Graphics Card Help

[Q]

Neither do I. I thought that I'd throw that out there, though.

 

Nvidia is going to introduce a new series of low-to-mid-line DX11 cards before too long, so I believe that prices on older Nvidia DX10 cards (especially the G92 models like the 9800/GTS 250) are about to tank.

[HockeyGoalie35]

i read up the specs on the gigabyte 9800. it works for me and im thinking about getting it

[ForeverNight]

if you have a micro center nearby check them out, I picked up a BFGtech GeForce GT220 for ~$60 (I think it was like 64 after tax or something like that) I have no complaints about it and you've gotta love their warranties. Especially since they're still gonna honor them despite exiting the GPU market, iirc.

[Q]

The GT 220 is less than half as powerful as a 9800GT.

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

Speaking about PSU's and their relation to GPU's...

 

My Dell XPS410 desktop is starting to approach elderlyness. I purchased a new PSU and a GTS 250 about a year ago for it, after the death of my 7900gs VRAM. These sat around doing nothing (and are now in my HTPC) after realizing that Dell loves proprietary design PSU.

 

The PSU that came stock will do ~375w. I would much rather have around 500w and then run a better GPU on this PC (as Q noted a few posts earlier, the BFG 210 I have now is low grade, like its pal the 220).

 

Yes, I have looked around, but it just seems that decent PSU options for this brick are hard to come by. Anyone got a source for Dell sized PSUs?

[Q]

That Dell won't take a regular ATX? I was pretty sure that the XPS 410 would.

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

It will not fit... the shape and size are wrong... I feel that I could have used it, but it would have fit poorly and I wasn't really sure how to secure it. It is not a standard ATX psu... it is actually a BTX mobo, which is another reason I will never buy another pre-built.

[Q]

Everywhere online, people say that it takes a standard ATX PSU. Is the housing too big, or something?

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

Everywhere online, people say that it takes a standard ATX PSU. Is the housing too big, or something?

It is waaay to big. I have done that same search, found the same results, which led to the purchase. After the fact, I went back to Dell tech and bitched, which led to the link I was looking for (and that should have been easier to find).

 

Bottom line, it would probably be workable, but I cannot mount it securely as nothing lines up correctly. I would either need an adapter or customize one, which would still leave me needing to mod my case for the fan to blow through a hole and not a wall

 

I would like to beef up this PC's GPU from the 210 512mb that is in there now... a decent card, but it cannot handle ME2 nearly as well as I would like.

[Q]

Then the simplest solution would be to migrate the entire computer to a $20 Rosewill case from Newegg that can house a standard PSU.

 

Me, I'd just mod the case.

[HockeyGoalie35]

in theroy. for a card that needs a 450W power suply, would it run ok on a 430W?

[Q]

Almost certainly. The manufacturers tend to exaggerate how much power a card will need to avoid potential problems.

[HockeyGoalie35]

Ok! Gigabyte 9800gt is ordered and should be here next tuesday. wish me luck!

[Q]

Cool. The difference will be night and day.

[HockeyGoalie35]

Good, thats what i like to hear. right now, i have most my games(quality games like Assasin's creed, Supreme Commander and Modern Warfare 2) on medium-low settings....hopefully that will change

[HockeyGoalie35]

ok, card came, was a tight fit, but it preforms awesomely! thanks for all the help!

[Astrotoy7]

Great news HG35

 

The difference you'd notice between the 9800 and the 8500 are quite HUGE

 

mtfbwya

[HockeyGoalie35]

yea, for example, with the 8500, halo 2 was VERY laggy (not because of internet connection). i just played last night, and i was 2nd place on the server.

 

oh and also, the WU are getting completed a LOT faster! 7 in one night!