Buying a new Video Card

Valmont

My video card broke somehow (I didn't think it was possible) and now with the forthcoming dawn of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, I am in the market for a new one.

The process is proving trickier than I thought. I had a Nvidia 8600 GT and I would like to upgrade to the 8800 GT. Are there any things I have to check for in order to make sure that my computer is compatible with the 8800?

My other specs are: Intel core duo 2.33ghz and 2.0 gb of ram. Would adding the 8800 to these be a good idea?

Should I just buy a playstation?

Thank you in advance.

Kinetic^

What size monitor do you play on and what resolution?

BopNiblets

8000 series is pretty outdated by now I think, komplett don't have any anymore for example.

L31mr0d

BopNiblets wrote: »

8000 series is pretty outdated by now I think

It really depends on what resolution you game at. For instance my 8800GT HTPC machine can comfortably run Crysis at 720p, with most of the eye candy enabled. It also runs Batman: Arkham Asylum with everything maxed included maxed Physx (even though nVidia likes to warn me I need 2 of their top end cards to run physx)

Valmont, did the 8600GT you had previously require a PCI-e power connector? If not does the PSU you have currently have a spare PCI-e power connector. Actually what port was the card? AGP or PCI-e?

Kiith

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=499129

Get yourself something like the above. The 4870 is a great card, and will play pretty much everything available today.

Valmont

Kiith wrote: »

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=499129

Get yourself something like the above. The 4870 is a great card, and will play pretty much everything available today.

This seems like a great deal, 1gb video card for 128euro! Would it be very difficult to install this myself? I am running vista which I'm sure will have it's own very specific, infinitely complex problem for this card:rolleyes:

L3Rmr0d, how would I find out what port my video card is in? Should I open the box up and have a look? I have had a friend reconnect my PC to the onboard graphics card as it would not even start when connected to the broken 8600gt.

Valmont

Kinetic^ wrote: »

What size monitor do you play on and what resolution?

I usually play 1024x320 resolution. My monitor is a widescreen but I don't have my measuring tape handy.

TomCo

Valmont wrote: »

I usually play 1024x320 resolution. My monitor is a widescreen but I don't have my measuring tape handy.

You're havin' a larf!
Haven't heard the number 320 being mentioned in the same breath as resolution since '98.

And no, installing graphics cards is a doddle. 10 minutes work.

Valmont

TomCo wrote: »

You're havin' a larf!
Haven't heard the number 320 being mentioned in the same breath as resolution since '98.

lol, I knew it was always 1024 by something, 320 just popped into my head first.

TomCo wrote: »

And no, installing graphics cards is a doddle. 10 minutes work.

I need to find out if I have PCI-E, anyone have any pictures of what to look out for if I open the box up? I ran Cpuiz online diagnostic tool but it only mentioned my intel g31 I have running right now.

EDIT: I googled it and I'm going to open it up and have a look soon.

BigEejit

Before orderign anything, go and find the graphics card dimensions, I have a 4870 and its flipping huge, a small case could be a problem. Also a 4870 requires 2 pcie power connectors at the back (at least my one does)

Just checked and a 4870 uses quite a bit of power. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-4870,1964-15.html
Make sure your PSU is up to it.

Valmont

BigEejit wrote: »

Before orderign anything, go and find the graphics card dimensions, I have a 4870 and its flipping huge, a small case could be a problem. Also a 4870 requires 2 pcie power connectors at the back (at least my one does)

At the back of my case where the USB slots are and that sort of thing?

BigEejit wrote: »

Just checked and a 4870 uses quite a bit of power. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-4870,1964-15.html
Make sure your PSU is up to it.

How can I find out if my PowerSupplyUnit is up to it? Sorry for all the questions.

TomCo

Valmont wrote: »

At the back of my case where the USB slots are and that sort of thing?

How can I find out if my PSU is up to it? What is a PSU? Sorry for all the questions.

Power Supply Unit, the boxy thing that the other end of the mains power plug is connected to. You'd have to open up the case and read off the sticker on the side of the unit.

Valmont

Ok so I opened up my computer and took out the broken Nvidia card.

I have one PCI-express slot (black) and my PSU says 300w. The link that the bigeejit posted has the 4870 at 283. Even though it is less than the sticker on my PSU says, would this still be too high for my PSU to support?

Also the nvidia card is about 9inches long and 4 inches wide so presumably I have enough space for a 4870?

Overheal

Valmont wrote: »

My video card broke somehow (I didn't think it was possible) and now with the forthcoming dawn of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, I am in the market for a new one.

The process is proving trickier than I thought. I had a Nvidia 8600 GT and I would like to upgrade to the 8800 GT. Are there any things I have to check for in order to make sure that my computer is compatible with the 8800?

My other specs are: Intel core duo 2.33ghz and 2.0 gb of ram. Would adding the 8800 to these be a good idea?

Should I just buy a playstation?

Thank you in advance.

I think I see what the problem is, then. The problem affects a wide range of cards, both laptop and desktop.

http://gizmodo.com/5021713/lots-of-nvidia-laptop-graphics-cards-are-overheating-dying

I end up having to tell people about this once a month: if you wanna search the Tech Category for the keywords Overheal and Nvidia these should come right the hell up.



Look: just go with an ATI. 8800s are grand and renown, but still fall prey to this matter.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62585976
http://pie.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055333078
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055456667

Valmont

Overheal wrote: »

I end up having to tell people about this once a month: if you wanna search the Tech Category for the keywords Overheal and Nvidia these should come right the hell up.

