I'm planning on getting a basic Calculation setup including the following:
- Intel Xeon E3-1220V5:
- Gigabyte or ASUS H170M motherboad:
As you see, none of them have an integrated GPU of any type.
I will use this setup as a server 99% of the time, without any display. Though, I'll need a GUI (gnome or else) for easier installation and sometimes for very episodic use.
My question is, do I really need to install a very simple GPU, or can I run a low resolution GUI for time to time with just the CPU and the motherboard?
51 Answer
This is pretty much what Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 said: all computers ran displays without GPUs until the late 90's. You do not need GPU (or even display adapter) to operate a computer, computers can run without displays or with entirely software rendered displays.
However connecting a physical monitor will require a physical connector to do it, which you will require a display adapter for. Again, as per Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007's comment, many of what consumers consider "graphics cards" contain GPUs, but this is not mandatory - many display adapters, particularly ones designed for servers do not have GPUs.
Based on you saying you want a GUI to do an install, then you'll need a display adapter to be able to connect a monitor - unless you buy a server board instead that has built-in GPU-less or networked display output. You would need a basic graphics card, though it would be easier to just buy a CPU with a built-in GPU (e.g. E3-1225V5 or i5-6600K)
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