How To Install A Graphics Card In A Laptop
A graphics card is the most essential component of the laptop if you are a gamer or someone who does graphical work. Often upgrading the existing graphics card or adding a graphics card becomes necessary and you must be wondering how you can do that.
The process is pretty easy if you are familiar with both the hardware and software of a laptop. First of all, you have to safely remove the old graphics card from your laptop. Uninstall the old drivers as well before adding your new GPU. Then install the new drivers and you are done with installing a new graphics card in your laptop.
But if you are not really an expert in every field, keep on reading the article to know more details about how to install a graphics card in a laptop.
Installing a graphics card in your laptop: step by step process
Installing new graphics cards on your laptop is not that easy if you are not familiar with both the hardware and the software of a laptop. To make the whole process easy for you to understand, I have described the procedure in several steps.
1. Make sure that the GPU is compatible with the processor
Before anything else, you need to choose the right graphics card for your laptop. While selecting the GPU(graphics processing unit) for your laptop, make sure that the processor of your laptop and the operating system is compatible with the graphics card that you have chosen.
So, as you know one laptop’s graphics card might not be the same as another, so you must ensure what kind of GPU is supported by your laptop. The easiest way of figuring this out is by checking out the specification of your laptop.
Laptops typically feature a PCI Express expansion slot for the GPU. Make sure your laptop comes with this kind of slot so you can add pretty much any GPU to your laptop. You will find the slot right next to your laptop’s CPU.
It’s unfortunate, but if your laptop doesn’t have this kind of PCI slot, then there’s no possibility of upgrading the graphics card, you must make do with the integrated graphics card. Otherwise, changing the motherboard or buying a new laptop is the solution in such a situation.
When it comes to laptops that are old, check whether your laptop has sufficient real estate in order to accommodate the graphics card that you will install. Because these days all the external GPUs require large space. This is especially important for a gaming laptop.
Lastly, check if the GPU that you have chosen supports different types of new peripheral connections like VGA, HDMI, DVI, Display port, etc.
2. Uninstall the old drivers
Having selected the appropriate GPU, it’s now time to uninstall the old graphics card drivers from your laptop. In most cases, the GPU drivers are the culprit behind the failure of a new GPU.
So removing the old drivers is very important before installing the new GPU. I’ve outlined the uninstall process step by step to make sure it can be done without a hitch.
- From the start menu or setting, find the Device Manager on your laptop.
- Click the device manager option and open it.
- You will see an option named “Display Adapter”, double click the option to begin the process.
- By right-clicking on the display adapter screen, you will find an option named “Uninstall device”.
- Then you will be given the instructions and you will have to follow them to remove your old adapter.
- After finishing the uninstallation process, turn off your computer.
It is important not to restart your laptop again before installing the new GPU. Because if you turn the laptop on without installing the GPU, the old drivers will install automatically and cause casualties.
3. Take out the old GPU
Now it’s time to take out the OLD graphics card from your laptop. The process seems easy but to be honest, this will be the toughest part and you will need to be very careful while removing the old graphics card. If you are distracted even for a minute while removing the GPU, you might end up damaging some other component of the laptop.
First, remove any power cable if they are connected to the laptop. Then use a screwdriver to remove all the screws that are holding your old GPU to the slot. Keep the screws in a safe place cause you will need them while putting the new GPU in the slot.
Some graphics cards are attached to the slot using the clip mechanism. In such a case, simply press the clip and take out the graphics card. By applying the same technique, you will have to put the upgraded GPU inside the slot. Don’t even think about applying pressure because it might break the attachment.
Carefully take out the card and place it on a clean and soft surface so it doesn’t get damaged. Now clean the GPU slot and the chassis of your laptop so that when you install the new graphics card, it works fine. You can use compressed air to clean the GPU slot thoroughly if you see an excessive amount of dust on the slot.
4. Install the new GPU
This step needs more attention and expertise than others so you should be very careful. The GPU, the slots, and pretty much all the components of a laptop are very fragile, so while putting the graphics card inside the slots, do not force at all. A simple mistake might lead to damaging your expensive graphics card.
Take the new GPU out of the box carefully and then follow the steps I will mention below carefully. Remember not to rush or force and if you think you are not able to do it, ask for help from a friend or someone who is an expert in this field.
- Gently hold the GPU and put it straight inside the PCI slot.
- Apply a bit of pressure so it sits perfectly on the backplate, but don’t give it a sudden push.
- Motherboards that use a clip system will automatically click and hold the GPU when it sits in the perfect position, a click sound will let you know that it is in the perfect place and locked.
