Best PCI graphics card? (non-E)

lcoyke90 · Aug 5, 2017

Hello,
I was recently given an old Dell Dimension E310 from a family member, and am currently looking to breathe a little bit of life into it. I've already upgraded the ram to 4gb from the factory 512mb, using my spare parts. Next would be the video card. The computer has two PCI slots and I was wondering what would be the best option here? I am planning on installing Windows 7 on this thing and would like all the Aero effects enabled, as well as be able to play a few classic games such as The Sims 2, and Half Life....thanks a bunch!

atomicWAR · Aug 5, 2017

HD 3450 or GT 6200

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAD6H5ES6025
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0ZX2C33726

don't plan on stellar performance. But should play old games like those ok and run aero.

k1114 · Aug 5, 2017

It also has pcie x1 unless you are using that for something. It's much easier to find gpus for x1, not to mention cheaper, newer, significantly more performance. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500395 Some others have also used x1 to x16 risers but that will just raise the cost.

BFG-9000 · Aug 5, 2017

I have a 32-bit PCI Jaton HD5450 which I have never been able to get working on any P4, even those that work fine with a AGP HD4650. It's the drivers--in both XP and Win7-32 they bluescreen on 1st reboot with every driver I've tried. The AGP card was difficult to get working too as I could only find three drivers where 3D acceleration works.

I also have a PCI 6200 which is not in use either as it is so ridiculously slow. Can't be overclocked either as even a tiny bump pushes it past the 25w limit of PCI itself and it freezes. No driver issues at all though and it does support Aero.

So the situation with PCI is terrible. For PCI and old retro games I would suggest a V5 5500 in Windows XP. Half Life in particular looks marvelous in Glide, even at just 800x600 with 2x supersampling or 640x480 at 4x.

But yeah, you can break the end off a PCIe x1 slot and even fit a normal x16 card in there. Theoretically it's only supposed to deliver 10w but I've used 30w GT520 and 610 x16 cards without issue in x1 and those are bus-powered cards. If you have something just lying around in the junk box give it a try!

lcoyke90 · Aug 8, 2017

BFG-9000 :

I found an old Pentium 4 650 that I'm going to throw in to boost performance, due to chip set limitations, I don't think I can go any higher than this, and was thinking about getting the Geforce GT 710 PCI Express x1 Version, https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500395...now for the OS, what one would you recommend is best to breathe some life into an old P4 system like this?

salerhino · Aug 8, 2017

Hello, I have 1 advice and that would be trying to cut that pcie x1 slot.
I think that will maybe work.
You have tutorials on Youtube, it is not complicated.

BFG-9000 · Aug 8, 2017

I think you mean this card, which should work but as I said breaking off the back of the slot allows installation of a normal x16 card. As it's worse than modern IGP there's not a lot of demand for such cards used, and a GT710 x16 (it's x8 but with a x16 connector) goes for just $5 here locally. It's a 19w card so uses much less power than the cards I've used in x1 but still ~double the rated wattage x1 is rated for (that Zotac x1 has the same issue as it has no power connector).

The Pentium 4 650 has 64-bit support and CMPXCHG16b, but cannot run 64-bit Windows 8.1 and above as it doesn't have LAHF or SAHF support. So you are limited to 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 until January 14, 2020, or Windows 10 32-bit.

Windows 7 actually runs great now that you can disable Windows Updates and just download the "Security Only Quality Update" every month (before a P4 would peg at 100% CPU for hours every few days when it would automatically check for updates). Windows 10 actually seems a bit lighter than 7 though so you may wish to try it.

lcoyke90 · Aug 8, 2017

BFG-9000 :

Update, just tried installing Windows 10 32 bit, and it was a complete success! It defiantly does feel lighter on my computer than Windows 7 does. And, the motherboard has a 4gb ram limitation, not 2...I did try using 2x2gb ddr2 ( (PC2 5300) and worked like a charm. (Just to play around with for fun) And, as for the video card, I do plan on buying it, but not sure how one would go about breaking of the PCI-e x1 slot safely...I am honestly more comfortable getting an adapter card instead, so I have the option of using a descent graphics card without the risk of damaging my board. This one might work, https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158223

atomicWAR · Aug 8, 2017

yeah that would work. You have to buy a low profile card but there are enough of those for the HTPC community you shouldn't nearly as restricted as PCI.

lcoyke90 · Aug 8, 2017

atomicWAR :

The power supply is a Dell 230 watt output. It has 14 amps on the 12volt and 19 amps on the 5 volt side. Now, to find a cheap $50 card that will support Windows 10, and won't bottleneck the Pentium 4 650....Any suggestions?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709&IsNodeId=1&Description=low%20profile%20video%20cards&name=Desktop%20Graphics%20Cards&Order=BESTMATCH&isdeptsrh=1&LeftPriceRange=0%2050

atomicWAR · Aug 8, 2017

Almost anything will bottleneck it at this point but this should be decent.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814137079

Search

Best PCI graphics card? (non-E)

lcoyke90

Commendable

k1114

atomicWAR

Glorious

k1114

Titan

BFG-9000

Splendid

lcoyke90

Commendable

salerhino

Reputable

BFG-9000

Splendid

lcoyke90

Commendable

atomicWAR

Glorious

lcoyke90

Commendable

atomicWAR

Glorious

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page