Upgrading my old rig's graphics card

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manuleka

76 posts

Master Geek

#91450 13-Oct-2011 14:40

i'm wanting to upgrade my Video Card on my Desk PC..

here's the spec:
P4 755 3.2GHz
2GB RAM (2x1GB) Dual Channel
640GB SATA HDD
*
GEFORCE 7300GS 256MB outing to dual CRT monitors: 1280x1024 and 1152x864
*

now i'm looking at these two:
1) Geforce 7600GT 256MB
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/compone...n-414130527.htm

2) Geforece 7950GT 256MB
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=414387999

both around $30

i mostly play Warcraft III and and Far Cry, and i might try out Crysis at some stage...

what are your thoughts?

cheers

kruz

14 posts

Geek

#533626 15-Oct-2011 10:34

To be fair mate, you would be better off upgrading it all.
A 7600 or 7950 will be way too powerful for the poor old P4 to actually be able to use.

If you want a solid, but budget conscious rig, then this is what I would do.
AMD Phenom II x4 955 3.2 - $168.00
Gigabyte GA970A motherboard - $159.00
Ram 2x2g 1333mhz - $90.00
Coolermaster 500w psu - $99.00
Ati 6850 1gb - $285.00

You could drop the graphics to a 6770, and save 80.00. With new gen stuff coming out now, the previous gen is wayyyy cheap.
Those prices are all through one shop, but I am not sure if GZ has affiliations with hardware suppliers, so I have left the name of the shop out.

To answer your original question, the 7600 would be the card I would choose if you cant upgrade the whole thing now.

Hope this helps sir

timmmay

20580 posts

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#533656 15-Oct-2011 12:28

Like Kruz said, it's almost an antique, i'd replace it.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
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#533668 15-Oct-2011 13:20

Heh, if thats an antique, then mine is ancient... socket 478 P4 2.4 with a 7600GT video card... the P4s still chug along quite happily :)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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manuleka

76 posts

Master Geek

#533724 15-Oct-2011 15:30

kruz: To be fair mate, you would be better off upgrading it all.
A 7600 or 7950 will be way too powerful for the poor old P4 to actually be able to use.

If you want a solid, but budget conscious rig, then this is what I would do.
AMD Phenom II x4 955 3.2 - $168.00
Gigabyte GA970A motherboard - $159.00
Ram 2x2g 1333mhz - $90.00
Coolermaster 500w psu - $99.00
Ati 6850 1gb - $285.00

You could drop the graphics to a 6770, and save 80.00. With new gen stuff coming out now, the previous gen is wayyyy cheap.
Those prices are all through one shop, but I am not sure if GZ has affiliations with hardware suppliers, so I have left the name of the shop out.

To answer your original question, the 7600 would be the card I would choose if you cant upgrade the whole thing now.

Hope this helps sir

thanks for the suggestion, but i'm in no need of such spending/upgrade... unless you can offer me an interest free loan to make that upgrade! lol

if i had that spare money i would definitely build a rig similar to your suggestion...

kruz

14 posts

Geek

#533754 15-Oct-2011 16:55

Understood sir.

I would be looking definitely at 6600GT, 7600GT, 7800GTX, 7950xx, 8800gt for sure then.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/video-cards/pciexpress/auction-415575604.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/video-cards/pciexpress/auction-414225230.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/video-cards/pciexpress/auction-415146824.htm

Good luck sir.

manuleka

76 posts

Master Geek

#533795 15-Oct-2011 18:51

kruz: Understood sir.

I would be looking definitely at 6600GT, 7600GT, 7800GTX, 7950xx, 8800gt for sure then.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/video-cards/pciexpress/auction-415575604.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/video-cards/pciexpress/auction-414225230.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/video-cards/pciexpress/auction-415146824.htm

Good luck sir.

thanks, i was looking at a budget of not more than $40... interested on these ones:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=413747348
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=414609247
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=414388391
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=413857932

and hoping i'll get lucky with a less than $40 spending hehe

Poll

343 posts

Ultimate Geek

#533818 15-Oct-2011 20:13

One thing to be wary of with replacing your existing card is making sure your power supply can handle the extra juice required for a higher spec'd graphics card. All of the 79xx and 88xx cards you have linked require additional power connectors, either from pcie 6 pin or molex connectors indicating that unless your existing power supply is more than sufficient you may be out of luck. The two 8600 gt's don't require additional power connectors but will still use around twice the power of a 7300 gs.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-radeon-power,2122-6.html

I found this table which shows various video cards around the generation you are looking at.

Please take into account that even if the wattage of your exisitng power supply looks to be enough that if it is not a quality power supply (Brand name does actually matter when it comes to power supplies.) then it could falter and you will be left needing to fork out for an uprated power supply.
Good Luck.

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manuleka

76 posts

Master Geek

#533878 16-Oct-2011 01:02

thanks for the headsup :)