Should I Upgrade My Graphic Card?

[derekRA]

I want the 8800GT graphic card, but not sure if I should wait. Also, my PSU is 400W. Not sure how much I should upgrade that, too. Please advise.

Thanks,
Derek

I currently have the following system:
Gateway GT5628 Model
Feature Specification
Processor Intel® Core? 2 Q6600 quad core processor with VT
Each core operates at 2.40 GHz
2 x 4MB L2 cache
1066 MHz front side bus

Chipset Intel G33
Memory Installed: 3072 MB DDR2, 667 MHz, (PC2-5300) dual channel memory (two 1024 MB and two 512 MB modules)
Expandable to: 8 GB (4 DDR2 DIMM slots)

Hard Drive 500 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA II hard drive
Support for up to two hard drives
Optical Drive DVD ±RW, 18X multi-format dual layer drive (up to 8.5GB)
Write max: 18X DVD±R, 8X DVD+R DL, 8X DVD-R DL, 8X DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, 12X DVD-RAM, 48X CD-R, 32X CD-RW
Read max: 16X DVD-ROM, 48X CD-ROM
Supports Labelflash? on disc printing (req. Labelflash media)

Media Card Reader 15-in-1 high speed digital media manager supporting the following:
Compact Flash (CF) I, II
IBM Microdrive? (MD)
SmartMedia Card (SMC)
Memory Stick? (MS)
Memory Stick Duo (MS Duo)
Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO)
Memory Stick PRO Duo (MS PRO Duo)
Secure Digital? (SD)
Mini Secure Digital (MiniSD)
Multi Media Card (MMC)
RS Multi Media Card (RS-MMC) (need adapter)
Multi Media Plus Card (MMC Plus)
Multi Media Mobile Card (MMC Mobile)
xD-Picture Card (xD)

Video NVIDIA® GeForce® 8500GT

256MB onboard video memory
DirectX® 10, BluRay/HD-DVD Capable
Ports:
VGA
DVI-I with HDCP
S-Video

Audio Integrated 8-Channel (7.1) High Definition Audio
Network Support Integrated Intel 10/100 Mbps Ethernet LAN
Modem 56K ITU V.92 ready Fax/Modem
with RJ-11 ports
Add-in Card Slots One PCI Express ×16 (graphics interface)
Two PCI Express ×1
One PCI conventional

External Connectors One PS/2 keyboard port
One PS/2 mouse port
One VGA monitor port
Eight USB ports (six rear, two front)
Two IEEE 1394a port (one rear, one front)
One RJ-45 Ethernet LAN port
Seven audio jacks (five rear, two front)
One S/PDIF optical audio port

Drive Bays Five total:
Two external 5.25-inch
One external 3.5-inch (with a docking bay for optional Gateway 2.5-inch removable USB hard drive)
Two internal 3.5-inch (hard drive)

Physical Dimensions
(H × W × D) 15.6 × 7.2 × 16.1 inches
Weight (Unpackaged) Minimum 23.4 lbs. (varies with configuration)

Thanks, again.

 

[AzN]

You might need a better power supply.

 

[daveybrat]

An 8500GT will only play the newest games on low resolution and low graphic settings. You have plenty of horsepower in that computer and an 8800 series card would run great on it.

You might need a power supply upgrade, but first see if you can find the model number and brand of the power supply in there and post it here for us to check for you.

 

[AzN]

It's a gateway. I don't think they come with quality power supply. not to mention he's running a Q6600 which eats decent amount of watts.

 

[derekRA]

Power Supply specs are:
Delta Electronic
Model Number: DPS-400RBA
Feature Specification
Input 100 - 127 V ~ /10 A
200 - 240 V ~ /5 A

Frequency 50 Hz - 60 Hz
Output +12V1: 12 V / 16 A (max)
+5V: +5 V / 14 A (max)
+3.3V: 3.3 V / 20 A (max)
+12V2: +12 V / 16 A (max)
+5VSB: +5 V / 2.0 A (max)
-12V: -12 V / 0.3 A (max)

Maximum Power 400 watts
Notes +5V and +3.3V output cannot exceed 140 watts.
+12V and +12V2 combined current cannot exceed 30 A

 

[daveybrat]

Well, i figured it was a Delta brand. If you upgrade your video card, look into a Corsair, Seasonic, or Antec Earthwatts power supply.

