The GeForce GT 520 in my upgraded HP Pavilion m7780n (from 2006/2007) died. I still want to keep this computer because (at least with the right graphics card), it's STILL fully capable of playing games from early 2000 to today (with "Assassin's Creed 3" being my most recent game purchase).
So, I need a new graphics card that would have better longevity and reliability than the GT 520. I have to emphasize that I'm not necessarily upgrading components to play upcoming game titles (eg. "Assassin's Creed 4") at maximum resolution, with all settings turned up to "high". No matter what graphics card I put in, I already know and understand that it will absolutely be "bottle-necked" by the stock Intel Core2Duo (E6400) @ 2.13GHz (dual-core). I simply want to squeeze-out a few more years of usefulness from this computer. As of this writing (May 2013), I hope this computer will last at least another 3-4 years..... even if I have to convert it into a Linux machine somewhere down the line.
Constraints:
- The new graphics card will have to have better cooling technology (heat-sink fan) than the GT 520 (this means that the GT 610 is absolutely OUT OF THE QUESTION).
- Whatever the new graphics card will be, it has to either work with my stock 300watt power supply (PSU) or I'd have to upgrade the power supply to something better as well.
- I already know that the GT 610, 620, and 630 are out of the question since my local store that carries these cards only has the brand-models that require a separate PCI slot cover/plate. And this store doesn't carry those covers anymore.
- My computer's relatively small case means that I have to make sure the PSU actually fits in it.
- The PSU also has to meet or exceed BOTH the wattage requirements AND the amperage (amp) requirements of the new graphics card.
- All of this shit's gotta be under $250.
The Upgrades:
- Thermaltake TR2 600W (Model#: TR2-600NL2NC) ~$65.00
- EVGA GeForce GT 640 2GB (Model #: 02G-P4-3645-KB) ~$120.00
Upgrade Report:
I managed to install both upgrades and they're both working fine.
I already knew beforehand that the GT 640 occupies TWO slots (one PCI-E and one PCI). So, I had to sacrifice the adjacent PCI WiFi card in order to allow the GT 640 to fit. I don't use WiFi on this computer anyway so I didn't have any regrets removing it.
I had the most difficulty installing the PSU compared to the graphics card. While the PSU unit did slide into place, against the 3 guiding tabs in the chassis, the sheer bulk of the included cables looked like they would severely restrict the air-flow inside the case... it was a very tight fit. So, I ended up grabbing a few zip-ties and gathered as many of the loose cables together in a tight bundle. I then had to push them aside, further away from the motherboard to make sure that they didn't come in contact with the CPU's exposed heat-sink fan.
Though the performance improvements in my games were only MARGINAL after the upgrade (THIS WAS EXPECTED), my computer is noticeably more QUIET than when I had the GT 520. This is because of the the larger heat-sink fans in both the GT 640 and the new PSU.
I'll update my blog if anything should happen to go horribly wrong with either component. Hopefully, I won't have too... because if you hear nothing from me, that'd mean I would have actually succeeded in getting more STABLE years of RELIABLE use from this machine - which is the whole point of this upgrade.
