How do I know what graphics card I have?
The graphics card is one of the basic elements of our PC. A component with which to obtain images on our monitor, or monitors, whose quality will depend on their technical characteristics. That is why it is important to know what graphics card I have in my PC, in order to adjust the settings of the applications to the available resources.
Since the beginning of computing times, the graphics card has been one of the key pieces of any computer. Depending on this card, we can demand more resources and higher quality graphics from the games we use, as well as take advantage of the resolution offered by the monitor to which that graphics card is connected.
That is why it is so important how to know the graphics card of my PC, since the more powerful it is, the more we can raise the requirements of the applications that we are using. Something that will also help us assess, in the future, whether based on these characteristics it is convenient for us to opt for a new graphics card or not. To solve the mystery, there are several methods that make it easy to find out which is my graphics card, both through physical, logical or software solutions. By the way, you should be clear about the answer to ‘how to know the operating system of my PC’, as it will be the first thing you need to start the investigation.
on Windows
Since this is the most used operating system at the moment, it will be the first to which we are going to pay attention. So, if you are wondering how to know my graphics card in Windows 10, we are going to give you the answer. In this operating system, we have a tool that allows us to see the characteristics of the installed devices called Device Manager. You can open it by pressing the Windows key and X at the same time, selecting the Search option and typing its name in the box.
At the moment, a tool opens that simplifies how to know the characteristics of my PC in Windows 10, offering data on the processor, the graphics card and the rest of the product’s components. This same tool is also available in other versions of Windows, so if you are wondering how to find out my PC features in Windows 7, you can also use the same procedure. In the different listings, you will have information on the model of the graphics card, the processor and other components. So it is also a good solution if you are wondering how to know what network card I have or what are the other devices included in the computer.
As an alternative to this system, you can resort to some software that covers these needs. Among them, there are some proposals regarding how to know the graphics of my PC, among which are programs like SANDRA or Aida 64. These tools load all the information of the operating system, as far as its components are concerned, offering you the themselves in a clear and simple way.
By the way, since we are talking about software, we also have the possibility of using the card manufacturer’s own drivers or software to see its model. Somewhat useful for standalone cards, but not so useful for motherboard-integrated products.
under linux
When it comes to how to know what graph I have under Linux, things get a bit complicated. In this operating system, there is no common device manager like Windows, which makes it easy to view my PC’s features conveniently. For this reason, our first recommendation would be to resort to solutions such as Hardinfo. This software is similar to AIDA 64 and offers us a large amount of information related to the devices on our PC, just like the ones we have mentioned before.
As an alternative, we can use OpenGL to know the model of that graph. Just type the glxinfo command in the terminal and instantly see the model of the graph. A process that we can also execute through the drivers installed on the board, mainly in the Nvidia and AMD suites.
On Macs
One of the advantages of Mac computers is their closed approach. So just take a look at the specific characteristics on the Apple website of the model you are using to know, almost with total certainty, what graphics card it includes. However, if this idea does not work, there are always alternatives on how to know the graphics of my PC under Mac systems.
Specifically, we are talking about the system report, where all the technical parameters of the product are indicated, in the manner of the Windows device manager. To access this tool, we just have to click on the menu, go to the About this Mac section and in the window access the System Report or System Report. The information we are looking for is in the Hardware – Graphics / Graphics section.
on Android
Although Android computers have a small market share, beyond mini PCs (in this link you will find several products to analyze) and some low-end laptops, we did not want to forget this in our article. However, there is not much to comment on either, since to find out the graphics card that we have on our Android device, it is best to resort to external applications such as AnTuTu or CPU-Z.
We can also know the graphic system indirectly, searching the network for the device’s SoC and analyzing its characteristics in parallel. A system similar to the one we have discussed for Macs.
opening the box
As a last option, because it is the most cumbersome of all, when it comes to how to know which is my graphics card, there is the possibility of opening the PC case. This solution is suitable for almost any type of equipment. All you have to do is unscrew the cover and take a look at the graph to see, printed on its structure, what the brand and model of the product are.
This system has the drawback of not being useful for all laptops, since these computers have an architecture in which access to the graphics card can be complicated. So in case you have one of these products, it is best to resort to the solutions that we have already mentioned. An alternative when learning how to know what graphics card I have.
