Quick question before I buy my X1550 - Will it fit?

[Shootaz]

Ok, so I'm almost done upgrading my computer, all I need now is a graphic card. Like many other Dell users, I've been slapped in the face and only have 3 PCI slots. No PCI-E or AGP =[. After some research I'm deciding on the Diamond X1550:
http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Stealth-X1550PRO-Video-Card/dp/B000N9B8D6
Newegg just stopped selling PCI cards =/
My question is: Will it fit?
I've read some things about form factors and such, but I have no idea how to tell if it will fit or not.
My computer is:

Dell Dimension 3000
Intel [R]
Pentium[R] 4 CPU 2.80Ghz
2.79Ghz, 2.00 GB of RAM

Last week I bought a 470w PSU, peaks at 520, and it fits and works fine.
Also, the reason i'm upgrading is for gaming, and I know I won't be able to run the latest and best games, I should be able to run some newish games in low settings, right??
Can this thing handle Vampires:The Masquerades? or is there no hope?

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

There aren't really form factors to be concerned about per-say with a VPU. If you've got a PCI expansion slot free, the card will work with your PC. The only thing that you can really do to check whether or not the card will fit in your PC, is get the dimensions of the card and then measure the space available in your PC. If you've got enough (which you presumably will), then you are set.

I would not expect this PC to run any of the newest games, at least not to any enjoyable level.

There are two separate "Vampire: The Masquerade" games, and here are the minimum specifications for the both of them:

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

System: 1.2 GHz Athlon or 1.2 GHz PIII CPU or better
Video Memory: 64 MB
Hard Drive Space: 3.300GB
Other: 384MB of RAM; 3D hardware accelerator card required

Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption

System: PII 233 or better
RAM: 64 MB
Video Memory: 8 MB
Hard Drive Space: 800 MB

 

[Shootaz]

Thanks Zeno.
Looks like I should be able to play Vampires.
Do you think it could run Oblivion?

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

You might get away with running it on extremely low settings, but it will tax your system.

 

[Shootaz]

Do you think it's my computer or the graphic card that would hinder it, because in some reviews for the x1550 I read someone played games like FEAR on high settings, and oblivion on medium settings, but then again I don't exactly trust them because I saw one guy's review say he ran Crysis at 100 fps with his x1550. =/

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Your CPU might provide a bottle neck, I can't really comment on the RAM as you've posted a confused specification:

2.79Ghz, 2.00 GB of RAM

Your RAM is not running at 2.79GHz.

To be honest, nobody here can say for sure whether or not your PC will support a specific game, be it on low, medium or high settings, because the Windows environment itself is going to vary significantly between PCs.

Assuming you don't have a lot of random applications/services/malware hogging your system resources, you ought to be able to play Oblivion. To what extent, I don't for sure, nor does anyone else here, but I wouldn't expect to play it on anything better than low-medium settings.

Buy or borrow the game and try it out. Hope for the best.

 

[Shootaz]

Thanks for the info. It does say 2.79GHz, 2 GB RAM, maybe it's an error?
Also, if a game states this card will work with it, an ATI Radeon 8500, do you think my X1550 will work with the game?

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Download CPU-Z and see what it says about your RAM frequency.

I don't have a detailed list of what games will work with your PC and what ones won't, I'm sorry .

 

[Shootaz]

CPU-Z says:
Type: DDR
Channel: Dual
DRAM Freq: 166.3MHz
CAS Latency's:
2.5:3:3:5

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

That's more like it...

 

[Grafficks]

Dell Dimension 3000
Intel [R]
Pentium[R] 4 CPU 2.80Ghz
2.79Ghz, 2.00 GB of RAM

In case there's a misunderstanding (such as the RAM running at 2.79GHz), that list of specs looks like it came from right-clicking My Computer and going to Properties.
The "System Properties" screen displays the exact outline of information above, where it shows the processor's name and theoretical clock speed, while showing the actual clock speed and amount of RAM on the line below.

Also, there's no such thing as a Radeon 8500. I think you mean a GeForce 8500, in which case, there is a PCI variation of it, however it is very rare.

As for the actual graphics card, you don't have much of a choice in that regard. If you're running a system that only supports PCI expansion slots, then the Radeon x1550 is just about as high as it goes. There are very few PCI variations of any of the newer video cards, and most of the available PCI graphics cards are already a few generations behind.
You should be fine however if you have modest gaming needs.