Graphic Card

Gareth19

Hello I am looking for some help. I regularly play Microsoft FSX but now I am wondering about the possibilities of upgrading my graphics card as I see plenty of reviews say that onboard integrated graphics like I have are useless for such programs. I have researched the web but it has made me even more confused as people talk about changing the power supply unit etc etc. I thought just popping a new and improved graphics card into my PCI-e slot would do the trick! My system is :

Advent SE2102
Intel Pentium dual core E5400 2.7 GB
4 GB RAM
640 GB Hard Drive
PUFP305P PSU (305w max)
Intel GMA 3100 Onboard graphics
Windows 7 (64 bit)

Please can someone advise me on the best way to upgrade to a half decent graphics card or is the one already onboard a decent one? Changing the PSU seems more trouble than it's worth to be honest. Any advice gratefully received!

-TangleFoot-

Gareth19 wrote: »

I thought just popping a new and improved graphics card into my PCI-e slot would do the trick!

Better graphics generally requires more power and a generic low-wattage PSU just isn't going to cut it. What's your budget?

robmar0se

To help you work out what size PSU is required use the psu calculator: http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/

Contrary to what some folks on here think
just add an allowance for capacitor aging (see end of calculator),

-TangleFoot-

robmar0se wrote: »

Contrary to what some folks on here think
just add an allowance for capacitor aging (see end of calculator),

I get 478W from that calculator. Alas, I have a 750W PSU.

banger9365

branded or cheap make(psu) and whats your budget for the gpu

Gareth19

Thanks all for your replies. I suppose i didn't want to really spend much more than say £50-£80 for a graphics card to slot into my PCI express and only if it will be make a huge improvement to fsx from my onboard graphics. Now I hear about needing a new PSU as well though I am wondering if it will be more hassle than it's all worth now. I am not really good enough with computers to go messing around. I mean I think I could just about slot a new card in but when people talk about changing the PSU it sounds a ittle more complicated than I had in mind.

-TangleFoot-

Gareth19 wrote: »

I mean I think I could just about slot a new card in but when people talk about changing the PSU it sounds a ittle more complicated than I had in mind.

A handful of screws should cause you no trouble - all you have to do is remember where the wires go.

As for budget, £84 gets you a Radeon HD 6850 whilst a brand-name PSU will cost you anything from thirty quid upwards. Do not skimp on the latter under any circumstances.

Gareth19

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

A handful of screws should cause you no trouble - all you have to do is remember where the wires go.

As for budget, £84 gets you a Radeon HD 6850 whilst a brand-name PSU will cost you anything from thirty quid upwards. Do not skimp on the latter under any circumstances.

Thanks! Is there anything I need to be aware of for a PSU? Such as how powerful would I need for the card you mentioned above? Also are they different sizes ie will a new PSU definitely fit into my tower?

Gareth19

And I see that incresing the PSU also may require a bigger fan to prevent overheating. Is this something I need to think about as well?

-TangleFoot-

I imagine 550W will be sufficient. More powerful units (750W+) can be slightly longer but height and width should be identical.

Any idea what kind of fans - if any - you have at present?

Gareth19

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

I imagine 550W will be sufficient. More powerful units (750W+) can be slightly longer but height and width should be identical.

Any idea what kind of fans - if any - you have at present?

Great I will look for a 550W PSU then. No idea what fan I have at the moment, just the standard one whatever Advent put in. Sorry I am not much good, a bit of a novice with these things!