Video card advice

[ajzimm3rman]

Hello. I don't know much about computers hardware-wise. I'm looking to put WoW on the highest level graphics-wise, and am aware that most of that game relies on the CPU and RAM. But regarding the video card, I'm not sure on what I'll need in relation to my specs. Budget=relatively expensive.

Specs= http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&cc=us&lang=en&os=2093&dlc=en&product=3644705

I'm not settling for less, I plan to replace the 3gb with 4 2gb sticks (8). Will I need another motherboard for this video card?:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...code=19-2776685&DEPA=0&refer=channel&CMP=OTC-

Any advice will be appreciated. I'm very new in the upgrading realm.
Would I be able to put that graphics card in my system as it is?
Is there anything else I should be putting in my computer?

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

If your true intention is to max out WoW, you should be fine with something along the lines of a Radeon HD 4830 ($100ish), a PSU upgrade ($70ish) and your 3GB of RAM ought to suffice.

If you just want to spend a lot of money on new hardware, provide a rough roof on the budget and maybe what you're attempting to achieve.

 

[mailpup]

Would I be able to put that graphics card in my system as it is?

The card is 10.5 inches long. Measure the space you have inside the case and see.

The card also needs two 6 pin PCI-E connectors. The card comes with an adapter for one of them so your power supply needs to have the other one already unless you have enough spare molex connectors to fit another adapter (that you'll have to buy separately). For that card Newegg's site says it needs a minimum of a 650W power supply so you might need to upgrade depending on what you already have.

 

[ajzimm3rman]

If your true intention is to max out WoW, you should be fine with something along the lines of a Radeon HD 4830 ($100ish), a PSU upgrade ($70ish) and your 3GB of RAM ought to suffice.

If you just want to spend a lot of money on new hardware, provide a rough roof on the budget and maybe what you're attempting to achieve.

Is the Radeon HD 4830 better then my GeForce 8500 GT? I don't want to spend money just to spend money; I don't mind spending 400 dollars on a graphics card. I'm only going to be playing WoW. Is that Radeon compatable with my motherboard? I'm afraid to do anything other the Nvidia. I would prefer just Nvidia.

Regarding the PSU (Which I don't know anything about), I found this: http://educations.newegg.com/tool/psucalc/index.html,

So I suppose I'll use that to know which I should use.
I am not planning on changing my box, swapping the mobo, or changing the processor. I should be fine for a long time as it is right?
Anyway, is that XFX GeForce GTX 285 ridiculous overkill and not compatible with my motherboard?
I know eventually we'll be switching to DDR3 so I don't want to get another mobo until after awhile.

I've never put in a graphics card before, I was reading this: http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/hardware/1859_3.html and it said something about the power supply being 6 pin instead of 8. But I have no idea what they're talking about. Is it compatible? Pretty simple to put in? Anything else I need?
Is my processor pretty good?

The card is 10.5 inches long. Measure the space you have inside the case and see.

The card also needs two 6 pin PCI-E connectors. The card comes with an adapter for one of them so your power supply needs to have the other one already unless you have enough spare molex connectors to fit another adapter (that you'll have to buy separately). For that card Newegg's site says it needs a minimum of a 650W power supply so you might need to upgrade depending on what you already have.

This is my computer: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&cc=us&lang=en&os=2093&dlc=en&product=3644705

I'm not sure on this power issue. I don't know what I'm doing.
I will measure.

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

The Radeon HD 4830 is indeed better than your GeForce 8500GT, if I recall correctly the 4830 compared to a GeForce 9800GT. There is no reason to fear using an ATI card, not sure what that's all about.

Both the Radeon HD 4830 and GeForce GTX 285 should be compatible with your motherboard, however, the physical size of the card may present an issue as noted by mailpup, so just make sure you measure the space inside of your case before purchasing anything.

If you're just looking to max out WoW, the GTX 285 is indeed overkill...

Just skimmed the web briefly, your PSU would appear to be a 300W PSU, and probably has crap amperage on the 12v rail. You'd be best off upgrading that. Here's a solid PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX.

Yes, it's very easy to install a new PSU and video card. It's as simple as playing with Legos.

 

[hellokitty[hk]]

Yeah, what Zenosinks said, but you could go to a CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail.

If your really scared about ATi cards, you could also get a 9800gt for more money, but I would highly recommend the 4830 or 4850.

O.o its Zenosincks!

 

[ajzimm3rman]

The Radeon HD 4830 is indeed better than your GeForce 8500GT, if I recall correctly the 4830 compared to a GeForce 9800GT. There is no reason to fear using an ATI card, not sure what that's all about.

Both the Radeon HD 4830 and GeForce GTX 285 should be compatible with your motherboard, however, the physical size of the card may present an issue as noted by mailpup, so just make sure you measure the space inside of your case before purchasing anything.

If you're just looking to max out WoW, the GTX 285 is indeed overkill...

Just skimmed the web briefly, your PSU would appear to be a 300W PSU, and probably has crap amperage on the 12v rail. You'd be best off upgrading that. Here's a solid PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX.

Yes, it's very easy to install a new PSU and video card. It's as simple as playing with Legos.

I'm looking at the newegg page (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102803) for the Radeon and I'm not finding the size. How big is it?
Yes it appears I will not be able to fit the Nvidia card in there, I don't think.
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6043/img5225.jpg

Thank you very much for the PSU and video card recommendation.

Yeah, what Zenosinks said, but you could go to a CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail.

If your really scared about ATi cards, you could also get a 9800gt for more money, but I would highly recommend the 4830 or 4850.

O.o its Zenosincks!

I think I'm going to go with the PSU that Zenosincks recommended.

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Yep, a 10.5 card would be pushing your luck in that chassis. That particular model is said to be 8.5" long in the Newegg comments - I actually have that specific model 4830, and it is indeed about 8.5" long.