Windows 7: Planning to upgrade your Graphics Card? Read First...

Small correction. You can upgrade your audio ... with either a PCM-slot audio card or a USB or firewire external card.

How Do I Know My PSU Amperage Im Using A Laptop ?

You basically don't worry about it as there is nothing to upgrade. If it is the one in your specs the GPU is soldered to the motherboard and completely un-upgradeable.

i have an question
is core2duo e7500@2.93 GHz (before overclocking)bottlenecking if I use a GTX 480?

and is capable of when I overclocked to 3.22 GHz?

thx b4

Hello there, awang... Yes, a Core 2 Duo E7500 will bottleneck a GTX 480. Don't know how much will it bottleneck the GPU, but it'll definitely bottleneck it.

I'd suggest moving to a higher end processor, but that will depend on your budget and preferences :)

Nice thread & nice simple guide specially for those who are new on these matters, like me. I think i really have to upgrade my PSU before I buy a graphics card. But just one question, I've read in one the threads here that a 250w PSU can run a HD 5450 or even a HD 5570 but with limited space though. How true is it?

I do not have that much money, my savings is only $ 167
maybe I'll just buy a hd 5770 and the remainder for cooler

sorry for my bad english

Don't apologize for your "bad english" english isn't my 1st language either.. Try to get a 6770 (newer version of the 5770) it's more power efficient and cooler

I actually prefer the GTX 460 because it is supported phsyx and CUDA, but I am worried about the temperature I saw on youtube even be able to fry an egg

but the price of the HIS Radeon HD 6770 IceQ Turbo X only $ 162 it is the price that fits perfectly with my pocket

Well, don't ever rely on some video showing temps, you have to look at it this way:

1) Room temps (you don't know if the room temp is similar to yours)
2) Air flow (the case you have may be better/worse)
3) Overclock profile (if you're not overclocking, temps are going to be cooler)
4) Brand and Model of the GFX, there are several models and cooling solutions for 1 card, ASUS has its DirectCU II, MSI has its Twin Frozr II.. just to name a few.

aaaaaand, last but not least.

5) Your other components. :)

The same thing i told another forum fella once: just because you saw a Core i5 750 getting to 4.2GHz on air, doesn't mean that yours is going to behave exactly the same way, you have to take a look at the other variables to make your decision.

BTW: HIS' IceQ Turbo X are extremely cool GFX, their cooling solution is off the chains! go for it