Compatible Nvidia video card for Dell Dimension XPS t600r

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I need to upgrade my video card (1280x1024 in 32-Bit Color, NVIDIA GeForce
256 AGP). I was told that my computer could handle a 64 mb card (NVIDIA
Ultra Geforce 64 MB card). The good folks at Dell want to sell me one for
$385 (!) when I know and have seen same cards going for $20 - $40 at
eBay...
right now I am thinking that the Nvidia Geforce 3 Ti500 would do the
trick, but would like to get other opinions suggestions etc.
I don't use my computer for high end gaming, but mostly Avi's and
photoshop, so i don't need anything over the top high end, just solid
performance...
these are my systems specs...

Dell Dimension XPS T600r
Pentium III 600 chip
128 mb memory
NVIDIA GeForce 256 32 mb card
Thanks in advance...
D.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"gramskii" <diodecoder2@(Email Protected)> wrote in message
news:5ea00b33d6eba5667786b2d82aea48e2@localhost.talkaboutcomputing.com...
>I need to upgrade my video card (1280x1024 in 32-Bit Color, NVIDIA GeForce
> 256 AGP). I was told that my computer could handle a 64 mb card (NVIDIA
> Ultra Geforce 64 MB card). The good folks at Dell want to sell me one for
> $385 (!) when I know and have seen same cards going for $20 - $40 at
> eBay...
> right now I am thinking that the Nvidia Geforce 3 Ti500 would do the
> trick, but would like to get other opinions suggestions etc.
> I don't use my computer for high end gaming, but mostly Avi's and
> photoshop, so i don't need anything over the top high end, just solid
> performance...
> these are my systems specs...
>
> Dell Dimension XPS T600r
> Pentium III 600 chip
> 128 mb memory
> NVIDIA GeForce 256 32 mb card
> Thanks in advance...
> D.
>


As a general statement, you appear to be sorely lacking in system memory for
either gaming (mild to moderate) or I suspect Photoshop as well.

A GeF3 Ti 200 or Ti500 would work fine in your machine and could be picked
up (ebay or a local vendor) rather inexpensively. Bumping your system up to
384 or even 512mb of RAM will cost a bit more. ( www.crucial.com )

I've got an XPS T 500 w/512mb RAM, 64mb GeF3 video card, running WinXP Home.
It does okay until you perform an identical operation in a P4 system. Since
I don't do a lot of graphics or photo work on that machine, I can't really
say, but my guess is that it would tax it a bit.

I'm guessing that you will be looking at $100 to $200 if you upgraded both
the card and RAM (perhaps more depending on buying new or used, and how much
RAM you purchased).

Good luck. The XPS T is a solid machine, but it's the old "dollars spent
versus return" thing again....

Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for the tip on the Memory... I am planning to get alot more in the
near future... I know that I could just get a new computer easily enough,
but like you said I like the solid performance of my t600r, and the real
problem with it is the video card fan burning out, not anything on the
system...I'm waiting til Longhorn comes out before I upgrade this computer
to something more juicier...

 

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"gramskii" <diodecoder2@(Email Protected)> wrote in message
news:5ea00b33d6eba5667786b2d82aea48e2@localhost.talkaboutcomputing.com...
>I need to upgrade my video card (1280x1024 in 32-Bit Color, NVIDIA GeForce
> 256 AGP). I was told that my computer could handle a 64 mb card (NVIDIA
> Ultra Geforce 64 MB card). The good folks at Dell want to sell me one for
> $385 (!) when I know and have seen same cards going for $20 - $40 at
> eBay...
> right now I am thinking that the Nvidia Geforce 3 Ti500 would do the
> trick, but would like to get other opinions suggestions etc.
> I don't use my computer for high end gaming, but mostly Avi's and
> photoshop, so i don't need anything over the top high end, just solid
> performance...
> these are my systems specs...
>
> Dell Dimension XPS T600r
> Pentium III 600 chip
> 128 mb memory
> NVIDIA GeForce 256 32 mb card

I've used both a GeForce3 Ti200 and a GeForce4 Ti4200 in an XPS R system
(similar to your XPS T) and they worked fine. Why do you need a new video
card? Unless it's for games or some other 3d application, you probably
won't see any benefit.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

right thanks for the info... actually cuz my available card is on the
fritz... lots of horizontal lines around script etc... (I think its an
issue with the fan...). I want to get a new card before it burns out for
good).

 

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"gramskii" <diodecoder2@(Email Protected)> wrote in message
news:9c6329da22d179e5e5044337d484e342@localhost.talkaboutcomputing.com...
> right thanks for the info... actually cuz my available card is on the
> fritz... lots of horizontal lines around script etc... (I think its an
> issue with the fan...). I want to get a new card before it burns out for
> good).

Ah, makes sense. Good luck with your upgrade!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Cards with nVidia chips seem to burn out more often than other brands.

nVidia chips have always run hot. nVidia sells chips and a reference design for
manufacturing to a wide range of Pacific Rim manufacturers. Some manufacturers
choose cooling and ventilation (heat sink and/or cooling fan) that proves to be
inadequate over the long haul. Some manufacturers simply produce cheap junk.
(Same can be said for cards with newer ATI chips, built by other so-called name
brands. ATI does maintain direct quality control over CARDS sold under its own
brand name. I'm not sure if there are actually nVidia brand CARDS.)

A cooling fan cramped into the small space between board slots cannot be
engineered to provide the highest reliability. Worse yet, a system not
maintained regularly with regular cleaning out of accumulated dust and dirt ends
up with dirt clogging the cooling fans. It does not take much dirt to stop a
small cooling fan from spinning, so the fan stops, heat builds up, resulting in
damage to the chip. Either the card simply stops working or it displays
unwanted artifacts on screen rather than a clear and accurate image.

Bottom line: nVidia graphics chip or other, clean the dust and dirt out of the
cooling fans on graphics cards. Do so every six months or so. Using a can of
compressed air may have detractors, but it really does work well for this sort
of task. Any system that comes thru here gets blasted with compressed air.

.... Ben Myers

On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 01:01:06 -0400, "gramskii" <diodecoder2@(Email Protected)>
wrote:

>right thanks for the info... actually cuz my available card is on the
>fritz... lots of horizontal lines around script etc... (I think its an
>issue with the fan...). I want to get a new card before it burns out for
>good).
>