Your Opinion: Graphics Card

If you're wondering whether it'll fit, open up your case and look. Take the dimensions of the card you're interested in (most important dimension is the longest one. Some list it as length, some as height) and measure. Will an X inch card fit from the back of my case to the front? If you have a drive rack or set of bays in the front of your case (like mine, all the way down the front), then measure just to that. I think with your pavilion you just have a small 2-drive cage about mid-way up the front of the case so depending on where the PCI-E slot is located on your board, you should be able to fit anything from the 56 or 57 series just fine. The 6850 I'm getting is the same size as the 5770.

A one-slot-wide card would be most ideal in your situation IF you have other PCI cards already occupying space. That 5770 was originally you listed was my original choice but I'd go with the HIS version. It's clocked a little bit higher from the start by the manufactuer and it's cheaper. Newegg.com - HIS H577FK1GD Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity

^^ That's if you reeeeeally want a 2-slot card. the 1-slot that was suggested to you previously will work great as well. It just comes down to the size of the cooling apparatus. The 2-slot will vent out the back mostly, keeping your innards cooler. The 1-slot will blow every which way and probably warm up any components near it under full load.

If you search for "low-profile" specifically, you'll probably find half-height cards. These are more used for slim pcs or media center PCs and have just passive cooling (no fan). Don't consider those if you want to game decently.

And yes, a new PSU is indeed in your future no matter what. Without looking I'd say you have no more than 250 watts and it's probably already at 60% capacity if not higher. At least 650 watts as a good mid point if you want a 56 or 57 or even a 58 series Radeon card. 650 is on the lower end for the 6x series.

When PSU wattages are given in the specs, it's stating the total effective output amount. They are estimating based on hardware that card will most likely go with. I would add some on top of what they recommend. If it says 450, go 600. 500 go 650. Give yourself some room to grow. No sense in replacing a perfectly good power supply every time you add or upgrade a piece of hardware in your machine.

In regards to VGA, most discrete cards come with ONE DVI-VGA adapter if you can't do DVI. If your monitor supports it, however, you'll notice a difference if you use a DVI cable. They run cheap. I'm picking mine up from Amazon for like $8.

Thank you very much. The only other thing I plan on upgrading in this computer other than my graphics card is my RAM. Oter tan that. I plan on my computer staying about the same way it is. I think it is a pretty good computer other than my graphics card. My WEI 7.2 for my processor. 5.9 for my RAM. And 5.9 for my rad drive. But my graphics stuff is 4.3 and 5.3. I just want to try and get them both close to at least like a 5.9. To me that would make me feel like I have a pretty decent computer. my graphics card ow is a ATI HD 4200. It is integrated into my mother board also. So I figure (Not sure how good my figuring is) That getting about either a 56, 57, Or maybe even a 58 graphics would put my really close to that rating I am hoping for anyway. I think tat with a computer with a minimum rating of 5.9 or higher would say I ave a decent computer for playing about any X_Box games I want on the computer. I at least would hope so.

Please tell me if this assumption could be right. And if so. What card would you recommend for me to get to a 5.9 minimum for my graphics and my gaming graphics in my WEI.

Also I am pretty sure my computer is a brand new computer. So I have been told and am not really to worried my self. That my computer will most likely work with the card I am going to get. But if you think tat there is any thing I should really watc out for when getting a new card please tell me. I have looked up most of the requirements for most of the cards. I know I have the 16X. But wat do I need to look for when it says this.

PCI Express 2.1 x16 How do I know if my PCIe is a 2.1?

Chiumiento said:

Also I am pretty sure my computer is a brand new computer. So I have been told and am not really to worried my self. That my computer will most likely work with the card I am going to get. But if you think tat there is any thing I should really watc out for when getting a new card please tell me. I have looked up most of the requirements for most of the cards. I know I have the 16X. But wat do I need to look for when it says this.

PCI Express 2.1 x16 How do I know if my PCIe is a 2.1?

Well I looked up your machine and HP Says it doesn't exist. You told me you had a Pavilion p6554y. Do you mean Pavilion p6654y? That one exists. I'm going to go off that one as it's a newer machine from HP and it sounds like yours is, too. PCI Express versions are backwards compatible. a PCI-E 2.1 card will work in a 2.0 slot, for example, just fine. HP Doesn't state anything about the version of the slot but given the motherboard's design (All pci-e x1 slots, based on the reference I'm using), it's a micro-ATX that's 9.26x9.26 inches (23.52cm x 23.52cm). Whichever card you choose, try to keep it no longer than 9.26in or 23.52cm. That keeps the card from running into the front of your case or your hard drives. I just looked at my case and I'd have to move my drives down to the lowest bays if I wanted to use a card longer than 23.52 cm (the Radeon 6850 is 23.2cm which would fit nicely, but the 6870 is 26.2cm and would hit my hard drives as they are positioned right now)

What's your budget?

