An external graphics card is a device that can be plugged into a computer, typically designed for use with laptops, to provide graphics output to that computer. There are two basic types of devices called external graphics cards. The former provides a way to connect two or more monitors to a single computer. The other type is a device that can be plugged into a computer, to which a graphics card can be attached or installed and provide graphics processing for that computer.
A graphics card can be used to improve gaming performance.
One of the most common types of external cards is a device that can be plugged into a computer, allowing that computer to connect to multiple displays or monitors. These cards are used for a number of different reasons, usually to create computer workstations where someone can use a program on one monitor while viewing other information displayed by the computer on another monitor. This type of graphics card can also allow the user to have their computer connected to a monitor they are viewing, while also connecting to a larger screen for others to see what they are doing for demonstration or seminar purposes.
The benefits of this type of external graphics card are that it’s usually fairly inexpensive and can be useful for users with a graphics card that doesn’t naturally support multiple monitors. Because these types of devices are usually connected to a computer through a universal serial bus (USB) port or similar connection, there is often a bottleneck in the signal. This means that the data sent through this type of system is limited by the USB connection, so these devices are not really used as external graphics rendering systems.
However, some manufacturers offer an external graphics card that is actually used to render and display graphics for a computer. These devices are usually rarer than the other types and are also a bit more expensive due to the functionality they offer. This type of graphics card usually serves as a container for a separate graphics card that can be installed on it.
The device is then connected to a computer, usually a laptop, and serves to process graphics data for that machine. A separate graphics card is usually required with this type of external graphics card, adding to the cost of this system. These devices typically connect to a laptop through a fast Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCIe or PCI-E) connection, which eliminates the bottleneck of USB connections and allows the graphics card to effectively play even graphics very detailed.
