Graphics Card Decision!

[jam3p]

I ran across a post from last week dealing with this, and you guys seemed to be quiet helpful, so I thought I would pose the same question: what graphics card should I upgrade to?

This is my current setup:

[FONT=&quot]Inspiron Desktop 530 Mini-tower: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E7300 (3MB L2, 2.66GHz, 1066 FSB) [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]500 GB SATA II Hard Drive (7200 RPM) [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 GB DDR2 NON-ECC SDRAM 800MHz (4 DIMMs) [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 supporting HDMI[/FONT]

I'm running Vista 32, but have ordered W7 64.

This is the card I was thinking about: Newegg.com - Galaxy 96GFF6VIFCXX GeForce 9600 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 SLI Supported Low Profile Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

I've seen a few people talk about that card working with the stock Dell PSU, which is a plus. I don't play a ton of games, just wanted to bump up the framerates on WoW, TF2, L4D, etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[thepizzaman]

alright the problem with that is that it will require a six pin..... and know about dell psu's your prolly not gonna be able to do that..... you'd be best off to go down a step and find one without a six pin, something like the low profile 4350 or a 9400 ect.....
or just to goo ahead and get a new case, psu, and gpu

 

[jonny321321]

You can get better prices than that, if u live in the uk try ebuyer.com, but if u want to go for that card as pizzaman says you will need to go down a step to support ur psu! Or you can a build a cheap custom built pc that will support almost all gpus.

 

[jam3p]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I think there's a 6 pin on this PSU, I'll have to open the case again to check, but this forum post seems to think so: Is my 350W Dell PSU powerful enough for a 9600GT? - Page 2 - [H]ard|Forum

If I do go a little lower, I'm thinking Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-R435OC-512I Radeon HD 4350 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Low Profile Ready Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards or Newegg.com - ASUS EAH4350 SILENT/DI/512MD2(LP) Radeon HD 4350 512MB 64-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 CrossFire Supported Low Profile Ready Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

 

[thepizzaman]

you be safer with the 4350 because it only takes 300 watts..... i think the 9600 is about 400 watts

 

[lil domii]

you could get two graphics card for the same price of a good one, and Crossfire or SLI them.


Dom

 

[lil domii]

haha wait, you will need a better psu to run two. sorry

 

[thepizzaman]

haha good try though domi just have a little coffee and you'll be fine

 

[lil domii]

haha good try though domi just have a little coffee and you'll be fine

coffee??? i drink tea and over in england it is 7:30pm! i'll be awake all night with caffeine! <<-----\

 

[thepizzaman]

haha nothing wrong with being awake all night

 

[Everlong]

alright the problem with that is that it will require a six pin..... and know about dell psu's your prolly not gonna be able to do that..... you'd be best off to go down a step and find one without a six pin, something like the low profile 4350 or a 9400 ect.....
or just to goo ahead and get a new case, psu, and gpu

Depends which 9600. There's one without a 6pin power connector, and one that requires one.

 

[thepizzaman]

yea but its still gonna take more power than the 4350
the 9600 uses about 65 watts at peak.......
the 4350 uses 20..... so yea

 

[thepizzaman]

this one should work with your psu to
Newegg.com - ASUS EAH4650/DI/1GD2/A(LP) Radeon HD 4650 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Low Profile Ready Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
and it should be faster than both the others

 

[d3aths3rver]

get a new psu as well - please, I hear people talking so much about upgrading their graphics etc, but when their pc's are turning off randomly they come back to a forum and ask us why, its the power.
Electrolytic capacitors in your psu cant take the heat at peak load for much longer than a year, they will burst, (not if) but when this happens, the current from your outlet runs directly into your pc and destroys all your internal components. there would be a few out there that have experienced this, and blamed it on a power surge. spending an extra $60 USD on a psu upgrade (650watts) can breathe new life for a computer's upgrade potential esp when they (dell - in this instance) give you a 350watt psu and more reliability

 

[thepizzaman]

well his only problem with that is it's a minitower..... meaing he can't get a standard psu..... but if he wanted to upgrade it he would have to get a new case also