I'm not sure if this is in the right place, but I'm kind of a noob at computers. I have a computer it's pretty old it's a Dell Dimension XPS T450. I just started using it a while ago, and it has 450 MHz, and 384 MB Ram. I was wondering if I can use this video card with it - Sapphire Radeon 9550 256MB.
Need Help Please
- Thread starter Adachi
- Start date
Thanks, but my friend said that my computer might overheat because of something about the power source... or something?
Since its an older Pentium III, you might want to rethink spending money for that Dell.
There is no guarantee after buying that video card that any games are compatible with that operating system. Most of the games on the market are for Windows XP machines. You maybe able to find games for Windows 98SE. Too many ifs, I would say, forget it.
You can buy a new complete system from eMachines at your nearest Walmart for $499.00!
If that's too much for the moment, you can always turn the machine into Ubuntu Linux rig. Lots of free software and free games too.
There is no guarantee after buying that video card that any games are compatible with that operating system. Most of the games on the market are for Windows XP machines. You maybe able to find games for Windows 98SE. Too many ifs, I would say, forget it.
You can buy a new complete system from eMachines at your nearest Walmart for $499.00!
If that's too much for the moment, you can always turn the machine into Ubuntu Linux rig. Lots of free software and free games too.
Your processor will be the limiting factor in playing any games. Nothing out in the past few years will even run on that. What video card is in there now? The card you picked is overkill/useless for that system.
What games are you looking to play?
What games are you looking to play?
As stogez says, your processor is the limiting factor in games, so there's no point in getting that card. Your friend may have meant that the power supply in your computer could not run that card, which is probably true, so thats another reason not to get it.
Why did you do that? You didn't buy it did you? That thing is worth about $10...
If you want to play games you need a modern system. You can either pick up a second hand Athlon off ebay or FS/FT on this forum, hopefully with a graphics card included, or you can build one for a few hundred bucks.
Why did you do that? You didn't buy it did you? That thing is worth about $10...
If you want to play games you need a modern system. You can either pick up a second hand Athlon off ebay or FS/FT on this forum, hopefully with a graphics card included, or you can build one for a few hundred bucks.
I just started usingt his because my old computer broke so my uncle gave me this one. It wasn't used so he had no use for it so he gave it to me. I'm wanting to play Counter-Strike, MapleStory, and stuff like that.. not the really graphical games.
The OP says that he is new to using computers and wants to play games. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the kid is about 12 or 13, in which case the computer was probably given to him. Like someone else said, if it wasn't given to you, I sure hope you didn't pay a lot of money for it.
Sure, a $300 emachines would be a much more cost effective upgrade. However, when you're 13 years old, $300 doesn't just fall out of trees, at least it didn't when I was that age, which wasn't too long ago. If a new computer is out of the question, there are a few cost effective upgrades you can do in a 'lint and buttons" price range.
First, you can probably upgrade that CPU to at least a 1.1 ghz Celeron chip if you use a slot1 adapter. You can probably find both on ebay together for $30. Heck, I would throw my PIII 550 Mhz chip in the mail for you for $5 + shipping, I'm sure you'll find a lot of other people that will do the same.
Second, as a shot from the hip, I would say you will probably be okay using that video card, meaning the power supply is probably enough. What card do you have in there now? As far as best performance for the money, I can't answer that as I don't keep up on it, but I don't think its overkill.
A new video card, a newer processor, and mabye a little more memory can have you at least playing some bargain bin games (which is all my cheap parents would ever buy me) with your friends all for the cost of mowing a few lawns.
If you're not 13 and have a real job, then I don't mean to offend you, and you should probably look at a whole new computer.
Sure, a $300 emachines would be a much more cost effective upgrade. However, when you're 13 years old, $300 doesn't just fall out of trees, at least it didn't when I was that age, which wasn't too long ago. If a new computer is out of the question, there are a few cost effective upgrades you can do in a 'lint and buttons" price range.
First, you can probably upgrade that CPU to at least a 1.1 ghz Celeron chip if you use a slot1 adapter. You can probably find both on ebay together for $30. Heck, I would throw my PIII 550 Mhz chip in the mail for you for $5 + shipping, I'm sure you'll find a lot of other people that will do the same.
Second, as a shot from the hip, I would say you will probably be okay using that video card, meaning the power supply is probably enough. What card do you have in there now? As far as best performance for the money, I can't answer that as I don't keep up on it, but I don't think its overkill.
