Need Help Finding a Graphics Card

[chefsudsmaker]

I have an MS-7596 motherboard (880GM-E43 series?) with an AMD Phenom II X4 840 CPU
I am looking for the best option for a gaming card that will fit in my motherboard.

In the end I am saving up for a new computer but it will be while so I wanted to get a new graphics card that might actually run some of the games I have.

I have 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD and I know the CPU is dated but it seems the GPU is more of a bottleneck than the CPU.

The manual says the board has a PCI Express x16 slot and a PCI Express x1 slot.

I don't want to spend a bunch of money on an old computer but It'll probably be a year before I have enough money to buy a good PC for today's games.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[androbourne]

I would recommend you purchase the video card you want for your new gaming rig and just use that graphics card until you can afford the rest of your system. This way you are not wasting cash on a crappy GPU just to hold you over.

The GPU will be overkill for your current system. But it will be better then wasting money on a cheapo gpu that you are later not going to use.

 

[chefsudsmaker]

Well, that's what I was wondering.

If my current motherboard even supports the new cards.

I would love to have a "EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5" or something like it.

I just wasn't sure if my motherboard supports that slot type.

I have a 550 watt power supply but wasn't sure about the extra power/plugs required by the new cards. Also not sure 550 is enough.

 

[androbourne]

Well even if you have a PCI 2.0 lane instead of PCI 3.0 it would still fix and work. You just wouldn't get max performance out of it until you upgraded the other components of the system.

Only thing I would be worried about is PSU which according to multiple threads, "GeForce GTX 1070 / 1080 - On your average system the card requires you to have a 450~500 Watts power supply unit."

I think you would be OK.

Also make sure card isnt too big for your case.

 

[dontlistentome]

A GTX 750 Ti will be a good match for your current system. You can get them used, so therefore look for a good deal, and they use little power. You will be able to run games at 720p or 1080p low settings for the most part.

I would not buy a $400 videocard when my CPU is a Phenom II. As time goes by, the videocard prices will be lower or newer better cards will be available at the same price. So the videocard is the last thing you should buy. What holds up longer is a decent CPU. You'd be better off buying a new CPU/motherboard/DDR4 ram system now and leaving the high end videocard for later.

That's why if it were me and I was not ready to build a new system yet, I'd buy a used card equivalent to a GTX 750 Ti if not a GTx 750 Ti itself. Game on it until you want to build a new computer. Then sell that card for whatever you can get for it.

 

[chefsudsmaker]

Well, I got a GTX960 but not getting any video using any of the ports.
It was only $70 but it would be nice if it worked.
I do have a 550W Ark Technology power supply so I'm wondering what else to look for.
The BIOS is up to date.
The fans on the card are spinning.

 

[androbourne]

550wt should be good enough for that card. But what else are you running on the server? A lot of hard drives in a raid maybe? That would take away from your power requiring a larger PSU to handle the GPU.

Have you tried that GPU in another system to make sure it works?

 

[chefsudsmaker]

Well, actually I did put the card in another system but it has the same motherboard and a 480W power supply.

I did unplug the hard drive, dvd, fans which really left only the card.

Could my monitors be the problem?
The are like only go to like 1600x900 or something.

 

[androbourne]

Hmm I doubt its the monitors. What happens exactly when you put it in. Just a black screen? Can you see is post?

 

[chefsudsmaker]

Actually, the monitors are not even seeing a connection never-mind the post.
That's why I was wondering if the power supply was enough but from what I've read agrees with you and 550w should be plenty.

I did try it on the TV that pushes my console and it didn't work there either so agreed, its not the monitors.

 

[androbourne]

It might be a compatibility problem with the card and mobo or problem with the PCI slot. I don't recall, you side your mobo only has one PCI slot right?

 

[chefsudsmaker]

Actually, my mobo has a PCI-e x16 slot.
The fans do come on, on the card when I turn on the computer.
I even swapped the power supply to a newer 600w and it still didn't work.
I'm thinking the card is facing issues.

 

[androbourne]

If i had to guess its a compatibility isues with mobo. Does your mobo have a UEFI bios?

 

[chefsudsmaker]

Actually, as my board is a bit older it does not have a UEFI BIOS.

 

[androbourne]

And what about the BIOS of the other system you tested the video card in? Does it have UEFI?