UPSB v3
Off-topic / Help buying a graphics card
-
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 05:47:15
so yeah like, im decent with computers and hardware shopping and everything, but uhm, i reaaally don't know how to do this >>
i have a gigabyte 945GCM-S2C, and i've been using onboard graphics for awhile but my family ran into some nice extra cash so my mom's buying me a monitor and a graphics card, and i really need some help:
1) figuring out what's compatible and whatnot
2) understanding technical specifications
3) understanding price ranges
4) understanding necessity
so yeah i'd really appreciate some help with this.
oh, and im planning on buying this:
Monitor
objections? -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 06:47:51
look whether your monitor supports
AGP or PCI-express
then look at your power supply wattage for +12v rails
this will determine what kind of cards u can buy -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 07:26:28
you mean my motherboard?
gigabyte says:
Expansion Slots
1 x PCI Express x16 slot
1 x PCI Express x1 slot
2 x PCI slots
soooo pci express x16? but newegg differentiates between pci express, pci express 2.0 and pci express 2.1 and idk which one >>
aaand the power supply... i really dont know what you mean >< -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 20:20:00QUOTE (Shadowserpant @ Apr 11 2010, 08:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>you mean my motherboard?
gigabyte says:
Expansion Slots
1 x PCI Express x16 slot
1 x PCI Express x1 slot
2 x PCI slots
soooo pci express x16? but newegg differentiates between pci express, pci express 2.0 and pci express 2.1 and idk which one >>
aaand the power supply... i really dont know what you mean ><
How much are you willing to spend? Focus more on the graphics card if you want a hardcore gaming experience.
Power Supply/PSU is the "little box" inside your pc
, look to the top left or bottom left hand corner inside your tower. It supplies the power to the system. But if not powerful enough, it will die lol. If you get a new graphics card, a really good one, and you have, say, a 500 Watt PSU, it's not going to last you, it will heat up A LOT, and will result in crashes and harm to your PC. When I got my GTX 260 Graphics Card, i hat a 500 Watt PSU and it died, also melting the top of my case 
. So I advise you, seriously, if you want to upgrade, check your PSU wattage, if it is below 550W or near there, GET A NEW ONE. Also check your amperage rails.
And thats a HELL of an expensive monitor! you can get the top range gfx cards for that xD.
So first things first:
1. How much money are you willing to spend.
2. Are your specs good enough, also give me your CPU model. (Otherwise if the cpu is not able to supply enough juice to the gfx, it will bottleneck the graphics card, not letting the gfx card reach its full potential.
Send me these details in PM or whatever.
.
Hope I helped!!!
-
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 20:35:40
well id rather post here so other people can help if they have input
i dont think i can afford a new power supply >>
and i think mine's only 485W but im not sure
i really dont have money, and i dont need anything ridiculously good, thats what im trying to figure out. cant i get something decent with a low power supply? -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 20:44:34QUOTE (Shadowserpant @ Apr 11 2010, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>well id rather post here so other people can help if they have input
i really dont have money, and i dont need anything ridiculously good, thats what im trying to figure out. cant i get something decent with a low power supply?
wow.. your psu isn't supposed to be that tall
Could you take a picture further away please? Much appreciated!
And there are graphics cards on the mid range that are fairly cheap ^^. But as with mid range graphics cards, mid range psu's are also cheap
if your psu is 450W
I mean you could get the Nvidia GeForce GT210 for $50! -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 20:51:53
your psu is weaksauce, as expected as it is the component which is most wrongfully cut to save costs, yet it is one of the most important components on a computer
I think 8600GT is about the best you can do, 8800gt would be pushing it. -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 20:52:18
$50, but what is it capable of? thats what i really dont know...
im not trying to play crysis or anything, you know?
um, did i get the right part?
and uh im looking at newegg now and they have psu +video card combos, and most of the psus are better than mine and the combos are under $100 which is PERFECT, but i still have no idea as to the potency of the cards
examples:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDet...st=Combo.364448
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDet...st=Combo.364456
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDet...st=Combo.364486 -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 20:57:18
just buy this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...3-105-_-Product
or a 9600GT -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 21:09:45QUOTE (Shadowserpant @ Apr 11 2010, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>$50, but what is it capable of? thats what i really dont know...
im not trying to play crysis or anything, you know?
um, did i get the right part?
Spoiler:
and uh im looking at newegg now and they have psu +video card combos, and most of the psus are better than mine and the combos are under $100 which is PERFECT, but i still have no idea as to the potency of the cards
examples:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDet...st=Combo.364448
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDet...st=Combo.364456
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDet...st=Combo.364486
Ahh... you took the picture at a diff angle, i see now, yeah, if anything get the last of those 3 links, and Zombo said to buy a 9600GT . I disagree xDD , my friend used to have a 9600GT, wasn't in the slightest pleased with it, and the core, and shader clocks suck.
