What graphics card do I have? Here's how to check

One of the most crucial components of a computer is the graphics card, as it determines the performance of the system when executing certain tasks. Furthermore, computers come with various types of graphics cards pre-installed, which makes them differ in functionality.

There may be times when you need your computer to perform a specific task, like gaming or overclocking, and you need to know what kind of video card you have installed. Understanding this will help you gauge your computer's performance in relation to its video card.

There are several ways to check your PC's GPU without having to open up the case, and we'll go over four of the best methods here, along with instructions for how to use each one.

Method 1: Check Your Graphics Card in Task Manager

The Windows Task Manager has a feature that displays your GPU performance. You can use this option to easily view the name of the graphics card in your computer.

Please follow these steps to check your graphics card in the Task Manager:

1. Right-click the Start menu and select Task Manager. You can also press Windows + S, type “task manager” into the search bar, and open the top result.

Step 2: In the Task Manager window, switch to the Performance tab. If you don't see it, click on the More details option to reveal the full Task Manager interface.

Step 3: Click on “GPU” in the left-hand sidebar, and you'll see the GPU(s) running on your computer in the top-right of the page.

Method 2: Check Your Graphics Card in Device Manager

With Device Manager, you can view the names of all hardware on your computer, including your GPU. As such, it's a good way to check what graphics card you have on your PC.

Here's how to check your graphics card using the Device Manager:

Step 1: Press Windows+S, type Device Manager, and click the top result to open it.

Step 2. In the Device Manager window, locate the Display adapters option and double-click on it.

Step 3: Under "Display adapters," you'll see the name of the GPU that's installed on your computer.

Inspect via Device Manager

Step 4: You can right-click on the GPU and select Properties to see more details about it.

Method 3: Use DxDiag

You can use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, also called DxDiag, created by Microsoft to view detailed information about your system, sound card, and graphics card. This tool comes pre-installed on all Windows computers and is used to troubleshoot issues with your computer's hardware components.

Use DxDiag to check your computer's graphics card.

Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run command box.

Step 3: In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, switch to the "Display" tab, then look for the "Device Name" section to see the name of your computer's GPU.

Use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to check your graphics card

You should also find detailed information about your graphics card and its driver here.

Method 4: Use CPU-Z & GPU-Z

If you don't want to do it this way, you can also use third-party software like CPU-Z or GPU-Z to check your video card information.

"Using CPU-Z"

CPU-Z is a free software designed to gather some of the most essential hardware information from your computer. This tool allows you to access detailed specifications about your GPU and CPU. The software is very lightweight, so it runs smoothly on your computer. Here's how to check your GPU with CPU-Z on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Visit the CPU-Z download page and download the program to your computer.

Step 2: Once you have downloaded the installer, run it and proceed with the installation.

Step 3. Go to the Graphics tab at the top of the CPU-Z window. You should see the name of your graphics card here.

Using GPU-Z

GPU-Z is another system utility designed to provide vital information about your video card and graphics processor. It lists a great deal of detailed information about your graphics card, since it was built specifically for this purpose. In addition, GPU-Z supports various Windows versions and graphics devices such as NVIDIA, AMD, ATI, and Intel.

Here are the steps to check your computer's graphics card details using GPU-Z in American English: 1. **Download GPU-Z**: Visit the [GPU-Z official website](https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/), and click the "Download" button to get the latest version for your operating system. Make sure you download from a trusted source to avoid malware. 2. **Install GPU-Z**: Once downloaded, find the installer file (usually a `.exe` file) and double-click to run it. Follow the installation wizard's instructions, agree to the license agreement, choose the installation location, and click "Install" or "Next" to finish. 3. **Launch GPU-Z**: After installation, start GPU-Z from the Start menu, desktop shortcut, or search bar. 4. **View Graphics Card Info**: When GPU-Z opens, it will automatically detect and display your graphics card's details. Key information is typically at the top: - **GPU Model**: The name and manufacturer of the graphics card. - **Core Clock**: The graphics card's core clock speed. - **VRAM**: VRAM type, capacity, and bandwidth. - **Temperature and Power Usage**: Current GPU temperature and power consumption. - **BIOS Version**: The firmware version of the graphics card. - **OpenGL and DirectX Versions**: Supported graphics API versions. 5. **Additional Features**: GPU-Z also offers other tabs like "Sensors" to monitor GPU temperature, fan speed, and power status in real-time. The "Log to file" option can help you record your GPU's performance data. 6. **Save a Report**: If needed, click the "Report" button to generate a detailed text file with all detected information. This can be helpful when seeking technical assistance or comparing hardware. 7. **Exit GPU-Z**: When done, click the "X" in the top-left corner to close GPU-Z. Make sure not to perform any heavy graphics processing while running GPU-Z for more accurate idle state readings.

Step 1: Download the GPU-Z utility from this link and install it on your computer.

Step 2. After installation, run the program and you'll see your graphics card details under the Graphics Card tab.

Using GPU-Z, you can also click the “Search” option next to the GPU name to get more information about your GPU.

Conclusion

There may be times when you need to check your computer's graphics card. If that's the case, there are several ways to check it without opening up your PC's case. One of the best ways to view your computer's GPU is by using the Windows Task Manager, Device Manager, DxDiag, and third-party software like CPU-Z and GPU-Z. We've outlined the steps for each method so you can easily find your PC's GPU.