Low Profile Video Cards.

[Beto94]

Hey everyone, I'm not so great with computer hardware so I'd like to ask a couple of questions.

First of all I want to buy a better video card for my PC. Current video card is an Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family. The thing is my choices are limited according to the research I've done and my computer specs. I use a slime case so I'll need a Low Profile Video Card. I opened my comp to check my power supply which is a 250w which is pretty low from what I've read.

Now I don't need anything graphically intense the only game I play on my comp is World of Warcraft but I want something that could possibly run the game on high while maintaining a high FPS. Any suggestions from you guys or anything else I should know about upgrading my video card?

BTW my comp is an Inspiron 530s and my monitor runs at 1680x1050 Wide screen.

Oh and here are my other specs.

System Model: Inspiron 530s
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E7200 @ 2.53GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.5GHz
Memory: 4084MB RAM
DirectX Version: DirectX 10

 

[505090]

what kind of expansion slot do you have pci, agp, pci express

 

[gkay09]

This video card should help you play WoW with better settings...And you wont require to change your PSU too...
SAPPHIRE 100255HDMI Radeon HD 4670
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102820

SAPPHIRE 100253HDMI Radeon HD 4650 512MB
$54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102829

 

[Beto94]

@505909 PCIE

@gkay09 Thanks I'll look into those suggestions.

 

[darkvine]

damn a lot of these Inspiron slims show up lately.

Well I agree gkay here.

 

[505090]

your power supply isn't big enough for those cards. You need look a little lower unless you want to upgrade your psu to.

 

[darkvine]

I just looked up the 4650 power consumption and it looks like it might be possible but you would indeed be pushing it dangerously close.

 

[swiftysuspect]

There's a handful of reviews on newegg from other inspiron owners stating they have the 4650 installed and it is running fine. I have a 530s and will probably get one myself, unless I find cheaper.

 

[Onus]

The 4650 ought to work. The 4670 won't work if only because it isn't low-profile.

 

[Beto94]

Alright thanks for all the help I guess I'll pick up the 4650.

 

[glinda3102]

Do not get the 4670. Whatever you do. It doesn't fit. I know this from sad experience. I have the same computer (Inspiron 530S), and when I was buying it, the bleeping sales guy swore up, down, and sideways he was *100% positive* I could get the 4670 into the case. He lied. (I even made him consult the tech guys, which he claimed he did.

It does not fit. It's about 2 inches taller than the case is wide.

I just bought the 4650 from Newegg for $55 and expect it by Monday. I got the Sapphire, because a whole slew of reviewers noted that it fit fine in their Inspiron 530S or equivalent, and ran cool and quiet without requiring a new fan or PSU. One guy was using it in a Gateway with a 220W PSU (!) Whereas Dell actually underrates its PSUs, so that what it says is 250W is actually more like 300+. In any case, while I'd love to be able to use the 4670, by now I'm psyched just to find a decent card that will work with the Dell slimline case and factory PSU and, apparently, runs COD5 --and the new Batman demo, drool -- at playable fps. (Not maxed out, of course, but I'm not graphics-greedy: 1024x768 on medium is better than a kick in the teeth; or not getting to play at all.)

p.s. Me, I'm wondering what to do with a virtually untouched, but past-return-for-refund-date, Radeon HD 4670 card. I guess I'll hang onto it, unless there's a market for 2nd-hand video cards; or someplace for swaps.
Also wondering how much bad karma I'd incur for trying to put a voodoo curse on a mendacious Dell rep.