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GPU Upgrade

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:32 pm
by Jayman0101
Hey, I was looking to upgrade My graphics card. Right now I have the ATI Radeon HD 4200. I was looking to upgrade to the XFX ATI Radeon HD6770 (Or HD 5770). I was wondering if I would have to upgrade from my 300w PSU for either of these cards. Any advice would help, thanks!

(P.S before you go making judgments, please not that I'm not the most experienced with computer hardware, so any other suggestions will help.)

Thanks :)

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:18 pm
by skoch26
For the 6770 you'll need at least 450 watts for it to function. So yeah, an upgrade would be a good idea. I would recommend anything by Corsair, but that's just my preference. They make quality products and have great customer service.

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:27 pm
by Jayman0101
Ok, thanks for the advice :)

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:38 pm
by Jayman0101
For the 6770, what PSU might you suggest I get to play games like GTA IV, or Crysis with medium - good settings?

(Sorry for double post)

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 11:16 pm
by skoch26
The PSU itself will have no effect on graphic performance. If a PSU does not put out enough energy to support your GPU and other components, it will simply not work. Only the the GPU will determine visual quality.

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:08 am
by Jayman0101
Thanks :D But what I should've mentioned is "How big should the power supply be to get the full capabilities out of the card?"

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:23 am
by skoch26
Like I said, the only affect the PSU will have on the card is whether or not it will work. A bigger power supply will simply be able to provide more power to your card and the rest of your computer. If you have at least a 450W PSU, it provide no better graphics than a 1200W PSU. A PSU with more power will provide your computer with more power (obviously), usually resulting in better overall performance, but in terms of graphic performance, it will not be affected. Manufacturers take in account the amount of power needed for the rest of your computer to run when determining the minimum amount of power needed to run your GPU.

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 7:10 pm
by Jayman0101
Alright, thanks for all the help :)

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:43 am
by Jayman0101
Really sorry to bump an old post, but I must ask.

So I'm finally getting to this, and I have one question. My motherboard has integrated graphics, so I will end up having two monitor ports. Which one should I plug my monitor into? Also, will The card automatically become the primary GPU when I install the drivers? I have done some research, but I get a lot of mixed answers, saying that I have to go into bios after installing the card to disable the onboard graphics, others saying I don't. All help is appreciated :)

Re: GPU Upgrade

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:49 am
by skoch26
No worries haha.

When you install the GPU and the drivers the primary display will be the GPU and your computer should recognize this. You shouldn't have to go into bios and disable the integrated graphics but if there is a problem post here again and I can walk you through it. It should automatically recognize the GPU as the primary graphics supplier and the integrated should either disable automatically or just be on standby. As for ports, you will want to plug your monitor into the GPU port or else the integrated graphics will be enabled and your GPU will just be sitting there sad and lonely.

Any other questions or clarification you have or need just let us know.

Hope this helps!