Graphics card upgrade for Dell Inspiron 560?
July 23, 2013 7:43 PM Subscribe
For his birthday, my son would like to upgrade the graphics card on his Dell Inspiron 560. Little help here?
The reason he wants to upgrade: he can't play games on Steam such as Left 4 Dead, GTA4, Empire: Total War, and "other first person shooters that run too slowly".
The PC's specs are: RAM = 4G DDR3-1333; processor = 3.2 GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6700; HD = 1TB 7200 RPM; and I think the current graphics card is an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD (according to the specs sheet from Micro Center, where I bought the computer about 3 years ago).
My son seems to think that this EVGA 02G-P4-3658-KR GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST SuperClocked 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support Video Card is a good match for him.
I know next to nothing about computer innards -- I know how to install cards and such, but not really what most of the jargon means. To me, searching through forums is like the equivalent of hearing Charlie Brown's teacher giving a lecture. So: would that card be good for his needs, or would you suggest something else? Price range is $100-$200, maybe a bit more. Thanks!
The reason he wants to upgrade: he can't play games on Steam such as Left 4 Dead, GTA4, Empire: Total War, and "other first person shooters that run too slowly".
The PC's specs are: RAM = 4G DDR3-1333; processor = 3.2 GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6700; HD = 1TB 7200 RPM; and I think the current graphics card is an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD (according to the specs sheet from Micro Center, where I bought the computer about 3 years ago).
My son seems to think that this EVGA 02G-P4-3658-KR GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST SuperClocked 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support Video Card is a good match for him.
I know next to nothing about computer innards -- I know how to install cards and such, but not really what most of the jargon means. To me, searching through forums is like the equivalent of hearing Charlie Brown's teacher giving a lecture. So: would that card be good for his needs, or would you suggest something else? Price range is $100-$200, maybe a bit more. Thanks!
Best answer: I think it won't work on your machine without at least a power supply upgrade as well. The current version of the Dell Inspiron 560 (see "tech specs" tab) has a 300W power supply, whereas the graphics card requires a 450W power supply (see "details" tab).
I found a Tom's Hardware thread with some discussion of which cards are compatible with that computer.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 8:09 PM on July 23, 2013
I found a Tom's Hardware thread with some discussion of which cards are compatible with that computer.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 8:09 PM on July 23, 2013
Couple of things, but don't consider what I say the final answer. I have this exact card but on another computer (Gateway 4860) and this is what I found. I am technically oriented but not a total PC tech.
- It appears the computer has a PCI-E slot which is what the card needs, so that is good.
- The card is dual width, which means it is physically thicker. So you need the space to fit it. Judging from this diagram (slot 24) (another pic), it looks as if there is enough room. It might be worth calling EVGA or just poking around their site for confirmation. You could also call a local computer store for advice. Avoid Geek Squad.
- Upgrading this card will require the power supply to be upgraded. I ran a quick test of your current specs on the Newegg Power Supply Calculator and it appears that adding the card may be more than the factory shipped power supply is rated for. From what I calculated you are running at 339 watts. The card far requires far more.
- As Blue Jello Elf noted the card calls for a 450 watt supply. While it might work for a while with the original power supply, you will have problems eventually that will cripple the entire computer if you do not upgrade.
- Here are some more power supply options in addition to the ones suggested by emptythought. (google)
- I also checked your RAM capacity and it appears the unit can go up to 8gb. Again, more money , but I would max it out. (crucial.com)
So, probably more money than you expected to spend, but the upgrades will significantly improve performance. As far as how it works with the games you noted, I cannot say unfortunately. I upgraded for other reasons and only occasionally use the computer for games. But for my situation, the upgrades I made (card, power supply, ram and monitors) was a worthwhile improvement and extended the life cycle of my unit.
posted by lampshade at 8:31 PM on July 23, 2013
- It appears the computer has a PCI-E slot which is what the card needs, so that is good.
