Upgrading the integrated Intel graphics

[nikultimo]

Hi everyone, I am going to buy a new computer this month. The one I have in mind is a dell inspiron i580-6736NBC with these specifications:
procesor - intel core i3 - 3.2 GHz
cache memory - 4 Mb
Ram - 6 Gb DDR3 SDRAM
graphics - integrated intel hd
power supply - 300 w
I would like to play some games, but I don't know if I can with this graphic card? I want to upgrade the video card in order to play games such as modern warfare 2, gta IV, or test drive. What graphic card do you suggest to me, without upgrading the power supply?

Thank you for reading!!!

 

[hellokitty[hk]]

I would like to play some games, but I don't know if I can with this graphic card? I want to upgrade the video card in order to play games such as modern warfare 2, gta IV, or test drive. What graphic card do you suggest to me, without upgrading the power supply?

Not very good ones...

 

[Relic]

We'd need to know more about your power supply to tell you for sure, but from first glance I wouldn't think that 300W could take much more then an entry level card which is not meant for gaming. Since you say you want to buy the PC I'm assuming you haven't done so. If that's the case, have you thought about getting a gaming PC? We could offer decent alternatives that are likely similarly priced to that Dell machine but offer more power. If however you are dead set on that system, do you have a budget in mind that we can work with? If you really want to game comfortably you will need a new power supply and graphics card.

 

[redk]

If I were you, I'd upgrade the Power Supply to at least an 80% efficient 450W model, and drop in a 5670. That should suffice for most gaming on Med-high settings.

 

[nikultimo]

I just saw some videos showing 4550 (300W) playing gta IV and MW2 on medium settings. Is that true? Can I play these games with this card?

 

[Relic]

I just saw some videos showing 4550 (300W) playing gta IV and MW2 on medium settings. Is that true? Can I play these games with this card?

It depends on your definition of playable. Yes, the 4550 should be able to handle those games on a tweaked medium/low quality setting at a resolution of 1024x768 or lower with reasonable frames of around 30 I'd say. GTA will probably be a little harder but I'd assume playable. Your CPU would matter more at these low resolutions and the i3 should be fine.

However the 4550 is not meant as a gaming card, and I'd say most of us here would advise against it. If you really want to spend as little as possible but still achieve pretty decent performance try this XIGMAT power supply for $35 USD and this HIS 4670 for $65 USD. That should handle those games and anything else with ease on a 1280x1024 or similar resolution with some exceptions like Crysis.

 

[nikultimo]

thnx man!!!
I think this card might be the one.

 

[nikultimo]

Is this one a sapphire?