I would love help on finding a new graphics card!

[hert]

Like many others, I am having trouble finding a card that will work with my computer. I have searched many forum posts, and I have looked at a lot of card comparisons, but I am still having trouble.

HP Pavillion
System Model: NY544AA-ABA p6210f

This simple computer is obviously in need of an upgrade....

I would love some help with upgrading ideas for power supply, graphics, etc.

I can provide more details, but I am unsure of what exactly is needed. Thank you so much for your help and support.

I will be playing games such as portal, left for dead, WoW [ultra?], and others of that degree. In other words, I will not be needing as much demand as with other games.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Thanks so much for helping a noobie like me, it means a lot to know not all people on the internet are jerks..

Looks like I will be going with this (or items like these):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391

Actually, i am a jerk, only a helpfull one. That's why i'm disguised as a alien.

The max card for your system would be hd6870, maybe a gtx560Ti but there will be a little bottleneck maybe with your cpu, not sure.

 

[k1114]

There's no easy way to explain cpu/gpu bottleneck, there's just way too many cpu/gpu/res/game combinations, but knowledgeable people as ourselves will know the range where a bottlenecks starts to occur. I would agree with malmental, the 6870 and 560 rival each other and are as high as I would suggest before your cpu starts to bottleneck the gpu. Tom's did a very long 4 part article about it awhile back. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/balanced-gaming-pc-overclock,2699.html

Switching topics a bit: Tom's published a "best gpu for the money" article monthly which states different gpus at different price points and also at the end has a hierarchy chart to see how they stack up against each other. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-gaming-performance,3042-7.html

 

[hert]

Well after doing research on some of your cpu suggestions, I did end up going with the OCZ 550w.. So there is no debate there. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022

As for the 6870 suggestion, and the GTX 560 (non Ti I believe?), I will have to further investigate.

If this one looks like it would work with my system, I like it... haha http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130661

 

[hert]

I meant power supply

 

[hert]

Yeah, I feel like the extra $40 or so might be worth it for the Ti (at least the two I am looking at have that price difference).

If I go with the Ti, I wouldn't want to have bottleneck. I feel like I would be fine though.

 

[hert]

Ah, I see. Well... I will probably not go with the Ti in this case then. I may just go with the 560, and when the time comes for a new upgrade, I will just get a whole new computer and build it myself or something. As for now, I think the 560 would do just fine, and I won't have to risk any of this stuff.

 

[hert]

Oh wait, the phenom II x4 doesn't look too expensive. I was thinking the x6.
Does this look like it would be nice? http://shop.amd.com/US/_layouts/shop/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=HDZ965FBGMBOX&region=us-en

I feel like since I will mostly be playing WoW, that I won't need to get something too fancy.

 

[hert]

Okay, so it looks like these are the items I am getting:

http://shop.amd.com/US/_layouts/shop/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=HDZ965FBGMBOX&region=us-en

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022 (already have this)

and then the Ti.

 

[hert]

If all of this looks like it would be good, or at least good for me.. then thank you for helping. I appreciate it!

 

[hert]

Thanks man.


ONE last thing, I promise..

Do I have to worry about compatibility with my motherboard?

 

[hert]

Oh I didn't know I had a 2.0, it just said pci-e x16 or something.

But awesome! Thanks again.

 

[k1114]

The x4 965 will not work in your mobo.

 

[k1114]

I don't mean to be rude but can you go to page 1 of the thread?

 

[k1114]

It is known that am2+ mobos can run am3 cpus but only up to the 95w versions. However, as you may know there is now a x6 95w but I can't find a definitive answer on that one.

But I don't see a point in a cpu upgrade especially since you're only getting a 560. Even if it were $50, save it for your next pc.

 

[hert]

PCIE_x16 (empty)
PCIE_x1_1 (empty)
PCIE_x1_2 (in use)
PCIE_x1_3 (empty)


no 2.0, or at least I don't think there is one.

 

[hert]

Name: AMD Athlon II X4 620.
Socket AM3 (938)
Max TDP: 97w
Core VID: 1.125 V
Core Speed: 800.0 MHz
Bus Speed: 200.0 MHz



I have CPU-Z, so just let me know what else there is.

 

[hert]

BIOS:

Brand: American Megatrends Inc.
Version: 5.18
Date: 09/08/2009.



I have no idea if this is what you want, but I think it is.

 

[hert]

I just installed my fatal1ty.
It was pretty easy to install. I have never done it before, and I didn't even have to look up how to do it.

Anyways, I am a little disappointed the Ti won't work..

The GTX 560 is still a strong possibility.

By any recent nVidia, what exactly do you mean?

 

[k1114]

The 560ti will work, as well as any pcie graphics card. Which means any nvidia(or amd).

 

[hert]

Okay I think you and mal have different opinions if I'm not mistaken?

But you say the Ti will work, as in it will work with my current athlon II x4? or do you mean it will work with my possible upgrade to the phenom?

 

[k1114]

His board is 2.0 so it shouldn't have an issue. Even some 1.0 boards can use 2.1, but 2.0 doesn't have any issues with 2.1.