- The card is dual width, which means it is physically thicker. So you need the space to fit it. Judging from this diagram (slot 24) (another pic), it looks as if there is enough room. It might be worth calling EVGA or just poking around their site for confirmation. You could also call a local computer store for advice. Avoid Geek Squad.
- Upgrading this card will require the power supply to be upgraded. I ran a quick test of your current specs on the Newegg Power Supply Calculator and it appears that adding the card may be more than the factory shipped power supply is rated for. From what I calculated you are running at 339 watts. The card far requires far more.
- As Blue Jello Elf noted the card calls for a 450 watt supply. While it might work for a while with the original power supply, you will have problems eventually that will cripple the entire computer if you do not upgrade.
- Here are some more power supply options in addition to the ones suggested by emptythought. (google)
- I also checked your RAM capacity and it appears the unit can go up to 8gb. Again, more money , but I would max it out. (crucial.com)
So, probably more money than you expected to spend, but the upgrades will significantly improve performance. As far as how it works with the games you noted, I cannot say unfortunately. I upgraded for other reasons and only occasionally use the computer for games. But for my situation, the upgrades I made (card, power supply, ram and monitors) was a worthwhile improvement and extended the life cycle of my unit.
posted by lampshade at 8:31 PM on July 23, 2013
That's an excellent choice for a graphics card, and evga is one of the best companies to buy from
Agreed and I have found the unit to be great. Only drawback was the overclocking software included or what you can download. Probably best to stay away from it unless your son is the type that likes to fiddle with that stuff. I found the troubles dealing with it did not result in such a performance gain that it was worth it. Too many crashes and aberrant behavior.
posted by lampshade at 8:38 PM on July 23, 2013
Agreed and I have found the unit to be great. Only drawback was the overclocking software included or what you can download. Probably best to stay away from it unless your son is the type that likes to fiddle with that stuff. I found the troubles dealing with it did not result in such a performance gain that it was worth it. Too many crashes and aberrant behavior.
posted by lampshade at 8:38 PM on July 23, 2013
Think about it this way - your computer exists to push out data, so we'll use the analogy of a faucet and hose.
The CPU you're using (E6700) is a faucet capable of putting out 1 litre per second, the GPU you're using (X4500HD) is a hose capable of putting out 0.5 litres per second, so your son is right, that's what you need to upgrade.
The GPU upgrade your son is thinking of (GTX650) is pretty much the current generation architecture (Kepler) which means it's a lot faster than what you got 5 years ago - it's a hose that can do 10 litres per second.
Fitting it onto your current CPU, however, means, you're wasting 90% of its capability.
---
In general, computers advance so quickly it's rarely worth trying to upgrade anything. Besides the disparity in sheer speed I talk about above, there's also issues with power supplies (as mentioned above) as well as compatibility in sockets and dimensions (dell units were notoriously difficult to upgrade in the past, I don't know about now). There's also the issue of the longevity of the parts - annualized failure rates for hard drives, for example, is about 1.7% for the first year, going up to 8.6% by the third year, and even higher after that. That E6700 CPU is so many generations behind what we have today - it's from the Core architecture, since then, we've had Nehalem, Westmere, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, and today, Haswell.
All in all, if it was me, I'd throw together a new CPU system and not bother with the upgrade. Get a current low end Haswell (i3) and a low end graphics card today and you'll be a lot better than using your current CPU and getting a mid-range GPU like the GTX650
posted by xdvesper at 8:40 PM on July 23, 2013
The CPU you're using (E6700) is a faucet capable of putting out 1 litre per second, the GPU you're using (X4500HD) is a hose capable of putting out 0.5 litres per second, so your son is right, that's what you need to upgrade.
The GPU upgrade your son is thinking of (GTX650) is pretty much the current generation architecture (Kepler) which means it's a lot faster than what you got 5 years ago - it's a hose that can do 10 litres per second.
Fitting it onto your current CPU, however, means, you're wasting 90% of its capability.
