engine clock is 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz in the normal event, 1569 MHz to 1784 MHz in Gaming mode, and 1594 MHz to 1809
- MHz in OC Mode
- The memory clock is 8008 MHz in normal and gaming modes, 8108 MHz in OC Mode
- PCI Express is 3.0
- Display outputs are 3 X DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b and DL-DVI-D
Merits
- The innovative cooling technology eliminates heat
- The revolutionary silencing technology eliminates noise
- Extra cool LED lighting
- Airflow control technology in the heat sink provides a fresh gaming experience
- Avoids unnecessary blocking of PCI slots as this card takes up two expansion slots instead of 3.
Demerits
- Comparatively expensive
- Founders Edition cards are smaller than this card
- No SLI support
- No overclocking of memory
5. Asus GeForce GTX1050Ti – 4GB DDR5 Cerberus OC Edition
(CERBERUS-GTX1050TI-O4G)
- GPU brand name is GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
- CUDA cores are 768
- Video memory is 4GB GDDR5 9128-Bit)
- Engine clock is Base 1341 MHz to 1366 MHz and Boost 1455 MHz to 1480 MHz
- The memory clock is 7008 MHz
- PCI Express – 3.0
- Display outputs are 1 X DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b, and DL-DVI-D
Merits
- It is noiseless
- Fans are turned off when the system is idle
- Backplate acts as an additional protection
- RGB Lighting
Demerits
- Performance is not up to mark according to the price.
- An incremental update is available on the last-gen
- Analog signals do not include DVI output.
6. Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Edition
(ZT-P10510B-10L 4GB PCI Express Graphics Card)
HD technology has made the gaming experience much better. Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC Edition delivers promising and flawless gameplay.
- GPU brand is GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
- CUDA cores are 768
- Video memory is 4GB GDDR5 (128-Bit)
- Engine clock is Base 1392 MHz, Boost 1506 MHz
- Memory Clock – 7 GHz
- PCI Express is 3.0
- Display outputs are DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b and DL-DVI-D
Merits
- Any additional power from PCIe is not required for this card.
- The compact size of the card allows you to fit it into any PC.
- Provides the best gaming experience in its price range
- You can avail an extended warranty period if you register on Zotac website
- It is a pre-overclocked GPU that has pascal architecture and it also offers DirectX12 support.
Demerits
- There is no backplate for additional protection and no RGB lighting
- The card can get overheated due to absence of freeze tech
- The fans do not turn off during idle operation. Hence, they are comparatively noisy
Best Budget Entry-Level Graphics Card (GPU)
7.Zotac Nvidia GT 1030 Graphics Card
2GB GDDR5 64-bit DVI-D HDMI or Pascal or Firestorm or 384 CUDA Core or DirectX12
- GPU brand name is GeForce GT 1030
- CUDA cores are 384
- Video memory is 2GB GDDR5
- Engine clock is Base 1227 MHz, Boost 1468 MHz
- The memory clock is 6 GHz
- PCI express is 3.0
- Display outputs are VGA, HDMI 2.0b
Merits
- Offers VGA and HDMI 2.0b display outputs
- Excellent performance in eSports and DirectX9 based games
- Extremely affordable
Demerits
- SMD Radeon RX 550 works way better in the DirectX12 Vulkan-based games
8. Zotac Nvidia GT 730 Graphics Card
(2GB, DDR5, PCIe)
Zotac is one of the brands that come with such graphics cards which one can get installed on their PC and laptops without giving much strain to their pocket.
- GPU Brand – GeForce GT 730
- CUDA Cores – 384
- Video Memory – 2GB GDDR5 (64-bit)
- Engine Clock – 902 MHz
- Memory Clock – 5010 MHz
- PCI Express – 2.0
Display outputs – VGA, HDMI, and DL-DVI
Merits
- Offers triple display options
- Good for DirectX9-based games
- Presence of heat sink and fan reduces overall heating of the card
Demerits
- Cannot play the modern, fast-paced games in high settings
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Frequently asked questions regarding how to check graphics card.
Q: How to check graphics card if it is used?
A: If you have Windows 10, you can see GPU information and usage details right from the Task Manager. Right-click the taskbar and opt for “Task Manager” or press Windows+Esc to open it. Open the “Performance” and you can see the stats.
Q: How do I check my processor?
A: You should know how many cores you got.
Open the Run dialog box by pressing ⊞ Win + R.
Type dxdiag.exe and press ↵ Enter. Click Yes if prompted to check your drivers.
Find the “Processor” entry in the System tab. If your computer has multiple cores, you can see the number of cores present in your PC in parentheses (e.g. 8 CPUs) if you got multiple cores in your PC.
Q: How to check graphics card which is dead?
A: Open your case and check that the graphics card is correctly seated by gently pressing down on it. Switch on your pc leaving the case remain open, you must see power light on the graphics card which confirms the processor is not dead. If you can not see that to be lighted up then your card is dead.
Q: What is the life of the graphic card? from where I can replace the silicon if its production has stopped over five or more years?
A: It depends upon your usage. If you are fortunate a graphics card can work up to a decade with some parts replacement.
Q: How do I check the life of my graphics card?
A: To check if your device supports GPU performance data in Task Manager, do the following:
- Open the Run dialog box by pressing ⊞ Win + R.
- Now, open DirectX Diagnostic Tool and press Enter
- After that open the Display tab.
- Driver Model information will be available under drivers’ option
Q: How to check graphics card for Photoshop?
A: The minimum spec graphics cards for Photoshop are the Nvidia GeForce 400 series and up, and the AMD Radeon 5000 series graphics and up. GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or Radeon RX 480 8GB or upwards can provide you a quality experience.
