New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

[timsgameonline]

Hi guys . Happy New Year to you all.

I have a Dell Dimension 4550 2.66GHz (533) P4 with 768MB memory. I'm looking to upgrade the video card from a Geforce 4 MX 420 to ensure smooth running of BF2 and BF2: SF for the next year. I've had trouble getting a decent video card and seem to have narrowed it down to a Radeon 9600XT (AGP 8x) that balances performance with my PC's old spec and 250W power supply. I can only go for PCI or AGP cards too, not PCI-e.

Do you guys recommend I get this new card? Will the power supply be OK and does this card run ok on a Dell Dimension 4550 PC? Any other card recommendations?

Thanks for any input you can supply before I go ahead.

I've already tried the Radeon X700 (blank monitor on installation) and Geforce 6600 (PCI-e durr!!) with no success.

Thanks all

[<DV8>mrbucket]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Unfortunately, I think you should take it to a Dell agent and have them do the upgrade. You shouldn't try to do this yourself. Dell makes it tougher to do hardware changes on most of their computer's.

[IntensivCareBear]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

well, go for the AGP 6600 GT, costs about the same from futureshop and is only 3 times better in every way.

dont worry about your power supply, mine is 300 w instead of 350 w minimum and it works perfectly.

[timsgameonline]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Intensive carebear thanks for the suggestion I've checked Amazon Uk and they only have the 128MB card will this be ok for BF" and BF2: SF? i've heard the memory makes little difference or should I always go for 256MB cards?

[timsgameonline]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Geforce 6600GT 128Mb card - £99 on Amazon Uk

[Verzili]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Hi guys . Happy New Year to you all.

I have a Dell Dimension 4550 2.66GHz (533) P4 with 768MB memory. I'm looking to upgrade the video card from a Geforce 4 MX 420 to ensure smooth running of BF2 and BF2: SF for the next year. I've had trouble getting a decent video card and seem to have narrowed it down to a Radeon 9600XT (AGP 8x) that balances performance with my PC's old spec and 250W power supply. I can only go for PCI or AGP cards too, not PCI-e.

Do you guys recommend I get this new card? Will the power supply be OK and does this card run ok on a Dell Dimension 4550 PC? Any other card recommendations?

Thanks for any input you can supply before I go ahead.

I've already tried the Radeon X700 (blank monitor on installation) and Geforce 6600 (PCI-e durr!!) with no success.j/k u sing agp 6600gt comes in agp

Thanks all

no offence to you m8 but i hate dell cpu.cus they make a cpu and like its been mention already they have odd configurations i.e they want u to take to them so they can make more money.but thats not youre fault.

is gather youre using pci-express (stratches head to wonder y they ever made a Geforce 4 MX 420 on pci-e) hehehe :)

as u can see they put in a 250 powersupply which is good for a Geforce 4 MX 420 but not so for a 6600gt or a good dx9.0 card.so for one you will need a faster one or you could damage youre new card,i would strongly recomend you not put a new card in with minimalist power i.e 250 watt.
not sure if you could go out and buy one that would fit you case either.

nowing dell they rather u paid them to do it hence the low psu they gave u,noing fullwell you were likly to to upgrade at a l8ter date <-- u got to watch the cheekky rascals i tell ya!!

when buying youre new card take a moment to look at the box and av a look at the minimum psu watts for the card.
i have a 6600gt and it says 300watt minimum(minimum is 1xhd and 1xdvd/cd.so more things will use more power,but 450-500 is good enough for future proffing.<--- dont want to buy another one in a years time when u upgrade again.

i personaly recomend a 6600gt mutch better performance than a standard 6600,the 6600gt has more clock and mem speed i.e 500core 1000mem.
good luck with ur new card

[timsgameonline]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Well whaddaya know! It works A Radeon 9600Xt on a Dell 4550 with original 250W power supply. Oh ye of little faith!!! So far going nicely. Sure, a bit slow to load but gameplay is fine. Course I'll be updting my PC when I can but this now keeps me in the game!!!

Thanks for all your help. Add this to your 'well I never' list!

Cheers

[Hephaistion]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Unfortunately, I think you should take it to a Dell agent and have them do the upgrade. You shouldn't try to do this yourself. Dell makes it tougher to do hardware changes on most of their computer's.

Incorrect, do it yourself. Dell's are no different when it comes to video card upgrades, as other machines. I work at an un-named Book Publishing Company, so I only support about 480 Dell's from a lowly GX50 all the way to Precision Workstation 620's and PowerEdge Servers. I replace video cards and upgrade them all the time. Take my advice, not the advice of someone who has only ever dealt with one or two Dell Dimensions.

[<DV8>mrbucket]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Of course it works. The issue is the psu being able to support the draw from the card for an extended period of time. When you play for an hour, put your hand on the exhaust of the psu and feel it. It should be warm, if it is HOT, the psu is under strain. Remember, you can tow a fully loaded double axle trailer with a Hyundai, till you get to a hill.

[<DV8>mrbucket]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Incorrect, do it yourself. Dell's are no different when it comes to video card upgrades, as other machies

Duh, if its not voiding his warranty by opening the case, that's what I meant by doing it yourself.. Oh, by the way, Dell is offering a 90-day warranty on their machines now.

[timsgameonline]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

righto thanks for the tip. will check psu when I'm going up that hill!!

[DrunkenPirate]

Re: New Radeon 9600Xt on Dell 4550 w/250W power supply?

Thread edited and moved to Hardware.