Power Supply and Graphics

[twolee]

Hey guys,

I am looking to replace a graphics card on an old computer of mines and looking for a cheap thing to last me a year or 2 until i fully get a new/better computer (on a budget and schooling).

The problem I have right now is that my current graphics card does not support Shader Model 3. I currently have an ATI Radeon x300/x550/x1050 series with chip type: Radeon x600 (0x5B62). And my power supply is only 305w.

I will be using this computer as a gaming computer, but I am not worried about running the games on VERY HIGH settings. I am ok with running the games on LOW/VERY LOW settings, as long as I can run the games.

I guess my question would be if I bought a graphics card that requires 300w will my power supply/computer be able to handle it?

Thanks in advance

So here is my current power supply, graphics card,video slots. I'm not quite sure which is which. My current one was in the black slot (which i think is AGP? and the white slots are PCI?) If someone could clarify which is which for me that would be very helpful thanks

 

[jrmurph3]

I can't help you much, but I did find this GT 430 that has a minimum requirement of 300W along with 22amps on the +12V.

If you have a PCI 16x 2.0 slot, you should be able to handle this.

Personally, I like to have more power supply than required. I just feel safer that way.

Here's the link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130579

 

[Deemo13]

I would recommend the Radeon HD 7750. Its the quickest card you can get that runs on a stock 300W.

 

[twolee]

thanks for the suggestions, I will look up those cards you guys suggested

 

[jaguarskx]

First you need to determine if your Radeon X600 is the AGP or PCI-e version.

AGP is the old graphics slot that was replaced by PCI-e back in 2004 or 2005 I think. They are not compatible with each other. AGP card are more or extinct. Currently the most power AGP sold (until there is no more stock) is the Radeon HD 4670 which can be used with a 305w PSU see below link and note the image which shows what an AGP interface looks like. Price is $115.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6076197

If you have the PCI-e version, then you have better luck getting a graphics card. However, the standard is now up to PCI-e 3.0. If you have a PCI-e motherboard, then it is PCI-e 1.0 which generally should be compatible with up to PCI-e 3.0 graphic cards. But a few people have reported issues with PCI-e 1.0/1.1 motherboards and PCI-e 2.1 graphic cards. Not aware of any issues between PCI-e 1.0/1.1 mobo with PCI-e 3.0 graphic cards, but most people who upgrades to a PCI-e 3.0 graphic card already has a mobo with a PCI-e 2.0 slot.

Currently, the best graphic card for a 305w PSU is the PCI-e 3.0 Radeon HD 7750. Whether or not it is compatible with all PCI-e 1.0/1.1 motherboards is unknown. A Radeon HD 7750 cost $100 after rebate and it comes with 2 free games.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150612

While the Radeon HD 4670 cost more it is also a slower graphics card. Then again AGP graphic cards are rare. The Radeon HD 7750 would be around as powerful as a Radeon HD 4870 (just a rough guess).

 

[twolee]

thank you very much for that information! now i just have to open up my computer and figure it all out...hopefully i can go into a microcenter or something and get their help too. thanks again

 

[jaideep1337]

I would go for a gt630 instead. It has almost power consumption than the 430 and is also faster.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130808

I'm pretty sure your psu will be able to handle it

 

[twolee]

thanks, will check it out...the price looks nice, as I will probably get a new computer within the next couple years

 

[jaguarskx]

Just be aware that the Radeon HD 7750 is considerably more powerful than the nVidia GT 630. The HD 7750 will eat the GT 630 alive. Then again it also costs more.

But before you run off to buy a card you need to determine if your motherboard has an AGP slot or PCI-e slot since the Radeon x600 came in both flavors. Google for a program called CPU-Z which will help identify which slot your mobo has.

 

[twolee]

thanks jaguar! ill check it out when i wake up in the morning -_-zz

 

[Deemo13]

I will agree with everything jaguar has said so far.

 

[jrmurph3]

I would recommend the Radeon HD 7750. Its the quickest card you can get that runs on a stock 300W.

Did you just run into this idea when you did a search? Every time I go to a site, they do NOT always list minimum PSU requirements. Know of any site that does, or has a minimum wattage as a search value when looking for a GPU?

 

[jrmurph3]

I would go for a gt630 instead. It has almost power consumption than the 430 and is also faster.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130808

I'm pretty sure your psu will be able to handle it

The GT630 requires a 350w PSU. It might be able to handle for a bit, but when the GPU requires more wattage, expect it to get hot trying to pull more power until it gets what it wants(and it won't) or it'll just shut down from lack of power.

 

[ko888]

Did you just run into this idea when you did a search? Every time I go to a site, they do NOT always list minimum PSU requirements. Know of any site that does, or has a minimum wattage as a search value when looking for a GPU?

Total power supply Wattage is only a guideline and a pretty poor one at that.

If you look on AMD's website for the Radeon HD 7750 they specify "400W (or greater) power supply recommended". Actually any power supply with a combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 19 Amps or greater will work fine. There are even 250 Watt Seasonic power supplies that would have no problem powering a system with a single Radeon HD 7750.

The OP's system looks to have one PCI Express Revision 1.1 x16 slot (determined by the Intel 945G chipset) and an OEM 305 Watt power supply that has a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 22 Amps.

 

[jrmurph3]

Total power supply Wattage is only a guideline and a pretty poor one at that.

If you look on AMD's website for the Radeon HD 7750 they specify "400W (or greater) power supply recommended". Actually any power supply with a combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 19 Amps or greater will work fine. There are even 250 Watt Seasonic power supplies that would have no problem powering a system with a single Radeon HD 7750.

So me wanting to have a bigger power supply just to be safe is pointless since they kind of already do that with their "suggested" PSU requirements? I guess it cant' hurt to be too safe.

 

[Deemo13]

Did you just run into this idea when you did a search? Every time I go to a site, they do NOT always list minimum PSU requirements. Know of any site that does, or has a minimum wattage as a search value when looking for a GPU?

I just kinda know....I read alot of the articles on Tom's that they do; they give alot of information.

 

[twolee]

i uploaded some pictures of whats inside my computer...if you guys could help clarify which slot is which that'd be great! thanks!

 

[jrmurph3]

Pictures unavailable?

 

[twolee]

sorry! i reuploaded them!

 

[jrmurph3]

The longer black slot is the PCIe 2.0(I would hope 2.0). The card you have holding in your hand is a PCIe card.

 

[jrmurph3]

What is the model of the Dell you have?

 

[twolee]

I have an old Dimension 5150

 

[jrmurph3]

Yea, the card should work since everything is backwards compatible, but won't work at the fullest.

I'd save up and start looking at something a bit newer if you can.

 

[Deemo13]

I think it will be fine. If it were to work at the fullest, it would probably be held back by some of the other parts anyway.

 

[twolee]

well the card in the picture is the old one that came with the PC, I am looking to get a new one that can handle most games at very low/low settings...possibly gt 610 or gt 630...its just a temp gcard for the moment until i save up for a new one