 

[derekRA]

How many watts should I get?

Is the power supply pretty easy to install?

I installed a graphic card before, but not the newer ones.

 

[taltamir]

power supply is the easiest thing to install...

A solid 500 watt from the three brands daveybrat mentioned will work just fine.

Make sure your CASE is big enough to fit a GT... those cards are enormously long and it might just not fit.

 

[derekRA]

Do you know if it would fit into this:

Form Factor uATX
Case Style Mini Tower
Dimensions (H × W × D) 15.5 × 7.25 × 16.5 inches
External Drive Bays Two 5.25-inch
One 3.5-inch with a docking bay that accomodates a 2.5-inch removable USB hard drive

Internal Drive Bays Two 3.5-inch (hard drive)
Expansion Slots Four slots. Actual number of add-in card slots depends on the motherboard installed in the computer.
Standard Front Panel I/O Ports Two USB 2.0 ports
One headphone jack
One microphone jack
One IEEE 1394a port

Security Lock Slot for cable lock on rear of the case
Supported Motherboard Form Factor ATX
Motherboard Mounting Screws
Hard Drive Indicator LED No
Serviceability Tools required

 

[daveybrat]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371007

This Antec Earthwatts 500Watt for $79 and free shipping is the best bang for the buck.

Made by Seasonic, this is a rock solid power supply with 80+ efficiency and very quiet. I'd highly recommend this one.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: derekRA
Do you know if it would fit into this:

Form Factor uATX
Case Style Mini Tower
Dimensions (H × W × D) 15.5 × 7.25 × 16.5 inches
External Drive Bays Two 5.25-inch
One 3.5-inch with a docking bay that accomodates a 2.5-inch removable USB hard drive

Internal Drive Bays Two 3.5-inch (hard drive)
Expansion Slots Four slots. Actual number of add-in card slots depends on the motherboard installed in the computer.
Standard Front Panel I/O Ports Two USB 2.0 ports
One headphone jack
One microphone jack
One IEEE 1394a port

Security Lock Slot for cable lock on rear of the case
Supported Motherboard Form Factor ATX
Motherboard Mounting Screws
Hard Drive Indicator LED No
Serviceability Tools required

no because the locations of cables and drives are not easily determined by the case's external dimensions...

The only way to tell is open up the case and measure how much space you have from the back bracket to the nearest obstacle.

The evga lists a length of 9inch - 226.8 mm for its GT.
Since you need to plug in a power cable you should have another inch an a half, preferably two. Your total for the case from the outside is 16.5. There is about a wasted inch on each side (face cover, etc) so that leaves 14.5inch. And a harddrive is about 6 inches. plus it needs cables and doesn't touch the case... so i SERIOUSLY doubt that you will have room to fit one in your case...

HOWEVER, if you only have 1 harddrive you can move it down to a lower bracket and have the GT protroding into the now empty harddrive tray.

 

[derekRA]

Thanks for the power supply information.

I'll go measure my computer, now.

If it doesn't fit, is there another graphic card I can get? I'll see if I remove the harddrive as you suggested, if it will fit.

Thanks,
Derek

 

[derekRA]

It's 10 inches.

I do have 1 harddrive, but it's incased.

 

[taltamir]

tight fit, it might work... maybe you should buy it from frys then so you could easily return it if it doesn't fit.. just don't use force to push it in and break it.

Is there any chance you can make more room by moving stuff around? what do you mean that the harddrive is incased? Also you can always just buy a new case and move the components to the new case... I recommend this cheap but good case:
http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16811119115

 

[alcoholbob]

The Witcher...also using the Bioware Aurora engine. Like most RPG engines, you'd be lucky to get performance equal to the a top end $5k SLI PC running Crysis on high settings.

