AGP video card for 305 watts

[lexluthor9]

I need to upgrade my video card and am stuck with AGP connection and 305 watts power supply for a Dell Dimension 8300.
What will be the best card I can finmd that does not have a history of overheating?
Mark
mkeppel@frontier.com

 

[jay2tall]

What are you going to use this for? I believe the best card you can get for AGP is a 4670 or 4650. If not that maybe a 3650. Depends on what you want to spend. Either way you will pay a premium for an AGP card since they are being phased out.

 

[capt_taco]

You can get a 4650 for about $80: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150433
Or a 4670 for about $100: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161284

Personally, I'd go with the 4670 because it has DDR3 instead of DDR2, which makes it the better card. But honestly, if you're just trying to make an old machine work with some newer games, you'll be happy with either, and neither one will use very much power. I've got a 4650 in a 5-year-old machine that I own, and couldn't be more pleased with the results.

 

[megamanx00]

Radeon 3650, like this one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131173

The Radeon 4650 probably needs a little more power than your poor little PSU can provide. The Radeon 3650 is a bit more miserly though and shouldn't be a problem. If you want to use a more powerful card, like the Radeon 4670, then you definitely need a better PSU.

 

[lexluthor9]

What are you going to use this for? I believe the best card you can get for AGP is a 4670 or 4650. If not that maybe a 3650. Depends on what you want to spend. Either way you will pay a premium for an AGP card since they are being phased out.

About the only game that I want to play is Company of Heros Opposing Fronts Gold Edition box says it needs 256 mb Nvidia GeForce 6800 series or better.

 

[lexluthor9]

You can get a 4650 for about $80: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150433
Or a 4670 for about $100: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161284

Personally, I'd go with the 4670 because it has DDR3 instead of DDR2, which makes it the better card. But honestly, if you're just trying to make an old machine work with some newer games, you'll be happy with either, and neither one will use very much power. I've got a 4650 in a 5-year-old machine that I own, and couldn't be more pleased with the results.

About the only game that I want to play is Company of Heros Opposing Fronts Gold Edition box says it needs 256 mb Nvidia GeForce 6800 series or better.

 

[jay2tall]

I'd get the 4670 then to be honest.

 

[lexluthor9]

When I look up the Radeon 3650 the 512mb still requires a 400 watt power supply. Do I need to try to find a 256mb in the 3650 or could I look for the 4670 or 4650 if it is 256mb?

 

[capt_taco]

When I look up the Radeon 3650 the 512mb still requires a 400 watt power supply. Do I need to try to find a 256mb in the 3650 or could I look for the 4670 or 4650 if it is 256mb?

I am running a 1GB 4650 on a 300W power supply with no problems. The card manufacturer's specs are pretty conservative -- they build in extra room because they don't know what the rest of your system is. Both the 4670 and 4650 consume VERY little power. In fact, I think the 4670 even operates off of the AGP slot power alone -- no need for an external power connector.

Basically, unless you've done some kind of unorthodox modification to your machine that's increased the power consumption -- and it doesn't sound like you have -- the 4670 1GB should give you no problems.

 

[lexluthor9]

I am running a 1GB 4650 on a 300W power supply with no problems. The card manufacturer's specs are pretty conservative -- they build in extra room because they don't know what the rest of your system is. Both the 4670 and 4650 consume VERY little power. In fact, I think the 4670 even operates off of the AGP slot power alone -- no need for an external power connector.

Basically, unless you've done some kind of unorthodox modification to your machine that's increased the power consumption -- and it doesn't sound like you have -- the 4670 1GB should give you no problems.

The game I am hoping to run Company of Heroes states on the box that I need an nvidia geforce 256mb 6800 or better, so I do not think the Radeon card will work or am I wrong?

 

[cjl]

It says you need a GeForce 6800 or better. The Radeon is better.

(It will work fine)

 

[capt_taco]

The game I am hoping to run Company of Heroes states on the box that I need an nvidia geforce 256mb 6800 or better, so I do not think the Radeon card will work or am I wrong?

Yeah, they probably had a deal worked out with nvidia to mention them on the box, but either brand will work as long as it meets the minimum specs. The 4670 is more than enough.

