On Mar 4, 7:23*pm, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> Axe wrote:
> > Sorry if I'm posting this twice. I'm new to this. *I also purchased an
> > a6200n system. *I added RAM to bring my total to 4 gigs. *I bought
> > this power supply hoping not to overpower but to have enough power to
> > provide energy to a graphics card.:
>
> >http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-vx-4...loc/101/205466...
>
> > My question is similar to the original. *However, since I have the
> > power supply what card can I buy that will allow me to play the newer
> > games maybe even at higher resolutions? *I should mention I read
> > somewhere that space is limited in the x16 slot. I'm not sure if
> > that's really true or if it affects what card I can install. *I'd also
> > like to ask what do I need to do with regards to the onboard graphics
> > card thats already installed when I go to upgrade to a new card? *Last
> > question, is there a graphics card that can play games well that also
> > would let me record and play back content to my TV?
>
> > Any other information regarding the upgrade process is appreciated.
> > Thank you.
>
> "similar to the original" ? If you wanted to refer to another post, you
> could provide a Google link to it, or do a "Reply" to the original
> thread. Otherwise, we won't know for sure, we're looking at the same
> info.
>
> corsair vx 450whttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003
>
> +3.3V @ 20A, +5V @ 20A, +12V @ 33A, -12V @ 0.8A, +5VSB @ 2.5A
>
> The other post mentioned 10.1A on the 12V rail, leaving about 23 amps
> remaining.
>
> Some video cards are better than others, at balancing power and
> performance. The 8800GT would be an example of a recent card, with
> moderately high power. (One of the worst ATI cards used 165W for comparison.)
>
> The 8800GT power is listed here, and varies depending on the card. The reference
> 8800GT is 78W, while I think the card being reviewed here was an overclocked card,
> and it measured 85.7W. Taking the latter figure, 85.7W/12V = 7.14A
>
> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/vid...gt_...*(scroll down)
>
> So 7.14A of 23 amps, isn't using all of it. The supply has enough power.
>
> Other things to consider.
>
> 1) Card dimensions. Some cards are 8" or 8.5" long, and on my current
> * * computer case, the end of such cards would bump into my hard drive
> * * bay. Find a measurement for the card, so you know in advance, how
> * * much space it takes. And it cannot be an "exact" fit, because you
> * * need to wiggle the card a bit, to get it seated in the slot.
>
> 2) Card interfering with heatsinks or SATA cables. Inspect your cabling,
> * * to see where the card will go. Check the chipset heatsink, to see if
> * * it will interfere.
>
> 3) Card thickness. Some of the high end ones are double slot cards,
> * * and the cooler will overlap with an adjacent slot. If the computer
> * * came with a tuner or other add-in cards, check if there is room.
> * * Even if a card is "single thickness", the fan still needs to intake
> * * air. And the exhaust vent, needs to dump hot air.
>
> 4) Find reviews for the card. If the reviews say "this card is noisy",
> * * you've been warned. Don't expect there is a magic solution, like an
> * * aftermarket cooler, that is easy to fit, and solves all the problems.
> * * If you really want a quiet card, or more exotic cooling method,
> * * then shop for a card that already has it.
>
> As an example, this article mentions the Sparkle 8800GT card, with a
> passive cooler on it. The cooling fins are located on the back of the
> card, taking up space near the processor. Depending on the cooling
> solution used by HP for the processor, there may not be any "spill
> air" from the CPU cooler, to help cool the card. So this type of card
> would have mechanical and thermal issues, but different issues than
> regular 8800GT cards.
>
> http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3165&p=2
>
> A final issue, is the PCI Express 2.0 standard interface on the 8800GT.
> Revision 2.0 is backward compatible with the original PCI Express standard..
> On most chipsets, an 8800GT auto negotiates link speed, and does the right
> thing. On some chipsets (VIA maybe ? not sure), the chipset and the card
> don't talk to one another properly. The solution is to reflash the
> video card, with a different video BIOS. This is not a very convenient
> solution, for the people affected. So you might want to check that
> issue, and see if it affects you. You have an Nvidia chipset, and it
> probably isn't an issue, but it is one more item on the checklist for
> an 8800GT.
>
> Ref: Another thread on A6200N computer.http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.co...frm/thread/7ee...
>
> Before plugging in the new power supply, compare the connector colors
> on the old and new supply. This document, has tables of info for
> the connectors, near the back. What you're verifying here, is that
> the existing HP supply is a standard ATX unit (it should be).
>
> http://www.formfactors.org/developer...2_2_public_br2...
>
> Your computer case will now have to remove an additional 85.7W from
> the video card (while gaming), and I hope whatever rear fans are
> on the back of the case, spin fast enough to remove the hot air.
>
> * * Paul- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thank you Paul. I'm amazed at how much you know on the subject. I see
many well written posts here. Sorry about the missing reference. You
actually found the thread I was referring to. Here it is again
http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.co...136fd9562c94d3.
A couple of follow up questions. Can I purchase a better fan? I'd
rather spend a few extra bucks than fry my system because of the
upgrade. Also, will the addition of a card like the 8800GT allow me
to play games like Crysis, for example, on the highest resolution
settings? I'm trying to understand what kind of performance to
expect. Also, do I need to do something to disable the current built
in graphics card or do I just select the card I want to use in
settings (I'm using Vista)? By the way, as I mentioned I have 4 gigs
of memory in this computer. Does having the extra gig really do
anything for me?
Thank you