Is this a good decision?

[lil_reeper_sniper]

Alright well I was recommended to post here, so I'm just gonna post all 3 of my posts.

Hey, I was wondering what would be a good/minimum graphics card for all of the video settings set at max and still having a decent fps in WoW(70-80 fps). Also, would the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra give good fps?

(quote: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130056 ) Hmm that card looks VERY nice(I like the price)...I may have a problem with the power supply though. I will consider buying it, if it gets decent fps with games(which is what i want) then thats all I need.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817103928

Think that power supply is any good? I need it for that graphics card, and my computer, my computer model is(that is a ZERO in 1250):
Compaq Presario SR1250NX

My current power supply is 300w and I cant provide you with exactly what it has, I'll be looking at my computer tomorrow.

Updates...I think I'm good to go now:
Better graphics card for a little more money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814127277
Fixed a problem with my PSU, I have a MicroATX(sadly, that is like the 2ND BEST psu that fits my computer):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817338008



If you can make any sense out of all that, then please help me. Pretty much I'm just looking for a graphics card to run good fps in games like Wolrd of Warcraft, Counter-Strike Source, Half-Life 2 etc. My computer as I already stated in one of the posts, is a Compaq Presario SR1250NX. I recommend that you never buy one. My computer is a ATXMicro tower, so thats why I had to change my psu.

Thanks

 

[Primitivus]

No matter what you do, DON'T BUY THE FX5950.
The 7900GS (either one) would serve you very well indeed!
But that PSU you're thinking of looks rather crappy if you ask me. Don't be too surprised if you encounter problems. Why don't you save up for a completely new rig?

 

[lil_reeper_sniper]

No matter what you do, DON'T BUY THE FX5950.
The 7900GS (either one) would serve you very well indeed!
But that PSU you're thinking of looks rather crappy if you ask me. Don't be too surprised if you encounter problems. Why don't you save up for a completely new rig?

Like I said, theres not many 300w+ psu for the micro towers. And I'm guessing that "rig" is a new computer, I can't get a job and I don't have enough money.

 

[evongugg]

Compaq uses proprietary power supplies. Don't use that.
It will burn out your motherboard!!!
You need a Compaq compatible power supply.

 

[lostandwandering]

A new GPU may not be the best solution for WOW. World of Warcraft is more dependent on the processor than it is the graphics card. That being said, list the specifications of you system, ie:CPU, RAM, current GPU. I have seen people get better frame rates in WOW with crappy graphics cards but strong CPUs or at least a balanced system.

 

[lil_reeper_sniper]

Compaq uses proprietary power supplies. Don't use that.
It will burn out your motherboard!!!
You need a Compaq compatible power supply.

Hmm...show me where it says that on there site.

 

[Primitivus]

Like I said, theres not many 300w+ psu for the micro towers. And I'm guessing that "rig" is a new computer, I can't get a job and I don't have enough money.

I feel for you mate... been there. But if you're going to spend any money at all try to make sure that it won't go to waste. I'd think long and hard before getting that PSU, if you know what I mean. Why don't you look at buying a used system from some reputable seller? That shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[dj_taboo]

Compaq uses proprietary power supplies. Don't use that.
It will burn out your motherboard!!!
You need a Compaq compatible power supply.

Hmm...show me where it says that on there site.

I have a sr1950nx. I managed to squeeze in a SeaSonic s-12 380 watt psu (among other upgrades ). The only problem i ran into was wire management, cuz they pack alot of connections and long wires. The psu includes both AMD and Intel mobo connections.

 

[lil_reeper_sniper]

Like I said, theres not many 300w+ psu for the micro towers. And I'm guessing that "rig" is a new computer, I can't get a job and I don't have enough money.

I feel for you mate... been there. But if you're going to spend any money at all try to make sure that it won't go to waste. I'd think long and hard before getting that PSU, if you know what I mean. Why don't you look at buying a used system from some reputable seller? That shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.

What is wrong with it...Is it that bad?

