Video Hardware, Part 1 - Video Adapter Types
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A monitor requires a source of input. The signals that run to your monitor come from a video adapter inside or plugged into your computer.
The three ways computer systems connect to either CRT or LCD panels are as follows:
Add-on video cards. This method requires the use of an AGP or a PCI expansion slot but provides the highest possible level of performance, the greatest amount of memory, and the largest choice of features.
Video-only chipset on motherboard. Performance is generally less than with add-on video cards because older chipset designs are often used. Although many systems with the LPX design used this type of video, it has fallen out of fashion on recent systems. Mid-range and high-end notebook computers typically use a discrete video chip instead of integrated video.
Motherboard chipset with integrated video. This has the lowest cost of any video solution, but performance can also be very low, especially for 3D gaming or other graphics-intensive applications. Resolution and color-depth options are also more limited than those available with add-on video cards. However, new motherboard chipset designs from video-chipset makers such as NVIDIA (nForce, nForce2, and nForce3 series) and ATI (RADEON IGP) perform significantly better than other motherboard chipsets but still achieve results comparable to low-end add-on video cards. Most low-end and some mid-range notebooks use this type of video instead of a discrete video chip on the motherboard.
Most systems that use Baby-AT or ATX motherboards typically use add-on video cards, whereas the obsolete LPX, the new Mini-ITX, and most current NLX and Micro-ATX motherboards typically use some type of motherboard-based video. Many of the most recent low-cost computers built on the Micro-ATX, Flex-ATX, NLX, or Mini-ITX form factor use motherboard chipsets that integrate video from Intel, NVIDIA, VIA, or other vendors. Systems with integrated video (either with video chipsets or motherboard chipsets that include video) usually can be upgraded with an add-on video card, but some do not include an AGP slot, which is best suited for high-speed video today.
The term video adapter applies to either integrated or separate video circuitry. The term graphics adapter is essentially interchangeable with video adapter because all video options developed since the original IBM monochrome display adapter (MDA) can display graphics as well as text.
 | This chapter is from Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 16th edition,by Scott Mueller. (Que Books, 2004, ISBN: 0789731738). Check it out at your favorite bookstore today. Buy this book now! |
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