I need your opinion on upgrading

[Nath Williams]

Hi,

I have recently have ordered a Dell Dimension 9200, still awaiting arrival but when I ordered it I wasnt able to choose a great graphics card so I have been doing some research and looking around and some people say that the model of my computer WILL be compatible with a 8800Gts graphics card and some say it WON'T.
The people that say it won't have said to me that I need to upgrade my PSU, I don't really want to do this but if I have too to make a 8800Gts graphics card work then I will, because I want good performance on games etc.
I have looked at these items on the internet, I hope you can tell me if they will be okay and what you recommend:

+ Antec TruePower Trio 650W PSU

+ EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS SuperClocked 320MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail


Regards
Nath Williams

 

[DelJo63]

review this post

 

[Nath Williams]

So, I don't understand, I won't be able to play games? I'm lost.

 

[wolfram]

I would like to say something.

First, your computer appears to have a 375W Dell PSU with dual 18A rails (The stock 9200 PSU).
If your PC has that PSU, you should be able to use a 8800GTS. Those dual 18A rails really help.

But if your 9200 doesn't have a strong PSU (for example, a 300W 18A PSU), then you won't be able to use a 8800GTS card. You'd need to get a better PSU, however, that Dell motherboard may require a specialized power supply (I really hope not).

If not, then you should be able to use a standard ATX PSU, like the one you listed.

Regards :wave:

 

[Nath Williams]

Ok thanks wolfram, hope it does have the 375W PSU as you said!
What did you mean by a 'specialized' power supply though?

Nath

 

[wolfram]

Will this PSU work with my Dell system?
A: Some Dell computers made after September of 1998 use a proprietary PSU specification that is only compatible with an ATX power supply when used with an adapter. Although an ATX power supply may physically fit in a Dell computer, and the electrical connections will mate, damage to a motherboard and/or PSU could result unless an adapter is used.

I hope yours doesn't have that kind of PSU.

 

[Nath Williams]

Lol, i'm really starting to worry now that I won't be able to upgrade

 

[wolfram]

When you get your PC, let us know what kind of PSU it has....

 

[DelJo63]

re Games on Vista: Compatibility issues are present. You may not like the results.

 

[wolfram]

Yeah, they tend to run slower on Vista. The drivers need to get more mature.

 

[Federal_CO]

I just recently recieved a 9200 system, specs are :

2.4 core 2 duo e6600 4mb l2 cache 1066fsb
nvidia 7900GS pci-e
2gb ddr2 667
250gb hdd
Vista

Dell, told me over the phone that the 8800gtx would run fine as it has been tested with the 9200, and yes the 9200 comes with the 375watt psu.

Now I have a question for people with the 9200 or similar system on Vista. Does anyone notice noise ? Maybe not noise, but a sound im not familiar with. If I do functions like use the scroll bar on the side of a web page and move it up and down, I can here a light constant noise almost like loading or something comming from the tower. This sound is consistant with everything I do, like if im in a game UT2004 for example, and I look up, I can here this sound as I move up, and down etc etc. Is this normal ? Is it comming from the gfx card ? I havent heard it before as my other systems always has integrated video with no fans. But this is a wierd and consistant sound with what im doing, and I can hear it even with the cpu fan on full blast as it usually is with Vista. Just very curious...thx for any help.