Most people build their pc with a dedicated graphics card for high-end gaming purposes. But since the card isn’t built-in, non-gamers get highly confused about whether they should get an external graphics card or not!
However, that can lead to a question do I need a graphics card for my pc? Well, it’s possible to run your pc without a dedicated graphics card; but there’s undoubtedly more to that. If you don’t have a clear idea about all that stuff, you might end up spending too much on a part that you won’t even use in the long run.
So, to help you with that, let’s discuss everything about integrated and dedicated GPUs and their relation to gaming and other functions.
What is a Graphics Card?
A graphics card is one of the most vital parts of your pc, and you should definitely put emphasis on learning all about it. Nowadays, a graphics card is mostly known for gaming, and many people get confused about if they even need it for their pc if it’s not built for running video games.
Graphics cards actually process the 3-D images, image rasterization, higher pixel ratio, more colors and contrast in the display, and many more things. But if you have the basic idea about it you know that most pc comes with an integrated graphics card. Also, you can add it as an optional part that’s more precise in specs. In the following sections, we’ll talk about it in greater detail.
Types of Graphics Card
There are 2 types of graphics cards available out there, and both have their own unique features and specs. Let’s discuss a few of these down below.
Integrated Graphics Card
These days, the majority of motherboards have GPUs built in or even the CPU itself. Since many years ago, it has become customary for motherboard makers to integrate a functional, albeit not very powerful, GPU directly into the motherboard’s chipset, eliminating the need for additional hardware. Purchase a motherboard with a basic integrated GPU that can generate an image for your display. In the past six years or so, the CPU has been combined with the integrated GPU.
Because they are free, integrated GPUs are excellent (and hassle-free). Simply connect a consumer-class motherboard and CPU (or purchase a pre-built computer from a vendor like Dell or Best Buy) and presto! You have a place to plug in your display.
As integrated graphics only slightly increase the power consumption of the CPU, they are also incredibly energy-efficient. Also, because of their standardization, you won’t frequently see driver or compatibility problems. On a contemporary Windows computer, everything will simply be handled for you.
Integrated graphics do, of course, have drawbacks. They’re weak, to start. They are not designed for people who perform more demanding activities, including playing games; rather, they are designed for desktop users who read email, browse the web, and write documents. An integrated GPU may delay during a modern game or, even worse, fail to load the game at all.
Also, an integrated GPU shares your Memory pool in addition to all the other resources that the CPU does. This implies that any graphics-intensive work you assign to the integrated system, such as rendering video or playing a recent 3D video game, will use up a significant portion of your system resources, and there might not be enough left over for other tasks.
Dedicated Graphics Card
Performance is a dedicated GPU’s main advantage. A dedicated graphics card features a powerful computer chip called the GPU that is specifically made for processing video as well as RAM that is allocated for that purpose (which is typically faster and better optimized for the task than your general system RAM). This increase in power helps with activities like image processing in Photoshop as well as less noticeable ones like playing video games.
Dedicated GPU cards often offer a wider and more up-to-date selection of video connections than your motherboard, in addition to a dramatic gain in performance. Your dedicated GPU may have additional connectors, such as HDMI, but your motherboard may only have VGA and DVI ports (like two DVI ports, which allows you to easily hook up multiple monitors).
Looks good, doesn’t it? What could be better than much greater performance and more ports? Despite how amazing all of those things are, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The issue of cost comes first and foremost. A midrange GPU can run anywhere from $250-500, and cutting edge models can cost up to $1000 (though they’re rarely worth the price to performance ratio they offer). If all you need is something simple to run two monitors, GPUs based off older designs will run you around $50-100.
Do I Need a Graphics Card or Can a PC run without a Graphics Card?
Well, most PC’s come with integrated graphics, which are more than enough to get the basic things done. So, you can definitely run all the basic programs, even some basic backdated games on the pc with this setup. But if you don’t have an integrated graphics card on your pc, then you can turn it on, but the screen will not show anything.
However, if you have to use professional editing software or anything that puts a lot of pressure on the video compartment, it’s crucial that you get a dedicated graphics card for it. It can handle a lot of pressure and keep everything from heating up as well.
