Graphics Card for Dell Inspiron 3000 Desktop

Help me play sc · Aug 3, 2015

Hi, I recently bought this computer:

Dell Inspiron 3000 Desktop | Intel Core i7
http://www.costco.com/Dell-Inspiron-3000-Desktop-%7C-Intel-Core-i7.product.100213764.html

I don't really do much with it that would require an incredible graphics card, but I do play starcraft 2 online. So the objective is a card that will handle medium/high level performance with no problem. The integrated graphics that it came with is not recommended for the game and runs poorly.

I know very little about graphics cards, I'm hoping for direction with things like what will fit in the tower, what is a good value, etc.

I'm hoping to stay in the 50-90 dollar range (assuming that's realistic)

Some of the graphics cards that I found online within this range include:
Asus NVIDIA GeForce GT 610 2GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 Fanless Graphics Card
EVGA GeForce GT 610 2GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 Graphics Card
HP 594394-001 New Dc7800 Radeon HD5450 1GB DVI/HDMI Video Card 594394-0
XFX Radeon HD 6570 Graphic Card - 650 MHz Core - 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM - PCI Express 2.1 x16
VisionTek Radeon HD 5450 Graphics Card - 1 GB
GT520 NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 2GB DDR3 PCI Express DVI/VGA Video Graphics Card
MSI R7 250 2GD3 OC Radeon R7 250 2GB 128-Bit DDR3 PCI Express 3.0 HDCP
SAPPHIRE 100369-4GL Radeon R7 240 4GB 128-Bit DDR3

Woody1999 · Aug 3, 2015

That's a very powerful prebuilt computer. You will be happy with the performance of that PC for a long time. As for graphics cards, you really need to stretch your budget a bit:

https://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r73602gd5oc

This is the cheapest I would recommend.

Woody

scout_03 · Aug 3, 2015

check this carrefully there is no pci-e slot in that system http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_dimension_desktops/dimension-3000_owner%27s%20manual_fr-fr.pdf

Help me play sc · Aug 3, 2015

Woody1999 :

Thanks for the advice, would this make any noticeable difference to online streaming like netflix and hulu?

scout_03 :

Sorry I really don't know anything about graphics cards, does this mean I can't put any new graphics card in the computer, or does it mean I'm limited in which types I can choose?

scout_03 · Aug 3, 2015

check this and you will find that pci is not good for new gpu you need a pci-e slot on the motherboard http://www.playtool.com/pages/vidslots/slots.html

Help me play sc · Aug 3, 2015

scout_03 :

Ok, I think I understand. Do you have a recommended graphics card that does fit one of the pci slots in my system?

scout_03 · Aug 3, 2015

not realy could you give the name of the motherboard you have in the system .

Help me play sc · Aug 3, 2015

scout_03 :

Would I find that in a manual or by opening the tower to see the motherboard?

Help me play sc · Aug 3, 2015

Looks like it has PCIex-16

Kisianik · Aug 4, 2015

@scout_03: you provided link to Dimension 3000 not Inspiron 3000.

Manual http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_inspiron_desktop/inspiron-3655-desktop_Reference%20Guide_en-us.pdf

Technically speaking there are no Inspiron 3000, but a 3000 series, latest from this family is Inspiron 3655.

Help me play sc · Aug 4, 2015

Im glad we've established what system I have haha. Good work team. But any other advice on my actual question? Is the graphics card suggested in the first reply the one to go with?

Woody1999 · Aug 4, 2015

The R7 360 is definitely a good starter graphics card. I'd recommend this video to explain why cheaping out on low-end graphics cards is not worth it at all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sph6cjJeRdI

For reference, the R7 360 is about equal to an R7 260X. You included the, frankly, terrible R7 240 in your original list.

Woody

scout_03 · Aug 4, 2015

check carefully before buying those card need a 500 watts psu with a 6 pins connector and are using dual space in the case .

Woody1999 · Aug 4, 2015

scout_03 :

500W my arse... I ran the R7 260X (a slightly more powerful card) on a 250W power supply just fine. The max it pulled was 273W, and that was with a more power hungry CPU and RAM than the OP.

Woody

Help me play sc · Aug 4, 2015

I think I may have 300w?

Woody1999 · Aug 4, 2015

I wouldn't risk it. That power supply hasn't got many amps on the 12V rail, and it looks like it might struggle even with 300W.

If you need to upgrade, the XFX 450W is a great PSU and is very cheap, only around £35.

Woody

Help me play sc · Aug 5, 2015

Is that the same dimensions as my current PSU, or is that something I would need to check on?

Woody1999 · Aug 5, 2015

Yep. If it's an ATX motherboard (which it is) it takes an ATX PSU.

Woody

scout_03 · Aug 5, 2015

that is the specs of the dell psu 6" Wide X 3.5" Tall X 5.5" Deep and these are the xfx one 12.4 x 7.7 x 3.4 inches and a 550 watt from dell http://www.911forpcs.com/j517t.html

Woody1999 · Aug 5, 2015

Take another look at the size of the XFX PSU. Does that pass your common sense test?

Over a foot long and more than half a foot wide? Have a look at the size of it here, in a build I did myself: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/b/V6bj4D

Woody

scout_03 · Aug 6, 2015

your right that where i took the spcs for it so there is a error on the page http://www.amazon.com/XFX-ATX-450-Power-Supply/dp/B005FPT38U

Kisianik · Aug 7, 2015

All standard ATX PSU will fit there, some can be a bit longer, which make cable management more difficult, some will require bending metal clips inside the case, but they all fit, I don't have to know the measurements to answer.

Help me play sc · Aug 7, 2015

This seems like a great deal:
http://www.911forpcs.com/j517t.html
I can't find the product anywhere else tho, so it makes me kind of suspicious. Assuming it is legitimate, I would go for that and the MSI Radeon R7 360 2GB Video Card.

scout_03 · Aug 8, 2015

at least they are in the state .

Kisianik · Aug 8, 2015

Help me play sc :

That is no name PSU, why would you risk your PC life in it, you can get any ATX PSU, all will fit, and don't risk anything?

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