I don't particularly care why it broke or how often you have to tell people something, I just want a new one and I have been looking to see if the card Kiith suggested will be compatible with my computer. I shall carry on googling anyhow.

TomCo

Valmont wrote: »

my PSU says 300w. The link that the bigeejit posted has the 4870 at 283. Even though it is less than the sticker on my PSU says, would this still be too high for my PSU to support?

Wouldn't risk it, the PSU still has to power everything else in the system.
I'd go for a 500W non-explody reliable brand PSU at the minimum.

http://www.antec.outervision.com/
This is a good PSU calculator, might be too involved for you though.

PSU fitting is a little more tricky for a novice, it can be a little daunting unplugging all those connectors but its quite straight forward overall (just like everything else in PC building really).

jonny72

With a 300 watt PSU it could be tricky..

First thing, don't look at the memory on a graphics card, its the card itself that is good or bad..

A 4870 would be great, but might be a little too much for your PSU to handle..

However there are two great models from ATI that would be fine..

A 4670, it doesn't even need to be plugged into the PSU, just slot it in and it goes.. would be a good bit faster than your current graphics card..

But the 4770 would be perfect, give you better FPS than a 8800GT and draw very little power compared to a 4870..

A word of warning, when changing from Nvidia to ATI - do everything properly, you need to clear the Nvidia drivers, all of them, then install all the ATI drivers and also you will need up-to-date .NET framework, not too much work, but read about it properly beforehand if you want to make the switch.

Heres a review of the 4770
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_4770_PCS/30.html

Going above it will usually require a more powerful PSU, and not the cheap brands, a good PSU. A cheapie PSU will say 300 watts, but maybe be only good for 250watt system total, also they will be very inefficient. If you buy a good PSU like a corsair, it does what it says on the tin so to speak.

mawk

Valmont wrote: »

I don't particularly care why it broke or how often you have to tell people something, I just want a new one and I have been looking to see if the card Kiith suggested will be compatible with my computer. I shall carry on googling anyhow.

you dont care that he just told you why the old one died and how to make sure the new one doesnt also just die?

and download siSandra lite. itl tell you what ports, ram speed, etc you have without needing a screwdriver

Valmont

mawk wrote: »

you dont care that he just told you why the old one died and how to make sure the new one doesnt also just die?

I don't care if I'm the one millionth person to mention a broken 8 series nvidia card, that's not my problem; or the focus of this thread.

Thank you all for your advice, I'm actually bored these days with no games to play and I enjoy tinkering around with my computer from time to time so I'm looking forward to upgrading and everything else it entails.

Overheal

Valmont wrote: »

I don't care if I'm the one millionth person to mention a broken 8 series nvidia card, that's not my problem; or the focus of this thread.

It should be. I thought you'd enjoy avoiding your next card going nuclear on you. That'll happen if you go with another GeForce card.

Youre also entitled to a free replacement on the 8600GT if its within 2 years (i think - it could actually be 3 years) just need to email whoever made it (XFX BFG Asus etc) and might be able to use that to get a cheaper upgrade through them.

TerrorFirmer

mawk wrote: »

you dont care that he just told you why the old one died and how to make sure the new one doesnt also just die?

and download siSandra lite. itl tell you what ports, ram speed, etc you have without needing a screwdriver

He didn't tell him why the old one died. He told him a possible reason for why it might have died, but he doesn't know and never will. I'm sure the OP had an upgrade in mind anyhow, with Modern Warfare 2 coming up the 8600GT is pretty outdated...though not entirely incapable at that resolution (he probably means 1280x1024, 1024x320 would look like vomit on the screen....)

That'll happen if you go with another GeForce card.

No, it won't. It might....but it's incredibly unlikely it would, unless he went for a preowned card in an older class....which he obviously wouldn't do. Jeez, enough of the vendetta against Nvidia!

If you were getting along with an 8600GT until now, then something like a HD4670 is a great idea. Cheap, twice as powerful as the 8600GT, requires no extra power whatsoever and is guaranteed to work with your machine...and is cheap. One of those would max out Call of Duty 4 no problem at 1280x1024. Komplett even have the PCS one with its bling bling cooler for 59...

About the PSU....if its a good 300w then it would be good for most cards, if its a mediocre or poor one then it would be inadequate for most cards...though really, something like the 4670, given your resolution and preceeding card, would be a huge and safe upgrade. No point spending more then is necessary....a 4770 is also a good bet and a better upgrade, should work on your PSU as well assuming it's not a total piece of poo altogether....

If you open up the side of your case, you can read the ratings off the sticker. 2 things to note: 1) Manufacturer 2) rating on the 12 rail

If you can't do that if you know the model number (eg Dell 8200) then we can google it and find out. Oh...and if it is a Dell, then you're definitely safe, a 300w Dell PSU is rock solid. Packard Bell are also pretty decent, a lot of their machines have FSP PSU's.

Overheal

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

No, it won't. It might....but it's incredibly unlikely it would, unless he went for a preowned card in an older class....which he obviously wouldn't do. Jeez, enough of the vendetta against Nvidia!

Tbh: no. Not the geforce series at any rate. Theres a few good cards in there, but after that whole debacle I dont no who to trust. Its like hearing your girlfriend was in the same house as an HIV+ orgy. You never look at her (or them) the same way again.

The problem never seemed to extend to the GTX 2 line however. Knock yourself out.