---
In general, computers advance so quickly it's rarely worth trying to upgrade anything. Besides the disparity in sheer speed I talk about above, there's also issues with power supplies (as mentioned above) as well as compatibility in sockets and dimensions (dell units were notoriously difficult to upgrade in the past, I don't know about now). There's also the issue of the longevity of the parts - annualized failure rates for hard drives, for example, is about 1.7% for the first year, going up to 8.6% by the third year, and even higher after that. That E6700 CPU is so many generations behind what we have today - it's from the Core architecture, since then, we've had Nehalem, Westmere, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, and today, Haswell.
All in all, if it was me, I'd throw together a new CPU system and not bother with the upgrade. Get a current low end Haswell (i3) and a low end graphics card today and you'll be a lot better than using your current CPU and getting a mid-range GPU like the GTX650
posted by xdvesper at 8:40 PM on July 23, 2013
All in all, if it was me, I'd throw together a new CPU system and not bother with the upgrade
Looking at it again, I agree with xdvesper. When you add in all the costs and balance it against the age of the unit, it is better to be current for what would not be a whole lot more money. That, as opposed to a rather expensive Band-Aid for a unit that is approaching (actually already is) vintage status
posted by lampshade at 8:51 PM on July 23, 2013
Looking at it again, I agree with xdvesper. When you add in all the costs and balance it against the age of the unit, it is better to be current for what would not be a whole lot more money. That, as opposed to a rather expensive Band-Aid for a unit that is approaching (actually already is) vintage status
posted by lampshade at 8:51 PM on July 23, 2013
Best answer: Oh Jeeze, this CPU is barely 3 years old. More like 2.5. Seriously, look.
What is "vintage" now? Every system I use at home and the majority of the systems I use at work are "vintage" compared to this.
That's ignoring the fact that modern CPUs have been more than enough for almost all games for ages now. The GPU is the bottleneck, not the CPU.
It's just not "too shitty" to be worth it. If it ends up still not getting the job done(which I doubt, me and my friends spent the past couple years building "ghetto rigs" out of crappy cheap systems with CPUs like this and good graphics cards to play games) then you can take these good parts and move forward.
But really, this stuff will do fine. It doesn't matter if the CPU can only put out "1l per second". The current games want the "5l per second" from the graphics card anyways. CPUs have been fast enough for most games for years. I was playing most games at high/max graphics settings with a decent GPU on an otherwise crap system just last winter. My roommate in the next room over had an even worse system but with a great graphics card. He was playing unreleased state of the art games in private beta.
This is not a "throw away" upgrade. Your son will have fun. If he wants to upgrade later he can, and he'll be a good portion of the way there with these parts he'll need anyways. This is a good stepping stone.
posted by emptythought at 2:21 AM on July 24, 2013
What is "vintage" now? Every system I use at home and the majority of the systems I use at work are "vintage" compared to this.
That's ignoring the fact that modern CPUs have been more than enough for almost all games for ages now. The GPU is the bottleneck, not the CPU.
It's just not "too shitty" to be worth it. If it ends up still not getting the job done(which I doubt, me and my friends spent the past couple years building "ghetto rigs" out of crappy cheap systems with CPUs like this and good graphics cards to play games) then you can take these good parts and move forward.
But really, this stuff will do fine. It doesn't matter if the CPU can only put out "1l per second". The current games want the "5l per second" from the graphics card anyways. CPUs have been fast enough for most games for years. I was playing most games at high/max graphics settings with a decent GPU on an otherwise crap system just last winter. My roommate in the next room over had an even worse system but with a great graphics card. He was playing unreleased state of the art games in private beta.
This is not a "throw away" upgrade. Your son will have fun. If he wants to upgrade later he can, and he'll be a good portion of the way there with these parts he'll need anyways. This is a good stepping stone.
posted by emptythought at 2:21 AM on July 24, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
In the old days dell supplied proprietary power supplies, but apparently they've stopped. Buy something like this and install it at the same time you install the card. If you can spring for a few more bucks i'd say grab this just for the extra capacity.
posted by emptythought at 8:08 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]