What card to get with a 300 watt power supply?

[Name141]

Hello, I am currently looking to upgrade my nVidia 8300 128 MB GS card. I am using a dell inspiron 530 d. not the slim kind either.

Dell recommends the nVidia 9500 GT, however other people say that the ATI Radeon 4670 is a better card and wouldn't blow the mother board and power supply either?

So how in the world would I know which one to go with? The 4670 says it is recommended to have a 400 watt or better power supply while the 9500 GT is 350 watt.

 

[coozie7]

Dell famously underrates their powersupplies, and the HD4670 merely sips power, you'll be totally, completely fine with one.

 

[Name141]

OK. I thought it was a 350 watt power supply, however I checked and it is a 300 watt (Just in case you didn't see my edit the post).

it is a Bestec 300 watt. (ATX-0300D ?)

 

[Name141]

BTW: (I guess it doesn't matter) I'm in the USA, it seems I was sent to the UK forums 😱

 

[jay2tall]

4670 does not require any extra power connectors. I think you will be ok with it. But that is probably the most GPU you can get for your system.

 

[Name141]

4670 does not require any extra power connectors. I think you will be ok with it. But that is probably the most GPU you can get for your system.

Would I be any "safer" in buying a 4650 instead of a 4670?

 

[coozie7]

Right now I'd still say you're fine, as long as it's the PSU Dell supplied and not a replacement.
And yes, you'd be safer with the less demanding card, particularly if the system is several years old because the PSU tends to lose efficiency as it ages.

 

[Name141]

Right now I'd still say you're fine, as long as it's the PSU Dell supplied and not a replacement.
And yes, you'd be safer with the less demanding card, particularly if the system is several years old because the PSU tends to lose efficiency as it ages.

It's one they supplied 2 years ago now when I bought the system.

However, I returned the first system they sent me (it came broke) and got a replacement. So I am still assuming it was sent "new".

 

[Name141]

Following this link, http://magicboxlive.blogspot.com/2008/09/geforce-9500gt-vs-ati-hd-4650-vs-hd.html , the 4650 should play Half-Life and Left4dead2 at a reasonable rate?

 

[coozie7]

^ H*** yes! I could play both on my rig with a 7800GTX 256Mb card and it could do both at 1920X1200 no problems at all! Just be sure to get the GDDR3 version of the card, see here for why:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/best-graphics-card,review-31635-6.html

 

[Name141]

I was thinking of this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102829

My max monitor res is 1440x900.

 

[jay2tall]

I thought you had the NON slim machine? That is a small form factor card.

 

[Name141]

I thought you had the NON slim machine? That is a small form factor card.

That's correct. Hm, can you recommend a card for me? The current card is about 7 inches.

 

[jay2tall]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102854&cm_re=4670-_-14-102-854-_-Product

 

[Name141]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102854&cm_re=4670-_-14-102-854-_-Product

OK. Tech for dell says I need a better wattage, sales for dell says I don't.. explain that lol.

Also it still says "System Requirements 400 Watt or greater power supply (550 Watt for ATI CrossFireX technology in dual mode) is recommended"

 

[Name141]

what are the ideas on a nVidia 9400 GT? is it crap too ?

 

[jay2tall]

In the intro thread you said that Dell recommends a 9500GT. A 4670 uses less power than a 9500gt at idle and roughly the same at load.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3405&p=9

 

[Name141]

In the intro thread you said that Dell recommends a 9500GT. A 4670 uses less power than a 9500gt at idle and roughly the same at load.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3405&p=9

nvidia's "help me select" said for me to go with 9400 GT, GT 240 , GT 220 , 8500 GT , or the current card I already have with a 300 watt.

 

[jay2tall]

From what I know here is the order of performance 4650<9500GT<GT220<4670

I believe the GT220 does draw slightly under what the 4670 does. It would be an option if it made you feel better.

 

[Name141]

From what I know here is the order of performance 4650<9500GT<GT220<4670

I believe the GT220 does draw slightly under what the 4670 does. It would be an option if it made you feel better.

How about the Radeon 3650 ? It's only 300 Wattage recommended also? It seems it can run Half-Life2:Episode 2 good from what I took a look at.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131169&cm_re=Radeon_HD_3650_PCIe-_-14-131-169-_-Product
or
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?omid=125&utm_id=20&ref=pricewatch&utm_source=PriceWatch&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=VT900232&sku=VT900232 ?

 

[babydevil05]

i just bought a 4770 & it worked flawlessly with dell 305w psu

 

[pepperman]

From what I know here is the order of performance 4650<9500GT<GT220<4670

I believe the GT220 does draw slightly under what the 4670 does. It would be an option if it made you feel better.

The 9500 GT is only better (and only marginally so) if it is a GDDR3 variant and the 4650 is a DDR2, otherwise the 4650 beats the 9500 GT (again, only marginally).

I recommend an HD 4670. Its the best performance for the money, and its low power so it'll work on your system.

 

[Name141]

The 9500 GT is only better (and only marginally so) if it is a GDDR3 variant and the 4650 is a DDR2, otherwise the 4650 beats the 9500 GT (again, only marginally).

I recommend an HD 4670. Its the best performance for the money, and its low power so it'll work on your system.

if I was going to spend the extra money to upgrade the power supply, would i be looking at a 400 or 500 watt ?

 

[obsidian86]

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Inno3D/GeForce_210/28.html

 

[pepperman]

if I was going to spend the extra money to upgrade the power supply, would i be looking at a 400 or 500 watt ?

Depends on which card you want.