Low Profile GPU for 300W for GameGuru

[locrieth]

Hi all,

Been asked at work to spec a GPU for 10 small form factor PCs to run a piece of software called GameGuru for a gaming course (I've never used this software, so I don't really know how graphically intensive its likely to be).

GameGuru Specs:

Minimum

XP, Vista, 7, 8
Intel Dual-Core 2GHz or AMD Dual-Core 2GHz
2 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 400 series or AMD Radeon HD 6000 series, 1GB Video Card (Minimum Shader Model 2.0)
Version 9.0c
4 GB available space

Recommended

XP, Vista, 7, 8 - (64bit)
Intel Quad-Core (i5 2300) or AMD Octo-Core (FX 8150)
4 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 660Ti or greater, AMD Radeon HD 7950 or greater, 2GB Video Card (Minimum Shader Model 2.0)
Version 9.0c
8 GB available space
Broadband Internet connection


This is a botch job, as we have a gaming lab, but a severally handicapped student has signed on to the course and the lab is on the first floor. So we need to knock something together for an hour and a half lesson per week. So the SFF pcs are i5 3330 on MSI H61M-P31/W8 mobo, 4 GB single channel DDR3 (1333mhz), PSU is ACBel model PCA023 (which it says is overall total 300w, but looking at it say 12v total 250w http://www.acbel.com/eng/Product.aspx?id=50&&sd=31&&pid=310).

Obviously this was an unexpected expenditure, so cost needs to be minimal. I'm guessing either a 710/730 or r7 240/250 plus the cost of 10 copies of Gameguru at £15 a pop.

Anyone had any experience with GameGuru and its performance on various low end cards or any recommendations?

Cheers,

Locrieth

 

[Temujin]

Would it be possible to have him work on one of the PCs upstairs remotely? If so it could solve an issue if you have a spare laptop around that doesn't quite meet the specs..

Although it's a bit weird that somewhere that runs courses doesn't have disabled access to the first floor! Even my old crappy college had an accessible elevator!

 

[Mrjobby]

Judging the rec specs it will run like ass on those cards you have spec'd.

 

[locrieth]

Cheers, It does have access via lift to the first floor, but the student is severely disabled, i.e. cannot be moved out of the chair at all, so if there is a fire, the lifts can't be used and the student can't be put in an evac chair to be taken down stairs. Also we only have one lecturer running the course, so keeping an eye on the main class, plus disabled student (I believe the students are school links, so could be fairly young) in a different location could be problematic, but I like your out of the box thinking. We do have a couple of Sony Vaio laptops with intel HD plus discrete low end cards, which I was thinking could be used, but I don't think there's enough of them to move the whole class onto in another room. I think they want to keep them all in the same location. Several suggestions have been put forward, like moving the PC suite to a different room, which unfortunately isn't feasible for power, data and size reasons, using the previously mentioned SFF PCs that are in the LRC, using a different single PC and trying to do some form of video conferencing to the room...

 

[locrieth]

Judging the rec specs it will run like ass on those cards you have spec'd.

I agree, but as I said I've never used the software and I'm guessing this will more than likely be a low level course, but don't know enough about the software to know if the requirements are likely to ramp up as you start doing more advance stuff in it or if its fairly intensive from the start...

I'm also somewhat limited by the PCs and the lack of budget

 

[mmacarthur]

I'm thinking 750ti's would suit here but your looking at £95 per unit.

 

[locrieth]

I'm thinking 750ti's would suit here but your looking at £95 per unit.

They would be the ideal choice at present and if we had time the MSI 1050 low profiles would seem like a solid choice, but I'm guessing both options are gonna be too expensive and I don't think we have the time to wait for 1050 low profile either.