Good graphics card for gamers - PC

[zembonez]

Sorry for wandering into this thread a bit late but I have a question for you. My son's system is one I built about 5 years ago. It's an AMD dual core 2.8 Ghz with 4 GB ram and on board video card that shares ram. MB is a Gigabyte GA-MA78G-DS3H. The issue he's been having is sluggish performance (playing Diablo 3) and that the CPU over heats and the system shuts down. I have the temperature fail-safe set at 176 deg and don't want to go higher.

We've been talking about building a new system but after reading this thread an upgrade might be a viable option. I'm thinking a video card like the one you recommended and adding another 4 gigs memory.

I'm also thinking a better CPU heat-sink - any recommendations?

Thoughts/comments ?

Onboard video from several years ago is not going to handle modern games worth a crap. I'd bet the on board video is what is causing the overheating issue. Adding a new video card would help a TON. (make sure you have a decent power supply). Adding more ram is a waste unless you are running a 64 bit operating system.

Go to newegg.com and have a look at their PCI express X16 video cards. The one I recommended above seems to be working fine for him and it's cheap! Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-N430OC-1GL GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

I also believe you can't have too much CPU cooling. Here's my overkill cooler. Got it on Newegg too.

 

[DubiousDan]

Onboard video from several years ago is not going to handle modern games worth a crap. I'd bet the on board video is what is causing the overheating issue. Adding a new video card would help a TON. (make sure you have a decent power supply). Adding more ram is a waste unless you are running a 64 bit operating system.

Go to newegg.com and have a look at their PCI express X16 video cards. The one I recommended above seems to be working fine for him and it's cheap! Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-N430OC-1GL GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

I also believe you can't have too much CPU cooling. Here's my overkill cooler. Got it on Newegg too.

I saw the card you recommended and it looks like it might do the trick. His system is running Win7 64 bit but I don't know that more memory will help. I like the cooler, will it attach to a Socket AM3? My current system runs a little warm sometimes.

 

[zembonez]

Here is my cooler. It is AM3 compatible. It is HUGE so make sure you have enough room for it in your case. It dropped my CPU temps by a ton compared to the OEM cooler... but there are other options if you are short on room.

Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER GeminII S524 120mm Long Life Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with Intel Sandy Bridge

I have a fair amount of air movement in my case.

 

[DubiousDan]

Here is my cooler. It is AM3 compatible. It is HUGE so make sure you have enough room for it in your case. It dropped my CPU temps by a ton compared to the OEM cooler... but there are other options if you are short on room.

Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER GeminII S524 120mm Long Life Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with Intel Sandy Bridge



I have a fair amount of air movement in my case.

I should have enough room and my sons case is bigger. Also need to blow the dust out.

 

[zembonez]

That should be fine. I like the fact that mine cools the ram as an extra benefit.

 

[DubiousDan]

That should be fine. I like the fact that mine cools the ram as an extra benefit.

How? Just by hanging over it and drawing air or is there contact?

 

[zembonez]

It is offset from the CPU by a lot. The airflow from the fan is directly over the ram. Sort of a side benefit.

 

[DubiousDan]

It is offset from the CPU by a lot. The airflow from the fan is directly over the ram. Sort of a side benefit.

Thanks for the advice. We're going to order the Video card and cooler this coming week.

 

[Texas1911]

Dan, I would zip tie up those cables. Back in the IDE days the ribbons would cause a lot of issues with airflow in the case, you seem to be suffering from a similar fate.

 

[Texas1911]

Here is my cooler. It is AM3 compatible. It is HUGE so make sure you have enough room for it in your case. It dropped my CPU temps by a ton compared to the OEM cooler... but there are other options if you are short on room.

I'm going to watercool my i5 and my video card and run a moderate overclock in the near future.

 

[DubiousDan]

Dan, I would zip tie up those cables. Back in the IDE days the ribbons would cause a lot of issues with airflow in the case, you seem to be suffering from a similar fate.

The power supply has some really thick cables and I don't even use half of them. It's a monster but I'll give it a try.

 

[zembonez]

The power supply has some really thick cables and I don't even use half of them. It's a monster but I'll give it a try.

I normally route the unused cables to an empty part of the case and tie them up with wire ties. I also tie up all of the other cables into bundles. It is a good idea to have less restriction in the airflow wherever possible. Once that case is shut up, it becomes a pretty small box inside.

 

[DubiousDan]

I normally route the unused cables to an empty part of the case and tie them up with wire ties. I also tie up all of the other cables into bundles. It is a good idea to have less restriction in the airflow wherever possible. Once that case is shut up, it becomes a pretty small box inside.

I've stuffed as many of the PS cables as I can into empty space but they won't all fit. Unfortunately there are a number of USB cables going to internal headers and a few sSATA cables. I'll work on it and see if I can improve the situation. The computer pictured is mine which doesn't have any major issues except when I OC it to 4 Ghz. It's OK if I only OC it to 3.7 Ghz. My son's has the heating problem and doesn'y have all the junck in it.

My son sats he'll order the video card with his next pay check.

 

[zembonez]

Hopefully that will speed things up a little.

 

[Rangerscott]

The next PSU I get will be modular. Sucks having a big wad of cable at the bottom of my case.

 

[mach3ngun]

Grab a nVidia 560ti around 200 or less... or even cheaper an nVidia 450 with just as many fps as the 560.

Just stay away from ATI.

It will run L4D2 pretty well with that processor. L4D2 is many generations old graphically speaking. That card will give you good fps and display the game really well.