NWN2 also uses the Aurora engine...has a couple of "stress areas" that I've seen 8800GTX with Quad Cores manage about 5fps. The tutorial which takes place in a village sees maybe 20-25fps on the highest settings with said computer. It also doesn't look that good given the performance hit.

Brute forcing an unoptimized RPG engine requires a video card from 2012.

 

[taltamir]

the nwn2 issues result from serious bugs in the engine, such as the now fixed infinate loop bug and many others. The game is patched and patched and patched and now it is finally PLAYABLE but still very buggy. (with occasional crashing rather then constant crashing, and many repeatable bugs in the campaign and engine)

There is a known engine bug that causes those extremely low FPS on the 8800 series and it has nothing to do with computational power. They have yet to provide a fix for it (or many of the other problems, yet they did go ahead and release an expansion, so it is clear where their priorities lie)

 

[alcoholbob]

That's true, I didn't see a particularly large performance gain going from a 7800GT to 8800GT OC with NWN2. It was probably in the 25-50% range depending on the scene (the more stressful, the less performance gain. Kind of counterintuitive actually).

 

[s44]

That's because a lot of the NWN2 framerate killers are CPU-based (AI scripting etc. in city scenes) -- it's single-core, so your quad doesn't help.

Originally posted by: daveybrat

This Antec Earthwatts 500Watt for $79 and free shipping is the best bang for the buck.

Not really. The Earthwatts is a great pick because it always seems to be on sale for <$50, but at regular price you'd probably be better off with, say, the Corsair VX550 (currently $75AR) or the Enhance 5150GH (~$75-80 shipped) -- better cooled, etc.

 

[lopri]

Not sure why you guys are recommending a PSU upgrade? I'd say GPU upgrade first, and then PSU if necessary. It's a good idea to have a reserve, but 400W is more than enough, IMO.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: derekRA
Power Supply specs are:
Delta Electronic
Model Number: DPS-400RBA
Feature Specification
Input 100 - 127 V ~ /10 A
200 - 240 V ~ /5 A

Frequency 50 Hz - 60 Hz
Output +12V1: 12 V / 16 A (max)
+5V: +5 V / 14 A (max)
+3.3V: 3.3 V / 20 A (max)
+12V2: +12 V / 16 A (max)
+5VSB: +5 V / 2.0 A (max)
-12V: -12 V / 0.3 A (max)

Maximum Power 400 watts
Notes +5V and +3.3V output cannot exceed 140 watts.
+12V and +12V2 combined current cannot exceed 30 A

30amps isn't bad at all. You could probably run the 8800gt with this power supply.

 

[NickelPlate]

Originally posted by: taltamir
the nwn2 issues result from serious bugs in the engine, such as the now fixed infinate loop bug and many others. The game is patched and patched and patched and now it is finally PLAYABLE but still very buggy. (with occasional crashing rather then constant crashing, and many repeatable bugs in the campaign and engine)

There is a known engine bug that causes those extremely low FPS on the 8800 series and it has nothing to do with computational power. They have yet to provide a fix for it (or many of the other problems, yet they did go ahead and release an expansion, so it is clear where their priorities lie)

That's a shame too because I've read they're both really good games. But I refuse to buy either of them because of the performance/technical issues of which the said game forums are littered with complaints. Maybe in 2 or 3 years, high end PCs will be able to run them at or above 60fps sustained. Until then, no sale.

NP

 

[s44]

RPGs aren't meant to be run at min 60fps -- I can't even get that in NWN*1* in parts of some mods.

 

[derekRA]

Originally posted by: taltamir
tight fit, it might work... maybe you should buy it from frys then so you could easily return it if it doesn't fit.. just don't use force to push it in and break it.

Is there any chance you can make more room by moving stuff around? what do you mean that the harddrive is incased? Also you can always just buy a new case and move the components to the new case... I recommend this cheap but good case:
http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16811119115

The harddrive has a metal case around the whole area, so regardless if I move the harddrive to another slot it will the case will block it.

 

[AzN]

move the drive cage or cut it out.

 

[derekRA]

Thanks, everyone. I'll try to install and see what happens.