[SOLVED] Replacing my GPU...

[brucepascal]

I am NOT gaming, so gamers, you may look away in disgust from my hardware... the games I play need dos-box, and probably your parents played them I am also using Win7

I am using a GT630 from many years ago and want to replace it with a GT 710, and I am wondering 1GB or 2GB...
A similar question has been asked before, but it is from 2011... and says 1GB was enough (then)

Any reason at all, I should get a 2GB one? They are hardly more expensive than 1GB

Thank you

 

[Darkbreeze]

The only reasons you might want a card with more VRAM if you are NOT gaming would be if you are running applications that can use GPU hardware acceleration like some DVD/BD ripping programs, video encoding applications, etc., or maybe if you intend to use this system for watching 4k video, especially if you are streaming or casting it and need the VRAM for buffer purposes.

Honestly, in this day and age, I'd be hard pressed to want to use anything less than a GT 730 or R7 240, even for a basic system that won't see any gaming. At least if it's going to see other kinds of moderate to high video usage at all. If it's just an office machine or used for browsing the internet and you don't plan to watch any high resolution video on it, then a 1GB GT 710 is more than adequate.

 

[brucepascal]

The only reasons you might want a card with more VRAM if you are NOT gaming would be if you are running applications that can use GPU hardware acceleration like some DVD/BD ripping programs, video encoding applications, etc., or maybe if you intend to use this system for watching 4k video, especially if you are streaming or casting it and need the VRAM for buffer purposes.

Honestly, in this day and age, I'd be hard pressed to want to use anything less than a GT 730 or R7 240, even for a basic system that won't see any gaming. At least if it's going to see other kinds of moderate to high video usage at all. If it's just an office machine or used for browsing the internet and you don't plan to watch any high resolution video on it, then a 1GB GT 710 is more than adequate.

Thank you very much. Very well explained....

 

[Third-Eye]

I am NOT gaming, so gamers, you may look away in disgust from my hardware... the games I play need dos-box, and probably your parents played them I am also using Win7

I am using a GT630 from many years ago and want to replace it with a GT 710, and I am wondering 1GB or 2GB...
A similar question has been asked before, but it is from 2011... and says 1GB was enough (then)

Any reason at all, I should get a 2GB one? They are hardly more expensive than 1GB

Thank you

Is there an actual need to get a different GPU if you don't need anything faster for dos-box? What is your budget and what else are you planning to play on it besides old games on dos-box? The GT 710 is around 30% slower than the GT 630 and the only real advantage is lower power usage, but not by much. You would need to get a GT 730 at minimum to match or exceed the GT 630. If you do get a GT 710 or faster, get the DDR5 model because the DDR3 model is even worse.

 

[brucepascal]

Is there an actual need to get a different GPU if you don't need anything faster for dos-box? What is your budget and what else are you planning to play on it besides old games on dos-box? The GT 710 is around 30% slower than the GT 630 and the only real advantage is lower power usage, but not by much. You would need to get a GT 730 at minimum to match or exceed the GT 630. If you do get a GT 710 or faster, get the DDR5 model because the DDR3 model is even worse.

Thanks again... I checked out several websites that compare CPUs, and they all agree that the 710 is a lot faster and has higher benchmark numbers... f.e. :
https://benchmarks.ul.com/hardware/gpu/NVIDIA+GeForce+GT+630+review

I decided not to buy a new desktop to replace this six year old one. I want to change the i 4570 with a i4770 and get a "better" GPU, as the data volume keeps growing...

 

[Third-Eye]

Thanks again... I checked out several websites that compare CPUs, and they all agree that the 710 is a lot faster and has higher benchmark numbers... f.e. :
https://benchmarks.ul.com/hardware/gpu/NVIDIA+GeForce+GT+630+review

I decided not to buy a new desktop to replace this six year old one. I want to change the i 4570 with a i4770 and get a "better" GPU, as the data volume keeps growing...

I'd suggest you do more research before you buy the GT 710. It's a slower card than your GT 630 by around 10-12%. It's not an upgrade if that is what you are looking for. In the US, a new GT 710 costs $45-60 and for that same price you could get a used GTX 750 or a GTX 950 for around $60. You might even be able to get a GTX 960 or 970 for $60-110, but you will need a PSU with 2 6pin PCIE cables for the 970.

 

[brucepascal]

I'd suggest you do more research before you buy the GT 710. It's a slower card than your GT 630 by around 10-12%. It's not an upgrade if that is what you are looking for. In the US, a new GT 710 costs $45-60 and for that same price you could get a used GTX 750 or a GTX 950 for around $60. You might even be able to get a GTX 960 or 970 for $60-110, but you will need a PSU with 2 6pin PCIE cables for the 970.

Thank you.
I will look into all of this, and then come back and ask here again.

 

[mdd1963]

If not gaming, get whichever is $3 less expensive....or whichever is available first...

(WHat is the original card not doing for you, as far as functioning as a 2D /basic display card?