A new video card, a newer processor, and mabye a little more memory can have you at least playing some bargain bin games (which is all my cheap parents would ever buy me) with your friends all for the cost of mowing a few lawns.
If you're not 13 and have a real job, then I don't mean to offend you, and you should probably look at a whole new computer.
I'm actually 15, but I don't have a job. My dad won't let me get a new computer because I broke my old one and already got this one.. so the only thing I could do is buy stuff for it. I'd buy the 550 mhz chip but I don't have paypal or anything. If I buy the graphics card, will my computer run slower? I'm thinking of buying 128 mbs of ram, does it matter what kind of ram I get? If so, what kind am I supposed to get?
Thanks!
Ok, with the AGP thing, check what version of AGP you got. There may be complications with the voltages with the types of agps'. I am not exactly sure about the details
edit: thanks hoorah for being considerate to people like me. Im 13 and it is REALLY hard to get money. i saved up for months to get a $80 for a geforce 6600. I have to wait another year to get a job.
edit: thanks hoorah for being considerate to people like me. Im 13 and it is REALLY hard to get money. i saved up for months to get a $80 for a geforce 6600. I have to wait another year to get a job.
I appreciate it, thanks man. I was just thinking that it wasn't too long ago that I was that age (even though it was 11 years ago), and my parent's wouldn't buy jack squat for the computer.
"You already have a computer" was the answer I got every time. So, I try to give upgrade advice even when its not the most cost effective when its clear its the only option.
BTW, I replied to your PM Adachi.
Ok, no problem about the processor, its still there if you want it.
I looked up the specs on that system from dell. Yeah, its got an AGP socket and looks like it can take an AGP card, but I'm sorry, I was wrong about being able to put the Radeon card in there.
According to Dell's specs, you have an AGP 1.0 socket at 3.3V. Those I believe are NOT compatible with the AGP 2.0 and 3.0 cards, as they operate at 1.5V. I believe that any board that has AGP 2.0 and up can operate old and new cards, but AGP 1.0 boards can only run 3.3V cards.
You might want to check around on the forums and see what the best AGP 1.0 card available is, you will probably have to purchase it used. Like I said, I have a Nvidia TNT2 32 MB card that would probably work (I've used it in some OLD AGP boards), but the last thing I'm trying to do is push my old junk on you. This stuff is dirt cheap used, you might as well get the best you can put in it.
For the memory, you can take up to a 256 MB stick, and PC133 should be fine. There are some other things to worry about like doublesided vs. singlesided, but I don't know much about it and I've never had too much of a problem. I would get a stick of 256MB of PC133 SDRAM and put it in your third slot for a total of 640 MB.
It looks like the board from Dell officially supports up to an 850 MHZ chip on the 100Mhz from side bus. You should have no problem dropping in a 1.1 ghz chip with a slot adapter, but an 850Mhz drop in chip should be easy to find on ebay for no more than $35 if you want to go that route.
Good luck with it, let me know if you need anything else.
I looked up the specs on that system from dell. Yeah, its got an AGP socket and looks like it can take an AGP card, but I'm sorry, I was wrong about being able to put the Radeon card in there.
According to Dell's specs, you have an AGP 1.0 socket at 3.3V. Those I believe are NOT compatible with the AGP 2.0 and 3.0 cards, as they operate at 1.5V. I believe that any board that has AGP 2.0 and up can operate old and new cards, but AGP 1.0 boards can only run 3.3V cards.
You might want to check around on the forums and see what the best AGP 1.0 card available is, you will probably have to purchase it used. Like I said, I have a Nvidia TNT2 32 MB card that would probably work (I've used it in some OLD AGP boards), but the last thing I'm trying to do is push my old junk on you. This stuff is dirt cheap used, you might as well get the best you can put in it.
For the memory, you can take up to a 256 MB stick, and PC133 should be fine. There are some other things to worry about like doublesided vs. singlesided, but I don't know much about it and I've never had too much of a problem. I would get a stick of 256MB of PC133 SDRAM and put it in your third slot for a total of 640 MB.
It looks like the board from Dell officially supports up to an 850 MHZ chip on the 100Mhz from side bus. You should have no problem dropping in a 1.1 ghz chip with a slot adapter, but an 850Mhz drop in chip should be easy to find on ebay for no more than $35 if you want to go that route.
Good luck with it, let me know if you need anything else.
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