Modifications to a prior art system known as video graphics adapter (VGA) for displaying color images on a monitor attached to a personal computer. The modifications provide the following four enhancements to a standard VGA system: (i) user definable border color; (ii) automatic powering down of the digital analog converter (DAC) component of the VGA RAMDAC and monitor sense comparator for LCD monitors when the RAMDAC is not in use; (iii) stopping of the RAMDAC clock for LCD monitors when the RAMDAC is not in use; and (iv) true color support.