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Graphics card advise on E-310
After I fix my sisters hard drive problem. I want to add a graphics card for her (right now she only had the integrated video). However the PCI express slot happens to be just 1X (36pin).
I only saw 1 choice from newegg.com for a PCI 1X slot graphics card VGA output. It's from HIS Tech 256MB DDR2 ATI X1550. Would this be a better choice than a standard PCI like BFG with the FX5500 nvidia?
RobinBredin
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December 19th, 2008 02:00
Hi tgrutt, I had a look at your manual HERE and it says that you have an 230w PSU. You can get in an manufactors card that states 300w. Manufactors do overstate the power for their cards and Dell do understate their PSU's. This card HERE is not a bad card.
TheRealFireblad
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December 19th, 2008 08:00
I always thought it didn't matter, because... like USB, firewire, SATA etc, PCI-e is backwards compatible.
That is to say, a x8x or x16 card, would still work in the x1 slot.
But I've just done a quick Google to try and find confirmation of that, and one thread on the Overclock forums would suggest my assumption is correct?
However, a thread on the Toms Hardware forums contradicts that somewhat, by suggesting that only x8 cards can be used in x1 slots?
So your options are to either just get a x8 card - to be on the safe side, or do some Googling yourself (I just had a very quick look at a couple of hits), to see if you can find definite confirmation answer one way or the other?
If you can't find a definitive answer, then... depending on what the on-board graphics chip is of course(?)... the dedicated 256MB HIS ATI X1550 is still likely to be a significant improvement over the on-board graphics :emotion-5:
tgrutt
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December 20th, 2008 06:00
RealFireblade:
I'm not sure what the onboard graphics chip is (owners manual doesn't say). The computer chip set is Intel 915GV. I had a used 16X card I was going to try but the 1X slot is not open on the end and I didn't want to cut it seeing as though it is my sisters computer. :)
Robin
Newegg has been good to me before. I think when it is time that will be the card.
Thanks for the replies.