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Will a graphics card help?

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  • 27-02-2015 11:11pm
    #1
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭


    I'm doing some upgrades on an old PC at the moment used only for web browsing and light word processing. No games or graphics intensive work is done on the machine, I've upgraded the RAM to the maximum the motherboard can take and replaced an old slow HDD with a SSD. I'm very pleased with its performance (it boots in 30 secs) but the old CPU has now become the choke point, and it maxes out easily. The current setup uses on-board graphics.

    What I'm wondering is that if I install a graphics card that the performance of the machine will improve as I will be shifting the load from the CPU/GPU to a dedicated GPU and freeing up the CPU for its own tasks. It has an Intel dual core E5300 CPU


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    #2
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    If its only used for web browsing and the like, an E5300 is still plenty fast.

    What's maxing out the CPU? What are you running that can be run on a GPU?


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    #3
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    The CPU maxes out when I try to start any program, as it is to be expected but it does take a while for stuff to get going, even chrome. Now forgive my ignorance and correct me if I'm wrong but I thought on board graphics was essentially the CPU performing two tasks. Would a dedicated GPU be able to perform the graphics tasks that windows requires which would free up a bit of capacity for the CPU to perform other tasks?

    Or do I have their function totally wrong in my head?


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    #4
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,299 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    If it boots in 30 seconds, and can't handle opening programs, I'd be wondering if there's crap on the PC slowing it down. When did you last install Windows, and when is the last time you checked what needs to be deleted, and/or stopped from running at startup?


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    #5
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    the_syco wrote: »
    If it boots in 30 seconds, and can't handle opening programs, I'd be wondering if there's crap on the PC slowing it down. When did you last install Windows, and when is the last time you checked what needs to be deleted, and/or stopped from running at startup?

    As I upgraded to an SSD I reinstalled the OS (Windows 7) about two weeks ago. Now the computer is very nippy compared to its old performance but I want to try and eek out as much performance as possible. It takes about 20secs to open a relatively lightweight program like Chrome and while this is great for such an old machine I am just wondering whether a cheap 2nd hand graphics card will give me a performance boost for tasks like these, by offloading graphics tasks to the card and freeing up the CPU?


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    #6
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,299 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    You mention
    oppenheimer1 wrote: »
    I've upgraded the RAM to the maximum the motherboard can take
    How much RAM is the max? Also, what is the motherboard model? May as well ensure you're upgrading it. Not sure if it'll take away any processing?

    Also, if you click Start, and type in Performance and open up Performance Information and Tools. Click "Adjust Visual Effects", and ensure it's set for "Best Performance". Also, open up the power options, and ensure that the nothing goes to sleep. Remember; if something goes to sleep, it'll take a few moments to wake up.


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    #7
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    It won't make a scrap of difference. The GPU plays no part in that. Must be something else wrong....I have an E5300 on my parents PC and it doesn't take that long - and it doesn't have an SSD, but a regular old 2.5" 5200rpm drive.

    How much ram do you have?


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