Just bought a Slim Dell 530s...need some help

[narib2008]

Just wondering.I just picked this comp up because my old one crapped out on me after 2 years.I use to be into the tech thing back in the days of 3dfx and voodoo cards...Anyways.Im looking to upgrade and get a video card for this comp.Im not looking to get the best thing out there(as i would not have bought this basic-bargain pc)However i have found a few good reviews on some cards...I need a low-profile card(which limits my choice)Also im just worried about the power supply.I believe the stock 530s power supply is 250w and the card im intrested recommends 300w.Here is a link to newegg with the card im intrested in...http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102754

Once again im just looking to get something that would at least run a few games...i do not expect world class performance...i would like to at least have a playable crysis??Any help i would greatly appreciate it.Thank You

 

[dirtmountain]

Your best bet would be to get the low profile 9600GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162016
at $95 after rebate and pop a cheap power supply in with it.
Antec earthwatts 430w $35 with free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006
That would get you the best low profile card out there right now and a good high efficiency power supply. That said the card you picked
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102754
at $70 is a decent card, just not sure if it will run Crysis decently, even on the lowest settings. Here's Toms graphic card hierarchy chart that shows many of the cards out there right now, it doesn't show the ratings of some of the newer cards (ATI 4550) or (9400GT)
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064-7.html

 

[narib2008]

Thanks for the reply...I actually went ahead and bought 2 sticks of 2 gb ram.So i will have a total of 6GB(was $30 bucks so why not?)I ended up getting the 3650 card i was talking about because several people run that based on the reviews on the exact same computer i have. Dell 530s...Like i said im not looking to have the best or even anything halfway decent for the computer world.Maybe in the future in a year or two i will upgrade to a better low profile card(there still pretty new) and the power supply and a new processor

 

[bixbym42]

I'm curious to know how that worked out for you. I've been researching to upgrade my Radeon HD 2400 PRO and it isn't so much the options are limited by the low profile casing for graphics cards but by the impossibility of increasing the power supply past 300W (Dell only ships the 250W with the 530s and only 2 other manufacturers I've found make other thin form factor profile (TFX) power supplies - and those are only 270 and 300W of dubious quality.

Did the 3650 give you any issues and are you satisfied with the quality?

 

[narib2008]

It should arrive either tommarow or weds...I will post once i know(that is if the computer still works haha).I have read several reviews on newegg about a 530s and radeon 3650...They seem to go hand and hand according to several people.That graphics card seems like its the best low profile card out at the moment aside from the 9600 gt(which requires a power supply over 400 and some different pin connectors??)

 

[narib2008]

Just wanted to let you guys know i installed the card today...Graphics rating according to the vista calculator went from 3.3 too 5.9...I tryed world of warcraft on the same setting i have been playing on 1280x720(or whatever) and the frame rates went from 30 too 75.I then turned the graphics all the way up to 1400x900 and 24-bit coloring x 8(now available because of the card)It still runs at a steady 50 frams per second.Game does not even look the same...Installing crysis as we speak...We will see how it goes!

 

[bixbym42]

Good to hear! No adverse affects from the lower PSU?

Does anyone know if it's bad for the card to run with a much-lower rated wattage?

 

[dirtmountain]

Grats, happy it worked out for you. Thanks for the feedback to us here in the forums, it's a big help to see how things worked out.