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What card to get with a 300 watt power supply?

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Name141   11-12-2009 at 08:53:49 PM

Hello, I am currently looking to upgrade my nVidia 8300 128 MB GS card. I am using a dell inspiron 530 d. not the slim kind either.

Dell recommends the nVidia 9500 GT, however other people say that the ATI Radeon 4670 is a better card and wouldn't blow the mother board and power supply either? :heink:

So how in the world would I know which one to go with? The 4670 says it is recommended to have a 400 watt or better power supply while the 9500 GT is 350 watt.


Message edited by Name141 on 11-12-2009 at 09:13:54 PM
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Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   11-12-2009 at 09:15:30 PM

Dell famously underrates their powersupplies, and the HD4670 merely sips power, you'll be totally, completely fine with one.

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Name141   11-12-2009 at 09:19:53 PM

OK. I thought it was a 350 watt power supply, however I checked and it is a 300 watt (Just in case you didn't see my edit the post).

 

it is a Bestec 300 watt. (ATX-0300D ?)


Message edited by Name141 on 11-12-2009 at 09:20:24 PM
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Name141   11-12-2009 at 09:21:55 PM

BTW: (I guess it doesn't matter) I'm in the USA, it seems I was sent to the UK forums :o

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Bronze Graphics badge jay2tall   11-12-2009 at 09:22:22 PM

4670 does not require any extra power connectors. I think you will be ok with it. But that is probably the most GPU you can get for your system.

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Name141   11-12-2009 at 09:24:15 PM

jay2tall wrote :

4670 does not require any extra power connectors. I think you will be ok with it. But that is probably the most GPU you can get for your system.



Would I be any "safer" in buying a 4650 instead of a 4670?

Reply to Name141
Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   11-12-2009 at 09:31:02 PM

Right now I'd still say you're fine, as long as it's the PSU Dell supplied and not a replacement.
And yes, you'd be safer with the less demanding card, particularly if the system is several years old because the PSU tends to lose efficiency as it ages.

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Message edited by coozie7 on 11-12-2009 at 09:33:04 PM
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Name141   11-12-2009 at 09:36:35 PM

coozie7 wrote :

Right now I'd still say you're fine, as long as it's the PSU Dell supplied and not a replacement.
And yes, you'd be safer with the less demanding card, particularly if the system is several years old because the PSU tends to lose efficiency as it ages.



It's one they supplied 2 years ago now when I bought the system.

However, I returned the first system they sent me (it came broke) and got a replacement. So I am still assuming it was sent "new".

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Name141   11-12-2009 at 09:40:19 PM

Following this link, http://magicboxlive.blogspot.com/2 [...] vs-hd.html , the 4650 should play Half-Life and Left4dead2 at a reasonable rate?

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Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   11-12-2009 at 09:44:23 PM

^ H*** yes! I could play both on my rig with a 7800GTX 256Mb card and it could do both at 1920X1200 no problems at all! Just be sure to get the GDDR3 version of the card, see here for why:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/best [...] 635-6.html


Message edited by coozie7 on 11-12-2009 at 09:45:17 PM
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Bronze Graphics badge jay2tall   11-12-2009 at 09:56:45 PM

I thought you had the NON slim machine? That is a small form factor card.

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Name141   11-12-2009 at 10:01:47 PM

jay2tall wrote :

I thought you had the NON slim machine? That is a small form factor card.



That's correct. Hm, can you recommend a card for me? The current card is about 7 inches.

Reply to Name141
Name141   11-13-2009 at 12:48:02 AM

jay2tall wrote :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product



OK. Tech for dell says I need a better wattage, sales for dell says I don't.. explain that lol.

Also it still says "System Requirements 400 Watt or greater power supply (550 Watt for ATI CrossFireX technology in dual mode) is recommended" :??:


Message edited by Name141 on 11-13-2009 at 12:49:50 AM
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Name141   11-13-2009 at 01:46:12 AM

what are the ideas on a nVidia 9400 GT? is it crap too ?

