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    Dimension question

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by arbitraryscreenname, Dec 24, 2007.

  1. arbitraryscreenname

    arbitraryscreenname Newbie

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    So my little bro has a Dimension E521, now he needs to upgrade the video card cause I don't think my father put a decent one in this one, in fact I don't know what is really powering it to begin with, I think it might be integrated memory, I know there is some NVIDIA 6150 LE thing supplying the monitor, or something like that. Anyways, the game he bought was Unreal Tournament III, and it requires a NVIDIA 7800GTX for "recommended" performance. So how should I go about getting a video card for the desktop?

    BTW: The Computer is running on a dual core 2.00 athlon processor, 3 gigs of ram, 150 gig hard drive, I don't know if that helps, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
     
    arbitraryscreenname, Dec 24, 2007
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  2. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    NVIDIA 6150 LE is Integrated. Are you willing to buy online? Or in a store only? Unless you upgrade the power supply (it is a standard ATX size and format) you will be limited to upgrading to a GeForce 7600 class graphics card.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 24, 2007
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  3. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    Minimum System Requirements
    - Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista
    - 2.0+ GHZ Single Core Processor
    - 512 Mbytes of System RAM
    - NVIDIA 6200+ or ATI Radeon 9600+ Video Card
    - 8 GB of Free Hard Drive Space

    So you don't need NVIDIA 7800GTX, you can go with the max of GeForce 7600.

    To replace the power supplies would be like 30-70$ via online.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 24, 2007
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  4. FourForty

    FourForty Notebook Consultant

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    how many WATTS is the PS that came with the PC? you may not need to upgrade the PS depending on what came stock. Best way to tell is to shut the PC down, take off the side panel and the power supply should have a sticker that has a bunch of info that also has the wattage.

    If it is 300 you will need a better one. 350 may work. but that's iffy. depending on the stuff you have, IE multiple CD/DVD drives, multiple HD's, Lots of USB devices. It obviously cannot hurt to get a new PS, but you might not need it. if you do get one. get a decent brand name 450WATT minimum.

    Good luck.
     
    FourForty, Dec 24, 2007
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  5. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    I'm not sure, and I'm too lazy too look it up, FourForty, just google it & it should tell it, you can custom the PS with dell, so it should be the same as what you fine on google.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 24, 2007
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  6. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

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    chelet, Dec 24, 2007
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  7. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    So yea, 305WATTS can't handle the card you want, the one you want is here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130048, that needs 450 AT LEAST.... So you'll need a new Power Supplies with two (2x) 4PIN (Not SMALL) Connectors, which would cost you about, less see if I can get it on newegg.... found it, : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817192001 its 21.99$

    So your little bro needs two things:
    $21.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817192001
    $219.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130048

    Total of $241.98 to play that game.

    And your best buy for the price & available, 'cause you can't walk up to your local best buy for the card, is to get it on newegg.com @ the links I have.

    I hope you know someone that can install it, its easy to install, but for the avg Joe, its not.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 25, 2007
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  8. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    That case might get pretty hot with that card in it, as it was not designed to have it in there.
     
    nizzy1115, Dec 25, 2007
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  9. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    Since you wanna talk about heat... lets see what I can pull up on newegg for you. Hmm, you can get a PCI fan right over the card to help blow all the heat from it out. Also you can buy other fans, but you'll have to cut holes in the side & stuff, if you do it right with some $5 LED FANS it can look somewhat cool.

    $7.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999704
     
    Atsushi, Dec 25, 2007
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  10. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    So total your looking at is like $250 via newegg.com.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 25, 2007
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  11. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    Why not just get a new case?
     
    nizzy1115, Dec 25, 2007
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  12. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    nizzy1115, I'm pretty sure they don't all a lot of money, nor a lot of tech knowledge, I don't want it to make it hard on them. So far everything is fine.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 25, 2007
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  13. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

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    Is a standard power supply going to work with a Dell E521?
    Or does Dell use a proprietary power supply that has to be a certain size and shape -- or have proprietary connections?

    I know you used to have to get a special power supply to fit a Dell. But that was several years ago and I don't know if it's true any more.
     
    chelet, Dec 25, 2007
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  14. Atsushi

    Atsushi Notebook Geek

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    Can't use the standard power supply, and the size and shape is standard for the power supplies, and most likely you'll not need to be worryed about the connections, just make sure it has a few free 4PIN connectors (at least 3), two for the Card & One for PCI fan.
     
    Atsushi, Dec 25, 2007
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