How a Graphics Card Works

A graphics card, outside of the computer processor, is the real work horse of the computer system. The graphics card controls the quality of the images the computer displays, how crisply a movie plays or how bright a photograph looks on screen. This article will explain how a graphics card works in order to get those images looking great.

Step 1 - Understand the Components

Every graphics card has 3 components:

1. Video Chip Set: The chip set is what creates the signal, which is then sent to the screen to create the image.
2. RAM: There are several kinds of RAM that a graphics card can have and it represents the maximum memory on the graphics card. An AGP graphics card may use the memory present on your computer.
3. RAMDAC: This is a chip that converts digital and analog signals. If you are using a flat panel monitor then you don't need a graphics card that has a RAMDAC chip.

All computers process graphics with graphics chips on the motherboard which do the same job but not as well. A graphics card is added to a computer to conserve memory and processor functions.

Step 2 - Gathering the Information

The first thing that occurs is when you input data into an application. The data is being collected and sent directly to the graphics card where it is collected and stored in the memory buffers.

Step 3 - Graphics Card as a Translator

The graphics card reads the data that is collected from the application and begins to translate that information into workable data which begins to form an image. Once the images have been processed and created from the pixels on screen, the graphics card has to maintain the image. The images that the graphics card has created are stored within the graphics card. This is done by streaming the information obtained through the memory of the graphics card. This is where your RAM comes in on the graphics card. The information is stored in the RAM until the computer processor calls for it to be shown on screen. The more RAM you have translates to the amount of graphics that can be processed at one time.

Step 4 - The Monitor

Once the graphics card is given the data through the computer by way of an application it is sent to be stored in the RAM. When you call for the data it is released through the processor and RAM of the graphics card. The pixels of the monitor are then formed to create the image. The processor of the graphics card continuously feeds the RAM data which transforms the data to pixels which appear on screen.