How to Update a Video Card
Video, particularly for older PCs, is sometimes handled directly by the computer’s motherboard or main board. Nowadays, a video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, a display adaptor or a graphics card, is usually plugged in to an expansion slot on the motherboard.
The main function of a video card is to generate and output all images to your system monitor. The availability of this type of dedicated service is increasingly important given the complex graphics that are now produced. Some cards also have additional functionality, such as being able to communicate with several monitors at the same time, handling TV output and being able to undertake different types of decoding.
Why You Need to Update a Video Card
New computers generally come with a video card fitted and have the required hard driver installed for it. This driver will handle the communication between the operating system and the video card.
Newer and more powerful video cards are released periodically. If the efficient processing of graphics is important to you, which will be the case if you use your PC for gaming or to display particularly complex graphics, you may occasionally install a replacement card. In this case, you will need to undertake a video card upgrade to ensure that the correct hard driver is installed for the card.
For an existing card, manufacturers will sometimes issue new drivers that have additional features, improved performance or resolve known problems or security issues. You should, therefore, carry out a video card upgrade periodically so that you know the latest version is installed. This will ensure that your card operates at peak efficiency and that problems are minimised.
How to Identify and Update a Video Card
If you want to know which video card is installed, the method will vary depending on your operating system. However, you will typically right-click the Windows desktop, select Properties and then the Settings tab. Click the Advanced button and then select the Adaptor tab to see the type of video card.
Having identified your card, one way to carry out a video card upgrade is to go to the manufacturer’s website and select the latest hard driver for that card. You then need to download the driver to you PC and follow the instructions to install it.
The alternative method to update a video card is by accessing Device Manager. Depending on the OS you’re using, this may be accessible via the Control Panel or by right-clicking My Computer and then clicking Manage. Device Manager will enumerate the types of devices in the right pane and you need to select Monitors, right-click the correct one and select Properties. Next, click the Driver tab to view information about the installed device driver and click the Update Driver button to download drivers and install the latest version on your PC.
After installing your new drivers, you need to restart your computer. If the screen resolution appears incorrect, you may need to adjust screen settings through the Settings tab after selecting Properties at the desktop.
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