How To Remove GPU From The Motherboard [Explained]

Having trouble removing the GPU from the motherboard? You’re not the only one. Many people get a little scared while removing the GPU from the motherboard, and that too for good reasons. Therefore, to help you out, we have decided to create a guide in which we are going to explain how to remove GPU from the motherboard.

Key Takeaways

• GPUs need to be removed when they are ill-functioning, or they need to be upgraded.
• Integrated graphics cards can not be removed, while dedicated graphics cards can be removed. 
• Removing GPU from the motherboard is not too difficult or risky if it is done properly.
  

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You can not take your PC to the shop every time you need to remove the GPU from the motherboard. Because of this, it is important for you to learn about how you can do it yourself. This way, you will save time and money. 

Getting inside a PC after so long could be very messy. Possibly, there would probably be a house of spiders, in the literal sense, if you are opening it after so long.

But once you are inside your PC, you see a bunch of electrical components. Every component, including the wires, have a specific purpose. You would not want to do any wrong, and would not want to mess with the already set settings, would you? 

What Is A GPU?

A graphics card, commonly known as GPU, is one of the most important components of a PC. This card’s purpose, in the most straightforward way, is to increase the video and image quality.

It produces a feed of output pictures to display, including a computer monitor, laptop, or mobile. Graphics cards, as the name suggests, are for the graphics. For video editors, gamers’ graphics of good quality matter a lot.  

Graphics cards come in different sizes, shapes, and RAMs. The graphics cards have a comparison unit called RAM. The more RAM of a graphics card, the better it is. It might be 8GB, 4GB, or 16GB. Depending on the RAM, the price and sizes of GPUs vary. 

Why Do We Remove GPU At All?

If you’re upgrading to a newer model or need to free up some space in your case, maybe you’ll have to remove the GPU. Or maybe you’re troubleshooting a hardware issue and need to isolate the problem by removing all other components. In any case, this procedure is comparatively easier and only requires a few steps.

How To Tell If GPU Needs To Be Changed

If you’re a heavy graphics user, you’ll need to monitor your graphics processing unit (GPU) closely. Over time, as you use more demanding applications and games, your GPU will start to show its age. The following points are the signs that your GPU needs an upgrade:

1. Your games started to stutter or lag.
2. The quality of your graphics started to degrade.
3. You’re experiencing more screen tearing.
4. Your GPU is running at or near its maximum temperature.

Hence, if you come across any of these signs, understand that it is time to start shopping for a new GPU. Don’t wait too long, though, as an outdated GPU can affect your gaming and work performance.

Dedicated Vs. Integrated GPU

It is important to remember that GPUs come in two forms; integrated and dedicated. Integrated GPUs are a part of the CPU, and they can not be removed in any way. On the other hand, dedicated GPUs are a separate component, and you can remove and replace them. 

Dedicated GPUs come in different shapes and sizes. They are more powerful than integrated GPUs and are attached directly to the motherboard. 

How to Remove GPU From The Motherboard

Now that you know every little information about the GPUs, let’s see how to remove them from the motherboard.

The GPU is placed on the motherboard on the  PCIe x16 slot. This is a connector where a graphics card lies. 

To unplug, or safely remove your GPU, follow the below steps.

1. First and foremost, turn off your computer. Do not open the PC when your computer is ON. This might be very dangerous for you. Hence TURN OFF your computer first.
2. Now unplug the power supply cable from the backside of your PC. Sometimes, your switchboards are short-circuited and might send the current even though they are physically turned off. 
3. Once you have safely turned off the power supply connections, you can now move on to opening your PC. 
4. Your PC will be very dirty from the inside, filled with dirt. Clean it up.
5. Now L=locate your GPU; as mentioned earlier, it will be there in the PCIe x16 slot. After locating it, unplug any cable connected to it.
6. To unplug the cable, press onto the plastic clip at the upper beginning of it and push it outside. Your GPU will disconnect from the wire.
7. To take the whole GPU out, you will need to untighten it first. Get your screwdriver and untighten your GPU.
8. Furthermore, in order to remove your GPU, you must first depress a small retention clip that is underneath your GPU on the right side of the PCIe x16 slot.
9. Now, pull the GPU slowly, and it should come off from the motherboard. 

It seems a bit tricky to do it without the one who knows it professionally. But believe us, it is pretty easy. There is a hobby out there in the name of PC-making in which people make their PCs on their own. 

Conclusion

This marks the end of our guide. Hopefully, you know how to remove GPU from the motherboard. The steps given are profoundly the same for all the PCs. Having said that, the sizes and shapes of GPUs may vary, but the procedure of removing the GPU remains the same overall.