Suggested Video cards for upgrade.

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 07:21 PM

I have a compaq computer with a AMD Sempron 3400+ processor, 2 ghz speed, 512mb ddr ram, and MSI-Amethyst-M mother board and only have the factory integrated video card. Only want to spend about $100. Do a lot with videos and would like to get into some xbox-360 quality gaming on my pc. Any suggestions would be great.

**emosun** · 03-27-2008, 08:18 PM

Welcome to tsf. You should add more ram to that pc if you want some decent play out of it, at least a gig or two. Also for 100$ you won't really get xbox360 quality out of the pc but should get some decent ps2 quality. Could you please post the make and model compaq?

**FreoHeaveho** · 03-27-2008, 08:22 PM

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NVIDIA-POV-790...QQcmdZViewItem

If your motherboard and psu can handle it. $100.

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emosun

Welcome to tsf. You should add more ram to Could you please post the make and model compaq?

Presario SR1620NX is the model. I have been thinking about more memory also can you suggest anygood ones for that. Thank you for the welcome.

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfellla

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NVIDIA-POV-790...QQcmdZViewItem

If your motherboard and psu can handle it. $100.

I can manage to spend a little over $100 hundred if you guys think its needed. Most every computer iv'e ever owned i just took out of the box and used it never really upgraded one. And my PSU is 250 w

**emosun** · 03-27-2008, 08:29 PM

Yea what we'll try to do is find a video card that won't require a power supply upgrade as 250w is very low. And we'll also try to squeeze some ram into the budget.

**emosun** · 03-27-2008, 08:40 PM

I was thinking an 8600 256 but I'm not sure about that card with your psu , what do you think bigfellla?

Also your pc uses ddr pc3200 with supposedly two 256mb sticks. I'd hop on ebay and try to find a deal on one 1024mb ddr pc3200. Your pc supports 4gb.

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emosun

Also your pc uses ddr pc3200 with supposedly two 256mb sticks. I'd hop on ebay and try to find a deal on one 1024mb ddr pc3200. Your pc supports 4gb.

Yeah i have looked on ebay for memory and found deals on there can i get two matched 1gb and add them to the two 256mb i have now? Does it matter witch set i should put in the blue/black slots.

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 09:09 PM

I was thinking an 8600 256 but I'm not sure about that card with your psu , what do you think bigfellla?

I was also looking in between the 256 cards and the 512 i have been considering switching out the power supply. Witch card do you think would be good for what i want to do with it.

**emosun** · 03-27-2008, 09:16 PM

Well right now with your psu your looking at low/midrange cards. The 8600 256 is the best you could really do with that psu.

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 09:25 PM

I looked on ebay at some bigger power supplies and there not all that expensive or am i just looking at crappy ones. Can you suggest one and are they easy to change out?

**FreoHeaveho** · 03-27-2008, 09:35 PM

Power Supply Information and Selection

**emosun** · 03-27-2008, 09:35 PM

Sure ill see if i can fit maybe a vga and videocard together , whats your maximum maximum budget , every bit helps. And yes you were probly looking at crappy ones. There not very hard to change out

Carson1219 · 03-27-2008, 09:43 PM

Well i make pretty good money but its convincing the wife that i need these things. I'm kind of thinking mid to high range maybe would like to have a couple hundred in it when i'm all said and done

**emosun** · 03-27-2008, 09:45 PM

good that means we got a bit of play room because 100$ was pretty tight.

zaknafein72 · 03-28-2008, 07:11 PM

If you're considering running an nvidia 8600gt on a 250w psu, I would not recommend it-- my computer started crashing days after I put one in my rig running on a 300w psu. After installing a 430w antec, the crashes stopped and now the system runs like a dream.

zaknafein72 · 03-28-2008, 07:18 PM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371005

Should run an 8600gt just fine. Antec makes good psu's, and the earthwatts line has good quality and high efficiency. Only 30$ right now.

