What to Upgrade First? Power Supply or Graphics Card?

hiraith

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Feb 26, 2014
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4,510
Hi, I have an HP p2-1317c desktop running Windows 8.1. (OK,stop laughing now!).

It appears to only have a 65w psu and has Radeon 7340 integrated graphics. I'm desperate to upgrade the graphics card, but am worried about the lack of wattage available. Suggestions, please!
 
Solution


A 65 watt PSU!?

Yeah, unfortunately you NEED to upgrade that before you can upgrade any hardware. Make sure you get a PSU (power supply) you can use later though because that computer isn't worth upgrading much. Your processor is soldered to your motherboard, so you'll forever be bottlenecked by it as long as you have that computer. You can get a graphics card and a PSU (because those can essentially go in any build), but just be wary of what you can and cannot use later.

DonQuixoteMC

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A 65 watt PSU!?

Yeah, unfortunately you NEED to upgrade that before you can upgrade any hardware. Make sure you get a PSU (power supply) you can use later though because that computer isn't worth upgrading much. Your processor is soldered to your motherboard, so you'll forever be bottlenecked by it as long as you have that computer. You can get a graphics card and a PSU (because those can essentially go in any build), but just be wary of what you can and cannot use later.
 
Solution

DonQuixoteMC

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... I'm kicking myself now for not checking. I almost did, then I thought "Of course it has a PCI slot, what motherboard doesn't?"

Goes to show you can't be sure unless you check... Thanks for pointing that out. No wonder that thing can run on 65W.
 

hiraith

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Feb 26, 2014
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4,510
Thank you both for your answers. It seems pointless to do anything to it, so unfortunately I'm stuck with this thing for a while yet. I'll just muddle on for now, but at least I can save up for a decent machine, knowing what to look for now. I won't get suckered into the "ooh, look at the rock-bottom price" mindset again. There was a reason (many reasons!) why this was on clearance :)
 

DonQuixoteMC

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Haha :)

Happy to help!