The vast majority of PC motherboards have one or more video outputs, usually in the form of an HDMI output. However, we all know that when you have a dedicated graphics card in your PC, you use the video outputs from it and those from the motherboard are disabled, but what if we told you that you can get an extra monitor connected to the PC using the motherboard? base?
All or almost all PC motherboards are designed to have integrated video output, so if the processor has integrated graphics (iGPU), you can use the PC without having a dedicated graphics card. This is the main function of the motherboard having HDMI output, but why would you want it if you already have a graphics card?
The HDMI video output from the motherboard
As we have already mentioned a moment ago, the HDMI video output of the motherboard is used to connect a monitor and have an image on the PC when the processor has an integrated GPU. And this is a requirement , because if the processor does not have integrated graphics, even if the motherboard has an HDMI output it will not work .
So, if you already have a graphics card installed in your PC, you will use the video outputs of it and therefore the HDMI of the motherboard is not used at all… in fact, you will not even be able to connect an extra monitor to this HDMI because as a general rule, it is disabled by default. However, there is a way to take advantage of this HDMI from the motherboard, although not everyone will be able to do it since it is something that depends on the motherboard and the processor you have.
How to use the motherboard’s HDMI to add a monitor
You can do the test: if you have two monitors on your PC, try connecting one to the graphics card and the other to the motherboard’s HDMI, and you’ll see how the one on the motherboard doesn’t work; There are exceptions, with some motherboards it is allowed to configure in the BIOS that it does work even if there is a dedicated graphics card, but be careful with this parameter because it usually has the opposite effect: disable the use of the graphics video outputs. In some motherboards, it is allowed to have dedicated and integrated graphics working at the same time, and both with their video output: in this case, the HDMI of the motherboard will work even if you have a dedicated graphics.
We repeat that you must be careful when configuring this setting, since depending on the model of motherboard you have, it can cause an undesirable effect. If for whatever reason you have been touching this setting in the PC BIOS and you run out of video signal, change the monitor cable between your motherboard and your graphics card because if one does not give you a signal, the other will ( again, as long as your processor has iGPU).
However, in essence, if you have a dedicated graphics card, you will normally not be interested in using the video outputs of the motherboard at all, and really that HDMI will only serve you if, for example, you are having problems with the dedicated graphics and you need to have video signal on the PC to check what is happening to it. However, as we have told you, on some motherboards you can use it to add an extra monitor to the PC.
