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If, for example, I had an All-in-one computer with an open PCI Express 2.0 slot, would installing a low profile graphics card affect the display on the built in display, or would I only be able to run games, etc. on the display port attached to the dedicated card.

(I'm looking at this and basically want to know if I can upgrade from the integrated graphics card in the future.)

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Yes the acceleration of a graphics card is tied to its output.

If you put a more powerfull card into a computer but you don't change where the monitor is connected to it will provide no benefit.

In your example if you put another GPU in, you have to be able to connect the output of the new card to the builtin display otherwise it will continue to use the integrated graphics. That may be possible with machine you linked to but its not obvious from the specs. You should find out definitively before you buy it.

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If the add-on card had the same sort of connector as the built-in display then it could be possible to connect the display to the card and use that instead. Otherwise, the add-on card cannot be used for the display (it could probably still be used for e.g. CUDA though, or an external display).

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  • h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/… That is the motherboard in the computer, I'm unfortunately not a hardware expert by any stretch of the imagination so I don't know if there's anything there that indicates compatability, but this is the card I want to put in it, I think the part attached by the wire at the top plugs in to the mobo somewhere. tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/…
    – WarrenB
    Sep 2, 2010 at 7:13
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If i remember right, once you install a graphics card, it supersedes your built-in display. All graphics and rendering then is taken care of by the graphics card. Which means its responsible for everything from displaying windows to running games. So yeah, you can upgrade from the built-in card anytime! :)

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  • It's not as simple as that. Look at the machine he's linked to. Sep 2, 2010 at 5:47
  • The custom build options let you add a graphics card, the one they let you add is a slim profile PCI Express 2.0 and the specs for the base build state an open PCIe2 slot, and examination of the computer at my local Best Buy doesn't seem to show any place for an expansion to poke out. I just wanted to make sure that this was actually the case before I buy it.
    – WarrenB
    Sep 2, 2010 at 5:51

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