Think about a mouse, keyboard, or monitor.
You just plug them in & use them immediately.
But If you plug in a Wi-Fi router, it wont start to work immediately.
Because it needs additional configuration by the user.
That brings up a question, how a GPU behaves when plugged in?
Lets dive in to know more about this.
Is a GPU Plug and Play?
Will the external graphics card Plug and Play?
Apparently, to an extent,yes,dedicated video cards arePnP.
You just have to plug in the card in the freePCIe x16 slotof the motherboard.
With proper components, the GPU will work without giving you stress.
If the PSU is insufficient, then it can create an issue ofnot turning on the PC.
For example,RTX 4090has a450WTDP & can consume a lot of power.
Besides the card, your GPU has other components that require power too.
So using a650Wpower supply is not a great idea for that PC.
Well, at this moment, if you think, can you hot-swap a graphics card?
Well,No, you cant & shouldnt have a go at hot-swap the card.
it’s possible for you to risk it for yourself along with the computer.
So how to change a GPU then?
Continue below to know about it.
So, here are the steps to change out a GPU.
Now, if you wonderwhat to do with your old GPU, you canrecycleorreusethe GPU.
But for now, focus on what to do with your new graphics card.
What to Do After Getting a New Graphics Card?
So after upgrading to a newer GPU, you must set up the new video card.
The GPU switch can beNvidia to Nvidia,Nvidia to AMD, orvice-versa.
This puts a question on the table, is it necessary to uninstall the old graphics driver?
And if so, should it be done before installing the new display card?
Generally, it is a good practice to uninstall the old GPU driver before installing the new GPU.
But, it is supposed to do basic tasks only.
Display Driver Uninstaller is an excellent tool for this work.
We have uninstalled the old driver & the monitor is still displaying pictures for the generic driver.
So, can a graphics card work without its own driver?
FAQs
Is a graphics card input or output?
The graphics card is an output gear connected to a motherboard & that shows images on a monitor display.
Can I plug an external GPU into a laptop?
Laptops with thunderbolt 3 ports & above can support eGPU.
Are graphics cards just for gaming?
Graphics cards are primarily meant for gaming.
But the card is also used for productivity works, mining, rendering, etc.
Final Thought
A consumer always prefers to use any rig without extra hassle.
The graphics cards are almost Plug N Play; it just needs installing the graphics driver afterward.
