There are several contexts in which it is important to know what your computer’s video card is: before selling it, to check if it is capable of running a heavier game or software, to compare specifications and so on. If you don’t have this information handy, you can open the system settings and check the details.
Windows has several quick ways to do this. In these screens, it is possible to find the specifications of the integrated GPU and the dedicated card, if there is a model installed in the computer, in addition to updating the drivers to the latest version.
How to know which is the video card (Windows 10 and 11)
In Device Manager
- Open the search bar and search for “Device Manager”;
- Open the software;
- Locate “Display adapters” and open the switch;
- See the name of the video card.
By clicking on the board name, it is possible to access a window with properties and specifications. In the “Drivers” tab, you can search for new versions and keep your computer up to date.
With Task Manager
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager;
- Access the “Performance” tab;
- Enter the “GPU” option to find out the video card details.
Task Manager features two different tabs for computers with more than one GPU.
On the system information screen
- Open the search and search for “System information”;
- In the window, select the “Components” tab;
- Click on “Display”;
- See the video card information.
With the DirectX Diagnostic Tool
- Open the search tool and type “dxdiag”;
- In the diagnostic window, select the “Display” tab;
- Check the name of the video card.
In PC settings
- Open the settings;
- Select the “Screen” option;
- Look for “Advanced View”;
- View details of used video card.
There is one caveat: in this path, Windows only shows the GPU that is currently being used. If you have an inactive dedicated graphics card, it is not shown in the list.
How to find out if a game runs with my graphics card
With the card model in hand, it is easier to find out if the item is compatible to run games on the PC without performance issues. The first tip is to look for the game’s minimum specifications: on this screen, you can see if the GPU is on the list.
However, not all models are mentioned in the game’s specifications. The alternative is to resort to Can You Run It, an online platform that identifies your PC and informs you if everything is ok with the requirements. In addition to the graphics card, the site also collects data about RAM and storage space.
