Posts by fadedorca66

Links
is probably only worth it if you're buying with gift cards, I guess.

XFX is probably the best choice here.

David Sanders4 said:If an E8400 can handle an HD7970 at stock speeds, it'll run an HD7850 without breaking a sweat.

An E8400 pushing an HD7970? I mean, sure, it'll work, but you're definitely leaving a ton of performance on the table.

It mostly comes down to the warranty, the cooler, and stuff like that.

With the HD 7770, the biggest thing is the jump from DDR3 to DDR5. The DDR5 version is faster, so maybe check that one out.

Grab an HD 7750 with DDR5 memory, but if you can swing $3350 bucks, I guess it's probably better to just go for the HD 7770

Probably because that CPU just won't be able to push that card properly.

From what I can tell, you've got the SATA drive and everything else covered, so if you're looking at links, maybe try something like this:
Memory PC-12800, 4 GB, CORSAIR CMX4GX3M1A1600C9, DDR3 1600 MHz
Graphics Card PCI-E XFX AMD RADEON HD 7770, 1GB DDR5, HDMI, DVI, DP, HDTV
Motherboard ASROCK B75M-GL R2.0, iB75, DDR3, audio, S-ATA, G-LAN, VGA, PCI-E 3.0, CrossFire, DVI, D-SUB, USB 3.0, mATX, socket 1155
Processor Intel Core i3 3220 BOX, socket 1155, 3.30GHz, 3MB cache, GPU, DualCore
$899

If you can, maybe grab an 8GB stick of RAM instead.
Honestly, you could probably put together a better build at a different shop.

If you're already swapping out the motherboard, I guess you might as well ditch that ancient 775 CPU and the RAM too.

Let's try this: what's your current setup? I guess that processor isn't really going to do much for that graphics card

You gotta tell us the exact GPU model you're running.

That software won't tell you anything about your power supply; you're gonna have to actually pop the case open and check the sticker on the unit itself.

Honestly, those graphics cards are pretty weak—they might even be just a tiny bit better than whatever integrated chip you're running right now. I guess if you actually want to game, you should probably look for something used, maybe an AMD Radeon HD 5670 or something along those lines.

But first, they should probably check the brand and model of their power supply. It wouldn't be great to toss a 4850 into some random 300W unit.

It might be helpful if you let us know exactly which CPU, motherboard, and PSU you're running.

I mean, you probably won't get anything special for that kind of cash. Maybe some used gear, I guess.

The GTX 660 is way faster than the 7750, so if you're looking at $17 I guess you might as well just grab the 660 right away.

Paul Garcia42 said:Seems like a better way to go. If I'm not mistaken, I can just swap in a beefier power supply and a better GPU later on if some demanding Need for Speed title actually comes out. 😁

Exactly. If you find yourself wanting more gaming power later on, just swap out the GPU and call it a day. This power supply should handle whatever else you decide to throw in there.

Paul Garcia42 said:Regarding the OS... can I just stick with Windows XP, or am I seriously forced to move up to Windows 7?? haha
I don't know if I'm remembering this right, but I think Windows XP can't really handle more than 3.25GB of RAM. Or maybe it shows 3.25GB but actually uses all 8GB... I honestly have no idea how that works. Total newbie here, haha.

I’d probably just go with Windows 7. I mean, I’m not even sure if drivers for Windows XP even exist anymore... plus, Windows 7 64-bit actually supports 8GB of RAM.

Larry Ortiz5 said:If you're really dead set on using Windows XP, I guess there's a 64-bit version out there somewhere.

That’s probably not the best choice, honestly. If I recall correctly, it only really had issues with 64-bit Windows XP.

So, what are you actually looking to buy? Tell me that and I might be able to give you a recommendation.
Maybe something like a Corsair CX 430, a Silverstone Strider, an EVGA GP3 series, or an EVGA RedWing, I guess.

Also, grabbing an APU—you know, an AMD chip with integrated graphics—might not be a bad move. You basically get a decent Quad-core processor and a GPU that can handle games on medium settings.

Alexander Moore67 said:Well, obviously, the 128-bit ones have 128 bits and the 256-bit ones have 256.

😂🤣

The PSU can't really blow air directly onto the GPU, mostly because the fan is sucking air in rather than blowing it out.

But the power supply might soak up some heat from the graphics card, which probably makes the whole unit run hotter...

Usually, they face down so the PSU pulls cool air from under the case to stay chilled. If it's facing the GPU, I guess it just ends up sucking in all that heat instead...

The PSU isn't blowing air into the case; it's pulling it out.

Adam Moore3 said:So, who are we supposed to trust then, if not the stickers? I guess nobody. 🤷

I guess the only real way to go about it is to actually test the power supply.

If you want to check out the review, there's just one catch: nobody actually wants to test these cheap power supplies because, let's be honest, most of them are total garbage.

What’s printed on the label isn't necessarily the truth 😬