Dell slim desktop 530s help

mv826

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Jul 19, 2009
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im looking to get a really low profile graphics card tht wont damage my PC in any way i have heard numerous stories of how people put crazy cards in these but im just looking for a really low profile card tht will improve my graphics rather then this intel G33/G31 chipset something lik tht and its lik 3000 quality dont kno the word lol

plz help i only got 250 watt powersupply
 

mv826

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i dint needa powerful gaming card only a graphics card enough to to play small less hd games nothing as detailed as lik wow l
lik runescape on hd without lagging
 

rockyjohn

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One thing you might wish to research - and I profess no knowledge whatsover about it - is using an external graphics card - probably connected by USB which I presume will have its own power supply or connection to household power. However, with an enclosure and some kind of power provision, it is likely to cost substantially more - and obviously with a USB maybe work more slowly. Just a thought.

If budget allows, you mgiht also consider changing out your PSU, which also might be cheaper than the external video card in total A good PSU for a modest increase (would run good mainstream cards but not enthusiast level video cards) would be something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006

If that is too step, a midrange choice might be the Coolermaster eXtreme Power Plus 500w for $30 after a $10 mail in rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031

You can find PSUs for less, but I would not recommend a low cost one due to the damage it could cause to your computer.

If decide to get a new PSU - you need to make sure it will fit your PC. Dell used to have their own size but I now they use standard components. I don't know when the change occurred. YOu couild measure your current one and make sure the replacement is no larger. Also I would strongly suggest going to the Dell forum and searching to find others with the same model tha thave already upgraded.

You should also take a quick look inside youir case to ensure that you can remove and replace the power unit without dismantling other components such as a heatsink/fan, or at least be aware of what will be required, It actually is quite simple. You just unscrew a couple of screws to release the power supply and pull it out - without detaching the cables. Then replace each old cable connection with a newl Just undo the old connection and insert the new, then move on to the next cable.

 

vernc

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Oct 7, 2009
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I quickly discovered that the 530s' "shared memory" graphics was not feasible with Photoshop so I needed a card. After asking a couple stores, and the Dell Forum, and receiving zero help. I then went to the Dell site and searched for NEW 530s options. I found that you can order the machine with a couple diferent cards, including the Radeon 1300. So I went to Tiger Direct and ordered a Radeon 1300 Low Profile card. It's only 256 Mb memory but is quite inexpensive and works reasonably well.

Often the manufacturer's site isn't that helpful if you ask a direct question so you have to take the indirect approach. Dell and a couple others aren't particularly helpful - unless you want to buy a NEW computer. The indirect path has worked for me many times.
 

techshui

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mv826, welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums!

Runescape is not a very demanding game, I'm running it on just 8MB of shared video RAM right now, with a 965 Intel GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator). There's little to no lag, but I have set to SD.

If I set it to HD then there's definitely lag, but even HD mode is not as demanding as newer games. So you can get away with putting a 64MB small-profile video card into your computer, and be able to play Runescape in HD. :)

But 256MB card are so cheap these days, you might as well go the extra mile, since it'll let you do more demanding apps later.