Help me pick a graphics card

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triumvir01

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Oct 7, 2011
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I'm looking for help picking out a new graphics card for my pc. Here are the specs of the pc support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/1009103/1009103sp2.shtml . I installed a Nvidia 7300GT card a few years ago but it isn't really cutting it anymore. I play rts games fairly competitively so I need to be able to run Starcraft2 without frame rate slowdown. I would also like to be able to run games like Mass Effect 2/3. I don't overly care about running games on max settings (even low is fine if there is good frame rate and no slowdown. That said I would like to get the most out of this pc so I would like a card that I will keep up for as long as possible.

I am concerned about the 300W power source and picking a card that will fit into the slots available. Any help would be appreciated.
 
hmmm that is honestly not saying too much. There is a HUGE range between $200 and $100. Not to mention the fact that any card above around $120 will require an update in PSU which means a total invesment of around $200 anyways.

Also keep in mind that at this price range, "I would like a card that I will keep up for as long as possible" isn't going to be much of an option considering you will be getting a low end card.

I would suggest these:

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127573

You can downgrade from there if you want to spend less money, use this as a guide to the getting less powerful cards and their pricing elsewhere: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-performance-radeon-geforce,2997-7.html
 
Thanks for your help so far. Will that card work with my current PSU? I am trying to get a feel for which cards can work with what I have.

Also how hard is it to replace a PSU if I go that route?
 
its extremely easy to replace the psu. bolt it in and hook it up.
the items phishy recommended is a great setup for the price range you are in.
If you are wanting to game on a card that will run on a 300w psu, then you will be very sad.
 

brand. Antech, seasonic, and corsair are the best/most popular brands out of the community. srsly, that setup phishy linked is very very good for your price range.
 
Your cpu, mobo, and ram are all limiting factors. Even if you get mid to high end video cards, you're still severely bottle-necked by old components. If I were you, stick with your system for now until you can come up with $500 to build a completely new system that will play modern games great.
 


+1. Waist of money upgrading this system.
 
buying a newer card, with a new psu is a step forwad to upgrading this system that will give an immediate gain. He will not see the FULL gain he could be getting with a full upgrade, but if he cant afford the rest atm as his budget is quite low, then i would be doing the same thing.
OP, dont expect a world changing gain form this upgrade, and the other posters have made very valid points; but you will see enough gain to play games though at reduced settings, until you can get the rest of your new system built
 
Yeah definitely you want to upgrade stuff as you go along. There is no point in spending a lump sump at one point and enjoying your system then over upgrading it piece by piece and enjoying those upgrades individually as you see your computer take form.

Seriously I think you should spend what you can now and go from there.
 

if OP wants to upgrade for something balanced, then yes, that's a good card for his system he can upgrade cheaply. If he wants to upgrade his entire system piece by piece I would still stick with my original assessment of doing something worthwhile and getting a new mobo cpu and ram in a few months when he can afford the rest and in a sense save the 50 or 60 bux he would have spent already having to replace the new card he bought.
OP, all of these options will work for you. Are you planning on upgrading your entire rig eventually? If not and money is truly tight then maybe a solution with your current psu and a new gpu and cpu as nforce recommended
 
The ol 7300GT was a good little card in it's day with it's 8 pipelines, but I can't believe you're still trying to game with it :O. I'd say the best match is a 5570 or 5670 (might be pushing it on the PSU side). I think that's a BTX form factor board so it's not like you can fit in a dual slot cooler card anyway or have an easy upgrade path.
 

there we go, good choice; it is pretty well balanced for your current system and when you upgrade you wont have to be changing your GPU right away
 
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