Upgrading VC in older computer... Advice please

[Guttzu]

Hello everyone. I would like some opinions on some video cards to look at getting for my friend. It is an older Dell desktop but it has 4gb of Ram, CPU is Intel core 2 Duo E4400, Power supply says it is 280 watts, and the video card is junk. I'm looking to upgrade the video card for him. The motherboard has a single PCIe x16 slot and then two PCI slots, (I know it's old ...). I know PCIe 2.0 is backward compatible but the problem I'm running into is that most of the PCIe x16 and PCIe 2.0 cards say that they require a larger power supply, larger than 250 watts or some say larger than 400 watts. Do these little cards really draw that much power? He is only planning on watching youtube videos and general word documents and internet browsing and things like that... He just bought a 1080p HD samsung 24" monitor and wants to be able to watch things in actual HD. He is currently running windows vista 64-bit. I can't imagine a smaller video card drawing sooo much power... There is 1 case fan, 1 WD caviar blue HDD, and that's pretty much it. Thanks for any advice or help!

The same exact computer at my work is running one of these cards though so I'm confused on wattage requirements: Newegg.com - PNY VCNVS300X16-PB Quadro NVS 300 512MB DDR3 PCI Express x16 Low Profile Workstation Video Card

 

[PP Mguire]

I wouldn't run a workstation (Quadro) card in that type of setup. You can technically get anything that does not require an extra PCI-E power connector as the PCI-E slot can only draw a maximum of 75w which is the max the card can pull. Anything in that area is fine.

 

[Guttzu]

Awesome thanks on this PP... Yeah I have no idea where to even start looking for this old of card... To verify, PCIe 2.0 is backward compatible with PCIe x16 correct? Any random suggestions for a card here? I think he's looking to spend between $40 to $100 MAX... I'll look on newegg and try to post some cards for your critiquing... Thanks for all the help with this and my water loop questions!

 

[PP Mguire]

Newegg.com - MSI N640GT-MD1GD3 GeForce GT 640 1GB DDR3 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

Or

Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-2632-KR GeForce GT 630 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

I would personally just get the 630. GDDR5 board, lower cost, gets the job done.

 

[Guttzu]

PP thanks so much for the updated info... Only issue is now we run into the case width... I would say that there is room for a max 3.25" wide card... It is a very narrow crappy Dell case that has a narrow rear... Maybe something like this?: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130695 It says it is a low profile card...

 

[PP Mguire]

Lol you could have mentioned that. Yea that would be fine.

 

[Guttzu]

Sorry lol... I'm so used to having ass tons of space in my ATCS 840.... So that card is pretty legit and will do what he wants with watching videos in HD and cruising youtube and stuff?

 

[PP Mguire]

I wouldn't go as far as using the term "legit", but it'll do what he wants just fine.

 

[Guttzu]

Ok cool thanks... the $20 mail-in-rebate is nice too