Graphics card for a space-restricted system?

R

Raci

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Nov 6, 2008
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I'm about to buy this card to upgrade my brother's (Dell) PC:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=280276145302&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018


- Space is a problem - Tried my 8800gts, doesn't fit in SO many ways... Need single-depth card unless we get a different GPU cooler and start massacreing his case.
- PSU Wattage: I have a q-tec 550W supply in case the current 370W OEM PSU doesn't have the balls. Can use an adaptor for the PCIe power.
- Budget is £100 so it's a shame to go so far under that


A 7900 looks good since it should physically fit and doesn't need the Wattage of the 8800's. It may even have been an upgrade option when he bought the PC - Came with a 7300LE.

My only problem is I'm not *absolutely* certain there isn't a much better solution out there. I would look at ATI cards but I don't really follow their series/performance progress.


Any suggestions to get closer to that £100 budget?

(I'll post a pic of the mobo layout when I get to my other PC)
 
Have you tried a 4850 yet? its single slot and and should work on your PSU. Don't know what you can get it for under the pound system though.
 
The 4850's look like a much better card than 7900 - must check some benchmarks

The new ones on ebay UK go a little over budget and look to have a double-slot I/O plate - can easily chop that apart tho.
 
Thanks to both of you :)

That card looks pretty likely and I'm expecting it out-benches 7900s by a lot!

Have to check its actual dimensions against my measurements of inside Bro's case tho - Does anyone have measurements for how far down the card the cooler extends? If it goes too far it'll hit the CPU cooler
_______
EDIT:

4850:
- Good idea, good card but not genuinely in budget (in £ In the UK)
- not as keen on ATI as I am on nvidia
- Cooler might intrude on CPU cooler shroud a bit... Can grind a bit off
- Can afford 3850

bruvmobo.gif


But I found this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XFX-8800-GT-NVIDIA-GEFORCE-ALPHA-DOG-PCI-E-512MB-8800GT_W0QQitemZ190258154360QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW?hash=item190258154360&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A3|39%3A1|240%3A1318

It might even fit since it's single-slot all the way along the card! And it's an 88!

--->>> I truly need to know Length and Thickness of this card... I've emailed the ebay seller and asked on another forum but I'd love to know an actual millimetres measurements from any of you guys :)

8800GT_Alpha.jpg
 
8800 GT's/38x0's/48x0's are 9 inches (229mm) long. 8800 GT is about 1/2 an inch thick or 12.7mm (that's what she said).
 
If you can't fit a mid range card in the case, then Dell makes some seriously screwed cases. Who ever needed a 3.5" drive cage anyhow?

Defitely don't buy an old 7900 series card today. There are so many better options. I own a 7900GS and to play new game at decent settings requires 800x600 resolution. It's no longer a gaming card. Get a 4850. It beats an 8800GTX, should fit fine, and the reference coolers are single slot.
 
if the 4850 won't work that 8800GT won't work either, they are similar in size, the shroud on the 8800GT might not work too if the 4850 cooler isn't working either, the only other card I can think of that might work will either be a 4830, 4650 or 9600GT.

edit: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127359

here is what a completely stock 4850 looks like.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130330

and heres the 9600GT

both cards similar length both single slot, no intrusion outside the single slock bracket.
 
HaHa! I think we're decided then:

according to gpureview, the 8800gt loses a tiny bit of pixel-fill against the 9600gt but whips it on texture fill. They're not the same core though so I'm not taking that as a true performance indicator but it's a guide.

the 8800gt beats the radeon 38xx (Which we can afford) but is beaten by the 4850 (Which is out of budget).

the 8800gt is also just a bit out of budget but it's nvidia.... I hate to say it but I'd definitely rather go with nvidia than ATI, especially since I have an 88 to fit in my machine - always nice to have similar hardware if I'm the one who's gonna have ot fix it if it goes wrong!

Long and short of it is, I really wanted him to have a g92 8800 in the first place but we thought it wouldn't fit - This alpha dog measures up well and no one has warned me off it for any reason - We're going fo the 8800gt alpha dog :)

many thanks for your trusted advice!

EDIT:

So after ignoring all your good advice (Though it was very useful to compare against my own thoughts), the 8800gt arrived and fits well!

This is how much space I had between CPU cooler shroud and existing cooler:

DSCF0123.jpg


You can see why I was worried! But the new 88 fits in first time like this:

DSCF0135.jpg


If you can't fit a mid range card in the case, then Dell makes some seriously screwed cases
Click to expand...

Yup, a seriously screwed case!

EDIT2:

We got a booster aswell to give that screwed up Dell a pair of PCI-e 6-pin power connectors - It's all stunning and that 8800gt loads@58C with no extra noise from psu-booster :cool:

Next = Core2 !
 
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