What is the best graphics card my computer can handle?

[chinesepug]

i'm a major noob and i need the best graphics card my computer can handle, along with few alternative ones if the best one is too expensive. I want to be able to play Hitman Absolution when it comes out, the most recent assassin's creed, basically any game that comes out for years to come but i don't want to spend alot of money and I don't need to play at max settings. What are the best cards my pc can handle? thank you




Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Inspiron 620

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2120 CPU @ 3.30GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.3GHz
Memory: 6144MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 6056MB RAM
Page File: 3034MB used, 9077MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found

---------------
Card name: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
DAC type: Internal

Display Memory: 1696 MB
Dedicated Memory: 64 MB
Shared Memory: 1632 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: HP 2511 Series Wide LCD Monitor
Monitor Model: HP 2511
Monitor Id: HWP293F
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)

 

[overlandpark4me]

Define, "don't want to spend a lot of money".

 

[chinesepug]

also some info about if i could overclock and hot raise voltage or something. i'm a noob. does overclocking raise pixels per frame or something?

 

[chinesepug]

i'll spend prolly at most a little over $100. definitely less than $200

 

[reload098]

looks like you already have a HD series, direct X11 onboard graphics card?
have you tried to play any new games? You might be ok already if you don't want to spend a bunch of money.

But im not a computer wiz by any means.

hopefully someone else will chime in and help you out.

 

[robthatguyx]

100-200 isnt going to buy you a power house card thats entry level territory.in most gaming rigs the graphics card is the most expensive single component , a 7770 is around 130 for a 1gb and a 2gb is 160. and overclocking on lower end cards doesn't usually lend as much performance boost as on high end card( 7950 -7970,gtx670-680)

 

[chinesepug]

i'm not sure. it was a stock graphics card so i didn't know if it was good enough.

 

[julh87]

get a ati 7850 awsome price/perf card and u can oc the crap out of it without touching the voltage simply by a click in CCC (ati driver software)

currently 165$
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=77258&vpn=11200-16-20G&manufacture=SAPPHIRE&promoid=1016

 

[robthatguyx]

that 7850 sale ended on 11/07/2012
Savings Code 77258-1016. SAVE $97.99 off our regular price of $262.98 if you buy today! Special price ends 11/07/2012. Limit 2 per customer.

 

[jaguarskx]

You need to list the power supply (PSU) you have. If you buy a graphics card that sucks up more power than the PSU can handle then you can run into some serious problems. The least of which would be your PC crashing when playing games.

 

[chinesepug]

thanks guys for your help. i think you're right about the power supply b/c i put a good graphics card into a crappy computer once and it kept restarting and ***. how do i check the power supply with a multimeter or is there easier way? damn, i think i should just buy a ps3 instead of messing with these complicated things.

 

[robthatguyx]

theres numbers on the power supply it self that say the wattage

 

[MotherFerJones]

looks like you already have a HD series, direct X11 onboard graphics card?
have you tried to play any new games? You might be ok already if you don't want to spend a bunch of money.

But im not a computer wiz by any means.

hopefully someone else will chime in and help you out.

Intel HD graphics refer to ONBOARD graphics meaning that the motherboard along with the CPU supply the graphics, he currently has no dedicated card in his system.

Assuming you have a 350W or higher PSU id go with a 7770, there just below 100 right now.

 

[Goodeggray]

Is your Dell 620 in a regular or slimline case? The slimline case is 3 to 4 inches thick. The regular case is 6 to 8 inches thick.

 

[ipwn3r456]

Just checked the specs on your computer at Dell's website, and it has only a 300 Watt Power Supply (Mini Tower), or 250 Watt Power Supply (Slim Tower). The best graphics card you can possibly put would be the HD 7750. They cost around $100.

 

[Goodeggray]

If the case is a slimline the top cards that will fit are Radeon 6450 or the gtx 620.

 

[Sunius]

^
That is not the truth.

@OP: Open up your PC and check the label of the power supply unit. You don't need to use the multimeter.

 

[mohit9206]

just get the 7750. its the best card that money can buy that would run on your 300 watt psu

 

[robthatguyx]

if your case isnt a slim line and you have a 300w i also suggest a 7770. only game i have trouble playing is gta iv i need to put it on low at 1080p and metro 2033 i play on high just at a bit lower resolution. bf3 i play 1080p and most other games at 1080

 

[chinesepug]

i'm pretty sure it's no the slim one, but it's a little bigger. are you saying that I currently don't have an actual video card? I downloaded assassin's creed 2 and when I tried to play it, my mouse moved extremely slow and it was pretty laggy. I met the system requirements, so is it b/c of my video card?