I also used to own an 8600GT, it was good for its time, but with the games tight now it doesn't stand a chance. get the "GT" series, don't go for an ATI card.
search for GTS 250, or GT 220 in amazon, see what floats your boat.
And the $50 is cable of really good stuff xD. Will run crysis too. -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 21:16:23
any examples of games these cards could play and couldnt, so i could gauge what i need?
and i dont really know what you mean by the core and shader clocks, could you explain? because that card's only $50, and the review talks about fallout 3 which sounds like more than enough for me, i think..
and what about video rendering and stuff like that?
GTS 250 looks too expensive -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 21:36:29QUOTE (Shadowserpant @ Apr 11 2010, 10:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>any examples of games these cards could play and couldnt, so i could gauge what i need?
and i dont really know what you mean by the core and shader clocks, could you explain? because that card's only $50, and the review talks about fallout 3 which sounds like more than enough for me, i think..
and what about video rendering and stuff like that?
GTS 250 looks too expensive
Its really good with video rendering, exporting, stuff like that, but it will run all of the game nowerdays...
Try the 9800GT -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 21:39:14QUOTE (.:ReM0RsE:. @ Apr 11 2010, 05:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Its really good with video rendering, exporting, stuff like that, but it will run all of the game nowerdays...
Try the 9800GT
the 9600 or 8600 is not the best
but 8800 or 9800 will barely run on his computer due to the PSU
its not really clear from his stats his max amps for +12v, but I would think at least 26a or 30a minimum -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 21:46:44
well the one zombo posted still looks good so i'd like to know what the objections are to that one
btw thanks both of you for all the help, i really dont want to mess this up -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 21:55:27QUOTE (Shadowserpant @ Apr 11 2010, 11:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>any examples of games these cards could play and couldnt, so i could gauge what i need?
and i dont really know what you mean by the core and shader clocks, could you explain? because that card's only $50, and the review talks about fallout 3 which sounds like more than enough for me, i think..
and what about video rendering and stuff like that?
GTS 250 looks too expensive
I actually can not think of any games which the 8600 GT Zombo linked to would not be able to run. You will be able to play Modern Warfare 2 on some medium to high settings with it depending on the CPU you got.
The game developers really haven't pushed the graphics in PC games much in recent years.
Also have a look at this. -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 22:02:15
okay, well, im leaning towards the 8600 GT right now. and you're sure it'd be okay with my current psu?
hm im going somewhere now so ill bb in a bit, also, side question, does CAT6 = Ethernet? -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 22:05:43
8600gt is a dated card, about 5 years old, so your psu should handle it no problem at all
15A on the +12v is enough, which you have -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 22:10:47QUOTEI also used to own an 8600GT, it was good for its time, but with the games tight now it doesn't stand a chance. get the "GT" series, don't go for an ATI card.
CPU could bottleneck an overly good graphics card since the computer itself doesn't look like it was meant for gaming. budget price Core2Duo?
If you're thinking price and only price [careful, it's a month old]
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-g...ard,2569-2.html
65$ = Radeon HD4670
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002O0KVJO/ref=as...ASIN=B002O0KVJO
if the power supply can hold (research this) the HD4850 is a great card for its sub100 price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814102824
and to prove i'm not an ATI fanboy, the GT240 is hot. I think all these cards are low power = no plugging in the PSU to the card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814133306 -
Date: Sun, Apr 11 2010 22:35:22
I have a 8800 GTX running on a 420W or 450W. Not sure.
-
Date: Mon, Apr 12 2010 00:06:55QUOTE (Ktk @ Apr 11 2010, 03:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
CPU could bottleneck an overly good graphics card since the computer itself doesn't look like it was meant for gaming. budget price Core2Duo?
i believe so, actually
i really cant tell the difference between all these choices anymore >> but i really dont want to get fucked over by my psu or cpu somehow -
Date: Tue, Apr 13 2010 08:32:04
so unless anyone can tell me otherwise, im going to go ahead and buy my monitor and the 8600 GT zombo suggested
-
Date: Tue, Apr 13 2010 18:39:05
Yeah, but PSU's are cheap, i would advise getting a new one. I wouldn't get an 8600, very, very old now. The GT 240 is nice, it should run fine on your currrent PSU, I'm just advising to upgrade that PSU, to avoid overheating, and crashing.
-
Date: Tue, Apr 13 2010 19:14:47QUOTE (.:ReM0RsE:. @ Apr 13 2010, 02:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yeah, but PSU's are cheap, i would advise getting a new one. I wouldn't get an 8600, very, very old now. The GT 240 is nice, it should run fine on your currrent PSU, I'm just advising to upgrade that PSU, to avoid overheating, and crashing.
he doesnt ehave enough money to buy a gpu + psu