will this cpu be enough?

sik_ad

Junior Member
Dec 1, 2009
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considering getting a fairly mid-range price computer with high-ish specs and a crappy video card to replace. the one im looking at is this:

brand:HP
64 bit Quad-Core Processor
2MB L2 Cache

8GB DDR3 1066

750GB 7200RPM SATA


the card im looking at getting if i buy this computer is an nvidia gtx 260 896MB 448-bit card. what im wondering is, will the amd processor bottle-neck the overall performance?? intelis so much more expensive (im on a budget trying to stay under $1000 total and the computer is $660 with the new card being $190)
 

zagood

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2005
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Need more specifics - "64 bit Quad-Core Processor" describes almost every quad core on the market right now.
 

sik_ad

Junior Member
Dec 1, 2009
8
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0
Need more specifics - "64 bit Quad-Core Processor" describes almost every quad core on the market right now.


oops my bad i accidentally deleted the processor name.

AMD Phenom II X4 810(2.6GHz)
 

AzN

Banned
Nov 26, 2001
4,112
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Ummm. You are buy HP computer? Replace with GTX 260? You might also need to replace the power supply. Why not just build a computer yourself and even have the option to overclock.
 

sik_ad

Junior Member
Dec 1, 2009
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Ummm. You are buy HP computer? Replace with GTX 260? You might also need to replace the power supply. Why not just build a computer yourself and even have the option to overclock.


I am looking to buy a computer with a decent manufacturers warranty. my current laptop i have was custom built and i have had nothing but problems with the graphics drivers. i have the 8600m GT 512mb card and there are no stable drivers out there for it at all. And yes i plan on upgrading the psu as well, probably a 500W or so.
 

AzN

Banned
Nov 26, 2001
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All parts have warranty. I guess for some it doesn't work when they aren't technically inclined.

My custom PC doesn't give me any trouble. If it did I figure out the problem and send the parts back to manufacturer.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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I am looking to buy a computer with a decent manufacturers warranty. my current laptop i have was custom built and i have had nothing but problems with the graphics drivers. i have the 8600m GT 512mb card and there are no stable drivers out there for it at all. And yes i plan on upgrading the psu as well, probably a 500W or so.

If you are going to replace the PSU why not just make your own computer?

Or are you getting such a great deal on this package that doing it this way is actually cheaper?

P.S. Is the HP's case large enough to fit GTX 260? Isn't that video card 10.5" long? If the case isn't big enough consider HD4770. It is 40nm and built on a small form factor. Power draw is low also (despite really good performance) so you could probably get by on the supplied PSU.
 
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sik_ad

Junior Member
Dec 1, 2009
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If you are going to replace the PSU why not just make your own computer?

Or are you getting such a great deal on this package that doing it this way is actually cheaper?

P.S. Is the HP's case large enough to fit GTX 260? Isn't that video card 10.5" long? If the case isn't big enough consider HD4770. It is 40nm and built on a small form factor. Power draw is low also (despite really good performance) so you could probably get by on the supplied PSU.


well the prices are what i listed above. i have a hard time thinkin i could build buy own with those components for cheaper. and yea the card is 10.5, not sure how much internal room the case has, only thing i know is its about 16" long. also, the 260 says it needs two 6-pin PCI-E power cables. how do i find out whether a computer has that? i looked over the ATIs but they are mostly 128-bit. isnt that a bit low?
 

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
25,483
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The 260's that I saw on newegg state specifically "need 550 watt PSU minimum", and considering I just burned out a Forton 700 with 2 9800 gtx cards, I would say that is true.

Build your own, you won't be sorry, it will be cheaper and better.
 

edplayer

Platinum Member
Sep 13, 2002
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There is no way that 550W is the minimum rated psu required to run a GTX260. There are many posts from users on the net that prove otherwise.

What you should get is a quality psu. Size would depend on what other parts you want to power and if you want to overclock or not.
 

sik_ad

Junior Member
Dec 1, 2009
8
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The 260's that I saw on newegg state specifically "need 550 watt PSU minimum", and considering I just burned out a Forton 700 with 2 9800 gtx cards, I would say that is true.

Build your own, you won't be sorry, it will be cheaper and better.


so is there a good site you would recommend to have one custom built? i dont have a comp supply store near me so picking out parts and actually building it myself is out of the question, not to mention i probably would F* something up
 

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
25,483
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There is no way that 550W is the minimum rated psu required to run a GTX260. There are many posts from users on the net that prove otherwise.

What you should get is a quality psu. Size would depend on what other parts you want to power and if you want to overclock or not.
If you run the GPU and a quad core@ 100 % load both 24/7, it sure can be a minimum. MY case above is proof.

