Newbie and new computer (nVidia)

[MickY G]

Hi all.
I am new to this forum and would like to ask some advice on the following:
I have just purchased a new Acer Aspire T180 computer. I know that the (on-board) graphics are nVidia? The graphics are nVidia GeForce 6100 and nForce 405. I am pretty sure that the GeForce 6100 is the actual graphics part but I have not the slightest idea what the nForce 405 means? I do play games (not on-line) but only the Microsoft and C&C ones at the moment as I am pretty certain that the above graphics would not sustain any other of the more complex games? Also, is there anything I can install/download, that would make the graphics better/faster please? Thanks in advance if anyone can assist.
Mike.

[Tefra]

Welcome NickY G to our forum.

Yes you are right the Geforce 6100 is the onboard graphics Chip. (northbridge)
The nForce 405 is your motherboard Chip. (Southbridge)

The performance of the 6100 is not good even for a normal gamer. The modded drivers support your onboard chip but even with modded drivers you won't get enough improvement. Your computer overall is very good , Amd x2 cpu, 1 gb ddr2 ram 160Gb sata but it wasn't targeting gamers for sure. Your only hope is the one pci-x slot which gives you the opportunity to install a graphics card and disable the onboard chip. For about 150-180$ you can get a very good vga which will play decently all the new games.

[MickY G]

Hi & thanks for the advice Tefra.
I did read somewhere on one of the UK forums over here that I had to be careful of what new PCI-E graphics card I installed as it could blow the mobo if it was too powerful for the power unit (or vice versa)? I don't know much about the guts of a computer, suffice to say that I can fix them if there is something minor wrong with them but above that I know nothing. I would like to stick with an nVidia card as & when I can afford to buy one (they are very expensive over here in the UK) but I am unsure as to which card to purchase without doing me computer or mobo any damage? Perhaps you could advise please? And where do I go on here to obtain the modded drivers please? Even if it doesn't make a lot of difference, I will use them anyway just to see what happen, although it will probably be un-noticeable? I will upgrade everything in the near future as the Acer Aspire T180 only comes with 512Mb DDR2 RAM in the UK (I put an extra 512Mb module in myself, now 1024Mb) and only an 80Gb SATA HDD. Thanks again Tefra.
Mike.

[Tefra]

I can't find which specific motherboard your pc has, but anyway no mater what pci-e video card you install you will be ok. The only thing you should check is your power supply if it's strong enough to support a new card.

I can't recommend something if you don't tell me your budget but anyway i guess you are not a hardcore gamer and your budget is between 150-200$.

In that range and nvidia you can even get 7900 GS, but it really depends on the store. If you could raise your budget a little you could even get in a good offer an Ati/Amd 1950Pro. For a smaller budget you could get a 7600GS which is a damn good chip

[MickY G]

I understand and thanks. I found it impossible to find out exactly what make the mobo is in the computer, suffice to say that on the benchmarks, it just says that its an Acer mobo but I do know that Acer use use outside companies for their mobo's usually. My other computer, an Acer Aspire T135 said, according to some benchmarks, that it was an Acer mobo but on other, more defined benchmarks, it said it was a Gigabyte mobo and once I had seen a pic of it on Goole, it confirmed that it was Gigabyte. So finding that out is in the lap of the God's I am afraid. According to the specs of the new computer (T180), the power supply is only 250w but upon closer inspection and reading the reviews from cutomers who purchased the same machine from the same company, they say it is a 350w power supply? And a lo0t of them are ardent gamers who kept the original 350w power supply and got a graphics card that would work OK with that wattage. Some changed the power supply so they could get a better graphics card. I don't mond spending up to £100 which I think is around the $US130-150 mark I think? I will try and find out what the mobo is by phoning Acer UK Monday morning but they are usually not very helpful. Sorry to be a pain but I really do not know what I need to get and its good to talk to someone who actually knows what they are talking about. Thanks again.

[MickY G]

XFX GeForce 7300GS 256MB DDR2 TV DVI PCI-E

However, I can get one of the above for £45.57 from ebuyer if thats any good and a couple of slightly (but only slightly) higher models for only about a tenner more? But once you start going above the £50-60 mark, the company starts asking silly prices that I couldn't even afford if I wanted to. As I said, I am not an ardent gamer but a little extra 'umph' would be good if the above card would do it and do it noticeably? And the RAM I have in the computer is DDR2 anyway, not that it should matter as I believe I have been told that it doesn't matter what the memory is on the graphics card as that runs separately, in memory terms anyway? See, I don't have the slightest idea what the hell I am talking about! LOL!

[Tefra]

Well for that kind of money a GeForce 7300GS is still a good choice. Still much, much better than your current 6100 onboard chip. The power consumption of a 7300 is around 180watt so a 300-350watt power supply can do the job very well.

In simple terms your current graphics chip is using system ram to operate, if you buy a new video card it will operate with its own ram. Btw i just saw some companies have released some 7300GS products with DDR3 the price difference is pretty small and the advantages are big specially in new games.

Honestly the difference between 6100 onboard and a 7300GS is huge, and i am sure you will enjoy the improvement, you can also check the performance of 7300 series by reading some reviews in our reviews database http://www.3dacc.net/plug.php?e=revdb&c=7300

Btw we will be waiting for your benchmarks results and thoughts

[MickY G]

Hi again Tefra
I just checked the casing of the PSU & it says that it is only 250w! I find this strange as on all the reviews from ebuyer where I purchased the computer, it says that it is advertised as a 250w power supply but in actual fact, it is a 350w one? How the people who purchased the same computer found that out is beyond me but is there a program that I could use to actually find out exactly what the wattage is, without having to use special electronic tools to test it with? And i suppose that if they are all saying it is a 350w PSU then it may be the case that the wrong specs sticker was put on the PSU casing? Now I am very, very confussed as I suppose I cant get my nVidia 7300GS now can I as the PSU won't handle it or whatever? Damn and blast! But thanks in advcance for the help anyway & sorry to be a nuisance. Mike

[Tefra]

The specific model has many different parts from country to country and from store to store. If it says 250w then it's 250w. Btw you have the Sempron version of the T180 right ? I can't imagine a x2 amd working with a 250w psu. I don't know any program that can identify the watt of a psu. With programs and through bios you can check the voltages only. Btw you have the

I can't say if the 7300GS will work or not for sure, i just know that the minimum recommended psu for that gpu is 300watt. The prices of 400watt psu though are pretty low you should consider this upgrade as you will probably need in the future to add additional hdd, optical drive or a pci card.

[MickY G]

Yes it's the AMD Sempron 3400+ 64bit CPU. Again, it's advertised as a Sempron 3200+ 64bit but they are all actually the 3400+ model. Someone else suggested that I get a more powerful PSU as well so it looks like thats what I will have to do? I will get the PSU tomorrow & the grfx card in a fortnight. I have had a kidney transplant so funds are tight at the moment as I am on an Invalidity Pension so I can only do one bit at a time. The guy who suggested that I get an Antec PSU but you are talking over £GB40 for it here & thats well out of my price bracket. The PSU in the T180 is so very quiet you don't even hear it so I hope I can get a cheap enough replacement PSU that is just as quiet but not so expensive as the Antec? Then I can just maybe afford the PSU & the 7300GS as well tomorrow. Thanks for your help again Tefra.