HDMI Graphics card for an old DELL GX280

bazpaul1

Hey guys,

I want to use an old DELL GX280 (specs are below) to connect over HDMI to our TV, to serve as a media center PC.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx280/en/ug/specs02.htm

What do I need to look for when choosing a graphics card? I think I need a PCI x16 card? Is that true?

I saw this card on Pixmania. It looks decent but i'm unsure if it will work on the GX280 (windows XP). Can anyone give advice? Also what resolutions can I expect from this card?

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/4815973/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-5450-hdmi-512-m.html

ED E

Three considerations:

Slot: You need PCI-E (x16, but thats assumed). If you're looking at GFX cards its all PCI-E or AGP, so just make sure you dont get AGP.

Power: You need the PSU to run it, but in this case you should be fine with a small passive card.

Size/Space: It needs to physically fit. There are 2 Gx280s, depends on what series it is, but one will only fit a half height I suspect.

The card you linked is a good candidate though.

Torqay

ED E wrote: »

The card you linked is a good candidate though.

Not really, it's requires a 400W PSU. Even the best PSU listed in the Optiplex GX280 spec sheet doesn't come close.

I suggest, you'll look around for an older HD 4300/4350 card (i'm using one of these in a GX380 with a 235W PSU). Or a Geforce GT 610 maybe.

ED E

Torqay wrote: »

Not really, it's requires a 400W PSU. Even the best PSU listed in the Optiplex GX280 spec sheet doesn't come close.

I suggest, you'll look around for an older HD 4300/4350 card (i'm using one of these in a GX380 with a 235W PSU). Or a Geforce GT 610 maybe.

"AMD specs the 5450 at a mere 19.1W TDP" - http://www.anandtech.com/show/2931/

It doesnt even need a 6 pin, I highly doubt there'd be any issue.

Torqay

Right from the horse's mouth: 400 Watt or greater power supply recommended.

Of course, these recommendations are always on the conservative side but I have tried the successor HD 6450 in my GX380 (255W PSU) and the machine crashed when things got a bit strenuous, i.e. running 3DMark... no issues with the HD 4350 (300W recommended).

OP better find out first, which PSU Dell have put into his Optiplex, the spec sheet ranges from 160W to 305W

Overheal

those recommendations are based on both how the GPU spikes and also how PSUs operate under different conditions, especially temperature. At 80*C, your PSU isn't capable of full output. Some Manufacturer PSUs will even tell you the output at the higher temp. Plus if you go over-straining that, any number of things could happen electrically; most of which would not be a good outcome, and of those about half probably involve killing your motherboard or GPU along with the power supply

bazpaul1

Ok, so i'm a little confused. I have to buy a new power supply as well as the card right???

How can I find out what power supply I have? Just open up the comp?

Do PSU's come in certain sizes and models too?

Overheal

virtually all PSUs will be a standard "ATX" form factor, or "mATX" for slimline PCs.

You only need a new PSU if you buy something which suggests more power than about 300 watts. Most stock PSUs range in output from 260-300 watts. Opening the case will show you the PSU's label that has all this information. a Geforce x10-series or x20-seres (eg. GT 420, GT 610) will normally ask for 300W as a minimum, and you'd be fine running these.

TerrorFirmer

The GX280 will run the 5450 or 6450 fine. The recommendations on video card boxes are utter crap to be realistic.

Of course, these recommendations are always on the conservative side but I have tried the successor HD 6450 in my GX380 (255W PSU) and the machine crashed when things got a bit strenuous, i.e. running 3DMark... no issues with the HD 4350 (300W recommended).

That was not down to the 6450. The TDP for that card is only a few watts higher than the 4350 and a Dell system with a 255w PSU would definitely support a card with an even higher TDP. One of my machines is an Optiplex with a 250w PSU and it runs a HD2600XT perfectly fine and the TDP for that is double that of the 6450 at least.

I have a Gx280 myself in the same LAN network incidentally and I put a low-profile HD2400XT into it, no problems under full load playing games in LAN for lengthy periods - and it has the standard 160w PSU.

The GT610 has a higher TDP than the 6450 for example so that's not a good recommendation. You can't go by box ratings like 400/300/10,000w psu recommended - they're completely and utterly wrong. Retail boxes can often state '400w psu required' when in reality a 150w+ psu will run the card fine.

I reckon part of it is to compensate for crap quality psus as well to cover themselves i.e a crap Maplins own brand PSU @ 400w would be grossly inferior to say, a Dell oem 200w PSU.

So to answer the OP, a low profile card around the 25W range would be fine, eg. 5450, 4350, 4550, 6450, etc. Go for a DDR3 card and not DDR5 - lower consumption, and the different in performance won't matter when you're not running 3d apps. Best going for ATI as most of the Nvidia cards at the same price/performance range have significantly higher consumption.

Make sure the card you choose has low profile plate with it! Any of the cards I've mentioned above are fine for HD resolution and playback.

TerrorFirmer

http://www.dabs.ie/products/best-value-vtx3d-ati-radeon-5450-hd-1gb-pci-express-hdmi-low-profile-7ZRS.html?refs=50010&src=3

That's about as good value as you'll get really, 25 euro and delivery will be faster than Pixmania (who also have a horrid aftersales service in the event of anything going wrong). They also have 'used stock' available from as little as 19.99 for the same card to save even further.

bazpaul1

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

http://www.dabs.ie/products/best-value-vtx3d-ati-radeon-5450-hd-1gb-pci-express-hdmi-low-profile-7ZRS.html?refs=50010&src=3

That's about as good value as you'll get really, 25 euro and delivery will be faster than Pixmania (who also have a horrid aftersales service in the event of anything going wrong). They also have 'used stock' available from as little as 19.99 for the same card to save even further.

Sir my hat is firmly tipped off to you - good man!!

Sound clear advice - great!

bazpaul1

Ok so im gonna buy that card from DABS

one important thing it says that the card has;

Memory Interface 64-bit

We're running Windows XP 32bit - is this all ok? Lets hope the power issue doesnt crop up!!

Overheal

I think it's talking about the memory bus on the card, don't worry. Some GPUs have 256-bit and 512-bit wide memory pipes these days.

bazpaul1

Ok just had a massive balls-up.

We ordered the card above from Dabs but its PCIe and we only have a PCI slot.

I think thats the end of our media centre dreams!

Is it possible to get a PCI graphics card with HDMI???

ED E

bazpaul1 wrote: »

Ok just had a massive balls-up.

We ordered the card above from Dabs but its PCIe and we only have a PCI slot.

I think thats the end of our media centre dreams!

Is it possible to get a PCI graphics card with HDMI???

The spec sheet says you have PCI-E x16? Did you link the wrong file or are you forgetting to remove the old card?