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What are my options?

Ryan121

Ryan121

Ryan121

Associate
Joined
8 Aug 2006
Posts
14
I don't know much about graphics cards and have never needed one before but I would like one now as I'm playing games on my PC but have realised my PC is a bit rubbish. I'm currently using integrated graphics and I have one PCI-express slot.

I think the main problem is my power supply is only 350 watts. I don't need to have graphic settings at full though but I'd like a half decent card. I really want a graphics card but I'm not sure what will work with my PC.

Here are some specs if you need them:

AMD Athlone 64 Processor 3200+
Windows XP Home Edition
2.0 Clock-Speed
512 Mb RAM Memory
160 Gb Hard Drive
128 Mb ATI Radeon XPRESS 200 Graphics
 
What's your budget? If around £150 is about right then an X1800XT would just about run with that PSU, but it would work. A 7600GT would be a better option though as they draw much less power than the X1800XTs.
 
Ace of Spades said:
7600GT or 1800XT would be a good upgrade dont know if a 350W could manage a 1800XT though.
Click to expand...
I think it could, locutus12 is running his on a 400w I think, and Gibbo mentioned they make a pre-overclocked PC with an X1800XT in and a 380w PSU once. I think that 350w would be truely pushing it, but I think it would work.

Would say 7600GT to be on the safe side though, but it won't perform anywhere near as well. Cheaper though so that's a bonus.
 
I would say 7600gt not sure now good the 7600gs is as it is cheaper but 1800xt is a steal at £150 and 512mb of system ram will hold you back a bit.

Q
 
Welcome to the forums. :)

Good choice on the card, 7600 GT is a cracker at that price, and your PSU will cope with it easily, unlike the x1800 XT as it may have struggled with it as said above.
 
Thank you so much everyone as I've never been sure enough that my PC would work with a new graphics card to buy one.

I'm going to order the 7600 GT now and will probably get more ram soon as well. Thanks again! :D
 
Last edited:
I've ordered the card now and was wondering does the PC automatically detect the new graphics card then disable the integrated graphics and do I uninstall the ATI drivers?

Sorry I'm really not sure about this and am just wanting to make sure I install it right.
 
I thought that's what you had to do as some places i read said the computer does it all automatically and then some saying you have to disable it in the bios.

So in what order do i do this? Do I startup my PC go in to the Bios, disable the integrated graphics, shutdown, put graphics card in, startup PC and then remove ATI drivers?
 
Uninstall the ATI drivers using the Add/Remove panel, then use Driver Cleaner as Ace of Spades recommends. Disable the onboard graphics in the BIOS, set the default/primary video adapter to PCIe (if you have the option in the BIOS), install the graphics card, and then install the latest nVidia drivers.
 
Ryan121 said:
Here are some specs if you need them:

AMD Athlone 64 Processor 3200+
Windows XP Home Edition
2.0 Clock-Speed
512 Mb RAM Memory
160 Gb Hard Drive
128 Mb ATI Radeon XPRESS 200 Graphics
Click to expand...

You need another 512mb ram at least.This is an absolute must.

Its a shame no one offer you this advice when you were ordering your card.
 
Ryan121 said:
I'm going to order the 7600 GT now and will probably get more ram soon as well. Thanks again! :D
Click to expand...
He was advised to get more ram.


Also if using a mobo with the Radeon Xpress 200 chipset, if its anything like the mobo i have used, it should automatically turn off the integrated graphics when you stick a PCIE graphics card in the slot. So try this first before bothering to go into bios.
 
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