Choosing a Graphics Card

[BreakFuzion]

Hey im looking to get a new graphics card to play Dungeon Defenders because my onboard G965 Intel Chipset isnt good enough. I have a Dell™ Dimension™ E520.I am trying to keep it under 50 dollars but will go a little over.

Dungeon Defenders Specs

http://dungeondefenders.wikia.com/wi...quirements_(PC)

Dell™ Dimension™ E520 Specs

Documentation

Thank You

EDIT 1: Was doing more searching and was wondering if anyone thinks this is a good one?
http://www.amazon.com/GeForce-9500GT...xp_grid_pt_0_0



EDIT 2:

PSU
H305N-00
+5V = 22A
+3.3V = 17A
+12VA = 18A
+12VB = 18A
-12V = 1A
+5Vfp = 2A

Connectors:
24Pin Motherboard and CPU Connector
4 x 5Pin SATA Power Connectors
1 x 4Pin IDE Power Connector
1 Floppy drive power connector

CPU
Pentium D @ 2.8 Ghz

Service Tag # = 5WB97C1

System Requirements
The Tavern Forge: Dungeon Defenders PC System Requirements

[ShyguyXPC]

Which ACTUAL CPU do you have in your PC?

Whats the Power Supply Specs?

Info for the PSU should be on a label on the unit in the case.

Brand, Model, Wattage, Amp Rating for +12V Power.



The link for the games PC requirements has nothing on its page.

With out knowing what the games minimum and recommended requirements are, no one can really give any advice on what to get.

[stroyal]

I could play that on my antique.
Dungeon Defenders System Requirements and Dungeon Defenders requirements for PC Games

What is your service tag#?

Don't forget the power supply specs, that;s not a casual question.

Welcome to TechIMO!

[BreakFuzion]

PSU
H305N-00
+5V = 22A
+3.3V = 17A
+12VA = 18A
+12VB = 18A
-12V = 1A
+5Vfp = 2A

Connectors:
24Pin Motherboard and CPU Connector
4 x 5Pin SATA Power Connectors
1 x 4Pin IDE Power Connector
1 Floppy drive power connector

CPU
Pentium D @ 2.8 Ghz

Service Tag # = 5WB97C1

System Requirements
The Tavern Forge: Dungeon Defenders PC System Requirements

My parents are divorced so i have 2 computers at different houses at my moms i have a desktop and i replaced the graphics card and i have a spare 9400GT or 9600GT or something will that work?

Also added to main post

[stroyal]

22amps combined 12v amps
305 watt Dell Power Supply P/N: PH333, HP203 Model no.: H305N-00 for Dell Dimension and Dell Optiplex

So I'd trust it on any card calling for up to a 350watt PS

[stroyal]

As far as I can see, anything that would play that on high settings would need a 400watt power supply.

But wait for the gamers.

[BreakFuzion]

As far as I can see, anything that would play that on high settings would need a 400watt power supply.

But wait for the gamers.

i dont want to play it on high im fine with average-low graphics.

[stroyal]

This works on a 350w and is better than you need for high settings.

Too bad it is sold out.
Newegg.com - XFX GT-240X-YAFA GeForce GT 240 512MB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Unless someone else has one.

Still looking

[BreakFuzion]

This works on a 350w and is better than you need for high settings.

Too bad it is sold out.
Newegg.com - XFX GT-240X-YAFA GeForce GT 240 512MB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Unless someone else has one.

Still looking

Also im using windows xp and DDR2 wont the graphics card need to be DX9 and DDR2?

Edit: is this the same?
http://www.eio.com/p-35612-xfx-gt-24...ideo-card.aspx

[stroyal]

This should work, less demanding, on power supply, and it should be pretty close to high settings, and is low profile, if your case is small

Newegg.com - XFX GT-520M-ZNF2 GeForce GT 520 (Fermi) 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

[BreakFuzion]

This should work, less demanding, on power supply, and it should be pretty close to high settings, and is low profile, if your case is small

Newegg.com - XFX GT-520M-ZNF2 GeForce GT 520 (Fermi) 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

As to my other questions about DDR2 and DX9?

[stroyal]

The 520 is DX 11, and is backward compatible, to DX9.

The DDR question is completely irrelevant.
The graphics card can't tell what kind of system RAM you have, nor dose it care.

The memory on a dedicate card is separate and completely different from system RAM

[BreakFuzion]

The 520 is DX 11, and is backward compatible, to DX9.

The DDR question is completely irrelevant.
The graphics card can't tell what kind of system RAM you have, nor dose it care.

The memory on a dedicate card is separate and completely different from system RAM

Thank you i remember after iposted it that i was pretty sure it didnt matter but i wasnt sure so i asked. Thank You.

[stroyal]

Your welcome.

[ShyguyXPC]

The 520 is a pretty low end card.

It may meet the requirements for the game, but if its saying it needs a 512MB card for recommended settings, that usually tells me their asking for a decent budget gaming card, the 520 isn't really a gaming card period.

