A graphics chipset powers a graphics card, which interprets graphic signals from the motherboard and sends them to the monitor. Chipsets are identified by model number and manufacturer, and can be designed for different quality demands and input connector options. Graphics cards with advanced features require more system resources and may have their own RAM. Some basic computer configurations include the graphics chipset as part of the motherboard, which cannot be removed but can be disabled to install a new graphics card.
A graphics chipset refers to the circuit structure that powers a graphics card. A graphics card is the device inside a computer that interprets graphic signals from the motherboard and sends them to the monitor, which is connected to the graphics card. On a graphics card, the chipset is the flat part of the circuit board connected to the graphics connectors, which sends images to the computer monitor.
The chipset build is usually identified by model number and manufacturer. Graphics chipset designs can be manufactured to meet many quality demands and input connector options. Some graphics cards can send different images to multiple connected monitors, while others are designed to handle three-dimensional (3D) graphics for movies and games. Graphics chipset manufacturers for graphics cards include Intel®, nVidia® and Advanced Micro Devices® (AMD).
In systems designed to handle high-performance graphics, one graphics card may be large, with a large chipset complete with its own cooling fan to draw hot air away from the graphics card. Both internal and external graphics cards need a graphics chipset to function. An external graphics card often connects via universal serial bus (USB) or Bluetooth®, but may have a tendency to respond slower than an integrated graphics card. External graphics chipset designs usually require less cooling because they aren’t crammed into the case with other hot hardware. Both internal and external graphics cards require a driver built for the right graphics chipset to run the device.
The more advanced a graphics card is, the more system resources it needs to function. To keep the resource requirements of a graphics card from overwhelming the system, some graphics cards are built with their own random access memory (RAM) cards to give the computer’s graphics functions a speed and quality boost. On computers with limited upgradable RAM, a graphics chipset with integrated RAM can open up options for higher quality graphics cards, even on an older system.
Some basic computer configurations include the graphics chipset as part of the motherboard. The motherboard is the main processing chip that handles computer commands. It is generally the largest chipset inside a computer and contains the computer’s main processing unit (CPU) which handles the commands that pass through the computer’s motherboard. Systems with integrated graphics cards on the motherboard often include the computer’s audio functions as part of the motherboard as well. Graphics cards associated with the integrated motherboard cannot be removed when replaced, but they can be disabled to install a new graphics card.
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