Replacement card for Dell Dimension 9150

[dizzybanjo]

I have an old Dell Dimension 9150 PC running Windows XP sp 3.
Here are the specs :
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SYSTEMS/dim9150/en/sm/specs.htm

I used to have a nVidia 8800 GTS 320 in there by Gigabyte.

It seems like this card has blown as I get crazy artifacts on the screen, even during bios and windows loading.

I have tried very many different drivers but reading up about the symptoms it seems like its broken. If I put a different card in, from another machine of mine, it works fine.

So it looks like I need to get a replacement card, but I am concerned about what cards would fit in that system as it only has a 375W power supply.

Looking back, it seems like the power supply was probably being stretched running the 8800 GTS 320 - which has a max power draw of 147W

I would like to get the most up to date card I could for my money and the nVidia GTX 550 Ti looks interesting.. and has a max power draw of 116W , 31W less than the 8800 GTS

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=475&card2=647

What do you think? Would this run ok?

Or should I play it safe and go for a lower power card?

In some other forums I have seen a ATI Radion HD 5750 recommended for this system. But the GTX 550 Ti looks more powerful?

Thanks in advance for your time and help!

 

[delluser1]

I have an old Dell Dimension 9150 PC running Windows XP sp 3.
Here are the specs :
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SYSTEMS/dim9150/en/sm/specs.htm

I used to have a nVidia 8800 GTS 320 in there by Gigabyte.

It seems like this card has blown as I get crazy artifacts on the screen, even during bios and windows loading.

I have tried very many different drivers but reading up about the symptoms it seems like its broken. If I put a different card in, from another machine of mine, it works fine.

So it looks like I need to get a replacement card, but I am concerned about what cards would fit in that system as it only has a 375W power supply.

Looking back, it seems like the power supply was probably being stretched running the 8800 GTS 320 - which has a max power draw of 147W

I would like to get the most up to date card I could for my money and the nVidia GTX 550 Ti looks interesting.. and has a max power draw of 116W , 31W less than the 8800 GTS

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=475&card2=647

What do you think? Would this run ok?

Or should I play it safe and go for a lower power card?

In some other forums I have seen a ATI Radion HD 5750 recommended for this system. But the GTX 550 Ti looks more powerful?

Thanks in advance for your time and help!

That's what it was rated at, in actual use it was a good deal lower


A psu upgrade is almost never a bad thing ( sometimes people upgrade without really upgrading ) but don't doubt the power of the Dell 375w.
I've run benchmarks with a pair of the 8800 512's ( those are the one's that actually draw 147 watts ) on a 6 year old modified 375w ( Took several weeks of thrashing to kill it ).
Currently have an overclocked GTX260 on another 375w that has been abused for years ( board won't let me do a pair of them )

Based on the age of the system I think you would be better off with something like a GTS450 ( no psu upgrade ), and saving your money for a system upgrade.


PS; Google " baking a video card "

 

[dizzybanjo]

Cool.

Thanks for the advice delluser1

I think I will go for the GTS450.

This isn't my main system as I now actually use a Macbook Pro , but it would be nice to have it running to try various PC games.

I might try baking the 8800 at some point, but from the videos I have seen it looks like a fair bit of work and you need special gel to fix it back up again after doing it, so not sure if I can be bothered.

Thanks !