Upgrading to a GeForce GT 520 or 8800

So I'm planning on upgrading my video card from a GeForce 6600 to a GeForce GT 520 or a GeForce 8400.




They're both within my price range, but I don't know enough about computer hardwares to know which is better, or if it's even compatable or not. I currently have 1GB of ram, and I cannot tell you what myprocessoris since I'm not home at the moment and I don't know it by heart. My OS is Windows XP. I don't plan on playing any high demanding video games, besides maybe StarCraft 2 (I can run it right now, but it needs to be at the lowest settings possible, and even then I have excessive FPS issues). What I really want to play at the moment without any FPS issues is Test Drive Unlimited 1. (I know, it's an old game, but I love it!) Maybe Test Drive Unlimited 2 also, if I can run it at a steady FPS.




If my processor runs the 6600 well, will it also run GT 520 or 8400 without any problems? Any compatability issues that I should look into?

So I'm planning on upgrading my video card from a GeForce 6600 to a GeForce GT 520 or a GeForce 8400.




They're both within my price range, but I don't know enough about computer hardwares to know which is better, or if it's even compatable or not. I currently have 1GB of ram, and I cannot tell you what myprocessoris since I'm not home at the moment and I don't know it by heart. My OS is Windows XP. I don't plan on playing any high demanding video games, besides maybe StarCraft 2 (I can run it right now, but it needs to be at the lowest settings possible, and even then I have excessive FPS issues). What I really want to play at the moment without any FPS issues is Test Drive Unlimited 1. (I know, it's an old game, but I love it!) Maybe Test Drive Unlimited 2 also, if I can run it at a steady FPS.




If my processor runs the 6600 well, will it also run GT 520 or 8400 without any problems? Any compatability issues that I should look into?

InchunKim

umm your power supply will more than handle either.. but where exactly are you getting these from? the 8400gs is a relic and the gt520 is weaksauce

for the price of msot 520's you can get an hd 6570 and whoop their --- right here, right now live all over the town!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102934

anyway the 8400gs and gt520 are both much lower in power than your 6600gt if not about the same as would the 6570 normally.

the above all being said i would REALLY love to know what cpu you have to avoid any complications

Honestly, I would get the 7750

You didn't give full model numbers, but from what I can gather, those cards would not be an improvement over what you have now. Your power supply will probably be fine with any low-level card like the ones you name. The best way to approach this is for you to say how much money (and of what currency) you can spend on a new card, and I'll tell you what card(s) would be a noticeable improvement for that price or a little less. It would also be nice to have a full report of your hardware including power supply, because no card is "incompatible", per se, but some wouldn't physically fit, some would require a bigger power supply, some have problems you don't need in your life, etc.Blistrax

7750 is bit too expensive for me.

6570 seems like a good deal though. With a free Sonic game! haha

If I remember correctly, I think I had an AMD Athlon 64... I'm really not sure right now, I need get home first which is in a couple of hours.

Thanks for the recommendations. Will post up my processor when I get home.

Do you have a pci-e 16x slot or agp slot?

That is very important.

Well, from what I gathered from the interwebs, the GeForce 6600 uses PCI Express x16. So since that's what my current video card is, then I suppose my CPU has PCI.

You didn't give full model numbers, but from what I can gather, those cards would not be an improvement over what you have now. Your power supply will probably be fine with any low-level card like the ones you name. The best way to approach this is for you to say how much money (and of what currency) you can spend on a new card, and I'll tell you what card(s) would be a noticeable improvement for that price or a little less. It would also be nice to have a full report of your hardware including power supply, because no card is "incompatible", per se, but some wouldn't physically fit, some would require a bigger power supply, some have problems you don't need in your life, etc.Blistrax

Well, from what I gathered from the interwebs, the GeForce 6600 uses PCI Express x16. So since that's what my current video card is, then I suppose my CPU has PCI.

InchunKim

Well you are in for a shock. I have a 6600GT in an athlon 64 system and it is using AGP.

So you better check before you buy a pcie card you can't use.

BTW if it is AGP there aren't a whole lot of cards out there that are worth the cash and better than a 6600GT agp.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6600.html

Available in Both AGP & Pci-e

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6600.html

Available in Both AGP & Pci-e

DieselCat18

that is why I told him to check before he goes out and buys.

So I'm planning on upgrading my video card from a GeForce 6600 to a GeForce GT 520 or a GeForce 8400.




They're both within my price range, but I don't know enough about computer hardwares to know which is better, or if it's even compatable or not. I currently have 1GB of ram, and I cannot tell you what myprocessoris since I'm not home at the moment and I don't know it by heart. My OS is Windows XP. I don't plan on playing any high demanding video games, besides maybe StarCraft 2 (I can run it right now, but it needs to be at the lowest settings possible, and even then I have excessive FPS issues). What I really want to play at the moment without any FPS issues is Test Drive Unlimited 1. (I know, it's an old game, but I love it!) Maybe Test Drive Unlimited 2 also, if I can run it at a steady FPS.




