Graphics card aka video board
A graphics card also known as a video card or VGA board is a laptop component responsible for creating images on a laptop screen.
In most low-mid range laptops the graphics card is integrated into the motherboard. In other words, it’s a part of the motherboard. If that’s the case, the graphics card is not removable or upgradeable. If the graphics card fails, you have to replace the whole motherboard.
A discrete graphics card can be found in high range models and high end gaming laptops. Discrete graphics cards can be removed and in some cases they are upgradeable.
Here’s another example of the discrete video card in a high end gaming laptop. As you see the video card can be separated from the motherboard.
GRAPHICS CARD RELATED PROBLEMS
You can use the following method for troubleshooting problems related to graphics cards.
Let’s say your display stopped working properly. The image is distorted or garbled. Is this problem related to the VGA board or LCD screen?
Connect your laptop to an external monitor and take a look at the external video output. If you see the same problem as on the internal LCD screen, most likely it’s related to the VGA board. If video on the external monitor works fine and the problem appears only on the internal LCD screen, most likely your problem is related to the LCD screen or LCD cable.
TYPICAL VIDEO CARD FAILURE
Below you can see a few pictures taken from a laptop with a faulty video card.
1. When you start the laptop, the initial screen with manufacturer’s logo is not displayed properly on both internal LCD screen and external monitors. You can see random characters, vertical lines running through the logo, random colors, etc…
2. Same problem appears when the laptop displays the boot menu. The screen is either not readable at all, or there are some random characters all over the image.
3. Finally, the laptop starts loading Windows, but the image on both screens is still garbled.
A problem like that is not related to the laptop screen or inverter board.
Again, if the video card is integrated into the motherboard and it fails, you’ll have to replace the motherboard.
Laptop parts | Repair Man | 
December 26, 2008 2:52 pm
211 Responses to “Graphics card aka video board”
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Pages: « 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 [1] Show All
January 16th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Mo,
You cannot tell what is causing the problem without testing the external video output. That’s could be a bad video card or bad LCD screen.
You’ll have to connect an external monitor and check out the external video.
If it’s the same as on the laptop LCD, most likely it’s related to the video card.
If the external monitor works fine and this problem appears only on the laptop LCD screen, most likely it’s related to the laptop screen.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
My laptop screen does not look like the examples above, but the screen colors are mostly gone and it is very bright. I can still read the black font, but that’s about it. Is this symptom also indicative of a video card problem?
Thanks.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
[...] cable, display cable or screen cable. This cable transfers data signal from the motherboard and video card to the LCD screen. Also, most video cables supply high voltage DC power to the screen [...]
January 12th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
I repair many laptops every week. Most laptops I repair do not have a discrete video card. I can say that most laptops have onboard video card. When onboard card goes south, just replace the main board.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Lola,
No, you cannot. That’s a problem with the LCD screen. Either use the laptop as is with the line or be ready for replace the LCD screen.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Response to Lola.
Question: There is a hair like vertical line running from the top to the bottom.
Can I get rid of the line?
Not likely. It’s a defect in the screen. Buy new screen or use as is.
January 4th, 2009 at 1:17 am
My laptop works fine except the display. There is a hair like vertical line running from the top to the bottom.
Can I get rid of the line?
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 pm
samuil,
Apparently the VGA board is integrated into the main board as I mentioned in the post. Most laptops have integrated video cards.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
i took it apart and cannot anything that looks like vga board. the screen cable plugs into a small connector on motherboard. it mens i have no vga board?
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Mark,
I’ve seen laptops failing like that before. I think you have a problem with the video card.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I have a problem with my display, it’s a Toshiba laptop.
When I turn on the laptop, first I see the Toshiba logo with some vertical lines running through the logo and then it goes to the boot menu (safe mode, VGA mode, etc…) and i see a lot of different characters on the screen. Same happens with external screen.