 

[brucepascal]

No 750 and the cheapest 950 over $100


Seems the one thing that would be available where I am right is this:

GT710>1030 Series, GT710-SL-2GD5-BRK

[GPU: Nvidia geforcegt710,] core: 954MHz, Core Clock: 192

• [Memory]: 2gbddr5 64bit Memory clock: MHz
• [Interface]: PCI-Express x16 (3.0)
• [output]: 1 x HDMI/DVI – D x 1
• [Dimension]: 16.7 × 6.9 × 1.7 cm
• [OpenGL]: opengl4 x 5

Would that make any sense? Or just leave it......

 

[Third-Eye]

No 750 and the cheapest 950 over $100


Seems the one thing that would be available where I am right is this:

GT710>1030 Series, GT710-SL-2GD5-BRK

[GPU: Nvidia geforcegt710,] core: 954MHz, Core Clock: 192

• [Memory]: 2gbddr5 64bit Memory clock: MHz
• [Interface]: PCI-Express x16 (3.0)
• [output]: 1 x HDMI/DVI – D x 1
• [Dimension]: 16.7 × 6.9 × 1.7 cm
• [OpenGL]: opengl4 x 5

Would that make any sense? Or just leave it......

Do you actually need to upgrade? You could do some light gaming on a GT 1030, but it's not going to give you high fps with good graphics settings if you want 60fps minimum. It can be playable if you keep your expectations low. Ask yourself what you want to play and look for benchmarks and reviews for the graphics card you think you want to get. I've been using GT 710s in various low end systems and found that Minecraft runs twice as fast as Intel HD 4400-4600 graphics at around 60-80fps, but the GT 710 is only about 10% faster in games like Dota 2 or LOL. You can probably get around 45-50fps with medium settings in CS:GO with the GT 710. Your GT 630 would be about 3-5fps faster in those same games.

Unless you need a low profile card, I just see no reason to replace your GT 630 with a GT 710.

 

[brucepascal]

Thank you, so I guess I stay with the 630. My point was, that I checked this page:
https://benchmarks.ul.com/hardware/gpu/NVIDIA+GeForce+GT+630+review

and found the numbers for the 710 far better than those of the 630 (at the bottom of the page)

For six or seven years I had an acer x223w Display connected to the VGA and a large TV to the HDMI. The Acer immediately came on when the computer was started. Now, with my new Dell Display (on the VGA!) it takes until everything is completely loaded until a picture appears. If I want to get to the bootloader, I have to watchit on the TV screen, and Safe Mode only appears on the TV display... So I assumed it could have something to do with the old GPU.

 

[Darkbreeze]

The GT 630 and GT 710 are practically identical in terms of performance, as third eye indicated.

https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GeForce-GT-630-vs-Nvidia-GeForce-GT-710/m7766vsm77649


I know for a fact that Anandtech bench, which is pretty much the MOST accurate direct hardware comparison out there, used to list them as neck and neck as well but no longer lists them at all because they are simply too old.

I would either keep the GT 630 or not consider anything smaller than the GT 730 or R7 240 if you decide to go with a new card. Unless there is a problem with the GT 630 it doesn't make any sense to replace it with anything smaller than one of those two cards, minimum.

 

[bryanc723]

Really, you can probably get a pretty solid used card second hand for $50-$75 that would blow your current card out of the water and be much more cost effective than trying to buy a very similar card to what you already have.

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you don't mind buying used, which I don't tend to recommend.

 

[brucepascal]

As I am living near the sphinkter of the world, where China Russia and Japan meet, it is not that easy to obtain anything not really specific, as a used GPU would be. Most of the stuff here comes from Shenzhen through Hongkong and if you need to return it, it will take about four months, till money will return.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Even more reason you don't want to buy something used, unless of course you can get it locally through a local seller or shop that will guarantee that it works and replace it if it doesn't.

Used cards are a high risk gamble. Most people don't get rid of their used graphics card when they upgrade unless there is something wrong with it, it is VERY old OR they are extremely strapped for cash. None of those things makes me feel inclined to give them my money for a used product that will not have any kind of warranty unless it's an EVGA card AND they purchased it since the beginning of 2019, when EVGA began extending their warranty to third party puchasers. Other card manufacturers, do not honor any warranty beyond the original purchaser.

 

[brucepascal]

Even more reason you don't want to buy something used, unless of course you can get it locally through a local seller or shop that will guarantee that it works and replace it if it doesn't.

Used cards are a high risk gamble. Most people don't get rid of their used graphics card when they upgrade unless there is something wrong with it, it is VERY old OR they are extremely strapped for cash. None of those things makes me feel inclined to give them my money for a used product that will not have any kind of warranty unless it's an EVGA card AND they purchased it since the beginning of 2019, when EVGA began extending their warranty to third party puchasers. Other card manufacturers, do not honor any warranty beyond the original purchaser.

Yep... especially as I am not looking for one that costs $2000

Thank you for help, everybody.....

 

[Darkbreeze]

Certainly. Good luck whatever you choose to do.