 

[megamanx00]

The 3650 is faster than a 6800 and even with your CPU limiting it a little it will still be better than a 6800 in your system. Of course the Radeon 4670 is better, much better, but for that I would recommend you replace your PSU and upgrade your CPU to get the most out of it. As for the 400W unit recommendation that's just to be on the safe side. Even with a Radeon 4670 your total power draw should be a lot less than 200W when playing a game, but if your PSU is really cheap then that may be more than it can handle despite being rated at 305W.

The radeon 4670 is rated to use like 60W (at least according to the launch documents). The 3650 uses even less than that. Since those dell 8300s use P4 CPUs, not even dual cores at that, the Radeon 4670 would be so limited that it would probably preform the same for you as a cheaper 3650.

 

[lexluthor9]

The 3650 is faster than a 6800 and even with your CPU limiting it a little it will still be better than a 6800 in your system. Of course the Radeon 4670 is better, much better, but for that I would recommend you replace your PSU and upgrade your CPU to get the most out of it. As for the 400W unit recommendation that's just to be on the safe side. Even with a Radeon 4670 your total power draw should be a lot less than 200W when playing a game, but if your PSU is really cheap then that may be more than it can handle despite being rated at 305W.

The radeon 4670 is rated to use like 60W (at least according to the launch documents). The 3650 uses even less than that. Since those dell 8300s use P4 CPUs, not even dual cores at that, the Radeon 4670 would be so limited that it would probably preform the same for you as a cheaper 3650.

Do you have any idea how many watts I would need for a ATI Radeon x1600xt 256mb or ATI Radeon x850 Pro 256mb?

 

[lexluthor9]

The 3650 is faster than a 6800 and even with your CPU limiting it a little it will still be better than a 6800 in your system. Of course the Radeon 4670 is better, much better, but for that I would recommend you replace your PSU and upgrade your CPU to get the most out of it. As for the 400W unit recommendation that's just to be on the safe side. Even with a Radeon 4670 your total power draw should be a lot less than 200W when playing a game, but if your PSU is really cheap then that may be more than it can handle despite being rated at 305W.

The radeon 4670 is rated to use like 60W (at least according to the launch documents). The 3650 uses even less than that. Since those dell 8300s use P4 CPUs, not even dual cores at that, the Radeon 4670 would be so limited that it would probably preform the same for you as a cheaper 3650.

Now I am really confused, I wrote to Dell Tech Support and they said I should put in an ATI R360 256MB. After I did research I found out the that is exactly the same card and chip as the Radeon 9800xt. Is this correct? Can I put in the Radeon 9800xt or do I need to use a 4670?
Mark

 

[lexluthor9]

Yeah, they probably had a deal worked out with nvidia to mention them on the box, but either brand will work as long as it meets the minimum specs. The 4670 is more than enough.

Now I am really confused, I wrote to Dell Tech Support and they said I should put in an ATI R360 256MB. After I did research I found out the that is exactly the same card and chip as the Radeon 9800xt. Is this correct? Can I put in the Radeon 9800xt or do I need to use a 4670?
Mark

 

[lexluthor9]

The 3650 is faster than a 6800 and even with your CPU limiting it a little it will still be better than a 6800 in your system. Of course the Radeon 4670 is better, much better, but for that I would recommend you replace your PSU and upgrade your CPU to get the most out of it. As for the 400W unit recommendation that's just to be on the safe side. Even with a Radeon 4670 your total power draw should be a lot less than 200W when playing a game, but if your PSU is really cheap then that may be more than it can handle despite being rated at 305W.

The radeon 4670 is rated to use like 60W (at least according to the launch documents). The 3650 uses even less than that. Since those dell 8300s use P4 CPUs, not even dual cores at that, the Radeon 4670 would be so limited that it would probably preform the same for you as a cheaper 3650.

when you say I need the radeon 4670 rated at 60W please look at this ebay listing and tell me if that is the same 4670 you are talking about.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ATI-Radeon-HD-4670-1GB-GDDR3-AGP-8X-Video-Graphics-Card_W0QQitemZ350290485545QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCC_Video_TV_Cards?hash=item518ef0a129
Mark