BleepingComputer.com: Is This Graphics Card Compatible With My Computer

I Have this computer:
http://review.zdnet.com/desktops/gateway-g...387.html?tag=ut

The graphics card it came with is no good at all. cant even play portal smoothly on the lowest settings.

So I am thinking of getting this card: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.a...amp;catid=20397

I Know I should get a new power supply at 450 w but gateway said that if I change the power supply my warranty will be void, but I can put a new graphics card in. SO I am thinking about getting a cheap graphics card for 1 year and then when my 1year warranty is over, get a new power supply and a new high end graphics card.

But my concern is that with a x3 processor it must take a lot out of the power supply and then if I get a card which needs a minimum of 300W are there any chances of things going wrong.

And also are there recommendations for other graphics cards which are rated at 300w.

Thanks

yes, it will plug into your computer. power wise..I don't know if it will take more than what you got or not. even the 7600 says it requires 400w. I think no matter how you go you're kinda tempting fate. If it were me, and i cared about the warranty, i'd deal with the problems I had now, wait out the warranty, and use that 50 bucks that card would cost toward a real PSU that would let me get the card i really wanted.

Wattage calculator: http://educations.newegg.com/tool/psucalc/index.html It is just an estimate, but it may lead you to a card.

This post has been edited by smurfgod: 24 September 2008 - 12:10 PM

The PSU in you computer is 300W, and the minimum wattage for that graphics card is 300W. It could work, but it's going to be close. I don't place a lot of faith in the PSUs that are used in OEM machines.

smurfgod, on Sep 24 2008, 12:07 PM, said:

Hmm i guess you are right. But the 6150 graphics card is useless. I thought I was going to buy the computer and then upgrade the graphics card, but did not check the power supply. Now if I return this they are going to charge me 15% stock fee.

If I downgrade to xp I will get more out of the graphics card.