Need Compatible Graphics Card for New Dell

[kevlepp]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what kind of Graphics Card I could get for my new Dell computer... I didn't realize when I got it (A week ago) but the graphics card pretty much sucks. The windows rating for my display and gaming are 1.0-- The lowest! So, I figure I may as well get a new card now and get that all fixed. My range is $100-$200, but would much rather it not go over $150 if its possible to get a good one at that price. I don't play many games, but I do use photoshop intensely, play movies, have numerous programs running at the same time, and I use a 24-inch UltraHighDef screen.

My current specs are:
-Studio XPS 8100, Intel Core i7-860 processor(8MB Cache, 2.80GHz)
-6GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz-2X2GB/2x1GB
-nVIDIA GeForce G310 512MB DDR3
-750GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive 7200 RPM

I asked Dell about putting a new graphics card and what kind would be compatible, but when I looked up the ones he said, I wasnt sure if I could buy them outside of Dell and get the same ones they were selling that he was telling me about. I looked them up on newegg. Here are the ones he said would be compatible at around the $150-$200 range.
$159 - ATI Radeon HD 2600xt 512mb
$205 - GeForce GTS 250 1GB DDR3

When I typed that into newegg I found that there were different kinds of manufacturers for those specs, so I wasn't sure if it mattered what I got.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[BugMeister]

just remember that if you install a different card, you well invalidate your warranty..

personally I've never worried about such things, but some people take warranties very seriously..

- if you fill in your system specs fully, we would have a better idea of what your current system will take..

- some of the more advanced cards may well need a beefier PSU, for example..

 

[kevlepp]

just remember that if you install a different card, you well invalidate your warranty..

personally I've never worried about such things, but some people take warranties very seriously..

- if you fill in your system specs fully, we would have a better idea of what your current system will take..

- some of the more advanced cards may well need a beefier PSU, for example..

Thanks for the response

What other info should I put? I'm not that knowledgeable in computers so I dont know what all is needed.

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[Zen00]

The different manufacturers you see really don't matter too much to the actual chip you're getting. What they do is make different boards, so that's the difference between them, design for the most part. Cooling is another things they control.

 

[dj199780]

dont listen to what windows says

your is absoulutly fine
on my laptop i have a

intergrated sis 968 and that is rubbish but i can still do all the things your talking about

 

[zezasu]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what kind of Graphics Card I could get for my new Dell computer... I didn't realize when I got it (A week ago) but the graphics card pretty much sucks. The windows rating for my display and gaming are 1.0-- The lowest! So, I figure I may as well get a new card now and get that all fixed. My range is $100-$200, but would much rather it not go over $150 if its possible to get a good one at that price. I don't play many games, but I do use photoshop intensely, play movies, have numerous programs running at the same time, and I use a 24-inch UltraHighDef screen.

My current specs are:
-Studio XPS 8100, Intel Core i7-860 processor(8MB Cache, 2.80GHz)
-6GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz-2X2GB/2x1GB
-nVIDIA GeForce G310 512MB DDR3
-750GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive 7200 RPM

I asked Dell about putting a new graphics card and what kind would be compatible, but when I looked up the ones he said, I wasnt sure if I could buy them outside of Dell and get the same ones they were selling that he was telling me about. I looked them up on newegg. Here are the ones he said would be compatible at around the $150-$200 range.
$159 - ATI Radeon HD 2600xt 512mb
$205 - GeForce GTS 250 1GB DDR3

When I typed that into newegg I found that there were different kinds of manufacturers for those specs, so I wasn't sure if it mattered what I got.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Kevin

Seriously, I think something is wrong if your getting 1.0? Thats like on board graphics of something horrible. I looked it up and it was seems comparable to the 9500Gt (not in every way) in a way according to the spec sheets on nvidias own website.

Every PC needs good graphics.

It also has OpenGL 3.1 which helps boost speed in Photoshop assuming its CS4.

I think it should have a better score than that 1.0
I suggest you check if your computer even sees your card or anything. My w7 score was under 4 or 5 with the 9500GS i had and the 9500GT is faster than that. Besides the 64bit memory. and such, which im not sure how much of an impact it has.

 

[Zen00]

If I'm correct, the G310 is the Nvidia ION2 platform, integrated graphics. Good integrated graphics, but integrated all the same. It would be nice to know if you have a PCIe slot available.

 

[stormy13]

If I'm correct, the G310 is the Nvidia ION2 platform

Actually it is nothing more than a renamed G210 for the OEM channel,

Every PC needs good graphics.

Only thing they chaanged from the G210 page to the G310 page,

Every PC needs good graphics.

is the number 2 to the number 3. About the only thing it has going for it is that it is better than Intel's onboard garbage.

Here are the ones he said would be compatible at around the $150-$200 range.
$159 - ATI Radeon HD 2600xt 512mb
$205 - GeForce GTS 250 1GB DDR3

Let me guess, Dell's price for that GTS 250. Talk about a rip-off. Half the cost of what you quoted,

Newegg.com - EVGA 512-P3-1140-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

The only thing I would be concerned about is the power supply that came with the computer. Knowing Dell they only put in one just big enough to run what it shipped with, and there is a very large difference in the power requirements for the GTS 250 over the G310.

 

[Zen00]

If you're going to spend $150, I'd suggest a ATI Radeon 5770 HD.

 

[kevlepp]

Thanks everyone!
A friend who used to work at Dell found me a great card.
I appreciate all the recommendations and help!