Can You Enter BIOS Without GPU?

In this day and age, Computer systems are used across industries and businesses. They are used to manage production,  maintain software programs, manage finances, and keep track of sales among many other things. Big enterprises and investing companies even use PC systems to calculate the odds of loss before spending vast amounts of money.

It is safe to say that computers have found their way into every field and profession. Even the average student or teacher cannot perform the tasks required of them without any kind of PC system.  However, laymen often face problems when they have to deal with technical issues related to system hardware or software programs. After all, they are not experts so they could not be expected to know every nitty gritty about computer systems.

However, if you are going to work with computers, it is better to have a little background knowledge about its working and hardware. So that you can solve insignificant issues on your own without calling IT for help. Some common issues that torment laymen are, “How to install BIOS”, “Can you enter BIOS without GPU” and “How do I need to enter BIOS”, etc. I will answer these questions below in detail. So without further ado, let’s get right into it.

What is BIOS?

The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is a firmware that assesses the condition of the hardware and loads the operating system to ensure the effective functioning of the computer system. It performs the power-on self-test (POST) to ensure the hardware is working at optimum condition. Your BIOS should be compatible with your PC system otherwise your system won’t boot properly and the working of the computer will be affected.

BIOS displays its setup and configuration setting on the screen but without a GPU, nothing can be shown on the screen. A GPU is required to display the BIOS output on the desktop. That’s because only a graphical processor can render its Graphical User Interface (GUI). So without a GPU your BIOS would not be able to display output. 

You can access BIOS, run it, and enable it to display output on the screen if you have a CPU with an integrated GPU. But if your CPU does not come with an integrated GPU, you will have to invest in a dedicated GPU to access BIOS and view its output on the screen.

CPU With Integrated Graphics

Integrated Graphics card is a type of Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) that comes already built into the processor. It can handle simple tasks like web browsing, office applications, video playback, etc. You can also play modern games like Overwatch on low graphics settings with its help. You can check your CPU manual to see if it has integrated graphics or not.

Many competent CPUs offer integrated graphics like Intel Core i9-12900K, AMD Ryzeb 5 5600G, and AMD Ryzen 7 5700G. The Core i9-12900K comes with UHD Graphics 770. Whereas both AMD CPUs have AMD Radeon Graphics. Processors from Intel’s 12th generation i.e. Core i7-12700K, also possess integrated graphics.

The CPUs with integrated graphics can load BIOS and display its output. They do not require dedicated CPUs to access BIOS or display its output. You can enter BIOS through the motherboard’s port if your processor comes with integrated graphics.

How to Enter BIOS With Integrated Graphics Using Motherboard’s Port?

To Enter BIOS with integrated graphics, follow these instructions:

• Restart your PC and press the key that appears on the screen to enter the BIOS setup. The key is different for different motherboards but commonly it is the F12, F10, or Delete button.

• Find the Advanced Setting Option and Select it.

• Look for the Integrated Graphics or IGPU option and enable it.

• Save the Changes and exit the BIOS setup.

Now your computer is ready to enter BIOS through the motherboard’s port and utilize integrated graphics to display the output.

CPU Without Integrated Graphics

If your CPU does not have integrated graphics, you will need a dedicated graphics card to enable your computer to function normally.  Dedicated graphics cards are external graphic cards that can be installed in the graphic slots of the motherboard. They allow the computers to display output on the screen and allow the system to process graphics data at a remarkable speed.

Dedicated Graphics cards provide better performance and allow computers to run modern games on high settings. If you are a professional gamer or programmer, you probably need to invest in a dedicated graphics card because integrated graphics can only run basic and entry-level graphics. However, graphics cards can be expensive, especially high-end ones.

CPUs like AMD Ryzen 5 3500 and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X do not possess integrated graphics. They need to be connected with a dedicated graphics card to run games, play videos, and launch applications. You also need a dedicated GPU to access BIOS if your CPU does not come with integrated graphics support. Without any kind of graphics processing unit, you will not be able to utilize BIOS settings.  

Without a dedicated GPU, your system won’t be able to display anything on the screen. So technically you won’t be able to view the BIOS setting on the screen. If you can’t view anything on screen, you can’t navigate through the BIOS setting and modify the configuration. A GPU, basically, serves as a bridge between your BIOS and display. Without the bridge, GPU provides you won’t be able to access the BIOS setting.

Alternatives to Access BIOS (Without a GPU)

I recommend using a graphics processing unit to access BIOS and display its output on the screen. Both integrated graphics cards and dedicated graphics cards work perfectly fine with the BIOS. However if for some reason you want to access BIOS without GPU, you can try a headless server, WebUI, or CLI over SSH, etc.

Summing Up

A graphical processing unit is required to access the BIOS and display the BIOS utility on the computer screen. It is not possible to view the BIOS setting on the display unless a graphic processor renders the graphical information to display output. Some CPUs possess integrated graphics. These integrated graphics can easily load the BIOS utility for the users.

The CPUs that don’t have integrated graphics require a dedicated graphics card. A dedicated GPU can access the BIOS and improve system performance. A high-end PC often requires a high-quality dedicated graphics card to display realistic graphics and handle a huge amount of workload. Now You are familiar with the functional relationship between a GPU and BIOS. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments.

Sajid Ali