What is VGA?

Short for Video Graphics Adapter or Video Graphics Array, VGA is a popular display standard developed by IBM and introduced in 1987. VGA provides 640 x 480 resolution color display screens with a refresh rate of 60 Hz and 16 colors displayed at a time.

The term VGA is also used to refer to the component interface that monitors, projectors and computers are equipped with, installing a 15-pin VGA connector in them, designed to transmit analog video signals at various resolutions.

In a short time, non-IBM vendors boosted resolution and colors, calling them “Super VGA” (see SVGA). IBM later introduced XGA (1024×768), and over the years, more resolutions were added that were fractions or multiples of the total number of pixels in VGA and XGA resolutions. See IBM PS/2, screen resolution and XGA.

Although most modern computers are equipped with DisplayPort and HDMI ports, some still have a VGA port for connecting to legacy monitors and projectors.