Now if you don;t use your cpu/gpu both at max for long periods maybe. But why do you think those minimums are stated ? Exactly the reason mine blew.
 
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cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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221
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well the prices are what i listed above. i have a hard time thinkin i could build buy own with those components for cheaper. and yea the card is 10.5, not sure how much internal room the case has, only thing i know is its about 16" long. also, the 260 says it needs two 6-pin PCI-E power cables. how do i find out whether a computer has that? i looked over the ATIs but they are mostly 128-bit. isnt that a bit low?

The HD4770 is somewhere around the performance of GTS 250. So while it is a step down from the GTX 260 it should still deliver.

GTS 240 is another small card built on the 40nm process but I have heard it is slower than HD4770.

So why am I mentioning 40nm here so much?

Well compared to products built on 55nm (HD4870, HD4890, GTX 260, GTX 275, GTS 250) newer GPUs made on 40nm node (GTS 240, HD4770, HD58xxx) can be smaller/draw less power while preserving and/or increasing performance. This is good for people with factory computers that are likely low on internal space and/or psu size.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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Really you should take a look inside that HP computer case and see how much room there is for the video card.
 

edplayer

Platinum Member
Sep 13, 2002
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But why do you think those minimums are stated ?


They are there because the manufacturer doesn't know what conditions the buyer will subject the card to.

They could use it in case with poor ventilation.

They could be using a poor quality psu that has a 550W label but poor 12V output.

It could be an older psu.

and other reasons that could affect the amount of power available to the videocard. Seriously, I'm surprised that you, being a mod, are unaware of this.
 

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
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They are there because the manufacturer doesn't know what conditions the buyer will subject the card to.

They could use it in case with poor ventilation.

They could be using a poor quality psu that has a 550W label but poor 12V output.

It could be an older psu.

and other reasons that could affect the amount of power available to the videocard. Seriously, I'm surprised that you, being a mod, are unaware of this.

Im am perfectly aware of it, which is why I also recommend the safe bet, not the cheap way out. And the 9800 GTX+'s take the same power as the GTX260, they also have the dual plugs. If I wanted to spend the time to find links to prove it I would. The 260 is on a smaller die shrink I think, and I actually thing they take less. The PPD between the two cards in F@H is the same, and many times the 9800 GTX+ is higher !
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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IF someone is going to the hassle of rewiring their computer increasing PSU power by 100-150 watts really doesn't add that much to the price. (Corsair 550VX is $25 more than Corsair 450VX).

It is only when we are talking exotic high powered PSUs that the extra 100-150 watts can really drive up the cost.
 
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AzN

Banned
Nov 26, 2001
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The 260's that I saw on newegg state specifically "need 550 watt PSU minimum", and considering I just burned out a Forton 700 with 2 9800 gtx cards, I would say that is true.

Build your own, you won't be sorry, it will be cheaper and better.

I don't know about all that. I run my system below with 2 hard drives, dvd, and bunch of peripherals with only 450 continuous power supply. Although it can peak at 500watts.

If you have decent 450-500 watts you can run a full powered GTX260 system. I don't think your power supply burned out because you were running 2 9800gtx. It was probably a flaky power supply to begin with that died.
 
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Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
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I don't know about all that. I run my system below with 2 hard drives, dvd, and bunch of peripherals with only 450 continuous power supply. Although it can peak at 500watts.

If you have decent 450-500 watts you can run a full powered GTX260 system. I don't think your power supply burned out because you were running 2 9800gtx. It was probably a flaky power supply to begin with that died.
First, you don't have a quad, overclocked. And a 700 Fortron is one of the best out there. It was fine until I got this I7 920@3.9 + the 2 9800 GTX+'s.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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First, you don't have a quad, overclocked. And a 700 Fortron is one of the best out there. It was fine until I got this I7 920@3.9 + the 2 9800 GTX+'s.

Whenever I see reviews at Anandtech and other places they will commonly measure watts at idle, 2d and 3d load.

But then Xbit labs will usually throw Furmark power consumption figures in also (which end up being much higher than 3D load) http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/radeon-hd5970_5.html#sect0

I have seen the same with CPU tests. The linpack figures are higher than the classic CPU load numbers.

Makes me wonder what really is "conservative" with respect to PSU selection
 

sik_ad

Junior Member
Dec 1, 2009
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well good news is i found a fairly decent price 650W psu so that should cover it. and i found an HD4870 1GB DDR5 for $150. as long as the vid card is able to fit i think im set. btw, i cant look inside the case to see because i would be ordering it off newegg