1. #1

    Need help with a friend's computer

    http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/hp-...-33955886.html


    This is my friend's computer. She is wanting a video card, but I keep hitting a wall on the 300 watt power supply and was hoping you guys could help me. She is wanting to play WoW and she also plays Sims on it. Every card I keep picking out needs atleast 450. the ones I had in mind was like, GTX 460 and GTX 560 I believe is what it was. I was also trying to pick one out that would run wow decently without all the settings being on low. I was wanting a Nvidia brand for her since that is what I am familiar with and what I have experience with.


    Upgrading the power supply is not an option. She has no clue what she is doing and I'll be having to direct her on how to put in the video card into her computer while talking to her on the phone. She lives in Canada while I live down in the Southern USA.
    Last edited by Usako; 2012-12-28 at 12:52 AM.

  2. #2
    You aren't going to be able to run any gaming GPU on a PSU that lacking. Even the 7750 (and the 7670 for that matter) recommends at least 400W. The best you might hope to squeak by with is a GT 640, and even that's pushing it. Even if you manage to get by with that, the 640 won't provide much of an experience, especially at resolutions above 720p.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Crusader Cronus View Post
    You aren't going to be able to run any gaming GPU on a PSU that lacking. Even the 7750 (and the 7670 for that matter) recommends at least 400W. The best you might hope to squeak by with is a GT 640, and even that's pushing it. Even if you manage to get by with that, the 640 won't provide much of an experience, especially at resolutions above 720p.
    Okay, thank-you for the input. I will then just suggest to her about maybe going with a built computer. I was looking at the Marest Sample builds, and I think the 560 build would go a long way for her. I will run it by her then since her monitor is a 1080p I believe.

  4. #4
    She is already running a core i3-530 on an HP branded MSI motherboard with 6GB of DDR3 1333. There is no reason for her to spend $560 on a new system. All she really needs is a solid video card, and possibly a PSU since her's is only an unknown 300watt, likely bestec, liteon, or hipro of questionable quality.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Dizey View Post
    She is already running a core i3-530 on an HP branded MSI motherboard with 6GB of DDR3 1333. There is no reason for her to spend $560 on a new system. All she really needs is a solid video card, and possibly a PSU since her's is only an unknown 300watt, likely bestec, liteon, or hipro of questionable quality.
    She doesn't know how to replace a power supply. She is very limited on her knowledge of computers. She lives to far away for me to help her out with it. Even installing a video card I would have to give her step by step instructions on how to do the video card. She is like a deer in head lights.

    I have had manufactured computers before, and she would have to re hook everything up to the PSU. I know to us it would seem easy, but to her it would be hard, and even harder to explain it to a person who probably doesn't even know the board of the computer is called a motherboard. I was already not looking forward to explaining how to plug in a video card :P
    Last edited by Usako; 2012-12-28 at 04:03 AM.

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