Help for a noob

[wooman12]

I am new to this forum so I just want to say hi to all of you.:)

 

Anyways, I have questions concerning graphics cards. I have a crappy graphics card with 128mb, I think its the Geforce 6150se. Anyways if I am looking for an upgrade to play first person shooter games mostly, what would be a good choice between $80-$120 USD?(or perhaps cheaper, because I am not familiar with the pricing of such items.)

I know basically nothing about upgrading so, how do I determine if my comp can run with the card? I can post specs if you guys need it.

 

Thanks in advance for the help. :D

[maynardvdm]

Hi

 

Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

 

Yes please post the specs, also the make and model of the motherboard.

[wooman12]

I have windows vista home premium, it is made by HP and the model # is m8226x, the processor is AMD athlon 64x2 dual core processor 6000+ 3.00GHz. I have 3gb of ram. My current graphics card is the Geforce 6150se. 500gb harddrive

 

 

 

Motherboard

 

• Manufacturer: ECS
  
• Motherboard Name: MCP61PM-HM
  
• HP/Compaq motherboard name: Nettle2-GL8E
  

 

Here is the link for total specs: Product Specifications 

 

Thanks once again.:)

[Cobra]

You did a very good job of supplying the vital statistics for your computer. Unless I overlooked it, I can't seem to find the +12 volt output of the PSU (power supply). Brand name computers (HP, Compaq, Gateway, eMachines, to name a few) are notorious for installing low powered PSU's. Your motherboard does have a PCI-e x 16 slot, so you could conceivably install most any card you want. Some of the more powerful cards might overpower your PSU's +12 volt output.

 

The overall wattage rating of the PSU can be useless information in this case. Will you remove the side of the case and look at the label affixed to the side of your PSU and provide the +12 volt current rating (expressed in Amps).

 

Thanks..............

[wooman12]

sorry for asking this, how do i take the side off and where is the PSU label?

[wooman12]

forget about my last post, I figured it out.

 

Anyways here's the info listed.

 

AC Input (47-63Hz) 100-127v/8A

200-240v/4A

 

DC Output: +5v---/25A, +12v-----/19A

+3.3v-----/18A, -12v------/0.8A

+5vsb-------12A

 

+5v&+3.3 shall not exceed 175 w

+5v&+12v shall not exceed 268w

max output power 300w

[Cobra]

As I suspected, your PSU is on the small side. 19 amps on the +12 volt rail will limit your card selection. Your best bet is to visit a site such as NewEgg (even if you don't order from them), find a card in your price range, then click on the specifications tab on the card's page and scroll down to where the system requirements are listed. Many will list a wattage rating (and most important) a current (amps) requirement for a "standard" system. If the card/system's power requirement is higher than what your PSU will provide, do not buy the card.

 

You should be looking for a card with atleast a 192-bit interface and 512MB of GDDR3 RAM. The more Stream Processors, the better.

[I4n]

Or you could find the card you want and also upgrade the power supply at the same time.

[Cobra]

Or you could find the card you want and also upgrade the power supply at the same time.

 

With a "name brand "computer, upgrading the PSU can sometimes be a monumental task. More than a few of them use proprietary connectors and/or can be an unusual size or shape, and upgrading is more involved than just picking out a unit and plugging it in.

 

The computer in question may not fall into that category, but chances are it does.

 

@ wooman12: FYI, a new PSU (if you can find one that will work in your computer) to run a medium to high power GPU (video card) could add upwards of $85 USD to the cost of the GPU upgrade.

[wooman12]

can you guys tell me if this will work or not, and if it is any good.

 

 

Newegg.com - MSI N9600GT-MD512 GeForce 9600 GT 512MB 256-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

 

 

Exactly how much watts and amps can my computer provide? I can't figure out, I am such a noob.

 

Lets say my computer can supply 300 watts maximum, if I ran a card with a minimum requirement of 300watts, would it be safe?

[Plastic Nev]

For a card that needs 300 watts, you would need a power supply or PSU that can handle at least 500 watts, and preferably more than that, say 800 watts, don't forget the rest of the computer needs power as well as the 300 watts required by the graphics card.

 

There are sometimes odd issues as Cobra states, but I don't think there will be one with a HP machine as far as upgrading your power supply, and an off the shelf one from any reputable dealer should be OK. But make sure you ask a decent techy sort of guy in the shop first, not an ordinary salesman.

The worst offenders for none standard power supply connections are Dell.

[wooman12]

For a card that needs 300 watts, you would need a power supply or PSU that can handle at least 500 watts, and preferably more than that, say 800 watts, don't forget the rest of the computer needs power as well as the 300 watts required by the graphics card.

 

There are sometimes odd issues as Cobra states, but I don't think there will be one with a HP machine as far as upgrading your power supply, and an off the shelf one from any reputable dealer should be OK. But make sure you ask a decent techy sort of guy in the shop first, not an ordinary salesman.

The worst offenders for none standard power supply connections are Dell.

 

Okay, so if I do have a 300 watt psu and I didn't upgrade it, I would only be able to run a graphics card with a requirement of about 180 watts? If this is true, are there any decent cards out there with specs like that?

[Cobra]

No, not if you want playable framerates in 1st person shooter games.

 

BTW, the 9600 GT card you referred to will probably disappoint you as well. At a MINUMUM I'd get a 9800 GT: Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-N98TOC-512I GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards . I just bought one for my #2 computer and am surprised at it's capabilities. It also come with a Zalman aftermarket cooler to keep operating temperatures very low. The cooler takes up extra room, so you'll have to make sure it will fit before you make the purchase.

 

The bottom line is you will have to purchase a higher output PSU first. Name brand computers generally utilize the smallest PSU's possible to help their bottom line, with no regard for future upgrades.

 

After some research, I've determined a GeForce 9800 GT card will require a system with a PSU capable of producing a minimum of 26 amps on the +12 volt rail. Different manufacturers will meet these requirements with a myriad of different wattage ratings. Some will be 400 watts, some 500 watts, or even 550 watts. The key here is to follow Plastic Nev's advice and determine BEFOREHAND what style/brand higher output PSU will mount and plug into your computer with no hassles.

 

PSU name brands to look for are: Corsair & OCZ. This is by no means all inclusive as there are more high quality brand name units available, but many more that are JUNK. DO NOT scrimp on your PSU. This is one of the most important components of a computer, and a cheap PSU can and will cause all sorts of grief.

[wooman12]

thank you everyone for answering my questions. I don't have enough money right now to upgrade both the psu and the graphics card. I think I will wait a bit longer, save up more money, and build myself a new computer. After this thread, i found out that building a custom pc is probably better suited for my needs than a "name brand" computer.

Once again thank you very much for the help. If I have any future problems I will definitely come on this forum again!:D

[Cobra]

You're more than welcome, and I agree completely with your reasoning. My 1st computer was a "close-and-play" (name brand, off the shelf eMachines 500is) and I swore it would be my last.

 

I've built everyone since then from scratch. IMO, it's the only way to soar with the Eagles.