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So, I want to update my Dell!
Cruix
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Okay, here's the deal.
Usually I always build my computers myself -- but as it would happen my computer died on me about a year ago. Being away at college, I needed a computer fast and just got myself a Dell Inspiron 531.
It worked out well enough since I've been busy, but now I want to get back into playing games on my PC! So, I'm looking for some upgrades.
The stats on the Inspiron 531 as it came:
Now, since then I've put in an extra 2GB of RAM, but haven't changed anything else. I'm looking to put in a new video card -- does anyone have any suggestions? I have a bit of cash to spare at the moment, but don't want to spend more than $200 on a video card -- I was looking at the Geforce GTX 260 currently.
I'll also be upgrading the PSU (currently 300W) to a 600W one when I upgrade the video card. So, I'm looking for suggestions for a video card and any other suggestions, if there's anything else on the system I need to change? I've been out of the PC building game for too long and now I'm just left confused.
Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give!
Usually I always build my computers myself -- but as it would happen my computer died on me about a year ago. Being away at college, I needed a computer fast and just got myself a Dell Inspiron 531.
It worked out well enough since I've been busy, but now I want to get back into playing games on my PC! So, I'm looking for some upgrades.
The stats on the Inspiron 531 as it came:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5600+ Processor
NVIDIA Geforce 8300 GS
2 Gigs of DD2 RAM
All in a Micro ATX case, and I'm going to say the rest is fairly unimportant to this.
NVIDIA Geforce 8300 GS
2 Gigs of DD2 RAM
All in a Micro ATX case, and I'm going to say the rest is fairly unimportant to this.
Now, since then I've put in an extra 2GB of RAM, but haven't changed anything else. I'm looking to put in a new video card -- does anyone have any suggestions? I have a bit of cash to spare at the moment, but don't want to spend more than $200 on a video card -- I was looking at the Geforce GTX 260 currently.
I'll also be upgrading the PSU (currently 300W) to a 600W one when I upgrade the video card. So, I'm looking for suggestions for a video card and any other suggestions, if there's anything else on the system I need to change? I've been out of the PC building game for too long and now I'm just left confused.
Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give!
Cruix on
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Yeah, that's the case. I was worried about that, but I'd been looking and had seen a couple of people say they were able to fit a 260 in the 531 case as long as there was only one HDD in there.
Anyway, hopefully there'll be some suggestions for a comparable card that's not quite so large if that's the case!
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
I bought this PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182030
And this video card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103050
The default PSU is really underpowered and you don't want it. It also is missing a PCIE connector. Fortunately the Dell Insp 531 (and, I believe but cannot confirm, all the Inspirons and Vostros after the 531) use standard PSUs. So just swap it out.
The card is a really tight fit. I could fit a HDD above it but it required some scraping of the plastic on that card's fan. Not a huge consideration (I eventually just moved the second HDD to my 3.5 floppy slot) but you might want to think about it.
Heat may be an issue, it wasn't for me until I forgot to check for dust this year. This PSU is the one I'm replacing that other one with due to the rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016
Make sure you can really use a standard ATX PSU in that machine first.