Video card with a heatsink
The video chip in a computer can be located in two places, depending on the components of the system. If the system uses a video card, the video card is essentially the video chip. However, if a computer uses an integrated video solution, meaning the video chip is built into the motherboard, then the video chip is part of the northbridge chipset. A motherboard contains chipsets, which are processors that help it to process information exchanged between components. A motherboard can have a northbridge and sometimes also a southbridge chipset, so named because of their relative location on the motherboard.
Instructions
1. Open the computer case to gain access to the inside of the computer. This procedure will be different for each computer model. Refer to your owner's manual for detailed instruction on open the case.
2. Locate the video card. The video card is a long computer board running horizontally across the motherboard. Some video cards have their own processor, which could be labeled as the video chip. The location is identifiable by the heatsink present on top of the processor. The heatsink is basically a square made of metallic fins, and it is most likely located towards the center of the card.
3. Locate the northbridge chipset. If the computer uses integrated graphics, the video chip is part of the northbridge chipset. The northbridge chipset is found on the same location as the heatsink, in the middle of the motherboard. There may be another chipset/heatsink present lower down on the motherboard--this will be the southbridge chipset.
Tags: video chip, northbridge chipset, video card, card video, card video card