It's hard to make a solid "this is the card you want" because we all have different tastes. Some people would prefer an nVidia card over a Radeon card. Some people want just a single-slot card (PowerColor 5770). Some people want a long-bard 2-slot card (HIS 6870) and some want what's in between because they have a smaller case (HIS 6850)

If you have more questions, we'll be glad to help.

jelyman said:

Chiumiento said:

Also I am pretty sure my computer is a brand new computer. So I have been told and am not really to worried my self. That my computer will most likely work with the card I am going to get. But if you think tat there is any thing I should really watc out for when getting a new card please tell me. I have looked up most of the requirements for most of the cards. I know I have the 16X. But wat do I need to look for when it says this.

PCI Express 2.1 x16 How do I know if my PCIe is a 2.1?

Well I looked up your machine and HP Says it doesn't exist. You told me you had a Pavilion p6554y. Do you mean Pavilion p6654y? That one exists. I'm going to go off that one as it's a newer machine from HP and it sounds like yours is, too. PCI Express versions are backwards compatible. a PCI-E 2.1 card will work in a 2.0 slot, for example, just fine. HP Doesn't state anything about the version of the slot but given the motherboard's design (All pci-e x1 slots, based on the reference I'm using), it's a micro-ATX that's 9.26x9.26 inches (23.52cm x 23.52cm). Whichever card you choose, try to keep it no longer than 9.26in or 23.52cm. That keeps the card from running into the front of your case or your hard drives. I just looked at my case and I'd have to move my drives down to the lowest bays if I wanted to use a card longer than 23.52 cm (the Radeon 6850 is 23.2cm which would fit nicely, but the 6870 is 26.2cm and would hit my hard drives as they are positioned right now)

What's your budget?

It's hard to make a solid "this is the card you want" because we all have different tastes. Some people would prefer an nVidia card over a Radeon card. Some people want just a single-slot card (PowerColor 5770). Some people want a long-bard 2-slot card (HIS 6870) and some want what's in between because they have a smaller case (HIS 6850)

If you have more questions, we'll be glad to help.

Sorry. It is a p6654y. I always hit the 5 twice instead of the six. I do it all the time.

I was wanting a ATi not a nividia. mostly because I know just a tad bit more about them. And my machine has one already also. So That also means I already have all the CCC stuff up to date.But today at best buy I was told I would be getting more for my money with a Nividia 450 I believe it was. He said it was just as good as the 5770. But I could spend about $150 max. Would really like to spend less. But I would really like to spend that much also. LOL. I mostly want a WEI of at least 6.0 out of my card. The ATI 5770 I was looking at at Bestbuy today has a rating of 7.3 for $150. I think I am going to get that one. With a 600 watt power supply. I do not plan on getting it very soon anyway. So I have plenty of time to check up on things. Also I was told my machine will work with just about anything I want to get. That is compatible wise I mean. I am not completely sure about the size. I will take your worrd for it. I think you are about right with what you said anyway. Actually I think you are about exactly right.

Chiumiento said:

I was wanting a ATi not a nividia. mostly because I know just a tad bit more about them. And my machine has one already also. So That also means I already have all the CCC stuff up to date.But today at best buy I was told I would be getting more for my money with a Nividia 450 I believe it was. He said it was just as good as the 5770. But I could spend about $150 max. Would really like to spend less. But I would really like to spend that much also. LOL. I mostly want a WEI of at least 6.0 out of my card. The ATI 5770 I was looking at at Bestbuy today has a rating of 7.3 for $150. I think I am going to get that one. With a 600 watt power supply. I do not plan on getting it very soon anyway. So I have plenty of time to check up on things. Also I was told my machine will work with just about anything I want to get. That is compatible wise I mean. I am not completely sure about the size. I will take your worrd for it. I think you are about right with what you said anyway. Actually I think you are about exactly right.

I'm not always right, but I'm never wrong.

And he may be right but I've found the folks at Best Buy to be pretty biased, too. Some listen to what the marketing reps tell them, some do their own research, but in retail especially, If you talk to one person, another will tell you differently.

Exactly why I am still on here talking and not buying.

Chiumiento said:

Exactly why I am still on here talking and not buying.

That's what we're here for!

(none of us have anything better to do, I know I don't)

Well that is great new for me and many others that you help dailey.