Today, many users have laptops. But some often have a question, what does a video card look like in a laptop? If everything is clear with a regular PC, since it is easy to unscrew one side panel of the system unit and see a video card, then with a laptop it’s more difficult to complete.
What does a video card look like on a laptop
A laptop may have a discrete or integrated video card. An integrated card is a graphics core located in a processor that uses system resources.
A discrete card is a separate board with a video processor. This laptop video card, unlike a stationary PC, looks much smaller and is a small board.
What are the graphics cards on a laptop
Considering the type of video card in a laptop, its appearance is different.
Separate fee
Today, such video cards have not been used for a long time. They have not been installed since about 2006. But, one way or another, these cards had one clear advantage that is not present in modern models - a quick change.
Reference! Since the breakdown and the need to replace the graphics card is one of the most common problems with laptops, and it is quite expensive.
Chip on motherboard
This type of graphics card is still used for laptops. So, more powerful cards are installed on the motherboard for working with 3D-graphics and gaming applications. Since 2014, a gadget has been actively using the scheme of simultaneous operation of a discrete and installed graphics card in the processor.
Integrated processor
The most popular type of video card in the budget segment of laptops. In this case, you cannot see the card, because it is located on the surface of the processor chip.
All Intel and AMD laptops have a built-in video card, which is enough for working in text programs and not very powerful games.
What is the difference between a laptop and computer graphics card
In ordinary PCs, it takes several minutes to determine the type of video card, taking into account the opening of the case. With laptops, this is harder to do.
Integrated Mobile Graphics
First of all, conventional video cards for PCs are very bulky. To install them in a laptop you need to significantly increase the dimensions of the device. Since a video card requires a powerful fan for high-quality cooling. But this will require additional free space, which is not enough in a mobile PC.
So another decision was made. Instead of a full-fledged video card, mobile PCs are equipped with integrated systems for working with graphics. In the simplest version, this subsystem does not have its own processor, which is responsible for video processing. In addition, there is no video memory of its own. So, to display the image, the resources of the processor and RAM are used. Of course, this system is weaker than a separate stationary PC card, which has a full-fledged video processor and RAM.
Attention! This solution has a significant drawback: the card cannot be replaced. In modern laptops, the video system is installed directly in the main processor. Replace part of the processor does not work, as it is a solid unit. The only way is to completely replace the CPU with a powerful processor.
But in this case, you need to make sure that the new processor is compatible with the motherboard. First you need to check the slot, which is responsible for the fasteners and the operation of this element. In addition, you must make sure that the BIOS will support the processor. Otherwise, the system will be inoperative.
Discrete cards
There are certain models of mobile computers where a discrete graphics card is installed. "Discrete", that is, separate, indicates the possibility of installing another video card, if necessary. But in fact, this improvement can be quite complex and expensive.
It’s just that the majority of “discrete” cards are not actually installed separately. More precisely, they do not separate from the motherboard, since they are fixed by soldering to the corresponding connector. In this case, to improve the power of the video card, you must first carefully remove the old block, and then connect all the contacts to the new video card.
Of course, it is rather difficult for a layman to do this job without special tools. It is no coincidence that installing a new video card in a repair shop costs a considerable monetary equivalent.
Naturally, there is always hope for some friend who is a little versed in electronics. But this can easily disable other PC elements. And in this case there will be only one right decision: installing a new chip simultaneously with the board. Do I need to do this, decide the owner of the PC. And experienced craftsmen have a common opinion: a specialist must install a new video card in the device.
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