Video Card recommendations

[Silvgearx]

It's going to be impossible to put a GPU in a 300W PSU. Ati X600 series (26xx, 36xx, 46xx) require 400Watt PSU. Ati's high end GPU (2900, 38xx, 48xx) requirements are 450Watt-550Watt for single GPU.

The best GPU for your needs would be a ATi 4850, or the 9800GTX. These two are your best choice for recent games with 1680x1050.

But you can probably get away with medium settings with an Ati 4830 or the Nvidia 9800GT.

And for PSU, your best off getting a 500W and up for these GPUs

So in price you need to spend around $150-$200 for medium setting game play and $200-$275 for high settings.

Hope this helps

Gaming on high setting can be expensive

[Maxtor]

Is there somewhere that gives actual dimensions of the vid cards? For instance, I'm looking at this one:
Newegg.ca - EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX(G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

A lot of people mention how big it is and I would like to make sure I have room for it before I buy. This should work with my specs right, after I upgrade the PSU?

[the_bandit87]

I just got one of these for a little bit less but its still a pretty good deal.

NCIX.com - Buy PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad CrossFire 750W ATX V2.2 EPS12 24PIN Active PFC Power Supply Red - S75CF In Canada.

750watts could be overkill for you but its a very good price, close to what you would pay for a 500-600 watt. Also PC Power & Cooling PSUs are made by Seasonic which is one of the best PSU companies out there. Seasonic also makes PSUs for Antec and Corsair but they use other companies as well so not every Antec or Corsair is built by Seasonic. If you didn't want to go all the way up to 750 watts then I would reccomend this 450watt unit from Corsair, also Seasonic built.

NCIX.com - Buy Corsair VX450 450W ATX 12V 33A 24PIN ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan - CMPSU-450VX In Canada.

as far as a video card goes I would probably say that somthing in line with an Nvidia 9600GT should fit the bill but if you wanted to go a little higher end then an ATI 4850 would work just fine. Here's an XFX one that has a life time warranty.

NCIX.com - Buy XFX Radeon HD 4850 512MB XXX DDR3 PCI-E Dual DVI-I HDCP HDTV Out Video Card - HD485XYDDC In Canada.

[overlords]

I was wondering what the best card i could get at around 300$ I'd rather an ATI card so that i could pick up another card later for crossfire.

I found this:
Newegg.ca - HIS Hightech H487QT1GP Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported IceQ 4+ Turbo Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Any suggestions?

[Maxtor]

Originally Posted by overlords

I was wondering what the best card i could get at around 300$ I'd rather an ATI card so that i could pick up another card later for crossfire.

I found this:
Newegg.ca - HIS Hightech H487QT1GP Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported IceQ 4+ Turbo Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Any suggestions?

Don't mean to come across the wrong way but if they start answering your questions, then my thread has been lost and I will still be wondering what the answer to mine is..... Thx

[gs01]

I used to have this card with my old phenom 9500 a few months ago and it played every game out there with good fps at 1680x1050 and for the price you can't beat it I was also running it on a thermaltake 430 watt psu.
NCIX.com - Buy Powercolor Radeon HD 3850 668MHZ 512MB 1.4GHZ GDDR3 PCI-E Dual DVI-I HDCP HDTV Out Video Card - AX3850 512MD3 In Canada.
This is the power supply I had very good at load the thing never got hot and is very silent.
NCIX.com - Buy Thermaltake TR2 W0070 430W ATX12V V1.3 20/24PIN Power Supply Dual 80MM Fan W/ 6PIN PCI-E - W0070RU In Canada.

[Silvgearx]

Originally Posted by Maxtor

Is there somewhere that gives actual dimensions of the vid cards? For instance, I'm looking at this one:
Newegg.ca - EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX(G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

A lot of people mention how big it is and I would like to make sure I have room for it before I buy. This should work with my specs right, after I upgrade the PSU?

The 9800GTX+ should be 9.5", but to be on the safe side. Lets just said its 10.5"

Originally Posted by overlords

I was wondering what the best card i could get at around 300$ I'd rather an ATI card so that i could pick up another card later for crossfire.

I found this:
Newegg.ca - HIS Hightech H487QT1GP Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported IceQ 4+ Turbo Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Any suggestions?

If your gonna spend $300+ or might upgrade later. Best choice is to get a XFX brand 4870 1gb for $320. If you decided not go go Crossfire you can always sell the XFX brand for more money due to its double life time warranty. Just my opinion.

[Maxtor]

Originally Posted by the_bandit87

I just got one of these for a little bit less but its still a pretty good deal.

NCIX.com - Buy PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad CrossFire 750W ATX V2.2 EPS12 24PIN Active PFC Power Supply Red - S75CF In Canada.

750watts could be overkill for you but its a very good price, close to what you would pay for a 500-600 watt. Also PC Power & Cooling PSUs are made by Seasonic which is one of the best PSU companies out there. Seasonic also makes PSUs for Antec and Corsair but they use other companies as well so not every Antec or Corsair is built by Seasonic. If you didn't want to go all the way up to 750 watts then I would reccomend this 450watt unit from Corsair, also Seasonic built.

NCIX.com - Buy Corsair VX450 450W ATX 12V 33A 24PIN ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan - CMPSU-450VX In Canada.

as far as a video card goes I would probably say that somthing in line with an Nvidia 9600GT should fit the bill but if you wanted to go a little higher end then an ATI 4850 would work just fine. Here's an XFX one that has a life time warranty.

NCIX.com - Buy XFX Radeon HD 4850 512MB XXX DDR3 PCI-E Dual DVI-I HDCP HDTV Out Video Card - HD485XYDDC In Canada.

Ordered that 750W power supply today. After I get it and get it put in, I'll move on to the vidoe card

[Mecher]

Hey, I was just looking on the gateway site at pics of your computer and watch out for the hard drive cage, it will be the limiting factor for how long a card you can get in there with the pwr connectors in place as it's right in front of the pci-e slot! I added an 8800gt to a Dell dimension 9200 and it was close! The bigger cards will take up two slots as well. Good luck with the upgrade! First the pwr supply---> next new build...----> maybe a little overclock... ----> maybe watercooled...!!!

[Maxtor]

Okay, so already I've run into a road block.I tried installing that PSU and no go. The difference in length between it and the old one is too much. After I get it installed, (which was a chore on it's own) I can't put my DVD drives back in and can't put the side cover back on. Had to put the old PSU back in. I also noticed what Mecher said. There's no way I would get a bigger vid card in this thing.

Sooo, here's my question to you guys. If I bought a new case, which I would like to get this one:
http://www.sundialmicro.com/Cooler-Master-atcs840-rc840kkn1gp-high-air-flow_1701_1483.html%20-%20$215.99%20US

that way, later when I get building the whole new system, I already have the right case. Anyway, if I buy that case, could I put the motherboard and everything from this Gateway into that case and it will work until I start the new build? I was told that if the MB in this was an ATX that it would work but I'm not sure if it is. At least that way I can use this power supply, get the new vid card and then save up to get the rest.

Will this work? Thanks for your help guys!!

I think this is my MB, ???????????????????????????
Looking at the slots, a bigger case still may not allow me to upgrade to a bigger vid card