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Bronze Graphics badge jay2tall   11-13-2009 at 02:08:39 AM

In the intro thread you said that Dell recommends a 9500GT. A 4670 uses less power than a 9500gt at idle and roughly the same at load.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/sho [...] i=3405&p=9

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Name141   11-13-2009 at 02:16:51 AM

jay2tall wrote :

In the intro thread you said that Dell recommends a 9500GT. A 4670 uses less power than a 9500gt at idle and roughly the same at load.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/sho [...] i=3405&p=9




nvidia's "help me select" said for me to go with 9400 GT, GT 240 , GT 220 , 8500 GT , or the current card I already have with a 300 watt.

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Bronze Graphics badge jay2tall   11-13-2009 at 02:44:54 AM

From what I know here is the order of performance 4650<9500GT<GT220<4670

 

I believe the GT220 does draw slightly under what the 4670 does. It would be an option if it made you feel better.

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Message edited by jay2tall on 11-13-2009 at 02:46:40 AM
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Name141   11-13-2009 at 07:11:41 AM

jay2tall wrote :

From what I know here is the order of performance 4650<9500GT<GT220<4670

 

I believe the GT220 does draw slightly under what the 4670 does. It would be an option if it made you feel better.

 

How about the Radeon 3650 ? It's only 300 Wattage recommended also? It seems it can run Half-Life2:Episode 2 good from what I took a look at.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product
or
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product [...] u=VT900232 ?


Message edited by Name141 on 11-13-2009 at 07:12:39 AM
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babydevil05   11-13-2009 at 07:28:48 AM

i just bought a 4770 & it worked flawlessly with dell 305w psu

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pepperman   11-13-2009 at 07:56:11 AM

jay2tall wrote :

From what I know here is the order of performance 4650<9500GT<GT220<4670

I believe the GT220 does draw slightly under what the 4670 does. It would be an option if it made you feel better.



The 9500 GT is only better (and only marginally so) if it is a GDDR3 variant and the 4650 is a DDR2, otherwise the 4650 beats the 9500 GT (again, only marginally).

I recommend an HD 4670. Its the best performance for the money, and its low power so it'll work on your system.

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Name141   11-13-2009 at 01:20:14 PM

pepperman wrote :

The 9500 GT is only better (and only marginally so) if it is a GDDR3 variant and the 4650 is a DDR2, otherwise the 4650 beats the 9500 GT (again, only marginally).

I recommend an HD 4670. Its the best performance for the money, and its low power so it'll work on your system.



if I was going to spend the extra money to upgrade the power supply, would i be looking at a 400 or 500 watt ?

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pepperman   11-13-2009 at 05:53:26 PM

Name141 wrote :

if I was going to spend the extra money to upgrade the power supply, would i be looking at a 400 or 500 watt ?



Depends on which card you want.

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Reply to pepperman
pepperman   11-13-2009 at 06:31:54 PM

You should be fine with your current psu; if you want to be absolutely sure, you can list your full system specs (cpu, RAM, # HDD's, etc.) and I can tell you for sure.

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Name141   11-13-2009 at 07:13:29 PM

pepperman wrote :

You should be fine with your current psu; if you want to be absolutely sure, you can list your full system specs (cpu, RAM, # HDD's, etc.) and I can tell you for sure.



Dell has told me that putting in another PSU would be a big no no. That it is not recommended to install a higher wattage PSU on this system.

So with that said, they gave me the options of a 4350 HD, and the 4650.

Then they went on to say that http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna [...] u=A2918806 would work, it is is a 400 watt recommended one..

How confusing this is getting :fou:

Reply to Name141
pepperman   11-13-2009 at 08:19:53 PM

^There trying to make you buy parts through the dell store. If a low power 9800 GT will work, I bet an HD 4670 would work too.

 

Edit: bet*


Message edited by pepperman on 11-13-2009 at 09:13:41 PM
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anarchy4sale   11-13-2009 at 09:12:07 PM

I have the 4670, and have no problem running fallout on high setting. I would strongly recommend it, you should have no problem with that power supply.

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Name141   11-20-2009 at 06:15:33 AM

What is the wattage difference than what I have now ? The 8300 GS ? I think it pulls 19 watts is all.

Reply to Name141
pepperman   11-20-2009 at 06:28:17 AM

The wattage difference is around 30 Watts; if Dell recommends a 9500 GT, your psu will support a 4670.

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