If you don't mind Open Box or Refurbished Items...

Newegg.com - Open Box: ECS NGT440-1GQI-F GeForce GT 440 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

That would be a good card, its not very power consuming, Only uses 65W of power (less than 5.5A)

and its the GDDR5 model which is the preferred one (the slightly lesser model runs GDDR3 memory)

Lesser in performance, but cheaper and less power consumption is the Geforce GT 220:

Newegg.com - Refurbished: PNY RVCGGT2201XXB GeForce GT 220 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

58W of power.

Though the 440 is more than double the 220's performance.

but the 220 is also better than the Geforce 9500GT you were looking at.

Another Low Powered option card, its less than the 440, but better than the 220.

ATI Radeon HD 5570 1GB DDR3 PCI Express (PCIe) DVI/VGA Video Card w/HDMI & HDCP Support ATI Radeon HD 5570

and only uses 42W.

[BreakFuzion]

The 520 is a pretty low end card.

It may meet the requirements for the game, but if its saying it needs a 512MB card for recommended settings, that usually tells me their asking for a decent budget gaming card, the 520 isn't really a gaming card period.

If you don't mind Open Box or Refurbished Items...

Newegg.com - Open Box: ECS NGT440-1GQI-F GeForce GT 440 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

That would be a good card, its not very power consuming, Only uses 65W of power (less than 5.5A)

and its the GDDR5 model which is the preferred one (the slightly lesser model runs GDDR3 memory)

Lesser in performance, but cheaper and less power consumption is the Geforce GT 220:

Newegg.com - Refurbished: PNY RVCGGT2201XXB GeForce GT 220 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

58W of power.

Though the 440 is more than double the 220's performance.

but the 220 is also better than the Geforce 9500GT you were looking at.

Another Low Powered option card, its less than the 440, but better than the 220.

ATI Radeon HD 5570 1GB DDR3 PCI Express (PCIe) DVI/VGA Video Card w/HDMI & HDCP Support ATI Radeon HD 5570

and only uses 42W.

is their any downside to open box/refurbished beside it was previously owned?

Also do you think there will be any power problems with the 440?

Lastly i think i have a PCI Express x16 1.0 not 2.0 is 2.0 compatible with 1.0?

[ShyguyXPC]

Open Box, 30 Day return policy, Refurb has 90 Day warranty.

In general most Refurbs should include everything as they're factory Refurbs.

Open box are sometimes returned items, demo items, or simply box was opened and nothing else.

Open box is hit or miss for including everything, sometimes its almost new, sometimes its just the bare item.

With GPU's its not a big deal, as you can download the drivers online. and any adapters for monitor cables can be sourced out somewhere else for cheap.

in almost 8 to 10 years of buying from Newegg, I've only had one bad, dead on arrival Open box Item.

I've been fortunate enough to always have working functional Refurb and Open box items. 50% of the time my open Box items included everything, and in one case was brand new, and only had the box opened, nothing more.

I'd say more than 50% of my purchases from newegg in the last half decade have been Open box and refurb items, its how I've saved major cash building my near top end gaming PC's for the last 6 or so years.

problems with the 440? Like what?

as to PCIe 1.0 vs 2.0, its backwards compatible. 2.0 will work in 1.0, no problems.

the only issues would be if the Power supply isn't enough to power it, if the CPU is too slow to run with it causing the card to not perform to its optimal level, or if you were running a Top end $700-1000 Card in the old 1.0 Slot, since those cards would be choked by the 1.0's lower x16 Bandwidth (2.0 being twice the bandwidth of 1.0 @ x16)

Since none of that applies to your situation, it should be fine.

Your CPU might bottleneck the 440 a tad bit, but you won't notice it, and if you did upgrade your CPU/Mobo/RAM down the road, you could swap the 440 into that system and get a bit of a GPU performance bump with out having to buy a new card right away.

[BreakFuzion]

Ok Thank you i think i might get the 440.

[ShyguyXPC]

The Open Box 440 is out of stock now, I was looking for cards last night myself, for a HTPC build and I saw it was out already.

[BreakFuzion]

The Open Box 440 is out of stock now, I was looking for cards last night myself, for a HTPC build and I saw it was out already.

Yeah i just noticed thanks anyways. Do you think you could try and find one of equal value? Or should i go with the 5570?

EDIT: I think i would be happy with any of these cards but would like your input. Which do you think would be the best out of these cards?

Newegg.com - ZOTAC ZT-40604-10L GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

Newegg.com - Galaxy 43GGS8HX3SPZ GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

ATI Radeon HD 5570 1GB DDR3 PCI Express (PCIe) DVI/VGA Video Card w/HDMI & HDCP Support ATI Radeon HD 5570

http://www.amazon.com/GeForce-128-bi...&s=electronics

Zotac ZT-40701-10L GeForce GT 440 Graphics Card - 512MB, 128-bit, DirectX 11, PCIe at TigerDirect.com