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General discussionGPU question (44 posts)(44 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted March 16, 2015
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sreamer17ydr: True that! My GPU is old... I am saving up to build a new gaming rig. My current rig is a older AMD Sempron LE-1300 CPU (yeah don't laugh) so really upgrading this GPU won't do much when my CPU stinks as well lol!
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ET3D: Upgrading the GPU could still allow you to game at higher resolutions at the same FPS, even if the CPU is the bottleneck.

In your case I'd say:

It's not a big deal to buy out of step. Doubly so if your new PC will be a low end one like the previous one, so the new GPU will fit your current PSU. That said, the BIOS might not be compatible with a newer GPU. That happens.

Also, you can buy a used CPU like this one or this one for around $10 on eBay, and you'll have dual cores and a little faster single threaded speed. You can find even faster ones for not a lot more. Again, good to make sure that the PSU can support it, and make sure the BIOS supports it (which is easier to find out than with GPU's). (Also, the Sempron's fan may not be good enough.)
Thanks for the info! Yeah I replaced the old PSU that was in here, it was a cheap 250w one, I put in a Thermaltake 430w PSU in before putting this GPU in here.
Posted March 16, 2015
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sreamer17ydr: Thanks for the info! Yeah I replaced the old PSU that was in here, it was a cheap 250w one, I put in a Thermaltake 430w PSU in before putting this GPU in here.
That should be enough for a more powerful CPU plus mid range GPU. What motherboard do you have?
Posted March 16, 2015
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sreamer17ydr: Thanks for the info! Yeah I replaced the old PSU that was in here, it was a cheap 250w one, I put in a Thermaltake 430w PSU in before putting this GPU in here.
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ET3D: That should be enough for a more powerful CPU plus mid range GPU. What motherboard do you have?
A M2N68-LA (Narra5) motherboard.
Posted March 16, 2015
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sreamer17ydr: A M2N68-LA (Narra5) motherboard.
Looks like an ASUS OEM board used by HP (and some others). No direct info on the ASUS site. Still, from what I could find it should work even with AM2+ CPU's.
Posted March 16, 2015
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sreamer17ydr: A M2N68-LA (Narra5) motherboard.
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ET3D: Looks like an ASUS OEM board used by HP (and some others). No direct info on the ASUS site. Still, from what I could find it should work even with AM2+ CPU's.
Yeah its a crappy Compaq Presario lol Thanks for the info!

Love your catch phrase... Always a noob
Posted March 16, 2015
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sreamer17ydr: Yeah its a crappy Compaq Presario lol Thanks for the info!
Not sure I'd risk buying a new GPU unless you plan to upgrade the MB soon, but I'd sure be tempted by that Athlon X2 5200+ for $10 (see this performance comparison). It's very slow by comparison to current CPU's, but compared to what you have it will be a great upgrade.
Posted March 16, 2015
They perform more or less the same but 550 TI is a better option since its consumes less power and its less noisy.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html
Posted March 16, 2015
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wolfsrain: AMD cards are cheaper, but definitely hoter. So they do require some serious ventilation. Nvidia are not that hot, they have lower consumption, but they are not as performant.
To add to what ET3D said, Nvidia made hotter more powerful video cards with the GeForce 500 series. Then AMD came out with the Radeon HD 7000 series (Graphics Core Next), which was more power efficient and less heat. The GCN architecture was much lauded by tech journalists until Nvidia came back with their own response. These things go back and forth.
Posted March 16, 2015
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wolfsrain: AMD cards are cheaper, but definitely hoter. So they do require some serious ventilation. Nvidia are not that hot, they have lower consumption, but they are not as performant.
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thuey: To add to what ET3D said, Nvidia made hotter more powerful video cards with the GeForce 500 series. Then AMD came out with the Radeon HD 7000 series (Graphics Core Next), which was more power efficient and less heat. The GCN architecture was much lauded by tech journalists until Nvidia came back with their own response. These things go back and forth.
Yeah they do, AMD and NVidia always come out with new cards and the other company releases something better to top the maker of the best of the line cards on the market. Just like when NVidia made the Geforce FX series (which wasn't that hot in terms of performance), than they came out with the 600 series (6600 etc.), and so forth.

Just like if NVidia would come out with a crowning card tomorrow, AMD would release there top of line card a few months after.
Posted March 17, 2015
Well if anyone cared the 550 was DoA.
Posted March 17, 2015
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EBToriginal: Well if anyone cared the 550 was DoA.
I am sorry to hear that! No one likes DOA hardware. I had a DOA 9400 GT long time ago, and than the replacement came, and the fan melted literally, warped and whatnot after playing some 2D games with Windows Vista years ago!

Hopefully, you bought it from a place that will free exchange your 550!
Posted March 17, 2015
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EBToriginal: Well if anyone cared the 550 was DoA.
That's a shame (probably the reason it was tossed in the first place), but look on the bright side it's solved your dilemma :)
Posted March 17, 2015
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EBToriginal: Well if anyone cared the 550 was DoA.
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sreamer17ydr: I am sorry to hear that! No one likes DOA hardware. I had a DOA 9400 GT long time ago, and than the replacement came, and the fan melted literally, warped and whatnot after playing some 2D games with Windows Vista years ago!

Hopefully, you bought it from a place that will free exchange your 550!
Naw friends were clearing out old computers and I got one of the newer boxes to salvage from.
Posted March 17, 2015
I'm considering upgrading my GPU. Are any of the new Radeon cards (300 series) releasing in time for The Witcher 3?
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionGPU question (44 posts)(44 posts)
(44 posts)