A graphics card also referred to as a graphics processing unit (GPU), is a circuit board that resembles a small motherboard version. Most laptops have either NVIDIA or AMD graphics cards, which are two competitive brands for graphics cards. The Graphics card is the sophisticated part of a laptop that delivers performance. Therefore, if your laptop has a great graphics card, it will deliver excellent performance.
To upgrade the graphics card for your laptop, you’d have to replace the motherboard. This could expose your laptop to extensive damage. Laptops nowadays come with graphics cards that are joined to the motherboard. The easiest way to upgrade a laptop graphics card is to get a new laptop with a better graphics card.
Types Of Graphics Cards
There are two types of graphics cards; integrated and dedicated graphics cards. An integrated graphics card is built on the CPU chip. Dedicated graphics have their memory and are not joined to the CPU.
Integrated Graphics Cards
While integrated graphics have had the downside of not having enough power for tasks like gaming, modern technology has come to discontinue this disadvantage. The technology has gone ahead to combine GPU and CPU to deliver excellence in gaming.
Integrated graphics cards have a great reputation when it comes to low-resolution games like Minecraft, which can be well enjoyed with the integrated graphics card. These graphics cards are perfect for slim laptops and are found in many slim laptop designs.
Dedicated Graphics Cards
Dedicated graphics cards are perfect for video editing, animation, and gaming. They are powerful and can handle complexity and 3D. These graphics cards also carry another advantage, in that they can be bought separately which means that they can be upgraded and it is easy to keep up with the fast-evolving technology. They also feature their own cooling system.
The downside to dedicated graphics cards is that they are expensive compared to integrated graphics cards. To get a dedicated graphics card working well on a laptop, you need a powerful CPU, with equal power to the graphics card.
For a great graphics card for GTA 5, see these options on amazon:
Related: Is there a graphics card with VGA port?
What Is An External GPU and How Does It Work?
An external GPU is a GPU that is outside a laptop and works to boost a laptop with weaker inbuilt graphics. It is connected to the laptop via either ExpressCard port or thunderbolt. The external GPU delivers a better performance during laptop tasks like gaming, but not as good as you’d get if the external GPU was built into your laptop.
What Is the Deal Breaker With External GPUs?
It’s not always that an external GPU will deliver a mind-blowing improvement to your gaming experience. Sometimes, you might be disappointed to find no significant improvements. Here’s why; some laptop models do not have a processor/ CPU, powerful enough to handle an external GPU, and they, therefore, end up with little or no improvement in the gaming experience. This failure is experienced mostly with older laptop models.
Tips To Improve Graphics On Laptop
If your laptop cannot handle an external GPU and the graphics card cannot be upgraded, you can improve your gaming experience by working with what you already have. Improving laptop graphics can be achieved by:
- Maintain a routine laptop checkup
- Clean your laptop professionally regularly
- Do not let your graphics drivers become outdated. Update them automatically.
- Activate windows 10S gaming mode
- Check if your internet connection has a reliable signal when gaming online
- Close background apps when gaming
- Optimize the power settings
Related: How to make a laptop fast
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What To Do To Keep Your Laptop Cool When Gaming
Preventing your laptop from overheating when gaming is an essential way of caring for your laptop and protecting it from inevitable damage. While it is common for laptops to overheat when gaming, this is not an issue to throw under the rug. This is what to do to keep your laptop from overheating when gaming:
- Clean your laptop fans often
- Ensure that all laptop drivers are updated
- Use a laptop cooling pad
- Close background programs
- Run games that your laptop can sustain
Related: Everything there is to know about loud laptop fan
Conclusion
It is not possible to upgrade the graphics card for most laptops. Most laptops have integrated graphics cards that are attached to the motherboard, which makes it hard to upgrade without taking apart the entire motherboard. The difference between integrated and dedicated graphics cards is their attachment to the motherboard. The integrated graphics card is joined to the motherboard while the dedicated graphics card is independent, which makes it easier to upgrade.
If you are unable to upgrade your laptop’s graphics card, you can improve the graphics on your laptop to make your gaming experience better. Caring for your laptop when gaming means you need to prevent overheating, do regular maintenance and ensure updates are done on time.