Advice on graphics card for older PC

[jacobbones]

I am trying to help a guy at work out, he has a an older compaq
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&dlc=en&docname=c01048297&lang=en&lc=en

He asked me to see what I could do to fix it up, Im doing a re-install of windows and adding ram.

He also wants to do some light gaming, so I told him I'd see what I could find. I told lhim dont expect to play battlefield 3 with it,

Its athlon 64 3800+ 2ghz and will have 4 gb ram. Will be getting new PSU to go with card

So any opinions on a decent video card for it? Doesnt want to spend more than 150 on card. Also prefer a geforce as that what im used to using in my builds.

I was looking at a geforceGTX650 as its more likely to fit in the case, not sure if the processor will be to weak.

Any thoughts would be helpful

 

[meowmix44]

I think your CPU might bottleneck the 650 but I would give it a go They are not as big as you think the are. Even the stock 670s are the size of the old 550Ti(that is if you take off all that plastic crap.

 

[jacobbones]

I wasnt sure about the fit in the mini-cases. I had an HP box store PC as a teenager that I added vid card etc to and just remember stuff barely fitting.

Since Ive always built my own using full cases.

Ive told him not to expect miracles but he just wants to play older stuff like left for dead/ WoW and not have it stutter.
Talked to him about a new buuild but fornow he just wants to use this pc for now

 

[stickmansam]

His CPU is likely to be the first part to tank on him especially in WoW when there's a lot of stuff happening (which requires cpu physics calculations)

The 650 would do fine as long as you can get it cheaper than the 7770

This is on ultra but with a really strong cpu (again his bottleneck will be the CPU, massively so)

 

[swifty_morgan]

those charts are misleading. the test system consists of

Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K @ 4.6 GHz
(Ivy Bridge, 8192 KB Cache)
Motherboard: ASUS Maximus V Gene
Intel Z77


the OP's system will never achieve those numbers.

a gts250 or an amd 5750 would be about right for that set up.

 

[stickmansam]

those charts are misleading. the test system consists of
the OP's system will never achieve those numbers.

If you look through my post, you will notice that I mentioned that the review was done with a "really strong cpu" and that his cpu would be a "bottleneck" and "massively so"

I also mentioned that his cpu would be the "first part to tank"

 

[jacobbones]

Hes not looking to get max frame rate at max resolution, just to play a few games online with people.

Thought the 650 would be fine as if he upgrades he could put it in that pc and would still be decent card. The gts 250 is only little cheaper than the 650

 

[rayy1212]

You can get a 560ti for cheap I think msi has one for about 179 on newegg and it will perform remarkable for his needs

 

[jacobbones]

Well wouldn't a gtx650 with 2gb ram be better than a 650ti with 1gb?

I see them for roughly same price

 

[littleleo]

If you could find a 560SE that would be a better match. I think the 650 2GB is a bit of a reach for that system, but you may be limited by what you can find. If the price is the same why not get the 2GB he can always move the card into his next build. Are you sure the card will fit in the case?

 

[littleleo]

If you could find a 560SE that would be a better match. I think the 650 2GB is a bit of a reach for that system, but you may be limited by what you can find. If the price is the same why not get the 2GB he can always move the card into his next build. Are you sure the card will fit in the case?

 

[jacobbones]

I know the 650 is a bit much for it. But he wants to do a build someday so I'm thinking buy video card and psu now and then in future use them in new build. I'm pretty sure card will fit