Recommend a Graphics Card for Me Please

A

avario

New Member
I want to buy a graphics card for my desktop computer. I want to use it mainly for games but I also use Adobe CS4 and sometimes do some 3D modeling. I wanted to buy the card off Amazon.com and don't really want to spend more than $100(Not Enough?). Here are some specs on PC:

Operating System
Windows Vista Ultimate Service Pack 1 (build 6001)

Processor
2.60 gigahertz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core
256 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (2 total)
Not hyper-threaded

Main Circuit Board
Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M2N68-AM Rev X.0x
Serial Number: MF708CG01809250
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0323 12/01/2008

Display
NVIDIA GeForce 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a [Display adapter]
AOC 2217 [Monitor] (22.0"vis, s/n J7289HA025576, September 2008)

I have 3GB of memory. Let me know if there is anything else you need to know. Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated, I really have no clue. If you could give me a specific card that would be good (maybe a link to it on Amazon).

Thanks
 
What kind of power supply do you have. Is your computer in a slim case or a regular size case. What brand and model is it Dell, HP, ASUS, ACER, etc.
 
How do I tell what power supply I have? I am not sure about the brand, my brother built the computer from various parts, the motherboard is Asus.
 
Take the side panel off your pc. There should be details on the side of the PSU. Note the manufacturer and the amps.

It will be something like 3v 35 ,12v 25a. etc
 
I had a look at my power supply, this is the model I currently have. I hope that helps.

I had a look on Newegg, they have quite a lot of stuff but I really still have no idea about what to actually buy.

Thank you for your help so far. I was wandering if this card was any good for me?
 
avario said:
I had a look at my power supply, this is the model I currently have. I hope that helps.

I had a look on Newegg, they have quite a lot of stuff but I really still have no idea about what to actually buy.

Thank you for your help so far. I was wandering if this card was any good for me?
Click to expand...

I was afraid of this you have a off brand power supply and that is really going to narrow your options here. You have 3 options 1: Get the best graphics card that your PSU could support. 2: Get a new power supply and a new graphics card. 3: Get a really nice Power supply and upgrade your graphics card later.

If you picked Option 1 then this is what you need http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102838

If you picked Option 2 then this is what you need http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171046 + http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102854

If you picked Option 3 then this is what you need http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189014 then get one of these when you get some more money http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

I would probably go with Option 2 if you want a decent card. If you wont something very good then go with Option 3. Now if you just wont a cheap graphics card the go with Option 1.
 
Thanks for your help Fatback.
How can a tell if my power supply will support a graphics card? What is the specification on the card that I must look at?

Thank you for your help so far. Also, I think want to buy the card off this site because I live in New Zealand, there prices are alright, right? $1USD is about $1.7NZD I think.
 
Alright man, that psu is pretty damn weak, so what your gonna want to do is upgrade that, to a quality psu, i use antec and you could pick a nice 450watt for 40 bucks from them.

But i honestly wouldnt even get a gfx card with that psu, thats how bad it could be, i wouldnt trust it.. LOL 8 amps and 14.5 amps on the 2 12v rails, ouch.:eek:

Dont buy a gfx card unless you get a better psu, i beleive fatback linked you to some nice ones.

WE measure the video cards buy mostly amps on the 12v rail, and sometimes watts.

12v rail is what powers your main components video,HDD,cpu etc.
 
So I should buy a 450W PSU? I don't think I really need an awesome graphics card, just something that will boost my ability to play games at higher settings, is my PSU really that bad?

But I bet you know a lot more than I do so I will take your advice and buy a new one. How can I tell what PSU a graphics card will need to run?

Thanks for your help.
 
Here, ill link you to some good power supplies..
Antec Basiq BP430 430W Continuous Power ATX12V 45$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371023
Antec Basiq BP500U 500W Continuous Power 50$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371004
CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V 60$, 40$ after m&r
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003
FSP Group SAGA+ 450W 50$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104954


These are some good power supplies, and these things can handle a ati 4850, or 9800GT, easy...



Those cards will get you on high on most games...

No problem man.

EDIT: BTW what kinda games you playing?
 
Thank you mx344,
My brother is going to give me a 500W PSU so that is that problem solved. I now have the choice between two graphics cards:
1. Galaxy GeForce 9800GT PCI-E 512MB 256-bit DDR3, DVI, VGA, HDMI, HDCP, FAN Video Card
2. Galaxy GeForce 9600GT PCI-E 512MB DDR3 256-bit HDCP

They are pretty much the same price (or close enough) I just want to know which one is better please, if someone could tell me.
 
avario said:
Thank you mx344,
My brother is going to give me a 500W PSU so that is that problem solved. I now have the choice between two graphics cards:
1. Galaxy GeForce 9800GT PCI-E 512MB 256-bit DDR3, DVI, VGA, HDMI, HDCP, FAN Video Card
2. Galaxy GeForce 9600GT PCI-E 512MB DDR3 256-bit HDCP

They are pretty much the same price (or close enough) I just want to know which one is better please, if someone could tell me.
Click to expand...

What kind of power supply is it 500w doesn't mean anything it all depends on how much amps is on the +12V rail(s). Also you need to make sure it has a 6pin PCIe connector if you going to get a newer card like the 9800GT.
 
I am not sure about the amps of the power supply he is giving me. He said it did have the 6pin connector though. What would happen if I tried to run the graphics card on a poor power supply, like the one I have now?
 
avario said:
I am not sure about the amps of the power supply he is giving me. He said it did have the 6pin connector though. What would happen if I tried to run the graphics card on a poor power supply, like the one I have now?
Click to expand...

Your system would not boot. The power supply could blow and take out other parts with it. It might power it enough to boot up but once you start playing a game it could cut off from not getting enough power.
 
Yep, so just check out how much amperage is on the psu, and you can tell us, i would say about 30 amps on the 12v would run a 9600GT fine, even a 9800GT, if its a quality one.

If it has 2 12v rails, like you 300watt one, be sure not to add them up, just say what each rail is rated at...
e.g.
My antec has 2 12v rails, and they can put out 18 amps per rail. So if you add togther that would be 36, but we dont measure that way, but my psu can handle a 4850 or 250GT easy, because the rest of my system doesnt take much power.

The info should be on the psu directly.
 
guys, you can't post newegg, they don't ship outside of the US and OP clearly said they live in nz and want it from another site :P

@ avario i have been looking around nz sites and honestly, tehre are 2 problems:

1. they only sell off brand or high end stuff, which is 90% of the time falsly advertised (for those who know what this means, according to one site a Corsair TX750=a thermaltake 750W duluxe power supply). Those that sell alright stuff have very very little choice, for example the shop you put don't sell power supplies

2. All of it is severely overpriced. I am from the UK and 1£= $2 almost exactly and if you were to get the power supply i have it would cost you way over double the price, $500 just over to be exact.

It would be cheaper to do one of 2 things:

1. Get advice from here about what to look for, not specific products and go and find a product that fits what we have told you in a local computer shop, computer fair etc

2. Find a product that you think would be good in a computer shop fair etc near to you and BEFORE buying it, make a note of the brand and model number then come here, post the product and ask what we think.

About your brother getting you an 800W PSU, that means nothing.

When i first got my system a friend of my parents got me a 700W power supply for it and it was off brand. Powering 1 not very power hungry card, a dual core processor, 1 hard drive and 2GB of memory, it blew. A 700W power supply should have (in theory) been able to power 2 or 3 of those systems!! The one i have now though i payed a fair bit (about the equivelant of $240 for you, but you don't need to spend so much)and can power 2 or 3 of those systems
 
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