ARCHIVED: What are the different types of PC graphics cards and monitors?

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Over the years, PCs have used a variety of different monitors and video cards. Graphics cards and monitors are described by the following characteristics:

Number of pixels: A pixel is a single dot displayed on a screen. Most screen images are made up of hundreds of pixels. Adding more pixels to the image makes the image more detailed. A screen image is usually described with two numbers. The first number is the number of pixels across the top of the screen, and the second is the number of pixels down the side of the screen.
Number of colors: Graphics cards are limited in the number of colors they can display. The oldest monitors could display only two or four colors. Currently, 256 colors is the minimum for most systems. Numbers of colors above 256 are usually described by how many computer bits are used to store the color in memory. 16 bits can store more than 65,000 colors, while 24 bits can store more than 16 million colors.

Listed below are some of the more common graphics cards and monitor standards for PC computers:

SVGA (Super VGA): One of the more popular labels placed on video cards and monitors. A SVGA card or monitor is capable of displaying more pixels (dots on the screen) and/or colors than basic VGA. For example, an SVGA graphics card may be able to display 16-bit color with a resolution of 800x600 pixels.
3D Acceleration Cards: These cards include specialized hardware that speeds up the process of displaying three-dimensional images on the screen. They are usually designed to work with an SVGA monitor.
VGA (Video Graphics Adapter): Currently the base standard for PC video cards and monitors. True VGA supports 16 colors at 640x480 pixels or 256 colors at 320x200 pixels.
XGA: A standard used on some IBM PS/2 models. XGA supports 256 colors at 1024x728 pixels, or 16-bit colors at 640x480 pixels.
EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter): Following CGA, an adapter that could display 16 colors with a screen resolution of 640x350 pixels.
CGA (Color Graphics Adapter): The first color monitor and graphics cards for PC computers. Capable of producing 16 colors at 160x200 pixels.
MDA (Monochrome Display Adapter): A monitor or graphics card that can display only one color. No longer in common use but may be found on some older systems. Usually supports only text.
Hercules Graphics Card: A card that enabled a PC to display graphics on a MDA monitor.

You can find more information about PC video display standards at:

  http://www.pcguide.com/ref/video/std-c.html