**emosun** · 03-28-2008, 07:40 PM

Helped him in msn and he's going for a thermaltake 430w , good suggestion tho :) We also found ram on ebay , still deciding on the card but looks as if he may go for an evga 8600 512mb ddr3

03-27-2008, 07:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Carson1219 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southwestern iowa Posts: 24 OS: Win XP My System	Suggested Video cards for upgrade. I have a compaq computer with a AMD Sempron 3400+ processor, 2 ghz speed, 512mb ddr ram, and MSI-Amethyst-M mother board and only have the factory integrated video card. Only want to spend about $100. Do a lot with videos and would like to get into some xbox-360 quality gaming on my pc. Any suggestions would be great. Last edited by Carson1219; 03-27-2008 at 07:29 PM. Reason: Additions

03-27-2008, 08:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Welcome to tsf. You should add more ram to that pc if you want some decent play out of it, at least a gig or two. Also for 100$ you won't really get xbox360 quality out of the pc but should get some decent ps2 quality. Could you please post the make and model compaq? __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

03-27-2008, 08:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
FreoHeaveho TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 3,226 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 SP2, Windows XP Professional SP3, Mac OSX Leopard My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NVIDIA-POV-790...QQcmdZViewItem If your motherboard and psu can handle it. $100. __________________ PC Wizard-VGA 2009 Charts-Power Supply Info-Multi/Single Rail PSU?-Speedfan-Driver Sweeper

03-27-2008, 08:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Yea what we'll try to do is find a video card that won't require a power supply upgrade as 250w is very low. And we'll also try to squeeze some ram into the budget. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

03-27-2008, 08:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. I was thinking an 8600 256 but I'm not sure about that card with your psu , what do you think bigfellla? Also your pc uses ddr pc3200 with supposedly two 256mb sticks. I'd hop on ebay and try to find a deal on one 1024mb ddr pc3200. Your pc supports 4gb. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

03-27-2008, 09:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Carson1219 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southwestern iowa Posts: 24 OS: Win XP My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. I was thinking an 8600 256 but I'm not sure about that card with your psu , what do you think bigfellla? I was also looking in between the 256 cards and the 512 i have been considering switching out the power supply. Witch card do you think would be good for what i want to do with it. __________________ Thanks, Chris Whitehill

03-27-2008, 09:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Well right now with your psu your looking at low/midrange cards. The 8600 256 is the best you could really do with that psu. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

03-27-2008, 09:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
Carson1219 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southwestern iowa Posts: 24 OS: Win XP My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. I looked on ebay at some bigger power supplies and there not all that expensive or am i just looking at crappy ones. Can you suggest one and are they easy to change out? __________________ Thanks, Chris Whitehill

03-27-2008, 09:35 PM	#12 (permalink)
FreoHeaveho TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 3,226 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 SP2, Windows XP Professional SP3, Mac OSX Leopard My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Power Supply Information and Selection __________________ PC Wizard-VGA 2009 Charts-Power Supply Info-Multi/Single Rail PSU?-Speedfan-Driver Sweeper

03-27-2008, 09:35 PM	#13 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Sure ill see if i can fit maybe a vga and videocard together , whats your maximum maximum budget , every bit helps. And yes you were probly looking at crappy ones. There not very hard to change out __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

03-27-2008, 09:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
Carson1219 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southwestern iowa Posts: 24 OS: Win XP My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Well i make pretty good money but its convincing the wife that i need these things. I'm kind of thinking mid to high range maybe would like to have a couple hundred in it when i'm all said and done __________________ Thanks, Chris Whitehill

03-27-2008, 09:45 PM	#15 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. good that means we got a bit of play room because 100$ was pretty tight. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

03-28-2008, 07:11 PM	#16 (permalink)
zaknafein72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 136 OS: xp	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. If you're considering running an nvidia 8600gt on a 250w psu, I would not recommend it-- my computer started crashing days after I put one in my rig running on a 300w psu. After installing a 430w antec, the crashes stopped and now the system runs like a dream.

03-28-2008, 07:18 PM	#17 (permalink)
zaknafein72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 136 OS: xp	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371005 Should run an 8600gt just fine. Antec makes good psu's, and the earthwatts line has good quality and high efficiency. Only 30$ right now.

03-28-2008, 07:40 PM	#18 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,096 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Suggested Video cards for upgrade. Helped him in msn and he's going for a thermaltake 430w , good suggestion tho :) We also found ram on ebay , still deciding on the card but looks as if he may go for an evga 8600 512mb ddr3 __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list Last edited by emosun; 03-28-2008 at 07:43 PM.