TPP4T 1 Base,INSP DT,620,Medium Tower,Configure To Order
0293D 1 Module,Cord,Power,120V,6 Ft
92G51 1 Module,Thermal,Heatsink,65W,620
J6XND 1 Module,Software,W7HP64,Digital Video Disk Drive,Multiple User Interface,NO-E
TG4MT 1 Module,Software,W7HP64SP1,English,Dao/Bcc
VRM6R 1 Module,Processor,I3-2120,3.3,SNB,620/S
XTNPK 1 Module,Dual In-Line Memory Module,6G,1X4/1X2,1333,N-E

 

[chinesepug]

it's 300 watt, would it be okay to go with a hd 7770 and not 7750? i don't want my computer to break. also, will getting that video card fix the lag that i'm experiencing with assassin's creed 2? also, which brand and type of hd 7770 should i get?

b/c if you go here

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7770/Pages/radeon-7770.aspx

it lists a bunch of versions for 7770 on the right hand side i don't understand.

 

[chinesepug]

and getting this card, will i be able to play future games as well for years to come?

 

[mrbeanladen]

100-200 isnt going to buy you a power house card thats entry level territory.in most gaming rigs the graphics card is the most expensive single component , a 7770 is around 130 for a 1gb and a 2gb is 160. and overclocking on lower end cards doesn't usually lend as much performance boost as on high end card( 7950 -7970,gtx670-680)

entry level?
this is my 7850:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4804102
You call that entry level? It's only a few % (like what... 10-20% something? and these cards sure are expensive, way more than just 20%+ more $) slower than a stock 7950 or 7970 that's much more expensive, if I went by your logic I'd say the cards you listed there are pretty much *** as well. When you say that your neighbor's piece of dog *** has a smell that's 20% more pleasant, that still means it's a piece of dog ***, unless it's a couple of times better smelling, then the *** is out of your dog's ***'s league.

costs about 180$ (even lower for the 1gb version) on newegg last time I checked, plays all games on the market at smooth fps (I don't run fraps all the time so I guess smooth=40-60) including BF3, haven't tested metro 2033 though that game would probably make it drop more. Unless OP wants to game on multiple monitors I say something like a 7850/7870 is enough considering he dont wants to spend too much money.


A 7950 is like what... 300-400$? isn't that more than 2 times the money? why are you recommending this man to get a card that's only 20% faster than a 180$ card and is twice more expensive than it? sounds pretty retarded when you think about it. Really now.

Seems like today's newest trend is hyperbolizing the crap out of everything. Racecar #1 beat #2 by 1 planck time ? pfft... racecar #1 annihilated its competitors. How can racecar #2 even show its disgusting face in the world anymore after it has endured so much humiliation?

 

[robthatguyx]

i wasn't aware that the 7850 had dropped that far in price already

entry level?
this is my 7850:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4804102
You call that entry level? It's only a few % (like what... 10-20% something? and these cards sure are expensive, way more than just 20%+ more $) slower than a stock 7950 or 7970 that's much more expensive, if I went by your logic I'd say the cards you listed there are pretty much *** as well. When you say that your neighbor's piece of dog *** has a smell that's 20% more pleasant, that still means it's a piece of dog ***, unless it's a couple of times better smelling, then the *** is out of your dog's ***'s league.

costs about 180$ (even lower for the 1gb version) on newegg last time I checked, plays all games on the market at smooth fps (I don't run fraps all the time so I guess smooth=40-60) including BF3, haven't tested metro 2033 though that game would probably make it drop more. Unless OP wants to game on multiple monitors I say something like a 7850/7870 is enough considering he dont wants to spend too much money.


A 7950 is like what... 300-400$? isn't that more than 2 times the money? why are you recommending this man to get a card that's only 20% faster than a 180$ card and is twice more expensive than it? sounds pretty retarded when you think about it. Really now.

Seems like today's newest trend is hyperbolizing the crap out of everything. Racecar #1 beat #2 by 1 planck time ? pfft... racecar #1 annihilated its competitors. How can racecar #2 even show its disgusting face in the world anymore after it has endured so much humiliation?

 

[chinesepug]

Best answer selected by chinesepug.