The graphics cards come with at least one HDMI port so that you can connect a monitor or projector to it. The latest graphics cards have more than one port for versatile connections.
The second HDMI port comes in handy when you want to connect a second monitor or a projector and a monitor. However, if your graphics card has only one HDMI port, then it can be quite tricky to connect a secondary display device. Still, it is not the end of the road.
You can use the HDMI port that is located at the back of your motherboard. There are certain things you need to check before plugging your secondary monitor to the motherboard HDMI.
This is a quick DIY guide to help you enable your motherboard HDMI for connecting another display device.
Step 1: Check for Integrated Graphics in your CPU
Before enabling motherboard HDMI, first check if your CPU has integrated graphics. The HDMI port on your motherboard does not run from the GPU, but rather from the integrated graphics. There are multiple methods to confirm this.
The simplest method is to access the Device Manager and check the Display Adapter menu to see if your CPU has integrated graphics.
Another method is to find the processor model and get the information online. For this,
Open Settings and select System. Then, click on About. You will be able to find the processor model. Alternatively, you can right-click on My Computer or This PC and select Properties. Here also you will be able to see the processor model.
Using the model name, search on Google to see whether it has integrated graphics or not.
Step 2: Enable Integrated Graphics in BIOS
After confirming that your CPU has integrated graphics using any one of the above methods, then you have to enable it in BIOS. To do this, follow the steps specified below,
Restart your PC and press any one of the keys – F1, F2, F8, F12, Escape, and Delete. Doing this will open the BIOS. You will find the exact key in the manual of your motherboard
The interface of the BIOS will be different for different motherboard models. The BIOS contains all the important settings of your PC. So, you have to be careful while navigating through the BIOS screen so that you don’t unknowingly modify any other settings.
Locate the Advanced tab or section on the BIOS.
Now, search for IGPU and Multiple Display settings. Ensure that this setting is enabled. This will activate your motherboard HDMI.
After this, save the changes and hit Enter to confirm the new settings.
Restart your computer to activate the new settings.
Step 3: Connect to your New Monitor
After enabling your motherboard HDMI, you can connect the monitor to the HDMI port. Here are the steps to connect two monitors to the CPU.
First, plugin the primary monitor to the HDMI port located on the back of the video card. Then, plugin the secondary monitor to the motherboard HDMI.
Next, plug the other end of the HDMI cables to the respective monitors. After making the connections, your PC will automatically detect the two monitors.
Then, you will have to configure the display settings. Right-click anywhere on the Desktop screen of your primary monitor and select Display Settings.
The Display Settings menu will open. You can configure the settings related to the monitors as you desire.
Step 4: Install the Integrated Graphics Driver to its latest Version
In some cases, the secondary monitor will not be detected even after enabling the motherboard HDMI and configuring the display settings correctly. The reason for this can be due to the driver for the onboard graphics not installed or outdated. In such cases, you can install or update the driver by following the steps below,
Search for Device Manager in the Windows search bar and open it. Now, under the Other Devices section, look for an unidentified device.
Then, visit your CPU manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers by searching using your CPU model. Alternatively, you can also let your PC search for the latest driver. The other option is to use Check for Updates native feature in Windows to find and download the latest driver.
Once you have downloaded the driver, you can run the setup and install the driver by following the on-screen instructions.
After this restart your computer to save the changes. When the computer turns on, the secondary monitor will be detected.
Influence on Performance of Dedicated and Integrated Graphics
If you don’t have any free ports on your dedicated graphics card, then you can utilize the motherboard HDMI port to connect an extra device. An integrated graphics solution uses a lot of power and memory with the GPU to view information. This produces a burden on the CPU and system memory which can lead to high latency in APIC Timer interrupt transmissions.
The dedicated GPU can easily access image data using the discrete graphics cards with memory. The same can not be said for embedded graphics. They can not extract image data as they do not have a reliable memory collection. However, they use the device’s memory to extract the image data.
If you unplug the secondary monitor while playing a game, it will increase the FPS (Frames per Second). The onboard graphics will enter sleep mode. You can plug the monitor back after your gaming session.
Advantages of Using Motherboard HDMI
The most obvious benefit of using motherboard HDMI is to connect multiple display devices. If your graphics card does not have a second HDMI port or if both the ports are used, then the motherboard HDMI can come in handy for connecting another monitor.
There are several advantages in using a second monitor. It creases your work efficiency and productivity by allowing you to multitask.
When it comes to gaming, you can use one monitor for the game interface while the other monitor can be used to keep a track of your hardware and RAM use. You can also browse online and open web pages containing gaming tips and tricks to give you an edge.
As the latest games come with high end graphics, a single graphics card will not stand up, forcing you to use two cards. In this case, a second monitor will speed up the phase allowing you to afford slight performance effects. Your PC will have more VRAM for supporting high-resolution textures in games.
Drawbacks of Using Motherboard HDMI
The primary drawback of using motherboard HDMI to connect a monitor is that you will not play multi-monitor games.
Moreover, if you are not a gamer or do not use high end 3-D software, using a second monitor with the motherboard HDMI will not be the right option. Instead of that, you can buy a motherboard that supports several graphics cards including the power supply for the multiple cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can look for the technical specification of your PC on the box or search for it online using the model number. Under the “I/O Ports”, the HDMI port will be specified as input or output port.
Go to the BIOS setup and locate the Advanced tab. Now, search for IGPU and Multiple Display settings and enable them to active the motherboard HDMI. Save the changes and hit Enter to confirm the new settings. Finally, restart your computer to activate the new settings
Check your motherboard to see if it has different VGA outputs or HDMI cable. If it has, then your motherboard can support dual monitors. Using dual monitors can improve multitasking, workforce, and productivity.
The motherboard supports integrated graphics CPUs and can run without an external graphics card. But, the motherboard HDMI port will not work with a CPU that does not have integrated graphics.
Conclusion
If you have any queries or doubts, let us know using the comments section. My team will help you out. You can also post your opinions on the comments box.
