Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: yo1mcool on May 01, 2008, 08:21:23 PM

Title: Upgrading my Video Card + RAM.
Post by: yo1mcool on May 01, 2008, 08:21:23 PM

Hey guys! (first post, woot)

I currently have an XPS 410... specs:
- Vista Home Premium (32 Bit)
- 2Gig RAM
- Intel Core 2 Duo 6300 1.86GHz

Current Video Card - NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
- PCI Express (64-Bit)

I was hoping to find a new card... somewhere around $100-200. (+ or - a few dollars)

Any help you guys can give would be great, thanks!

Some that I have been looking at...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143130 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143130)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121224R (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121224R)

Title: Re: Upgrading my Video Card.
Post by: D3m0sth3n3s on May 01, 2008, 08:56:36 PM

I have the 9600gt and its been working great for me since i put it in, no hassles and an easy install

Title: Re: Upgrading my Video Card.
Post by: BC_Programmer on May 02, 2008, 12:11:26 PM

hey wanna buy a hercules monochrome graphics adapter. they pwn anything.
Well, except color. But come on! Color is SOOOOO yesterday! face the wave of the future!
Who needs 3d graphics when you can display TEXT! yes, thats right, the HGC has the much touted TEXT display mode. Display your reports in super high 80x25 text resolution! Amaze your friends!

WARNING: ensure friends have trouble distinguishing color for maximum effect.



Besides, sometimes you have to take a step backward(or 300) to move forward.


Alright, ANYWAY....
I can't really suggest anything better then what you already have. I don't personally play any super new games (I've been playing games so long I started noticing repetition in themes and story).
Right now I'm using a GeForce FX 5500OC AGP.

What exactly are you trying to do? What games do you play? These are all important factors! Of course, any newer card will help, the question is simply which will help more, and that banks heavily on your answers to these questions.

Title: Re: Upgrading my Video Card.
Post by: yo1mcool on May 04, 2008, 08:10:18 PM

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

Would love some more advice though, thanks.

To answer BC...

I plan to be playing mostly World of Warcraft, and maybe a little COD4. I hope to play on almost max settings.

Title: Re: Upgrading my Video Card.
Post by: Calum on May 05, 2008, 05:43:59 AM

A 9600GT or 8800GT would do you fine.
I have the latter myself and it's a great card.  It'll max out WoW easily enough, as will almost any modern card, and should max out CoD 4 easily too.
However, make sure your PSU can handle it - can you tell us what it says on the side?  it may not have enough wattage and/or amps to handle a shiny new card.

Title: Re: Upgrading my Video Card.
Post by: yo1mcool on May 05, 2008, 02:52:59 PM

I'm still pretty new to the whole computer parts and upgrading thing... so thanks for all the help.

I opened up my case and it tells me: DC Output - 375 Watts

I'm thinking about picking up this baby:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318

Will my PSU allow that card?

Also, if you don't mind... Crucial.com tells me that my Dell XPS can support these RAM types.

Quote

Each memory slot can hold DDR2 PC2-4200, DDR2 PC2-5300, DDR2 PC2-6400 with a maximum of 1GB per slot.*

Could you recommend me 2 x 1Gig sticks?

Title: Re: Upgrading my Video Card + RAM.
Post by: Calum on May 06, 2008, 11:08:14 AM

I wouldn't chance a powerful graphics card with a 375W PSU.
However I do have that exact card and it's great, it seems to be a new revision with a quieter, more efficient cooling setup.
What speed RAM do you have at the minute?