- In case your new GPU is a bit wider than your old one, remove the surrounding panel to make some space.
- Put the screws back in their places if you have removed them earlier.
- Connect if there’s any power cord attached to the GPU and attach the back panel of your laptop.
5. Install the new drivers
Given that you have installed your new GPU successfully, it’s time to turn on the laptop and install the new drivers. Your operating system will automatically detect the new graphics card in the laptop and ask you to adjust the screen resolution and color settings.
If you find the display showing a bit of dim light, click the troubleshoot option to figure out whether you have installed the GPU correctly. Once you have made that sure, install the new drivers. To do that, you can either use the driver disks or download them manually from the internet.
If you have driver disks, simply insert them into your laptop and follow the given instructions on how to install the drivers. And you can also download drivers from NVIDIA or AMD websites according to the GPU model. Once the installation process of all the drivers is completed, it’s time to enjoy the new GPU.
To check the performance you can play a game or do some video rendering or heavy-duty graphical work. You surely will notice a huge difference in both the viewing experience and user experience.
Advantages of installing a graphics card in your laptop
Even if you are not a gamer, you will still enjoy and notice the advantages of installing a dedicated graphics card on your laptop. Though there are many advantages, I will talk about a few so that it helps you with determining whether you should upgrade your existing GPU or install a new one if you don’t have one already.
Better gaming performance
When you install an upgraded GPU inside your laptop, the overall gaming experience becomes way better than before. You get better picture quality and the FPS increases as well. As a result, you can enjoy all the games without any lagging or delay at the optimal resolution.
For hardcore or competitive gamers, a good GPU is a must to play games. Without the help of a dedicated GPU, you can not compete with other people while gaming.
I know skill is a humongous factor in gaming, but a new graphics card will always lend you a hand.
Likewise, graphics designers, animation creators, video editors, etc. people need to make their projects as accurate as they can. A new graphics card helps to identify the colors in a better way. So, the designers can come up with better projects.
Additional Read: FPS drop when laptop is unplugged
Better multimedia performance
When you install a powerful graphics card, the multimedia experience gets better as well. You can enjoy high-resolution videos, movies without any lagging or disruption. You might not be able to play 4k videos with your old GPU or without any GPU, but when you install a powerful GPU, you can easily enjoy 4k resolution movies.
You will need to have a laptop with a higher resolution screen as well to deliver what the GPU is sending. If the display of your laptop is not of high resolution, you won’t be able to enjoy the optimum multimedia quality.
Smooth graphic design work experience
After installing the new graphics card, you can get your work done in less time. Let’s say, previously you needed two hours to complete a short video rendering work; you can get it done within half an hour after upgrading your graphics card.
On the other hand, the editing software will run much faster and you will feel a butter smooth experience while using them. Overall the investment in a new GPU will be worth it.
Increases overall memory
When your laptop does not have an external GPU, the integrated graphics card uses the laptop’s memory to show you graphical content. But when you install an external graphics card, it comes with its own memory capacity.
As a result, the overall memory space of your laptop increases and you can enjoy a better and smoother viewing experience.
But I need to warn you about one thing. The GPU and the other components of the laptop go hand in hand. Even if you get an amazing graphics card, but are falling back, it’ll cause bottlenecking. Also, a stronger GPU means demand for more power. Make sure the motherboard can handle the new chip.
Read More: How much storage do I need in my laptop
Frequently asked question
Is it possible to install a graphics card on any laptop?
Most laptops come with integrated graphics cards, which means you cannot install a graphics card on them. However, you can install a graphics card on some laptops as they are equipped with extra slots.
How do I install a graphics card driver on my laptop?
By going to the device manager, you will be able to install a graphics card driver on your laptop. You can also download the drivers from the internet and also install them using driver disks.
Can I download a graphics card?
No! Downloading a graphics card is not possible since it’s a hardware component. You will have to buy a graphics card and install it on your laptop.
Is it easy to replace a graphics card?
In general, replacing graphics cards is not difficult, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, it can be a little intimidating. Over time, new technologies have made it easier for a random person to replace a graphics card.
How much is a graphic card?
There is a wide range when it comes to the price of a graphics card. Starting from 150 dollars to 800$, even a thousand dollars. You can get a good enough graphics card for under 200 dollars.
Install The Graphics Card Now!
Now that you know how to install a graphics card in a laptop, I hope you will be able to upgrade or add graphics cards to your laptop easily. Just be careful while you are installing the graphics card and graphics drivers- don’t rush the process. Take your time and complete the steps one by one. Be sure to abide by all the installation instructions and it should be smooth sailing.