i have a dell inspiron 545s and i want to upgrade the graphic card for gaming so any tips on what card to buy.Also will help if u can state the price of the card haven't really decided on my budget|||Alouette and C-Man are exactly correct about the half height card restriction and the low power supply constraints.
However, there is a recently released graphics card that's adequate for modest gaming (World of Warcraft, Sims 3, etc) that's also half height and ultra low (19W) power. Since the original 545s specs allowed a Radeon HD 4350 video card option, this newer, Radeon HD 5450 card will fit and work. Just don't expect to play the hottest new 3D graphic games with it.
Radeon HD 5450: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLis…
A GeForce GT 220 is the better gaming card (and it's not a high performer either), but it draws 58W. Whether or not your power supply can handle that depends largely on what type of CPU you have in that system.|||Your big problem is that "s" at the end of that model number, indicating a slimline computer.
Those are terrible for gaming, because:
1) Only half-height video cards can physically fit into the slim case, and most decent gaming cards are only available in standard full-height.
2) The slim case doesn't allow much room for airflow and heat dissipation
3) The power supplies in slimlines are usually weaker than 300W. Most gaming cards require 400W and higher power supplies. Making matters worse is that many slimline power supplies are proprietary, you can't replace them with an off-the-shelf ATX power supply like regular desktop PCs.
In a nutshell, slimlines are for people who don't plan to upgrade the system. They're designed to be deployed as-is and used that way for the lifetime of the unit.
That said, a low-profile Radeon 4650 or GT220 are the best cards you can install that would probably run.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as…
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as…
User reviews confirm the 4650 worked in an HP slimline with a 220W psu, while another had luck with a GT220 in a Dell Inspiron 531s - but had overheating issues, big surprise. Between them the 4650 draws less power (48 watts maximum for the full-sized card) but the GT220 is faster.
To use any serious gaming cards you'd have to go to extreme measures like connecting a better power supply externally (outside of the case) and running cables inside.
The most drastic option is pulling all the guts (motherboard, drives, etc) and transplanting everything into a standard-sized case which accepts regular ATX power supplies and full-height graphics cards, ending your upgrade nightmare. The trick might be finding one which the 545s motherboard fits properly.
Anyway, good luck!
Best gaming graphics cards in every price range:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best…|||This guy above me knows nothing. You have a SLIM TOWER CASE and a 250W power supply. Not a single one of the cards he listed will even FIT in your computer and even if they could, your power supply couldn't possibly run them. If you had been smart, you would have just got the 545 with a 300W power supply but nooooo, you had to get the "cute" one that doesn't take up much room and now you're stuck with a technological dead end. You only have a 250W which will run only one card I know of that has ANY hope of fitting in that case. I hope it's still available but it is not a good gaming card at all. Still, it's probably better than the Intel Integrated crap that you have right now.
nVidia GeForce 7200 GS - $35
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/…
Some say it needs a 300W, EVGA says it only needs a 250W. It has no fan so it uses less juice. I only hope you have enough airflow in your case because it's going to be a bit warm in there. This is the only one that has any hope of not only fitting in your computer, but actually working in there as well.|||Man... I found out that your DELL's motherboard supports PCI Express so its good news.
Now, from what I've seen , if I were you I would chose something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as…
One of those:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLis…
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as…
(I chose this one because the $100 one has: 1DVI, 1HDMI AND 1VGA(who need VGA output these days...you can use a converter)
http://www.tvcables.co.uk/images/items/v…
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as…
Whicever you chose it will be a good choice
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