[SOLVED] Video card recommendation for legacy bios

[jester_s1]

I have a 7 year old HP desktop that the video card has died on. It had a Radeon HD 6790. I don't need any more performance, but that card is crazy expensive now with the vendors I've shopped at. I tried replacing it with a Radeon RX 550 from Sapphire, but it won't work with the legacy bios. From what I can tell, I can't convert to a UEFI bios with this system.

So can someone recommend a PCE x2 card that's cheap, will work with a legacy bios, and performs at least as well as the Radeon 6790? I'll probably replace the computer in 2 more years or when something else peters out, but I'd rather repair it for now.

 

[boju]

It's going to be a gamble running any modern or modernish card but Nvidia can be more forgiving when it comes to older legacy motherboards. Ie, im currently running a Gtx 1070 on an Lga 1366 system, Asus motherboard. But being a pre-built motherboard, its a tough call. If there's an unlikely bios update for it, id try suss it out. Would be good if you could test a 1050/1050Ti or even a 1650.

 

[King_V]

I can't speak for HP, but, as I understand it, the Dell XPS 8300 (Sandy Bridge era CPUs) would not work with any AMD RX cards, and most R9 cards.

However, as I understand it, that Dell model does work with Nvidia's GTX 10- series cards. Might be worth getting, say, a GTX 1050 or 1050Ti and pop it in there. I don't know if that's much of a good deal as a new card, though, as they tend to go for about the price of the 1650 Super, or even flirting with 1660 prices.

I can't say for sure if the 16- series Nvidia cards would work or not.

It might not hurt to seek out a used 1050, 1050Ti, or 1060 and give it a shot. Another possibility is a 750Ti. It'll perform SLIGHTLY less than the 6970, but it should be available fairly inexpensively on the used market.

 

[jester_s1]

I looked into a BIOS update, and that was no good.
I'd like to be able to plug a few cards in to see what works, but I'm not up for ordering 6 or 7 to try it out. I also don't want to put a $200 video card into a system that isn't even worth $200 itself. If I was going to spend that, I'd go ahead and start new.

 

[King_V]

Yeah, the whole pricing thing is where it starts to get sketchy, and become a harder decision...

 

[boju]

Agreed

Wish i could say a 1650 would def work.

Maybe, just maybe, a PC store near you have a 10th gen gpu handy as troubleshooting part they could whack in and try. Even a GT 1030 should tell the story.