How would I know if a graphics card is compatibile with my PC?(Please Help!)

[FLR]

Hi...I'm thinking of buying a new graphics card(for gaming)...My PC's housing is AX3950.My PC specs are:

Intel Core i3 540 3.07 GHz

4GB RAM DDR3

Nvidia Geforce 315 - Thats what sucks in my pc,especialy because I have a big monitor.

Now here's the problem,if you search AX3950 on google you'll see that my housing is mini,I got a GTX560 this summer,but i didnt inform myself,and when I went to a computer service to get my video card,when the guy looked at the PC and when I showed him the video card,he said,thats never going to go in here,you need a mini video card for your PC,so i sold the GTX560,and here I am,asking you for help.Does anyone know how can I find A decent video card(1GB,GDDR5 or GDDR3,128-256bits) that will be compatibile with my PC because I'm desperate,I've searched on a lot of sites but I can't tell if the video card will fit in my PC.So please if somebody can help me.Or just give me a link with a decent video card that would fit my PC,I would appreciate it very much.

 

PS: Sorry if my english is not too good.

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

You need a low profile card.

There are quite a few here:

http://www.squidoo.com/best-low-profile-video-graphics-cards-for-gaming-2011-pci-express

http://www.pcupgrade.co.uk/category.asp?categoryid=478

 

If this is your machine - you have a PCIe x16 slot for the card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103270

Be aware:

Depending on your choice you may need to upgrade your PSU.

 

[FLR]

Thank you for your help,I've looked over on ebay and I thought this would be a low profile video card : http://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-POWERCOLOR-RADEON-HD6750-DDR5-VGA-DVI-HDMI-LOW-PROFILE-AX67501GBD5LHG-/400253177916?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item5d30f2d03c Could you look over it and maybe tell me if it would work?I'd really appreciate it.

[KenB]

Hi,

The card in the link you gave me has a part number ...

AX6750 1GBD5-LHG

If you are comparing prices use this to google as that particular card Radeon HD6750 has a number of variations.

see here:

http://www.powercolor.com/Global/products_layer_2.asp?SeriesID=73&Page=2

You may find this to be a better link for system specs:

http://www.powercolor.com/Global/products_features.asp?id=363

 

The card is 182 x 111 x 38 mm You would need to check to see if you had enough room in your case.

(Strangely the other cards from the link that are NOT labelled "Low Profile" have the same dimensions)

 

The card is PCIe 2.1

If your motherboard slot is also 2.1 you will get the best out of the card. If the slot is PCIe 2.0 it will still work as all cards are backwards compatible.

 

This card needs at least a 450Watt Power Supply Unit.

 

There must also be a 6pin power connector from the PSU to attach to the card.

[FLR]

Thank you for your answer,I think I'll go to a specialist tomorrow to see how much space I have for the video card slot,and if I have more then 182 x 111 x 38 mm it should work right?And I'll also check the how much my PSU has.

[KenB]

it should work right?

Correct.

Don't forget to check to see if you have a 6 pin power connection.

 

If you haven't a molex to 6 pin adapter is available.

[FLR]

I've checked my PSN,sadly...its 220W,some of my friends said that I should move all of my components to another housing(or case i think),would that be possible?If not I'll keep looking for a weaker video card with low profile...

[KenB]

move all of my components to another housing

It would be easier to upgrade the PSU.

[FLR]

I dont think I can find any "mini" PSU's with 450W...

[KenB]

Hi,

 

If you measure the dimensions of your PSU

 

SFX PSUs are Dimensions W 124 H 63.3 D 120 mm

 

I found another 125 x 63.5 x 100 mm

 

The width and height will be the most important - the depth less so - depending upon how much room you have in the case.

 

I can provide links if the sizes match up.

So far I have found 450W and 500W without too much searching.

[FLR]

And how much would one of those PSUs cost me?

[KenB]

http://www.shop.bt.com/products/best-value-ezcool-sfx-500w-psu-7BGR.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CiT-500W-Micro-Power-Supply/dp/B002Q8HFB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321180300&sr=8-1

 

Google mATX ( micro ATX ) power supply

 

Make sure the fan position is in the same location as your own.

You did not confirm the dimensions.

Double check these too.

[FLR]

I'm busy with school this week(have a lot of **** to learn for tests),in the weekend I'll go to a computer store and I'll ask the guy there to tell me exactly the dimensions of my PSU and video card slot,until then thank you!

