Have a new graphics card but don’t know how to install it? We got you covered. In this article, we will walk you through all the steps required to remove your old GPU, install a new video card, update your drivers, and start playing.
We will also inform you of all the precautions to be taken before, during and after the installation process.
Hopefully this guide will help you feel confident installing your new GPU, even if this is your first time doing it.
- Make sure your computer and power supply can support the new graphics card.
- Turn off your computer and remove your old graphics card.
- Physically install the new video card
- Turn the computer back on and install the new video card drivers.
- Ready to go
Installing a graphics card – step-by-step process
- Make sure your computer and power supply support the new graphics card
- Turn off the computer and remove the old graphics card
- Install the new graphics card Physically
- Restart your computer and install new graphics card drivers
- Everything is ready to go
Ensure that your system supports the new GPU
Luckily, most graphics cards these days don’t require a lot of power output – they’re optimized to use less power, which is great because nine times out of ten, your current power supply will support whatever new graphics card you buy.
However, you should always check if your PSU can provide enough power for your new GPU. If you have a particularly low power PSU, you may run into some problems.
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There is a tool online from Cooler Master that can tell you how many watts your PSU will need to run a specific hardware setup. Before we get into how to use this, you need to check the wattage your PSU actually has.
Unfortunately, if you don’t already know this, it means that you will have to open your own business to look. But no problem, it is good to get to know the inside of your PC, because you still have to crawl inside to install a new graphics card. If you already know your PSU wattage, you can skip that and move on to the calculator below.
Determining the wattage of your PSU
Learn about power source in watts
Turn off your computer. Remove the screws from the side of the computer and remove the side panel. You should be greeted with something similar to this.
The area highlighted in red is the power supply. It will have a label indicating the wattage of your PSU. Remember this.
Calculate Power Source Usage
Power Supply Usage Calculation
Then visit Cooler Master PSU Calculator . You need to enter all the details of your equipment, including fans. This includes your processor, RAM, fans, liquid cooling, and the GPU that you plan to purchase or install. Drop-down lists can be used to select equipment.
You can find information about the processor and memory by opening the start menu and searching for and then opening dxdiag.
Other hardware, such as hard drives and fans, can be visually assessed by looking at the inside of your PC. If you don’t know the exact size of the fan, don’t worry, just do a rough calculation as fans will not require a lot of power.
Once you have entered all your information, you can click the Calculate button to get an estimate of how much power your system needs. In most cases, a 500, 600 or 750 W power supply is sufficient.
Remove your old graphics card
Now that you’ve checked if your graphics card can be supported by the power supply, it’s time to remove the old graphics card.
Note. If you don’t have a graphics card yet, you can skip this step. In any case, we advise you to read it so that you can get to know your computer.
Turn off your computer first. For added safety, unplug the power cord from the computer to prevent power from flowing through the computer.
Then open the side panel of your PC. Take a look at the images below – they will show you the various elements of the graphics card that you will need to interact with in order to remove it from your system.
Marked above (1), you can see the video card power cable. This needs to be disabled. Press down on the clip and then remove it from the graphics card. If it won’t budge, make sure you tighten the clamp. This clip holds the power cord securely in place. The image below is provided for your reference.
Now that the power cord is unplugged, it’s time to unscrew the graphics card from the motherboard’s I / O. As shown below (2), the graphics card must be secured with one or two screws. A standard Phillips or flathead screwdriver will work here.
The last step is to grab the video card and pull on the clip that secures it to the actual video card slot. This is called a PCI-E slot. The image below is provided as an example.
Your graphics card will be inserted into this slot, but will not come out until you press down on the clip and then slide the graphics card out of the slot. In the image below, the clip itself is marked with the number 3.
After completing these three steps, your graphics card will be removed and it’s time to install a new graphics card.
Installing a new graphics card – the step-by-step process
The next step includes the same steps as in the previous section, but in reverse order. First, you must align the PCI-E component (4) on the graphics card and insert it into an available PCI-E slot on the motherboard. Once again, you must press down on the clip so that the video card can safely enter it.
After that, your graphics card will be inserted into the motherboard. The next step is to take the screws and screw the new card to the motherboard I / O. This will help keep the GPU safe. The image below shows the area where the screws should be screwed.
The last step is to grab the power cable and plug it into your new graphics card. Below is an example of the area on the video card where you want to install the cable.
Keep in mind that not all graphics cards are created equal. Some, like this one, require a six-pin cable. Some require a 4-pin and some even need an 8-pin. If you cannot find a suitable cable from your power supply, check your graphics card box for an adapter.
If you can’t find an adapter, you can search online and buy from places like Amazon and Ebay. However, in most cases, you should already have everything you need.
So, this is a short description of how to connect a new graphics card. Use the checklist below to make sure you took the correct steps before turning on your computer.
- Is the graphics card securely inserted into the PCI-E slot?
- Is the power cable securely plugged into the graphics card?
- Is the graphics card screwed to the motherboard I / O?
Install new graphics card drivers
Now that you’ve physically installed your graphics card, it’s time to install the new graphics card drivers. Your graphics card may have a CD-ROM. If so, you can use that and skip the steps below.
Installing drivers for the AMD card
To install AMD card drivers
Go to the support page AND and find your graphics card model.
Once you find it in the search box, click Submit. On the next page, click the “+” next to the operating system that suits you.
After that click Download. Once the installer has downloaded, open it up and walk through the installation step-by-step process.
Installing NVIDIA Card Drivers
To install NVIDIA Card Drivers
Go to the GeForce Drivers Download Page . Use the search tools on this page to find your graphics card model. Once you’ve found your model, click Search.
Once your search is complete, scroll down and click on the first GeForce Game Ready driver.
On the next page, click the Download button. Once the driver installer is installed, open it and follow the installer’s step-by-step instructions.
A few final notes: your display may flicker, turn on and off during installation. Don’t worry, it’s okay. After the installation is complete, you should restart your computer before playing games or using your computer. Enjoy!
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