If my processor runs the 6600 well, will it also run GT 520 or 8400 without any problems? Any compatability issues that I should look into?

InchunKim

Er thats hardly upgrading.......

[QUOTE="DieselCat18"]

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6600.html

Available in Both AGP & Pci-e

NailedGR

that is why I told him to check before he goes out and buys.

NailedGR..I agree, that's why I posted that link for you.

Also to the OP'er..You probably know this, but to check what processor you have, go to start>right click 'My Computer'>click properties>click on general tab and it will display your OS and cpu info.

*+

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

[QUOTE="DieselCat18"]

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6600.html

Available in Both AGP & Pci-e

DieselCat18

that is why I told him to check before he goes out and buys.

NailedGR..I agree, that's why I posted that link for you.

Also to the OP'er..You probably know this, but to check what processor you have, go to start>right click 'My Computer'>click properties>click on general tab and it will display your OS and cpu info.

*+

CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3500+
CPU Speed: 2.2 GHz Performance Rated at: 3.96 GHz
PCI-Express x16

That's the processor that I have. So HD 6670 is the best I can get?

Will my CPU be able to handle it?

What about the power box? I just checked mine, and the model is ATX-400 and it says 220W MAX/400W MAX. I'm guessing those are the minimum and maximum? I know the HD 6670 needs atleast 400W. Could I use the one I currently have, or is it recommended that I get another power supply 500W and higher?

I know this is a lot of questions, but what exactly would happen if I were to use a video card that my power supply can't support?

what kind of case do you have?

I would like to second the 7750 motion.

Currently the best graphics card on the market that doesn't require an external power connector.

If you're running an XP machine with an old GPU like the 6600, chances are that the newer GPU's will not fit in your desktops because your old GPU is designed for AGP instead of PCI-e

Man, my single core secondary system running a Sempron @ ~2.3GHz has trouble playing Team Fortress 2 at low even when paired with a 4850. I hate to say it, but I'm really not sure whether a video card upgrade will help much in your case.

Man, my single core secondary system running a Sempron @ ~2.3GHz has trouble playing Team Fortress 2 at low even when paired with a 4850. I hate to say it, but I'm really not sure whether a video card upgrade will help much in your case.

GS550L

[QUOTE="GS550L"]

Man, my single core secondary system running a Sempron @ ~2.3GHz has trouble playing Team Fortress 2 at low even when paired with a 4850. I hate to say it, but I'm really not sure whether a video card upgrade will help much in your case.

InchunKim

To the guy that said my 6600 was AGP, I'm not really sure what you mean by that. As I stated above, my CPU has PCI-E slots, with the 6600 being a PCI-E. So I don't see why 6670 would not work, unless I'm missing something else here, like the power supply.

InchunKim

No succh thing as a CPU having a PCIe slot, the CPU is just a chip, its the mobo which has the slot.

[QUOTE="InchunKim"]
To the guy that said my 6600 was AGP, I'm not really sure what you mean by that. As I stated above, my CPU has PCI-E slots, with the 6600 being a PCI-E. So I don't see why 6670 would not work, unless I'm missing something else here, like the power supply.

GTR12

No succh thing as a CPU having a PCIe slot, the CPU is just a chip, its the mobo which has the slot.

Get an HD 6670 for about 60 bucks. ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600083901%20600144219&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%206670 ) You get a free Sonic game, too. The 7750 is overkill for what you want, and it's over budget, too.Blistrax

[QUOTE="Blistrax"]Get an HD 6670 for about 60 bucks. ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600083901%20600144219&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%206670 ) You get a free Sonic game, too. The 7750 is overkill for what you want, and it's over budget, too.InchunKim

I don't know if it would really be worth it to upgrade to an HD 6670 with that CPU. I have an HD 4670 with an athlon x2 5000+, and I am positive my CPU holds back my GPU in some situations.

If you want a quick fix, I would find something cheaper, like a used card in 4xxx series, or a GT 240. Something in that range should be pretty cheap, and will still be held back by your CPU. I got my 4670 used 2 years ago for $40, and it still works great.

Really though, I'd save up a little more money to try and get a new computer.

The CPU is gonna limit it a lot.

Get an HD 6670 for about 60 bucks. ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600083901%20600144219&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%206670 ) You get a free Sonic game, too. The 7750 is overkill for what you want, and it's over budget, too.Blistrax

So I tried out the Radeon HD 6670. It did boost my computer quite a bit. But as expected, the CPU seems to be holding it back by a lot. So I decided to return it, and build my own PC.

Thanks everyone, for the feedback. I feel kind of knowlegeable now. lol

So I tried out the Radeon HD 6670. It did boost my computer quite a bit. But as expected, the CPU seems to be holding it back by a lot. So I decided to return it, and build my own PC.

Thanks everyone, for the feedback. I feel kind of knowlegeable now. lol

InchunKim