Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > [Solved] PNY Verto GeForce 8400GS or Stealth ATI Radeon 9250 PCI Card?

[Solved] PNY Verto GeForce 8400GS or Stealth ATI Radeon 9250 PCI Card?

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - [Solved] PNY Verto GeForce 8400GS or Stealth ATI Radeon 9250 PCI Card?

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Best answer from shadow187.

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SuperKitty   10-22-2009 at 06:28:13 PM

Hi all,

I have a 5-year old Dell Dimension that I would like to upgrade rather than toss out. It could use 2mb RAM and/or a new graphics card.

I play an online MMOG that updated to HD. The game runs ok on this system but would run better, faster, less lag if I could update the graphics card. (They said better to update graphics card than ram.

Looking at the Dell suggested upgrades for my system, I thought these 2 looked best:

PNY Verto GeForce 8400GS 512 MB PCI Graphics Card, or
Stealth ATI Radeon 9250 256 MB DDR PCI Graphics Card.

Knowing nothing about hardware, I was wondering which would work best on my:
Dell Dimension 3000
Intel Pent 4
1 gig ram (can update to 2 gigs)
Windows XP
4 gig hd
Dell M993s display on Intel 82865G Graphics Controller (that's what Display Properties says)

I would appreciate any recommendations, advice, and suggestions.

Thanks!
:p

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Best answer from shadow187
PNY, Corsair, OCZ, Kingston for RAM.

As far as graphics, here's some good graphics-per-$.
$40 HD4670
$60 9600GSO (96SP/128-bit BUS)
$90 HD4850
$125 HD4870
$160 HD5770
$165 HD4890
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vjcsmoke   10-22-2009 at 06:38:52 PM

SuperKitty wrote :

Hi all,

I have a 5-year old Dell Dimension that I would like to upgrade rather than toss out. It could use 2mb RAM and/or a new graphics card.

I play an online MMOG that updated to HD. The game runs ok on this system but would run better, faster, less lag if I could update the graphics card. (They said better to update graphics card than ram.

Looking at the Dell suggested upgrades for my system, I thought these 2 looked best:

PNY Verto GeForce 8400GS 512 MB PCI Graphics Card, or
Stealth ATI Radeon 9250 256 MB DDR PCI Graphics Card.

Knowing nothing about hardware, I was wondering which would work best on my:
Dell Dimension 3000
Intel Pent 4
1 gig ram (can update to 2 gigs)
Windows XP
4 gig hd
Dell M993s display on Intel 82865G Graphics Controller (that's what Display Properties says)

I would appreciate any recommendations, advice, and suggestions.

Thanks!
:p



At the $60 pricepoint those are both rather weak video cards.

You're better off spending your $60 on an HD 4670.
Here is one on Newegg that is $40 after the MIR. It has 1 Gig of GDDR3 and it will outperform either of those 2 video cards handily.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

PS Buy another gig of ram as well. Look on Amazon, they sell cheaper upgrades than Dell does directly. Just make sure you know what ram you are getting.


Message edited by vjcsmoke on 10-22-2009 at 06:45:53 PM
Reply to vjcsmoke
SuperKitty   10-22-2009 at 06:48:41 PM

Ok. Any recommendations on type/brand of ram? I dunno which is good or not.

Thanks for the advice on graphics card! I didn't know I could use a PCI Express, thought it had to be just PCI. Also, was going to buy from Dell because they will support me through the install. I dunno how or where to install it, so didn't mind paying extra.


Message edited by SuperKitty on 10-22-2009 at 06:50:48 PM
Reply to SuperKitty
Bronze Graphics badge shadow187   10-22-2009 at 07:02:22 PM
Best answer

PNY, Corsair, OCZ, Kingston for RAM.

As far as graphics, here's some good graphics-per-$.
$40 HD4670
$60 9600GSO (96SP/128-bit BUS)
$90 HD4850
$125 HD4870
$160 HD5770
$165 HD4890

Reply to shadow187
vjcsmoke   10-22-2009 at 07:07:46 PM

Well I just looked at the Dell Dimension 300 motherboard diagram. It appears to only have 3 PCI slots with no PCIE ??? So I guess you can't use a PCIE card after all. :(
Honestly it might be time to upgrade your system to current gen hardware.

Here's a complete system upgrade built on the cheapest possible Athlon platform:
2.8ghz CPU + 4650 GPU + Minitowercase + 585W PSU = $155. Minus 20 MIR = $135.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.274414

AM3 MicroATX Motherboard + 2GB RAM = $91. Minus 14 MIR = $77.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.267296

Total system price before MIR = $246
Total system price after MIR = $202

Here's a slightly better build:
2.8ghz CPU + 4650 GPU + Minitowercase + 585W PSU = $155. Minus 20 MIR = $135.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.274414

AM3 MicroATX Motherboard + 4GB DDR2 RAM = $144. Minus 13 MIR = $131.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.267296

Total system price before MIR = $299
Total system price after MIR = $266


Message edited by vjcsmoke on 10-22-2009 at 07:45:39 PM
Reply to vjcsmoke
Bronze Graphics badge shadow187   10-22-2009 at 07:37:06 PM

Yeah..any $40 motherboard has a PCI-E slot...

Reply to shadow187
vjcsmoke   10-22-2009 at 07:49:50 PM

Now that I think about it... have you ever put computers together yourself, Superkitty?

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to vjcsmoke
vjcsmoke   10-22-2009 at 08:01:29 PM

9250 is a decent video card I suppose if you're stuck with PCI. But it's really not very good. What resolution is your screen?

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to vjcsmoke
SuperKitty   10-23-2009 at 07:19:04 PM

vjcsmoke wrote :

Now that I think about it... have you ever put computers together yourself, Superkitty?




No, vjc, that's why I was gonna buy one of Dell's recommended cards cuz they will talk me thru the install.

:\

Reply to SuperKitty
SuperKitty   10-23-2009 at 07:21:58 PM

vjcsmoke wrote :

9250 is a decent video card I suppose if you're stuck with PCI. But it's really not very good. What resolution is your screen?



Umm... let me guess... lol....

Looking at Display Properties, the max resolution I can select is 1600x 1200. I have an old 19" crt that came with the system 5 years ago.

Hope that answers your question.

Fyi, I have opened the box before, but I forget why, now. I did vacuum it out before to get the dust out.



Vjc, I wish I could get a 512 or 1G vid card for this silly pci slot. Mebbe then, I would not need to purchase ram. Now I look back, it was sneaky of Dell to put a pci card in this machine at that time. They were using older model parts to cut costs I guess.


Message edited by SuperKitty on 10-24-2009 at 03:42:04 PM
Reply to SuperKitty
SuperKitty   10-23-2009 at 07:27:01 PM

Guess I might add...

I'm hanging on to this old system as back up, and cuz it works ok.

I purchased a new Gateway NV5814u laptop for my new comp. (Buy a new one every 5 years.)

Want to network a new printer to both this old Dell and me new Gateway. The awful Dell (Lexmark) that came with the system is dying fast.

I will get new graphics card first and see how it goes. I have a feeling that will help alot. Then I will add the 2gig ram at once.

Thanks eva so much, for your suggestions.

You've been great!

Reply to SuperKitty
SuperKitty   10-24-2009 at 12:48:41 PM

I think I can buy the graphics card from anyone because I watched YT vids this weekend on how to install a g card. It looks easy enough, just plug it in to a slot.

Just need to make sure I buy something that will fit the slot in my comp and that it will run on the system configuration I have. And, I don't know what would fit.

Thanks.

Reply to SuperKitty
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