Both graphic cards and video cards are important parts of multimedia. Professionals often use both of these cards to make an image appear on the display device.
Because these two phrases mean the same thing from a technical point of view, they are now used interchangeably. People usually ask, “Are graphics cards and video cards the same thing?” However, these are not.
The main difference between a video card and a graphics card is that a video card is made up of a graphics processing unit (GPU) and other parts of the motherboard. The graphics card is made up of the GPU and the RAM.
What is a Graphics Card?
Like the motherboard, a graphics card is a printed circuit board that has a processor and RAM on it. A graphics card, also called a graphic adapter, video card, or display card, determines the computer’s graphic capabilities.
It also has an input/output system (BIOS) chip that runs diagnostics on the memory, input, and output when the computer starts up.
The most common ways to connect a monitor to a computer are through VGA (Video Graphics Array), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), and HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface).
VGA is often used with CRT monitors and other flat-panel monitors. It has a 15-pin D-shaped connector.
Digital monitors like LCD monitors and digital HDTVs use a rectangular connector called DVI. HDMI is a fairly new technology with a small connector that is used in high-definition display screens.
Graphics cards that are built into the motherboard are called integrated graphics or on-board cards. On-board cards, on the other hand, can be turned off so that a powerful graphics card can be put in.
What is a Video Card?
It is a piece of hardware that works with the graphics made by the motherboard and sends them to the display unit. It’s like a circuit board that goes into a slot on a computer’s motherboard.
The monitor plugs into the back of the computer and the video card. The board is made up of a specific electronic circuit with a graphics processing unit, a visual processing unit, and a heat sink to get rid of the heat.
There are also a video BIOS, video memory, RAMDAC, video graphics array, digital visual interface, HDMI, and a display connection on a video card.
At first, video cards were dumb and did nothing but change digital signals to analogue signals. The analogue signal is then changed by a monitor into text or graphics.
One of the most recent changes to video cards is the addition of graphics accelerators, which are like a CPU for a video card.
Key Differences Between Graphic Card and Video Card
| Components | Graphics Card | Video Card |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | A graphics card is basically computer hardware that improves the quality of images, videos, and gaming. | A video card is hardware present within a computer that helps to connect the motherboard with the computer system. |
| Types | PCI-Express, AGP, and Integrated | G-DDR3, G-DDR5, SDRAM, VRAM, WRAM and G-DDR4-SDRAM |
| RAM | The Graphics card has RAM, which improves its performance | The video card doesn’t have a RAM system |
| Supported | Graphic cards don’t have an installation of a computer with them | A video card is very important for the display setting and comes with the computer |
| Purpose | Graphic card is mostly used for the gaming purpose | The video card can be used for multipurpose like editing, controlling speed, display, and editing |
| RAM | Graphic cards consist of a cooling system and RAM, which makes them capable of performing better. | Video cards don’t have their own RAM; therefore, they reduce the RAM memory of the system. |
| Cost | Integrated Graphics Card is cheaper, more compact and have lower energy requirements. | Video card is costlier as compared to graphics card. |
| Improvement | Graphics Card improves picture quality, supports high resolution and 3D effects. | Video Card controls the display setting of the PC system. |
What’s Are the Similarities?
If you read these two descriptions and think they sound similar, you’re right. Both parts work to improve the quality of the images on your computer. The overall look will be better if the video and graphics cards are more powerful.
Today, the terms “graphics card” and “video card” mean the same thing: a piece of hardware in your computer that makes things look good. In that situation, they both mean the same thing. However, there are times when they don’t.
Is gpu and Video Card the Same?
GPU, graphics card, and video card are all terms that mean the same thing. But there are a few things that make them different.
When comparing GPU and video card, the GPU is the main chip on the graphic card, while the video card is a piece of hardware that helps with video-related tasks.
They Both Help Your Computer Look Its Best
If you want to learn more about computers, it can be hard to tell the difference between a video card and a graphics card.
But, as this comparison between a video card and a graphics card shows, there are some similarities as well as some differences.
So, what do you think? Is there something else that sets a graphics card apart from a video card? Please tell us in the section below for comments.
Did you learn anything from this guide? If you did, please take a moment to read some of our other website posts for more guides and tips.
FAQs
What’s the difference between a Graphics Card and a Graphics Driver?
A graphics driver is a small piece of software that lets your operating system talk to your graphics card.
The graphics driver tells the computer how to control the graphics card.
Is a Graphics Card important for a Video Editing PC?
Software like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve need graphics cards that can handle a lot of power.
Which Graphics Card is best, NVIDIA or AMD?
Your workload will tell you which GPU is best for you.
Nvidia is often the best at rendering and professional work, but AMD is thought to be the better deal in terms of performance per dollar, especially for gaming.
Summary of Graphics Card vs Video Card
There are many ways in which video cards and graphic cards are the same. Both of these are important parts of multimedia, and they are what make a computer a multimedia computer.
These similarities make you wonder, “Are the video card and the graphics card the same thing?”
It’s not, though. Both of these are important parts of multimedia, but they do different things.
The main difference between a video card and a graphics card is that the video card sends images to the display unit. A graphics card is a piece of printed circuitry that makes a computer’s graphics better.