Picking GPU for older system

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Dentash

Dentash

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I have older system that I am looking to beef up the gpu a bit
here is the specs

Asrock Conroe 1333-667 V2.0
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (Oc 3.91 Stable)
4GB OCZ platinum ddr2 PC2-8500
BFG 9800GT 1Gb
Corsair CX430 V2 Series

I have been looking at these 3 cards

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7876676&CatId=7387

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2060885&CatId=7387

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5400619&CatId=7387

Been having had time picking what would work best in this system with the cpus age what gpu would give me the most gain this system is used for a bunch of games over our network but it only ever runs them at 1280x1024 do to the spare lcd only being 17inch. Any input would help a ton. The psu can be swaped out for a spare Corsair CX500 I have if need be
 
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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Agreed with Effeectt. Any of these video cards will run basically any game you can throw at it at max settings at a resolution of 1280x1024. Like Effeectt said, the limiting factor is most definitely your CPU/MOBO.

A recommendation I'd have which I did on an aging system I had from the same generation (socket 771 dual xeon workstation) was to just double up the GPU's (used ones can be had from Amazon for very very cheap prices) and saved the money to put toward an entirely new system at a later date.

430 watt PSU should be fine for any of the cards you listed. System at load should only be pulling about 250 watts unless you have a ton of case fans etc.
 
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Dentash

Dentash

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Yeah I was counting on a bottleneck with the core 2 its mostly for just when buddys come over to play d3 or sc2 and some Mechwarrior living legends the 9800GT is doing ok just been running really hot this past months and starting to get color texture issues with it so why I am updating so ether 7850 or 650 should be just fine then I dont need to warryr about the 7770 not that its a bad card or any thing
 
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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Yep, both the 7850 and 650 ti are terrific buys. Have you cleaned out the 9800GT's heatsink and fan(s)? Might also try pulling the heatsink off and reapplying some non-conductive thermal compound on the GPU. That usually brings the temps right back down to original.
 
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coozie7

coozie7

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Sounds like the current card just needs to be given a clean, plenty of electronics/computer shops sell cans of gas for this purpose, remember to shoot it into the exhaust of the card and not into the fan, which should be cleaned with either a small brush or a cotton bud.
All the cards mentioned are really more than you need, a HD7750 will be more than enough:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-graphics-card-review,review-32760-7.html
 
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Dentash

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O yeah its been cleaned that poor sucker has so many hours on it I got it when it just came out here its been running vary well for years think she just a bit wardown from the years :)
 
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nforce4max

nforce4max

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Guys do any of you realize the age of the system yet some of you are pushing for a 7850/70 let alone anything near as powerful when core 2 duo barely manages anything more than a stock 8800gt. Nuke the cpu or upgrade, this system will handle a 7750 and to some extent 7770 but will never show the true potential of this card.
 
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Dentash

Dentash

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I know the core 2 is a bit dated now but I have had no performance issues with it in any of the games we run on it yet its been happily running at 3.91gjz for few years now with no issues so I don't want to up date the board and CPU till it really need to. Just was having hard timing picking the new GPU think all be getting the gtx650 to boost mostly because I seen a good deal for it at a local store near me that's trying to clean out unsold stock.
 
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spentshells

spentshells

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kool aide homie you've been drinking it.

Check it out

http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=817

I hate spamming this but I will not part with my q6600 till I have 1500 for a new system.... another year at least.
 
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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Agree with spentshells totally. I have a backup machine using two e5472 3.0 ghz xeons and 8 gb 800mhz ram from the same generation as the Q6600's. During gaming after adding an SSD, I hardly notice any difference between it and my 3770k box when swapping the 7950 I have between the two. True the CPU and total platform would be the limiting factor with any new GPU, but it's not like you will see 50% performance on your c2d vs a current gen machine, especially if you get one of the above listed cards which could easily be dropped into a new machine 2 years from now and play games very well still. If the performance needed to be increased, you could get a second card for SLI or CF then.
 
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Mousemonkey

Mousemonkey

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I don't know where you got 10 years from as the 8800GT came out in October 2007 making it six years old in a months time not ten.


I've got a 7790 running on an e8400 and there is no performance upsetting bottlenecking going on, it seems people still don't know what a true bottleneck situation looks like. :pfff:
 
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mohit9206

mohit9206

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Core 2 duo E8400 is roughly on par with my cpu and BOTh can handle cards upto the 7850/650Ti boost without any bottlenecking whatsoever.Only when you go above the 7850 will the cpu start to bottleneck.So the OP should without a doubt pick up either a 7850 or 650Ti boost.
 
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Dentash

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I could get the 7750 but I will be buying a newer led display for it soon so then I can run it at higher setting then the old LCD can run. But I took out the 9800gt and really gave the contacts vary good cleaning seems to have helped it but I did pick up the 650ti boost super clocked and will be installing it to night after work and the doing some testing with my main display that I use on the main system
 
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spentshells

spentshells

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Exaggeration is a billion times more effective than understatement.........
 
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Mousemonkey

Mousemonkey

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Or you could just try sticking with facts.
 
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spentshells

spentshells

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I would think that trivial facts would be less valuable than functional advice but I digress you are right.
No point is worth making unless you are completely right this is the internet after all.

My 8800gt is still running without a hitch.
 
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Dentash

Dentash

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Well I got my GPU and its working well I all so figured well I was out I'd get my new display so now I have a another Asus 21.5 wide screen led so now I can run the second system at 1920*1024 if I so wish :) it was on sale could not pass it up lol
 
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