Most powerful graphics card that a Dell Dimension 8400 can handle?

[KatanaDV20]

Hey Overclockers

After weeks of fretting I've finally made a concrete decision concerning my computer upgrade - I've decided I wanna get a Core i7 940 system in mid-2009.

Until then this old Pentium soldiers on and I just wanted some advice. What would be the most capable card this crate could handle? Anyone on here with a Dimension 8400 with a higher-grade card than my 7600GT?

The 7600 made a huge difference (stock card was an X300) so Im hoping going a notch or two above that will carry me through till June '09 considering how low prices are on older cards.

I know Im PSU-limited so I cant go all out - but I really look forward to your input

Thanks!

 

[elpedro]

To be fully honest, about what you have is the best you're gonna' get. The P4 is a serious bottleneck, even for something like a 8800GT. My opinion would be wait it out until you can upgrade. If you really have to, I'd go for something like a ATi 4670

 

[lunarwolf]

My opinion would be wait it out until you can upgrade.

+1, no sense to invest more cash in dead tech

may also want to get i920 system and oc it, no point in spending double the price for 940. also could even do dual core if you plan on gaming, quad is really for video editing apps etc.., but i guess up to you really. just saying that coz i game mostly and was going to upgrade to nehalem (at least i thought so for the last year) but kind of dissapointed by the results in gaming (unless you have 3way sli there is no benefit) instead i went for another dual core and other stuff coz i wanted to get something - called upgraditis I think

hopefully by the time the 32nm come out we will see some true improvements in games and maybe then games will be designed to use 4 cores, barely using 2 at the moment why dual core are best coz u can get single core to higher clocks

 

[KatanaDV20]

Thanks guys you all make some good points. Will wait things out. Lunarwolf interesting things you said about Nehalem and gaming etc. I was considering an E8600 system just last week but now I've decided to go for Nehalem. If Im gonna spend I might as well get this new processor that should (I hope) "future-proof" me for 4 years or so before the next system upgrade. Im not discounting the E8600 or the older Quads but the Nehalems are just looking too schweet to ignore Oh and noted your point on 920 vs 940...didnt think about that

But admittedly Im also checking out the 4670 link elpedro posted hee hee. I found this on another website about the 8400:

PSU is a 350 watt. It has i think if i remember right 18amps on the +12 volt rail.

Would it handle the 4670?

I know I know...I shouldnt throw £ at dead tech (hey neat phrase there!) I guess I just wanna milk this crate till the bitter end!

 

[aslco]

I know I know...I shouldnt throw £ at dead tech (hey neat phrase there!) I guess I just wanna milk this crate till the bitter end!

I did this, tbh, it meant when i built this current system i transferred a lot of parts over so i went from my o,d system to the new one for £200. Then all i have done since then is buy new ram and graphics card. job done for £300.

The only reason to buy stuff for your current machine is if you use it to gradually go over to a new system if you are building one yourself.

 

[lunarwolf]

I was considering an E8600 system just last week but now I've decided to go for Nehalem.

hehe fair enough. you will be more future proof for sure. Anyway i upgrade when games force me to, so i will when i have to, thinking may be when 45nm go to 32nm in end 2009/2010; hopefully then games will be truly multi core (fingers crossed), but i think they will since new consoles should start appearing by 2010 and that is what drives games market

 

[patnut]

I'm in the same boat. Did you end up getting the 4670 in the end?