Advice please - Choosing a new AGP Graphics Card

[HMG1K]

I need some help and advice from all you computer literate folk, please!

I need to upgrade my AGP X8 graphics card, I currently have a 256MB card so am looking for a 512MB - or ideally a 1GB card. It seems AGP cards need a separate power supply - which is where I am confused. I have a couple of spare power plugs inside my PC on my current power supply. Is it one of these power supply plugs the card needs? When I've looked inside my PC they are the same type of plug you'd use to plug in to power a hard drive, floppy disc drive, or the CD / DVD drive.

At the moment I've an HP xw6000 workstation. I've upgraded to Windows 7 and my current card, ATI FireGL X1 256p, is no longer supported. Not even Vista drivers will work. My Power supply is rated at 470w.

The new graphics card needs to have 2 x DVI ports so I can run my 2 x 24" HP monitors. I've singled out these possible cards.

Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 3850 512MB AGP Graphics Card: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...pf_rd_i=468294

Sapphire Radeon HD 4650 1GB - AGP: http://www.cclonline.com/product-inf...944&tid=frooct

Just to say I don't want a card to play games on - more for video / audio editing and watching the odd bit of YouTube films. It's the power supply issue that's puzzling me!

Thank you in advance for all your help and advice!

[bradc]

Yep, just a standard 4 pin hdd power connector will be fine!

[HMG1K]

Thanks, Brad!

Just seen the small print on one of the cards, it says: "...with one 6-pin power connector". I guess convertor cables aren't available?

[AlanDITD]

You can normally get convertors from molex, to the required graphics card fitting... Some dotake molex connectors already though...

also have you checked the PSU your running is up to the task?

[bradc]

Having a close look at one of those, yeah you may need to get one of these:

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Perip...roductId=17133

I even found one in the UK for you

[HMG1K]

Brad! You are the bomb! Thank you so much for hunting that out for me! I really appreciate your help and time!

AlanDITD - My power supply is rated at 470w. The cards I've seen need 400w. I'm thinking once I've taken my existing card out the system should be fine? :-)

[Johnny_Cashed]

I've got a geforce GTX 260 and it runs every game I've played on max. Plus you can SLI it when it gets too slow.

[mattnz]

^ Not AGP though.

I would've thought you'd be better off just upgrading the mobo/cpu/gpu all at once and going PCI-E, but those prices aren't that bad actually.

[taylor]

Definatly Recommend the 4650, great card.

Had it set up on an old p4 machine with just a 400w powersupply.

Took everything I could throw at it

[HMG1K]

Definatly Recommend the 4650, great card.

Had it set up on an old p4 machine with just a 400w powersupply.

Took everything I could throw at it

Thanks, Taylor! Did you have a separate power supply on your machine then? Or did you use one of those converter cables Brad found for me?

[taylor]

Yea just that adaptor. I believe it actually came with one. Most of the time they do...

[taylor]

The Sapphire HD 4650 includes the installation disc for the drivers, the owner’s manual, PCIe to molex power adapter, and the various conversion dongles for VGA and HDMI output.

Yep defo comes with one.

Great alternative to new mobo, cpu, powersupply and often ram.

[HMG1K]

Yep defo comes with one.

Great alternative to new mobo, cpu, powersupply and often ram.

Wonderful!!!! Thanks, Taylor for checking that out for me! Really appreciate your help and feedback!

I'm off to order it now!

[HMG1K]

Oooo! Last question, folks. What do Microsoft mean by "Windows 7 Compatible" - as opposed to "System Requirements: Windows 7, Vista", etc"

Thanks!

[bradc]

It will work with Windows 7.

[HMG1K]

Folks, I just wanted to say thank you to you all for contributing to this thread.

I've bought and instaled this card - Sapphire Radeon HD 4650 1GB - AGP: http://www.cclonline.com/product-inf...944&tid=frooct - and it is ace!

All working fine, I've moved from a 256MB non-Win7 compatible card to a 1GB Win7 compatible card, no hassles!

I've now got several more years (at least) of life out of my 6 year old PC with this card, coupled with with the 3x 300GB 15000 speed SCSI drives I installed before Christmas, along with the 4GB RAM!

Thank you!

[confusis]

HD 4k series are good - I have a PCIex16 HD4850. Best value for money card available at the time, runs all of my games at full settings!

[taylor]

Glad to hear your happy with it dude, I definatly was. And wow 1500 rpm drives, nice! Things should be quite snappy on the old girl now...