In Windows, how can I find out what chipset my video card is using without opening the case?

Choose from the options below to verify the chipset of your video card through the operating system:

• Read the startup messages:

  Some video cards will identify themselves on-screen when your computer powers on. Restart your computer and pay close attention to the information on the screen while it boots. The start message may appear for a very brief period of time; therefore, you may need to restart several times to see information about your video chipset. Additionally, this information may not display on every computer, and in some cases where it does, it might not be verbose enough to tell you the actual chipset; it might identify only the brand and model.

• Use Device Manager:

  In Windows, assuming the correct driver is installed, you can look in Device Manager and see the list under "Display Adapters". However, this may be inaccurate, since Device Manager receives information directly from the driver, not from the hardware's BIOS. Also, it may be only superficially descriptive; for example, there are many different ATI Rage Pro variations, but "ATI Rage Pro" may be the only text you see in this list.

• Check the Display Properties:
  
  
  1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize (Vista) or Properties (XP).
  2. Click Display Settings (Vista) or Settings (XP).

     You may see the name of the card here. If you do, use that information to look up the specific chipset, if it is not identified already. If you do not see the card name, click Advanced Settings or Advanced, then the Adapter tab. These panels also receive information from the driver rather than the hardware's BIOS; therefore the information may be inaccurate.

• Use the Direct X Diagnostic (DXDIAG) tool:

  Direct X comes with diagnostic tools that can identify the installed video card. To launch DXDIAG:

  1. In Vista, click the Start button, type dxdiag in the search bar, and press Enter.

     In XP, from the Start button, select Run... . Type dxdiag and click OK.

  2. The DXDIAG panel will open. Click the Display tab.

  Your video card's name and chipset will be identified in this panel. When you're finished, click Exit to close the panel.

• Install benchmarking or third-party diagnostic software:

  Programs that run performance or diagnostic tests must properly identify the hardware they are testing. Many benchmarking and diagnostic programs are available on the web, and most of them should identify the video card somewhere in the results they produce.

• Install a 3D game or game demo:

  Many graphics-intensive computer games have video card requirements. Commonly, these games will run diagnostic tests in their setup or configuration routines that clearly identify the video card. Many games offer a free demo you can download so you don't have to pay any money to do this test. But like Device Manager or any other software methods of detecting the video card, this method is subject to inaccuracies from mis-installed or incorrect drivers.

• Use a manufacturer's software or web site for identifying system configurations:

  Some manufacturers provide pages or small programs that attempt to determine the current hardware configuration of your computer. For example, on Dell's support page, you can download an ActiveX applet that determines your current configuration, which can help you:

  • Compare your current configuration to the original configuration
  • Determine what drivers you may need to download, since any given system has several choices available for a given component

  Check your computer manufacturer's web site for similar offerings.

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