About my graphic card

I've a big ass gaming computer with a really old graphics card.

Is there any big deal to taking the one that's in there out and installing a new one?

I mean - is that all there is to it?

Oh - and as an afterthought - the card I have isn't supported by the company any longer.

Thanks!

a reply to: silo13

You need to make sure the new is compatible with hardware you currently have. But basically, so long as the new card is, then yeah, it's basically that simple.

I recommend using pcpartpicker.com. You can enter in your PC's parts: mother board, CPU, etc., and then it will help you navigate which graphics cards will work with the slots you have so you buy a good one.

If you run a older system check if your power distribution is enough to handle the newer video cards.

and make sure that the power connectors are the same or you cant plug it in.

Here is some additional info :

www.windowscentral.com...

a reply to: silo13

how old is old? my 4 year old rig is stil running modern games but i built it my self.

you will want to get a new GPU before replacing the first card unless you know for sure you have onboard graphics on your mother board(MOBO) or you wont be able to use/test your pc until you get a new card plugged in

swapping out most gpus is easy ,in my cards case you take out the power cords from power supply(PSU) then remove it from the MOBO carefully to not crack/bend anything and then bam your done . you will want to make sure what ever new card is not only compatable with your mobo but also the processor chip (less likely in my expirence to cause problems) . do you know how to check your system information file that pretty much lists the parts you have in your pc?

countless videos of this process mind you so youtube is very helpfull on the matter www.windowscentral.com... this should cover it for ya basically but if you have any problems im sure i can help you figure it out

mines a bit more complex as i have liquid cooling built into my card and mine needs a support bracket to hold the weight of my dual card

a reply to: silo13

It is a bit hard to help when we don't know what hardware is in the PC.

If the video is so old that it has fallen out of support, then the vintage of the rest of PC may be an issue.

The PC hardware world churns along and planned obsolescence is a 'thing'.

Generally, it is cheaper to upgrade a PC 'in step' than to try and just boost one or two components (because more powerful hardware can actually be cheaper than older versions).

One caveat, though, the bleeding edge is always more expensive and less stable than new but more popular stuff (My general rule is to look at what was bleeding edge three to six months ago and to go for that). Also things like ray-tracing can be all the rage but their performance lags in regard to available games and established chipsets.

a reply to: chr0naut

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name USER-PC
System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Model System Product Name
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4820K CPU @ 3.70GHz, 3701 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 0507, 1/9/2014
SMBIOS Version 2.7
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7601.24408"
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 32.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 31.9 GB
Available Physical Memory 26.9 GB
Total Virtual Memory 35.9 GB
Available Virtual Memory 30.3 GB
Page File Space 4.00 GB

originally posted by: silo13
I've a big ass gaming computer with a really old graphics card.

Is there any big deal to taking the one that's in there out and installing a new one?

I mean - is that all there is to it?

Oh - and as an afterthought - the card I have isn't supported by the company any longer.

Thanks!

As long as you have PCI express you will be fine.

a reply to: silo13

You have a modern enough system to slot in a new GPU ( you have PCIE slots ).

The issue, now, is to make sure you have a strong enough power supply for the GPU you want to buy. As long as you're not thinking top of the line this, however, probably won't be an issue.

FTR you, IMO, shouldn't try to go top of the line - pairing a 2080 with your CPU would bottleneck the 2080.

ETA: Another consideration, also PSU related, is to make sure you have the correct available PSU cables with the right connectors for the GPU you want. Most, these days, need anything from no PSU power at all ( low end cards that get all their power from the PCIE slot ) to the higher end cards that can use two full eight pin connectors.

a reply to: Hefficide

How about this?

Sapphire Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5 Dual HDMI/ DVI-D/ Dual DP OC with Backplate (UEFI) PCI-E

So much of what you're asking/telling me is out of my language zone - but I so appreciate your help.

All of you - thank you.

a reply to: silo13

Do you know how many watts your power supply unit(PSU) is by chance?

a reply to: silo13

The 580, 8GB is a great card and should meet your needs, with a few caveats. You'll need to make sure that your PSU can handle it. The recommendation is 500 watts. If your PSU is a bit less powerful it will probably still work but with power supplies being over recommendations is much better than being below - for efficiency, stability and longevity of parts. That said, an 80+ 450 watt or above should be fine.

You'll need to make sure that you have an 8 pin connector from your PSU to power the card.

The resolution of your monitor is a consideration, as is the things you plan to do on the PC. This will power a 4K monitor if you're just using your PC for relatively basic things. But if you're using it to game then, roughly speaking, this card will give you 1080p ultra settings, 1440p lowered settings depending upon title, 4K a far more limited experience and a hard time running anything complex.

a reply to: Autorico

Nope.

I have duel screens.

I'm a graphics designer (kind of) and photographer (for real) and a gamer (poorly RS).

I'll try to figure out what the PSU is...

a reply to: silo13
Any PCIe 16x 3.X slots ?
Just having "PCIe" slots , may not get it.

In reference to Power Supplies : 450w to 550w is good enough for most configurations

originally posted by: silo13
a reply to: Autorico

Nope.

I have duel screens.

I'm a graphics designer (kind of) and photographer (for real) and a gamer (poorly RS).

I'll try to figure out what the PSU is...

Just to reiterate - 450w - 550w is good enough for most configurations

In your case , the type , and how many , PCIe slots is what will matter.
(Along with a M.2 PCIe 3x or 4x SSD if you have a M.2 slot)

originally posted by: silo13
a reply to: Hefficide

How about this?

Sapphire Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5 Dual HDMI/ DVI-D/ Dual DP OC with Backplate (UEFI) PCI-E

So much of what you're asking/telling me is out of my language zone - but I so appreciate your help.

All of you - thank you.

Add another of that same type (if it is Crossfire compatible if you have another slot) and Crossfire em...

What card have you got already as quite a few older cards are still very good for gaming while being out of main support.

Depending on your exact requirements a 2060 super and if you can get one of those 2060 KO's from evga which is a 2080 cut down can for some tasks be a powerhouse.

If its got 2x8 pin connectors then around 650w PSU should be fine as it gives room for something hungry down the line. Theres a simple rule that a PSU load should be around 2/3 - 3/4 of the PSU's max for it to run in its happy zone as the closer you get to max the more you work it and risk something going pop.