[SOLVED] What is best GPU upgrade from failed Radeon HD 7950

TexasVet65

Distinguished
May 1, 2011
12
0
18,510
Need to replace a failed GPU in the following system. Not saying the system as built was anything special but it WAS running solid for all uses including non enthusiast gaming.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Very Soon = NOW BUDGET RANGE: 200 -250

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Games sort of, Second Life, other online games my wife plays , Streaming Internet Movies and videos and image creation and editing, on and off-line . It is her computer, I dare not use it. I have a clunker in another room. I may ask you about it on another day.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: Failed Radeon HD 7950, CoolerMaster GX 650 W bronze

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 955, Gigabyte 890PA UD3H AM3 MB, 16 GB ram DDR5, Cooling: CPU, GPU, PS plus 0ne on the case.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Amazon preferred for older cards that are hard to find, Tiger Direct , NewEgg COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: U.S.A

PARTS PREFERENCES: AMD only by Gigabyte, XFX, Sapphire, MSI, ASUS etc, I dunno who makes 'em better you folks do tho.
Looking at 580s with Polaris 20 but Toms Reviews say the next processor up NAVI? is a better chip runs cooler (https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-radeon-rx-5500-xt-4gb

Sapphire Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB
https://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-112...c/dp/B06ZZ6FMF8/ref=psdc_284822_t2_B00JRKKSTC

XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition 1386MHz OC+, 8GB
https://www.amazon.com/XFX-Radeon-1...6/dp/B06Y66K3XD/ref=psdc_284822_t1_B06ZZ6FMF8
or
Sapphire 11295-05-20G Radeon Nitro+ RX 5500 XT 8GB
https://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Rad...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=671998CRVWSANRESYDZS

ASUS ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 5500XT Overclocked 8G
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Overclo...817091&sprefix=STRIX-RX5500XT-,aps,387&sr=8-2


OVERCLOCKING: No SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: HP 2311x , 1920x1080 HDMI and DVI capable

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Hey folks, I don't come here much to look dumb, but when I do, all I get is great help.
As to solving the problem of which GPU to get, I only know this, I have an old system, AM3, It runs, ran, really solid, I have no budget to go Ryzen.
I don't know enough to perceive any bottlenecks. I want a GPU that will use the resources of my Phenom II, the AM3 mb, not burn out my 650w ps and will fit the full size case.

I will thank you in advance again for the great help
If you have questions beyond what I gave, I'll try to geek out the answers.
 
Last edited:
Solution
My bad. Though you meant getting another PSU.

750 watts seems a bit overkill for your system. 550 watts is a better option if you are not planing on overclocking.
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Very Soon = NOW BUDGET RANGE: 200 -250

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: Failed Radeon HD 7950, CoolerMaster GX 650 W bronze

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 955, Gigabyte 890PA UD3H AM3 MB, 16 GB ram DDR5, Cooling: CPU, GPU, PS plus 0ne on the case.

Sapphire Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB
https://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-112...c/dp/B06ZZ6FMF8/ref=psdc_284822_t2_B00JRKKSTC

Corsair CX Series 750 Watt 80+ Bronze Certified Modular Power Supply
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Bron...+Modular+Power+Supply+,electronics,199&sr=1-1
I may have found my own best answer. I never stopped researching after I posted this question and determined my PSU was lacking so I found a better one than my Coolermaster 650 also it doesn't have an 8 pin connector.
So, the Sapphire RX 580 8 GB and Corsair PSU is in the cart at Amazon.
 
Thanks for the feedback. That's why I'm here, anytime a hardware change is needed/wanted I don't know how to make that smoothie. :)

EDIT 4/16/20 Sapphire RX 580 not available until 5/28 so I ordered the MSI Radeon RX 580 ARMOR 8G OC and it arrived 5/16/20.
The AM3+ mobo PCIExpress 16 is 2.0, the GPU says PCIE 3.0. I hope that's not a problem
 
Last edited: