{"id":736,"date":"2020-12-13T04:44:25","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T04:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/?p=736"},"modified":"2021-07-30T09:30:23","modified_gmt":"2021-07-30T09:30:23","slug":"do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Do I Need a Graphics Card If I don\u2019t Play Games? Everything to Know in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A graphics card is essentially responsible for generating the images you see on your monitor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is often associated with gaming purposes, but do you need a graphics card if you don\u2019t play games?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>In short, not really.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some things you should know to understand this better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games\/#What_Happens_if_You_Have_No_Graphics_Card\" title=\"What Happens if You Have No Graphics Card?\">What Happens if You Have No Graphics Card?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games\/#Do_You_Need_a_Graphics_Card_for_Gaming\" title=\"Do You Need a Graphics Card for Gaming?&nbsp;\">Do You Need a Graphics Card for Gaming?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games\/#Use_of_Graphics_Card_Other_than_Gaming\" title=\"Use of Graphics Card Other than Gaming&nbsp;\">Use of Graphics Card Other than Gaming&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games\/#Final_Words\" title=\"Final Words\">Final Words<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_if_You_Have_No_Graphics_Card\"><\/span>What Happens if You Have No Graphics Card?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact is that your computer can still function without a graphics card; you just may not be able to see it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, if you\u2019re not playing games or creating 3D work with intense graphics, an old graphics card could work for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is especially true for basic computer usage like Office, watching videos, and surfing the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to say that you don\u2019t need to do anything else, as the computer still requires an iGPU (Integrated Graphics Processing Unit) to display graphics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is possible as the&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pcgamehaven.com\/does-pc-need-graphics-card-not-for-gaming\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CPU can help<\/a>&nbsp;with some of the loads.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, there might be some lagging if you want to play something the CPU cannot render.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t have a graphics card or an iGPU, you can still start your computer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only thing is you will not be able to see anything on the screen, although it is actually functioning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All in all, you would still need an iGPU to render the graphics, even if you don\u2019t have a graphics card.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that it\u2019s relatively easy to find a processor that comes with an iGPU.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most Intel processors even have an iGPU built directly into them, so there\u2019s no need to worry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_You_Need_a_Graphics_Card_for_Gaming\"><\/span>Do You Need a Graphics Card for Gaming?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The only reason people buy a dedicated GPU is to improve their gameplay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, the obvious answer is yes; you do need a graphics card for gaming.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At least, if we are talking about new games that have been released recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure enough, you might be able to play old games just on integrated graphics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But anything else other than those is pretty much off-limits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a graphics card, forget all the latest intensive 3D titles with smooth images and shiny animations!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you want to play battle games with all those various add-ons and mods but still can travel smoothly across the virtual world?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It would be best if you had a good GPU.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to mention the top-tier video games that have only been released without any lags on your shiny 4K screen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These would require an impeccable dedicated GPU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another reason why a graphics card could be important for gaming is that it will enrich your experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you spend a lot of time on your video games, then it is not something to miss.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even just an entry-level model, a dedicated graphics card will perform much better and give you a more immersive gameplay experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, it can provide better driver support for the latest games and applications.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, GPU manufacturers would introduce new drivers to update their graphics cards to work with these more recent games, operating systems, and applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/can-a-gaming-laptop-be-used-for-video-editing\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Can A Gaming Laptop be Used for Video Editing? ABSOLUTELY!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Use-Of-Graphics-Card-Other-Than-Gaming-1024x427.png\" alt=\"use of graphics card other than gaming\" class=\"wp-image-738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Use-Of-Graphics-Card-Other-Than-Gaming-1024x427.png 1024w, https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Use-Of-Graphics-Card-Other-Than-Gaming-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Use-Of-Graphics-Card-Other-Than-Gaming-768x320.png 768w, https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Use-Of-Graphics-Card-Other-Than-Gaming.png 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_of_Graphics_Card_Other_than_Gaming\"><\/span>Use of Graphics Card Other than Gaming&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We have established the importance of having a graphics card when gaming.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While your computer can function just on an iGPU, we still recommend getting a dedicated one anyway.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why? Because you can use your graphics card for other things other than gaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you don\u2019t play games, some activities still require an excellent GPU.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This includes things like video and photo editing, 3D rendering, and even cryptocurrency mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to mention software used for engineering and scientific projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a dedicated GPU will boost all of these activities\u2019 performances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing simple tasks like filtering, transforming, and warping on Photoshop will become a breeze.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, you should note that not all CPUs can support iGPUs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another excellent example of how a graphics card is used other than gaming is visualization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance,&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.akshatblog.com\/advantages-or-benefits-of-having-a-graphics-card-for-your-pc\/#Richer_Gaming_Experience\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAD and 3D programs<\/a>&nbsp;run GPU heavily to drive the viewport.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good GPU lets you rotate objects smoothly and quickly, without any lags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, music production also needs a graphics card to function correctly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without it, you will not be able to view the correct pixels representing the notes and BPM.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will be impossible to use most music production software and applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GPU Compute tasks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GPUs are good for all sorts of computing tasks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some 3D graphics workflows use GPU-based rendering, but there have also been projects in machine learning and statistical analysis that leverage GPU cores to deliver significant computing performance vs. the use of CPU processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Words\"><\/span>Final Words<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, you can definitely use a computer without having a graphics card.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But only if you don\u2019t need one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are not gaming or using graphics-related work like video or image editing, you can get away without having a dedicated graphics card.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or at least, there\u2019s no need to spend hundreds on high-end ones.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A graphics card is essentially responsible for generating the images you see on your monitor.&nbsp; It is often associated with gaming purposes, but do you need a graphics card if you don\u2019t play games?&nbsp; In short, not really.&nbsp; Here are some things you should know to understand this better. Table of Contents What Happens if &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Do I Need a Graphics Card If I don\u2019t Play Games? Everything to Know in 2021\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/do-i-need-a-graphics-card-if-i-dont-play-games\/#more-736\" aria-label=\"More on Do I Need a Graphics Card If I don\u2019t Play Games? Everything to Know in 2021\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_generate-full-width-content":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[138],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/736"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gameranswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}