video card help for older system

[imported_microbe]

So my old EVGA 8800GT OC (and then some) finally bit the dust after over three years of warming the entire room. I simply need a balanced replacment as this old system will become my sons and I will be building a new custom X58 based system for myself as soon as I can.

Here are the specs: Gateway FX 7024
Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.40 GHz)
Intel G33 Chipset
3072 MB DDR2, 667 MHz, (PC2-5300) dual channel memory
500 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA II hard drive
400 watt Power Supply
GEM 19" CRT (playing @ 1280*960 rez)
Vista Home Premium 32bit

Overclocking is a no go on this mobo and so is upgrading to Windows 7. Unless! Is this systems CD key locked to a 32bit copy of Vista, or are Vista CD keys interchangable with 64bit copies as well??? If not then 32bit it stays. I'm not looking to spend any extra money on upgrades other then getting it back up and running again.

So being stuck at that rez, with a stock q6600, and a 32bit OS holding memory at 3 gigs, I'm looking for a good non-CPU-bottlenecking video card. From what I have read a Video card with 1gig vram is overkill for that rez, so I'm looking at either a 5750 512mb card, or on newegg I see that PowerColor makes a 5770 512mb card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131328 Are these two cards the sweet spot for this system?

I googled around a bit about the PowerColor card and have read a few people are have issues getting the new Catalyst 10.2 drivers to take as this is a nonreference board (512mb vram 5770). Anyone know anything on that?

 

[zerocool84]

No overclocking at all??? Not even to 400MHz???

At that rez I wouldn't even spend the money for a 5750 or 5770. I'd go for something like a 4850 and it would run pretty much every game at high everything at that rez. There's many for ~$100.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131162

 

[Leyawiin]

Might want to consider an HD 4770 since your power supply is kind of marginal. Uses about 50W less at load, same price and just slightly less performance (although at that rez there'll probably be no difference):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127452

 

[imported_microbe]

PSU here:

400watts max

+12v1 / 16a max
+12v2/ 16a max
+5v/ 14a max
+5vsb/ 2.0a max
+3.3v/ 20a max
-12v/ 0.3a max

+5v & +3.3v output can't exceed 140watts
+5v & +3.3v 140watts
+12v1 & +12v2 combined current can't exceed 30a
+12v1 & +12v2 30a

 

[happy medium]

The 145$ 5770 512mb is a good choice for you.
I would go for the XFX 1gb version for 15$ more though.
Your psu is fine.

 

[imported_microbe]

Also, an 8800GT no OC pulled the same watts as a 5770 here: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3658&p=13


Edit: So I CAN make use of 1gig vram at that low rez?

 

[happy medium]

Also, an 8800GT no OC pulled the same watts as a 5770 here: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3658&p=13


Edit: So I CAN make use of 1gig vram at that low rez?

You have a good quad core cpu that will last a good while longer.
A 1gb card will last with it. See where I'm getting at?
It's only a little more money. If it was like 35$ more I'd say forget it.
Newer games will take avantage of more memory.

A game like this will...look at the specs..release is March 16

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,...quirements-revealed-x-Fermi-optimal-GPU/News/

 

[blanketyblank]

strange. Someone should have advised it already, but have you tried baking your old 8800GT? Although I'm wondering why you haven't RMAed it considering it's from EVGA.
Lots of people buy EVGA for the lifetime warranty so not much sense not using it IMO.

 

[imported_microbe]

strange. Someone should have advised it already, but have you tried baking your old 8800GT? Although I'm wondering why you haven't RMAed it considering it's from EVGA.
Lots of people buy EVGA for the lifetime warranty so not much sense not using it IMO.

Hell, I was unaware I even had a lifetime warranty on that card. I don't recall any documentation supporting that, but I'll dig it out and look again. I mean it did come with a Gateway system from BestBuy after all, plus I further overclocked the s**t out of it for years. Wouldn't that void it?

I do remember reading about the baking thing, lol. That was awesome. I think I read the hole damn thread...whew, but WTH, I'll give it a shot this weekend if I'm not working overtime.

At any rate, I'm ordering the XFX 5770 tomorrow: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150462

One more thing.... are vista keys locked to the bit they came with?

Thanks for your help guys!