Graphics In need of a graphics card!!!!

Hello

I'm new on here so go easy with me. My currennt graphics card, 256MB 7600GS OC is dying on me (get loads of illuminated ots appearing time after time and all the pictures/videos go weird with it all) so i'm looking for a new graphics card.

I'm 100% certain that my PSU doesnt have a 6 pin adapter for some of the higher range cards, but i'm not looking at going high end, basically all i do that warrants a gfx card is playing Football Manager, Photo Editing in Photoshop and playing/editing videos. So the graphics card doesnt need to be out of this world.

I'm on a tight budget of below £50 for a new card, which i know theres some budgets cards out there, i really just dont know what to look for as i've never had to buy/choose/install a graphics card before.

I've been looking at a 512MB 9400GT, but some reviewers say its very underpowered and that the 9500GT will be better and i have also looked at a few ATi cards, but some of them seem poor going by reviews too.

I've also seen around the internet that it is possible to connect a Graphics Card that needs a 6-pin power supply by using a converter which uses two 4-pins adapters, are these safe?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and my setup is below

PSU: 500w
CPU: AMD 64 x2 6000+ - 3GHz
RAM: 2GB 667mhz
OS: Windows XP SP3

 

Hi, welcome to the forums.

Really you want to avoid both the 9400 and 9500. If you want to stick with th 9XXX series then id suggest a 9600.

This one is XFX's newest one, I know its a little over your budget, but your gonna get loads more performance out of it as far as price to performance ratio goes, compared to the 9400/9500.

It needs 1 six pin PCI-E connector, and as its XFX they usually include the molex adaptors, which are ok to use, but it is always better if you have the correct connector coming out of your PSU directly.

One thing you may want to consider first is how many amps you have on the 12V rail of your power supply, im thinking that a 9600 would only need around 30 amps on the 12V rail, maybe not even that, but better to give it enough power so you don't get any issues.

Gaz

 

Thanks for the quick reply, how do i find out the amps on the 12v rail?

 

There should be a little sticker on the side of your power supply when you take the side off of your case, look for where is says 12V, then look down the sticker, and it should say there.

 

This is the the sticker on the side of my PSU



The picture below is the 4-pin conenctor which i have 2 spare



If you could translate the PSU numbers for me i could maybe buy that GFX card, some of the reviews look mint for it, its able to play Crysis

 

Hiya, I would recommend an 9600GT too, they're the highest in the range that don't need an extra power connection if you're worried about that and they're not too bad either.

 

You have 28amps on the 12V rail of your PSU.

Ive had a little look round on google to see if I could find anything about how many amps the card needs, and all I can find is that it needs at least 450W, but thats not really any help lol, and you are fine with that as you have a 500W power supply.

Out of interest what make is the power supply, as sometimes the readings on the power supply can be the max outputs, and not always the ones you get, whereas if you have a good quality power supply, you will get what it says.

You could take the risk if you wanted to, although I wouldnt suggest it, I think you are going to be needing at least 30amps, but if there is someone who can confirm this, that would be great.

Something like this would be fine, but I understand it will more than double your budget.

 

The XFX one needs 1 6 pin power connector, do you know of one that doesn't need a power connector?

 

I just found this - http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=512-P3-N856-LR

At the bottom is says

Requirements
Minimum of a 300 Watt power supply.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 18 Amps.) ​

 

some people are syaing htat Nvidia have released "green" editions of the 9600GT, which loses about 50mhz clock speed or something and they dont need a extra 6 pin power supply

its seems almost impossible to get a green edition of the card in the UK, and its also looking very over-budget for me.

Anymore recomendations?

 

I've found this one 9600GT

the box says its the green edition, so i'm guessing it wont need the 6pin power supply

 

From the picture of the green edition it doesn't look as if it needs one, but it is a bit more expensive, your choice mate

Gaz

 

Ebuyer have the Inno3d version for 10 quid cheaper 9600GT

better picture to see as well, i cant see any power supply on there

 

than one needs a 6 pin

 

Oh, I do opologise, mines a 7600GT

ASUS 9500GT GDDR3 seems to be the highest in the range with no PCI power input that's not a green edition.
It's not in atm but these do: 1 2 3 4

It's got a decent cooler on it so just RivaTuner that mutha a bit

 

That one does need the 6 pin unfortunately

 

HD4670? Or you can get a 9800GT and use that molex.

 

thanks for all the input guys, it has been greatly appreciated and i have gone for the Asus 9500GT which gaz_360 linked me to.

Should be here in the morning so i'll let you know how it goes

 

Gaz, why the 9500GT?

Why no HD4670?

 

I think that must have been a typo, I suggested the 9600GT, not the 9500GT, and he wanted to stay with the 9XXX series so thats why he didn't got for the 4670, but that might be a good suggestion if haven't already ordered the 9600GT, but it does comsume a slight bit more power, and you will need more amps.

Gaz