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Whether you upgrading your graphics card, or building your first gaming rig, to get your new system up and running you’re going to need to know how to install a GPU.
January is a common time to find yourself knee-deep in tiny screws wondering where it all went so wrong. Whether you found yourself a shiny new graphics card under the Christmas tree or bought one yourself in some New Year deals, many a gamer out there is upgrading their rig as we speak. Fortunately installing a GPU is one of the simpler parts of building a gaming PC and, if you follow the steps below, is actually pretty hard to get wrong.
Before you begin
Before we get to the installation there are a few things you need to make sure you have done before. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is that you need to have taken the previous GPU out of your rig. if you need any help with this you can check out our guide on how to remove a GPU from your gaming PC. You also need to make sure your GPU is compatible with the other components of your rig, this means that it is a suitable size for your PC case and ensures that your PSU will provide enough power for it. Make sure you do this before purchasing the card. If you do need to upgrade your PSU you can check out our list of the best power supplies for gaming.
Step by step
- Find out where in your case your graphics card is going. To do this look for the PCIe x16 slot closest to the heatsink on your motherboard. Make sure there are no cables blocking its way.
- Your GPU will be held in place by screws on the back panel. You’ll need to remove some to make room for GPU. Line the card up with the PCIe slot and remove the 1-2 screws necessary to make space for the card’s metal retention bracket. Make sure you hold onto the removed screws.
- Many motherboards have a PCIe latch that you need to unlock in order to connect a new card. When you have done this slide the card into PCIe slot until you hear a click. Then relock the latch and put back in the screws.
- Many cards also have an additional PCIe power connector, either 6 or 8 pin. However, somee RTX cards from Nvidia pay have larger adapters. It is most likely this will be facing you as you slot the card in. Simply slot the connector in from your PSU.
- Once the GPU has been slotted into the PCIe x16 slot, clipped down, and plugged in with the power cables, now you need to screw the bracket down to the PC case. After that you’re all done and can close your PC case up.
- The final step is software. Whether an AMD, Intel, or Nvidia GPU, you need to install the right drivers and you can download clients to install the right drivers.
Can I install a GPU myself?
Yes, it’s very easy to install a GPU and only requires a Phillips head screwdriver to screw the graphics card to your PC’s rear I/O bracket. By following our step by step guide you’ll know how to do things quickly and properly.
Is it hard to install a GPU?
No, it’s not hard to install a graphics card to your PC. It should only take a couple of minutes.
Image Credit: Nvidia / Corsair
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