 

[Primitivus]

There's no real info about it even on the manufacturers website. Why is that? No efficiency ratings, no values of the various rails, (especially the 12V rail that concerns the graphics card), nothing that couldn't have been written by a marketing department with no real notion of the tech involved.
And the other clue is... it's TOO cheap. I'm not saying that expensive is automatically good but if you read any PSU reviews on any reputable site you'll see that they never recommend skimping on the PSU when it comes to quality. It's not like a CPU or a GPU where you get value for money and performance/$ with cheaper components. A low quality PSU can literally break your system. And I'm also talking from experience here.

 

[purdueguy]

Depending on your budget, I suggest 2 video card price ranges.

1. For $150 - after MIR

Sapphire X1950 Pro

2. For $200 - after MIR

HIS X1950XT

Personally, I'd go with the HIS X1950XT.

Now, onto the Power Supply. Like Primitivus said, don't skimp on the PSU. Either get a Seasonic S12 Energy Plus or Antec NeoHE. I chose these because they have a high efficiency rating which means lower energy costs. Therefore, the money saved ends up paying for a better PSU.

 

[dj_taboo]

Now, onto the Power Supply. Like Primitivus said, don't skimp on the PSU. Either get a Seasonic S12 Energy Plus or Antec NeoHE. I chose these because they have a high efficiency rating which means lower energy costs. Therefore, the money saved ends up paying for a better PSU.

Thats packing alot of juice for such a small pc. Don't the SeaSonic Energy Plus models start at 500 watts? Plus they come with extra PCI cables for SLI. The PSU will fit no doubt, but all the extra feet of wires have to go somewhere. The Antec NeoHE is a good choice for this pc. The modular cables really help out. The 430 watt looks good on paper and will power everything you can fit into a compaq case, but newegg reviews leave me weary.
Initial picks on the video cards look good. The 7900gs will give great fps and near max detail. It should hold you over until everyone stops being stingy with Dx10 cards. I'm running a 7600gt and i've been satisfied with it so far.

 

[AdamBomb42]

The FX family of cards were crap and ditch the antec psu. I have a 7900gs that is great, but I suggest going with the xfx 7900gs extreme. It has better ram and it overclock like nobody's business. My ram hits 1.7ghz and gpu gets in the mid 600s. For the psu I highly recommend the sunbeam nuuo, it's modular, whisper quiet, and has vary reliable capacitors.

 

[lostandwandering]

I completely agree about the 7900GS. It is an excellent card for a low price that overclocks like mad. The PSU I'm not so sure on. It is not a highly rated PSU from what I've seen though personal experiences may say otherwise. I would rather see you get a decent quality modular PSU for Hiper instead. Specifically this one: url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817128006]Hiper 530watt[/url]. It will provide enough power for you now and in the future should you need more upgrades and it should fit in your case.

 

[lil_reeper_sniper]

I completely agree about the 7900GS. It is an excellent card for a low price that overclocks like mad. The PSU I'm not so sure on. It is not a highly rated PSU from what I've seen though personal experiences may say otherwise. I would rather see you get a decent quality modular PSU for Hiper instead. Specifically this one: url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817128006]Hiper 530watt[/url]. It will provide enough power for you now and in the future should you need more upgrades and it should fit in your case.

Its not a ATXMicro though, I have a micro tower. The case is smaller so the psu needs to be smaller.

 

[dj_taboo]

Its not a ATXMicro though, I have a micro tower. The case is smaller so the psu needs to be smaller.

In the end, the only difference between the psu is wire length; unless you have a Shuttle or Aopen sff case. ATX and MicroATX cases have the same mounts for PSUs. My sr1950nx actually shares the same case as your sr1250.

 

[fatalfidelity]

My friend has a computer with an AMD 3700+, 1GB of RAM, and a single 6600GT and runs WoW really smooth @ 1024x768. I'm not sure if he has max settings on though; but I'm pretty sure he does. So I hope maybe this helps with the CPU vs GPU dependent thing.

 

[lil_reeper_sniper]

Its not a ATXMicro though, I have a micro tower. The case is smaller so the psu needs to be smaller.

In the end, the only difference between the psu is wire length; unless you have a Shuttle or Aopen sff case. ATX and MicroATX cases have the same mounts for PSUs. My sr1950nx actually shares the same case as your sr1250.

What are the dimensions of it? I've already tried to look at product page, link is broken.

Edit: Ahh, nvm I found them. 5.9" x 5.5" x 3.4" That should fit my computer. Thanks alot!