I need help choosing the best graphics card for my system

[McSwaggin]

I have an Aspire X1700 and I recently upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate and I'm trying to find a graphics card that will work for my system. Right now I have a GeForce 100 and it works fine but I'm looking for the best graphics card that my PC will support. I'm a gamer and I'm looking for something that'll run games like oblivion and fallout with high video settings smoothly.

 

[McSwaggin]

I've been looking at the Radeon HD 5570 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102874). Would that work on my PC?

 

[Lordbob75]

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/105068-what-graphics-card.html

Desktop?

~Lordbob

 

[McSwaggin]

Yeah it's a desktop.

 

[Lordbob75]

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/105068-what-graphics-card.html

~Lordbob

 

[McSwaggin]

Okay I looked at that and I'm confused, how do I find my PC's PSU?

 

[Lordbob75]

You can check in your case, or online. I took a look, and it appears that you only have a 220W PSU, which is barely enough to run what you have now.

If you want a really good graphics card, you are going to need a minimum of 500 watts or more (depending on card).

If money is not an object, best single core chips on the market are the 5870 and the 465(?)
PassMark Software - Video Card Benchmarks - High End Video Cards

~Lordbob

 

[McSwaggin]

Okay, so I've taken a look at the ATI Radeon HD 5870, if I bought that would it work with my PC? The model number on my Aspire x1700 is AX1700-U3700A if that helps anything. Also, money is not a problem.

 

[ken9122]

It may not fit and you don't have the PSU to handle it.

Edit: It will NOT fit.

 

[MK2]

Hi,

Theoretically the card you are looking at will fit, if you replace the normal bracket with the low profile one that comes with the card (you will lose the vga port) and there is a PCIE 2.0 X16 slot available on the X1700

The first problem is that the recommended minimum system wattage is 400 Watt for the 5570 and the X1700 only has a 220 Watt power supply.

The second problem is because it's a small form computer case a regular power supply won't fit and I don't think it's easy or even possible to find a heavier power supply that will fit.

MK2

 

[McSwaggin]

Okay, so I have the best graphics card available for my PC? If so, thank you guys for helping me. It's better to find out it won't work before hand rather than buying it and finding out that it's not supported. You all have a good night.

 

[Lordbob75]

Okay, so I have the best graphics card available for my PC? If so, thank you guys for helping me. It's better to find out it won't work before hand rather than buying it and finding out that it's not supported. You all have a good night.

Looks like it won't.
If you chose to upgrade the case.... Well, at that point you could just buy a new PC.

Sorry it didn't work out.

~Lordbob

 

[MK2]

As Lordbob75 says, you'll have to buy a normal size case, a heavier power supply and the new video card and rebuild your system inside the new case.
It's how much you want a better video card and how much effort and time you want to spent to do this.

 

[Lordbob75]

As Lordbob75 says, you'll have to buy a normal size case, a heavier power supply and the new video card and rebuild your system inside the new case.
It's how much you want a better video card and how much effort and time you want to spent to do this.

Or just buy a real gaming computer.
Er, "real" gaming computer.

~Lordbob

 

[Joshatdot]

What exactly is the type of PSU that the case uses? mini ITX? micro ATX? Micro PS3?

Newegg has a 300w mini ITX - Newegg.com - Athena Power AP-MFATX30 300W Mini ITX / Micro FLEX ATX / ATX12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

With that you can power a ATI HD 2400 - Newegg.com - VisionTek 900196 Radeon HD 2400PRO 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Video Card

But at those prices, I doubt it'll be worth it.


edit: Tigerdirect has a much better selection of lowpro cards. There are some GeForce 210's and 220's for $25 to $50, those require a 300w PSU. And I think GF 240s minimum is 300w too

 

[Solarstarshines]

you can also buy a low profile 5770 alot slimmer and i don't think it needs a power hooked up to it PowerColor HD 5770 Low Profile Edition packs Arctic cooler « IT News

 

[Joshatdot]

The 5770 requires a minium 450w PSU.. the largest mini ITX PSU I could find is 300w

 

[deepakumar]

Here is what i want to know: what are the reason due to which an up-gradation not possible on a laptop even if 1 have a motherboard to support a few higher level Graphic card????
Thnx

 

[MK2]

@ Solarstarshines, Mcswaggin was already looking a the right size videocard (see my post on page 1) the problem is the wattage and size of the powersupply.

@deepakumar, Mcswaggin isn't using a laptop but a desktop and most desktops have extra pci slots but that doesn't mean it will support a higher level graphics card.

I think the mini itx power supply Joshatdot found will fit in the case but the problem might be that the 12 volt line is only 9 ampere.
If you look at the Nvidia GF240 it says it requires a power supply of 300 watt minimal but the 12 volt line must be a minimum of 18 ampere: Newegg.com - SPARKLE SXT2401024S3LNM GeForce GT 240 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card (see details)

If the only option then is to use a Nvidia GF210/220 I don't think it's really worth upgrading if you want better gaming performance then the onboard video card.

MK2

 

[Keiichi25]

As most of the people have pointed out already... One thing you have to also consider when you get a computer... Is what are you going to do with it.

Most gaming computers, you should be looking at a Mid-Tower to tower case, not Mini-tower. A Powersupply that is minimum of a 450W range, but generally, most gamers will want 600+W to support a lot of what they desire from their system.

Gamers will either pay higher costs with pre-built systems from some companies, or if you want to go cheap, build it yourself with components you know, but also taking into fact that when you get a power supply unit, you want to be looking at 600W or more.