Some of the premium and higher-end models of graphics cards can give you access to many extension ports as well like AGP, HDMI, TV, and multiple monitor connectivity, which might be something that you need for your work. So, the ending is, you can definitely run a pc without a graphics card. (It must have an integrated one anyway)
Uses of Graphics Card Beside Gaming
As you probably know, most people buy these crazy expensive graphics cards such as 3070ti, 3080ti, or any card of that sort mainly for gaming purposes. These are incredibly powerful pieces of hardware that are built to give you the best performance and smooth rendering that you can ask for. But there is definitely great use for a dedicated graphics card besides gaming.
If you are into production, you need a graphics card to support the whole pc hardware. Everything else works together much more efficiently when you use a dedicated graphics card. Also, any type of film making, editing, and photo work require a dedicated graphics card.
However, you should take note that you don’t need to get a monster graphics card such as the 3080ti for editing tasks. It would be a waste of your money. So, if you are not building your pc for gaming purposes, go for a cheaper dedicated GPU. It’ll be more than enough for you to get all of your job done, and will save you from breaking the bank just to overclock your pc with a dedicated GPU that you’ll never even use.
Which Brands Manufactures Best Graphics Cards?
When it comes to dedicated graphics cards, AMD and Nvidia are dominating the market with their top-class pieces of hardware. Both have the reputation of producing the higher end GPUs that you can use on your pc.
Nvidia has the best range of premium graphics cards, and if your budget is very high, then it’s your best bet. Whereas, AMD produces graphics cards that fall under a wider range. So, if you are on a tight budget, you can go for an AMD graphics card without any doubt.
At the end of the day, it’s all about getting what you need for your pc. When it comes to building your pc, spending too much is super easy. So, make sure to do some research before you decide to put your money on the table for your dedicated graphics card.
How to Decide Between Integrated and Dedicated Graphics
The tasks you intend to complete will determine whether you should get an APU or a dedicated GPU. These are some potential graphically demanding tasks for which you should think about using a dedicated GPU:
- Gaming
- Digital Art
- Video Editing
- Photo Editing
- 3D Modelling
- Programming Using Video Assets (Gaming, Virtual Reality, Photography, Videography, etc.)
- Video Effects Rendering
If you intend to perform any of these tasks, you should invest in a dedicated GPU because it will enable you to complete them more quickly and with fewer interruptions.
The following less demanding jobs may not call for a dedicated GPU:
- Word Processing
- Video Streaming
- Spreadsheets
- General Computing
If these are your primary jobs, you probably don’t need a dedicated GPU to complete them without error or interruption. This also applies to other light chores.
FAQs
Is GPU required for a virtual machines?
You can add graphics processing units (GPUs) provided by Compute Engine to your virtual machines (VMs). These GPUs can be used to speed up particular VM applications like data processing and machine learning.
Is 4GB graphics card enough for gaming?
They are sufficient for meeting the higher-than-minimum requirements of the latest AAA titles. In other words, a 4GB graphics card can give you decent medium to high-quality graphics settings on full HD resolution while maintaining a respectable 30-60 FPS.
Does a graphics card increase computer speed?
Graphics Processing Unit is a chip that handles any functions relating to what displays on your computer’s screen. Every computer today has some form of GPU. A new GPU can speed up your computer, but the extent to which it accomplishes that acceleration has many variables.
Is GPU faster than RAM?
A particular kind of rapid memory is utilized by graphics cards (VRAM). Your GPU uses VRAM as a form of cache to hold the substantial amounts of data needed for graphics as all the data stored there is transitory. Typically, VRAM is substantially faster than conventional RAM.
Should I Upgrade Ram or Graphics Card?
Simply, the GPU will be your most crucial buy if you’re creating a PC to play games. Although other elements like the CPU, storage, and RAM can also affect performance, the GPU has the closest relationship to what you see when playing.
Conclusion
As you asked do I need a graphics card for my pc? you should be pretty clear on this right now. As you saw, you can run your pc with high-quality images and video graphics if it has a good integrated GPU.
However, if you use your pc for professional purposes, it’s always a good idea to overclock it with a dedicated GPU. It’ll definitely make a significant difference in the performance and smoothness of the overall thing.
So, a graphics card can never go in vain! It’s Kind of like an investment. Because you have literally no idea about how many amazing opportunities it can create for you!