[KenB]

Simplest thing would be to take the cover off and use a tape measure.

 

All you are doing is confirming that the PSU that you have is, in fact, the same dimensions that I have given you.

You can also make a note of the location of the fan.

 

If you are going to replace it - you are going to have to take the cover off at some point.

[FLR]

Hi,

http://www.pcgarage.ro/carcase/inter-tech/jy-236-polecat/ I found this while searching,its a larger case that comes with a 500W PSU.You can see in the right side where it says "General" :

Tip de carcasa("Case type") : ATX Middletower

Placi baza compatibile("Compatibile motherboards") : ATX / Micro-ATX (like mine)

Sursa("PSU") : 500W

Dimensiuni("Dimensions") : 410 x 180 x 405 mm

 

So PLEASE tell me if this will work,I mean if I buy this,you can see that my motherboard is suported,than all my other components should work on this right?Then I should be able to get a normal video card!

PS: If you're wondering what language is that in the link,its romanian(I'm romanian,thats why i searched on that site)

Please reply,thank you.

[KenB]

Hi

if I buy this,you can see that my motherboard is suported,than all my other components should work

You should be able to do this - yes.

 

I can see a couple of advantages:

1. You will have a much greater choice of Video cards

 

2. There will be more space for your Video card so there will be a better air-flow through the case.

The card should run cooler.

 

I can only see one possible problem.

There are case connections that need to be connected:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]611.vB5-legacyid=1298[/ATTACH]

 

Your motherboard has been made for Acer ( it IS an Acer computer ? )

If the connections are not in the standard location the new case connections may not reach.

You can always extend them.

 

Some major suppliers tie the m/board to the case.

I know Dell used to use BTX m/boards at one time - which was non-standard compared to the rest of the industry.

 

Are there enough power connections in the new case?

Some Video Cards need one or two 6 pin PCIe power connections.

 

EDIT:

I have just had another look at the case .......Is this a full-size case or another Midi one ?

ATX Middletower

Are you going to be any better off ?

 

You will have the PSU that you need but you will still be limited to the Video Cards.

[FLR]

It would be better with that case,I mean,i still don't know if those PSUs you gave would fit into my case,and even if they would fit,i wouldn't be able to buy any low profile(good) video card because the "good" low profile vid cards are still a little too big for my case,so i couldn't really get a good video card anyway..And that case is almost 2 times bigger than mine.

it IS an Acer computer ?

Yes it is.

About the power connections I don't really know,I'm gonna take 1-2 pictures of whats inside my case and maybe you can tell me something.

[KenB]

We can try.

[FLR]

http://www.zshare.net/download/96388745902320b0/ HERE,there's 5 photos in a RAR arhive.

About those power connections,I counted 5,but i think there's 6 of them,although I'm not 100% sure what the power connections are.

[KenB]

Hi FLR

 

You will have these photos as .jpg

Click on "Go Advanced" > Manage Attachments > Add Files

You can add the photos to your post.

[FLR]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]612.vB5-legacyid=1299[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]613.vB5-legacyid=1300[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]614.vB5-legacyid=1301[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]615.vB5-legacyid=1302[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]616.vB5-legacyid=1303[/ATTACH]

 

 

HERE

[KenB]

Hi, thanks for the pics - others will be able to follow the thread better.

 

I cannot see the HDD LED / Reset SW / etc connections.

 

This case is very compact - I cannot even see your present Video Card. I assume it is under the DVD drive ?

 

With this set-up your choice of card, as we have already said, is limited.

The PSU seems to have no fan ?? and looks non-standard.

Can you measure it please.

It is the one with the yellow sticker on it. L x W x D in mm.

 

I wonder if the motherboard is non-standard too.

 

I will try to find a manual and get back to you.

[KenB]

I have written to Acer Support.

#111121-002083 (for my reference)

 

With a bit of luck they will take a look at this thread and advise if the motherboard is non-standard or not.

 

I will get back to you when they reply.

[FLR]

THANK YOU for that MAN!The video card is,in the FIRST picture the dark blue one above the fan,or in the second picture,at the bottom of it(dark blue one).And the HDD is under the DVD drive I think.

[FLR]

I measured the dimensions of the PSU and the graphics card

PSU : Length - 200mm

Height - 82-86mm(couldn't measure it exactly because of the motherboard)

 

Graphics card : Length - 73mm(the case has space for ~90mm)

Height - 177-178mm