What to Buy ????

[TomTom1991]

Ive got a simple computer running windows 7 32bit and have a standard processor dou core 2.6 but I want to play decent games at a good standard but I also dont wanna be spending loads of money any thoughts???????

 

[bigjimmyauk]

is this computer custom built or an off the shelf package if it's the latter you can often find it very difficult to fit any graphics card due to the tight constraints of the power supply. a little more info about your pc could go a long way. I:E if you got it from a shop there should be a spec list that you can post, or gather all the information from a program like piriform speccy http://www.piriform.com/speccy probably better to just download that and printscreen or snip tool the results. firstly tho you need to establish if you have a spare PCI-E slot and what make and wattage your power supply is. If it says Qtec then forget it lol

also welcome to the forum

 

[MooMoo444]

Good value for money, you can't go wrong with something like this:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-238-AS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1830

It's not overkill for your setup and shouldnt give any prebuilt a problem as its not power hungry. It will also run current games at high settings, with a reasonable resolution (16xx)

 

[bigjimmyauk]

Good value for money, you can't go wrong with something like this:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-238-AS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1830

It's not overkill for your setup and shouldnt give any prebuilt a problem as its not power hungry. It will also run current games at high settings, with a reasonable resolution (16xx)

probably the worst advice i've seen on the graphics forum most pre-builts use crappy PSU's which have about a 50watt tollerance and even thats pushing it.

Like i said in the previous post we really need to establish what he has got before you go jumping to conclusions about gtx 460's

 

[MooMoo444]

probably the worst advice i've seen on the graphics forum most pre-builts use crappy PSU's which have about a 50watt tollerance and even thats pushing it.

Like i said in the previous post we really need to establish what he has got before you go jumping to conclusions about gtx 460's

I've had about 5 different prebuilts in the family, okay its not grand scale - but I've had no issues when I've put an aftermarket graphics card in.

 

[zo1d]

Ive got a simple computer running windows 7 32bit and have a standard processor dou core 2.6 but I want to play decent games at a good standard but I also dont wanna be spending loads of money any thoughts???????

To get the best advice I suggest you provide some of the following information....

CPU Type & Speed
Amount of Installed Memory
Power supply power rating inc. make and model

Note If it's a pre-built system and you are not sure of the above then supply the make and model information of your system.

Monitor size and the screen resolution
How much you are willing/able to spend on the new graphics card

 

[TomTom1991]

4 gig ram
22inch lcd hd ready tv/monitor but will hopefully be replaced by a 32 hd tv
2.6 dual core processor
power supply not sure
money - depends on how good it is
32 bit system

I

 

[coupe69]

480 SLi should just about do it

You've missed the two most important parts out in your previous post.

Nobody can recommend you a video card without knowing:

A: your budget, and

B: your PSUs rating (wattage and 12V rails preferably)

 

[cmndr_andi]

Hi there TomTom,

As the guys say - info on you existing PSU is crucial as you will need something relatively good to power a graphics card that will "play decent games at a good standard".

The best way to do this is open up the side of the case (be careful) and look for a sticker on the PSU. Then you need to note down what it says or take a photo of it and upload it here.

As you are using a pre-built computer - does it have a make and model number? With this we can track down what kind of hardware it uses.

Some more issues we need to deal with before we can recommend you a graphics card are:

- If the existing PSU is not good enough, does the case accept standard ATX PSUs - or does it use a custom size?
- Does the motherboard have a free PCIe slot? You can check this by downloading and running CPU-Z , going to the "motherboard" tab and telling us what it says.
-How much space is there between the back of the case and the first obstruction to a graphics card? This will determine the maximum length of card you can get.
- Is there anything preventing the use of a graphics card with a dual-slot cooler?