I NEED HELP...PC UPGRADE??

[xdevzx]

Hello everyone. I'd like to upgrade the components of my pc because it's no longer good enough to run the games i enjoy (age of conan, black ops, and guildwars 2 is out)

here are my pc specs.
COMPAQ CQ5210F PC
CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 215 Processor
cpu speed 2.7ghz
OS: Win7 ultimate
VIDEO CARD: GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
Memory type: DDR2
I'm not sure what other info i should post here but what i really want is an upgrade on my video card. im not sure what brand or type of card i should get. I would like to be able to play age of conan (F2P mmorpg) in mid-high settings without lag or any other games listed above without lag.
My budget for a new video card is no more than 60-100$ i plan on buying from TigerDirect because they have good stuff for good prices. If you need any other info please let me no as soon as possible. By the way I'm new to these forums so i apologize if i posted in the wrong section.

If someone could tell me which video card i should get and how much it'll cost i'd be very thankful.

 

[clutchc]

If this is your machine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883109035
... you have the necessary PCIex16 slot, but are limited by the small 250W power supply. But you can use a card that doesn't need an external PCIe power cable; i.e. one that gets all its power from the PCIe x16 slot. One of these AMD HD 6750s should make a huge difference if you game at 1680x1050 or below.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600100181%20600083901%20600150231&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%206750

You could move up to a 7750, but they are slightly above your price limit. I'd stick with one of the HD 6750s if you want to stay in budget.

 

[xdevzx]

If this is your machine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883109035
... you have the necessary PCIex16 slot, but are limited by the small 250W power supply. But you can use a card that doesn't need an external PCIe power cable; i.e. one that gets all its power from the PCIe x16 slot. One of these AMD HD 6750s should make a huge difference if you game at 1680x1050 or below.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600100181%20600083901%20600150231&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%206750

You could move up to a 7750, but they are slightly above your price limit. I'd stick with one of the HD 6750s if you want to stay in budget.

Yes that is my machine and thank you i will look into the 6750s. I dont really understand what you mean about getting power from the PCIe x16 slot...sorry i'm fairly new at this stuff also, I hope i can find those GPU's in stores because im unable to buy online.

 

[clutchc]

Yes that is my machine and thank you i will look into the 6750s. I dont really understand what you mean about getting power from the PCIe x16 slot...sorry i'm fairly new at this stuff also, I hope i can find those GPU's in stores because im unable to buy online.

Graphic cards get their +12V power from the PCIex16 slot they are plugged into. But that is limited to 75W. If the card requires more than 75W to function, they have 1 or more 6 or 8 pin sockets on the end of the card to plug in an external power cable from the power supply. That's referred to as a PCIe power connector. In your case, you only have the power provided by the slot itself. Hence, you must use only cards that don't require the extra power.

 

[xdevzx]

I like the AMD HD 6750s however do they have to be at a PCie x16 slot? or is it just recommended? my machine supports PCI, PCIe x1 and PCIe x16. Also, since my power supply is very small do i have to worry about the 6750 overheating or something? One last thing, besides the 6750, what's the next best thing that'll do the trick?

 

[clutchc]

Yes, the card will only fit and only work in the PCIex16 slot. That's what the slot was mainly designed for; graphic cards. The PSU will only provide the power it is capable of producing. If it was sized correctly for the system by Compaq, it should be able to handle the card's needs. If not, the system will simply shut down. But, you should be fine.

Any AMD HD 67xx, 66xx, 65xx,64xx card will be an improvement over the integrated video I presume you now use. And none of them will require an external power connector. But the lower in model number you go, the lower the frame rates you will get. What computer stores are in your area?

 

[xdevzx]

i was able to find a really cheap video card and i'd like your opinion since you know lots about this heres the link.
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2484223&CatId=696

^^ will that work with my 250W power supply?

 

[clutchc]

No, that card is a PCI card. It requires a different slot. You need a PCIex16 card. And that card would be only a baby step above the integrated graphics you have now, anyway.

 

[xdevzx]

oh okay i see. so it must say PCIex16. the ones i know of are TigerDirect. there are also BestBuy and Futureshop but they arent big on selling actual pc parts, just pcs. So if i get a PCIex16 video card all i gotta do is install it correctly into the proper slot and everything will work fine?

 

[clutchc]

It may require a bit more work than that. Your monitor now is plugged into the on-board (or integrated) video; the GeForce 6150SE nForce 430. It's not really a 'card'. It's just a chip on the motherboard. Depending on how modern your BIOS is, you may have to enter the BIOS at boot up and set the video from the integrated setting to the new card yourself. More modern BIOSs do that automatically.
Next, we need to know what O/S you are using. Windows 7?

 

[xdevzx]

Yes, windows 7 ultimate 32bit. my main concern is if i'll be able to install the video card properly into the correct slot, The bios don't worry me because I know how to change them on start up. If i remember correctly you push f9 or f11 when u start your machine, enter the bios, and the rest is pretty simple from there right?

 

[xdevzx]

Yes, windows 7 ultimate 32bit. my main concern is if i'll be able to install the video card properly into the correct slot, The bios don't worry me because I know how to change them on start up. If i remember correctly you push f9 or f11 when u start your machine, enter the bios, and the rest is pretty simple from there right? Also, what if i were to upgrade to a 550W Power supply? heres the one im looking at :

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1147666&CatId=1079

if i bought that and installed it in my case could i buy a different video card? the PC store (TigerDirect) doesn't have a big selection of AMD HD 6000's....about 3-4 of them are listed online but there around 99-200$ Im wondering if i get a better wattage, can i get a different kind of GPU with high-end results?

 

[xdevzx]

I think im going to get a new power supply. But here are some questions i need answering.
1. Does the brand matter? (i.e LSP)
2. How much wattage is decent? (I plan on 500-600Watts)
3. If you're familiar with my machine (COMPAQ CQ5210F PC), can you link me to a decent power supply?
Thanks i'd be very thankful
On a different note, what are good GPU's? if i cant get my hands on a AMD HD 6000+, whats the next best thing?
thanks again
-Devz

 

[clutchc]

Yes, windows 7 ultimate 32bit. my main concern is if i'll be able to install the video card properly into the correct slot, The bios don't worry me because I know how to change them on start up. If i remember correctly you push f9 or f11 when u start your machine, enter the bios, and the rest is pretty simple from there right?

Windows 7 should 'see' the new card when it boots up and install a fairly late version driver for it from its library. You can then go to AMD's site and download the latest when you have time.
The only thing 'easy' about working in the BIOS, is it's easy to mess it up. If your system auto switches to the card's video output on its own, leave the BIOS settings alone for now.
Here's a PSU calculator you can use to judge the size PSU you need. http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/
But anything over 500W should handle most mid-range cards that require a separate PCIe power connector OK. Seasonic, Corsair, OCZ, XFX are some good brands.

To tell you the truth, that seems like a lot of expense to go through for an Athlon II x2 215, though. Better to go with plan A untill you can afford to build a new machine.

 

[xdevzx]

Windows 7 should 'see' the new card when it boots up and install a fairly late version driver for it from its library. You can then go to AMD's site and download the latest when you have time.
The only thing 'easy' about working in the BIOS, is it's easy to mess it up. If your system auto switches to the card's video output on its own, leave the BIOS settings alone for now.
Here's a PSU calculator you can use to judge the size PSU you need. http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/
But anything over 500W should handle most mid-range cards that require a separate PCIe power connector OK. Seasonic, Corsair, OCZ, XFX are some good brands.

To tell you the truth, that seems like a lot of expense to go through for an Athlon II x2 215, though. Better to go with plan A untill you can afford to build a new machine.

I actually do plan on building my own gaming rig, i know all the parts i want just need some more cash. I will simply go out and buy a PCIex16 video card till then. ill probably go for seasonic or corsair because for some reason, the nearest pc store is always out of stock whenever i look for a AMD RADEON 6k+