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Computer techy questions?

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glamorousskies
glamorousskies
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Help me figure out why my ESO fps is low. I need someone who knows alot about computers. Here are the stats on my current computer. Tell me if anything is bad (i've been told the only bad thing is my graphics card is utter crap the rest are fine even for eso/ gaming)

1.Motherboard- Dell studio xps 7100
2. Ram 6100- (6 gigs)
3. Computer processor AMD 2 PHENOM X6
4. graphics card -ati radeon 5670 (3828 mb memory)
5. direct x11 windows 7

Why is my fps very low? Also, if it's my graphics card like i'm assuming. Then my only other questions are this.
1.How do i know what type of graphics card i can buy that will work with my comp.i was told mine is a pci express 2.0 and that's the kind i need to buy.
2. How do i know if the graphics card i'm looking at will need an "extra power source" i don't know if i have the stuff for that.
3. is THIS- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134119
graphics card better than my current one and will dramatically increase my fps? (my fps is about 19-21 right now i'm looking to get 40, i was told my comp is a good six core with a ton of ram so i just need a good graphics card)
4. can i get a good enough graphics card under 100$ that will help my fps from this alot?(i was told yes because even if i get a newer inexpensive one the one i have in now is very very outdated so a cheap one will still help alot)
  • Gedalya
    Gedalya
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    I would recommend attempting to adjust your games settings if you want a higher frame rate; and ostensibly the game to run more smoothly. This is presuming the the reduction in graphical representations will be fine for you.

    For example, you can go under Options, Graphics, and then adjust the settings to something lower.

    You should also see what your connection speed is as that can have a major impact; try as speed test such as: speakeasy.net/speedtest/
    Edited by Gedalya on April 3, 2014 4:58PM
    Baskin Robbins always finds out.

    Check out my ESO name generator: eso.tamriel.org
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    no i like to play only on high.
  • Gedalya
    Gedalya
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    Ok, you will need to consider many factors as you have noted; including things like case size as it is possible to buy a card that won't fit into your machine.

    Here is a general walkthrough: pcworld.com/article/225823/how_to_upgrade_your_graphics_card.html

    I would recommend letting a professional do this if you are not comfortable. I have worked in IT for years and feel most comfortable simply in buying a new machine when multiple components need upgrading. I'm currently running smoothly on an i7 with 16GB RAM and an Nvidia 780 graphics card.

    In addition to making sure you have enough room in your machine, you will definitely need to ensure that PSU is up to par; the PSU requirements and slot compatibility (such as PCIx) will be listed on the box for your component. Don't buy used! Always new.

    Your graphics card is fairly old; you can see some good comparisons here:
    videocardbenchmark.net/

    For learning about choosing a card:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qdRm3KkGV8

    For doing the work:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9x097QRXeA
    Edited by Gedalya on April 3, 2014 5:13PM
    Baskin Robbins always finds out.

    Check out my ESO name generator: eso.tamriel.org
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    Could you direct me to a replacement graphics card that would be 100$ or less that would fit in the same graphics card slot as the one i have. That would be very appreciated.
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
    ✭
    Gedalya wrote: »
    Ok, you will need to consider many factors as you have noted; including things like case size as it is possible to buy a card that won't fit into your machine.

    Here is a general walkthrough: pcworld.com/article/225823/how_to_upgrade_your_graphics_card.html

    I would recommend letting a professional do this if you are not comfortable. I have worked in IT for years and feel most comfortable simply in buying a new machine when multiple components need upgrading. I'm currently running smoothly on an i7 with 16GB RAM and an Nvidia 780 graphics card.

    In addition to making sure you have enough room in your machine, you will definitely need to ensure that PSU is up to par; the PSU requirements and slot compatibility (such as PCIx) will be listed on the box for your component. Don't buy used! Always new.

    Your graphics card is fairly old; you can see some good comparisons here:
    videocardbenchmark.net/

    For learning about choosing a card:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qdRm3KkGV8

    For doing the work:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9x097QRXeA

    just quoting you so you get notified ^ read above message please
  • Hawke
    Hawke
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    Dell has a tendancy to give you crappiest of smallest of power supplies. You need to find out what your PSU can handle before shoving a video card in there...
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    Hawke wrote: »
    Dell has a tendancy to give you crappiest of smallest of power supplies. You need to find out what your PSU can handle before shoving a video card in there...

    how do i find out about what your referring to and if my PSU will handle the graphics card i'm looking at? I would tremendously appreciate it if someone could use the above specs that i have given and try to find a replacement graphics card that would fit that is under 100$ my pc could handle.
  • Hawke
    Hawke
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    I must abstain from recommendations as I am not into AMD/Radeon. I am more of an intel/nvidia guy.

    But there is nothing wrong with AMD, it just is not something I am skilled enough to speak of.
  • SadisticSavior
    SadisticSavior
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    no i like to play only on high.
    Then you will need a new graphics card, or adapt to the lower frame rates. And maybe a new CPU/Motherboard.

    Your RAM should be fine though.

    My Vampire guide - http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/99101/my-vampire-experience
  • Gedalya
    Gedalya
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    Could you direct me to a replacement graphics card that would be 100$ or less that would fit in the same graphics card slot as the one i have. That would be very appreciated.
    From what I've read this machine will be difficult to upgrade; however at a minimum you will need to determine how powerful your PSU is before you can safely select a card. Try finding the make and model of the PSU.
    Baskin Robbins always finds out.

    Check out my ESO name generator: eso.tamriel.org
  • Hawke
    Hawke
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    For a Dell, upgrading anything but the video card or RAM is a pain in the butt endeavor.
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    Hawke wrote: »
    I must abstain from recommendations as I am not into AMD/Radeon. I am more of an intel/nvidia guy.

    But there is nothing wrong with AMD, it just is not something I am skilled enough to speak of.

    That's fine if you can find a nvidia card that would fit into my graphics cardslot and my psu could handle based on what i've said(mind you i don't know what i'm talking about) and find me a card under 100$ that will be much better then what i have. I will appreciate it alot
  • SadisticSavior
    SadisticSavior
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    Could you direct me to a replacement graphics card that would be 100$ or less that would fit in the same graphics card slot as the one i have. That would be very appreciated.
    At the very least you will probably need a bigger power supply for that. It might be cheaper to buy a new system than to upgrade that one.

    I have a Radeon HD7770 and it handle high settings very well. I also have a 6-core FX processor, so I am not sure how much that is adding to it. I've been told this game is CPU intensive though. Thats why I said you might have to upgrade your CPU as well.

    My Vampire guide - http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/99101/my-vampire-experience
  • Hawke
    Hawke
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    Again, I dont know the equivalent is to the card you have, because you have a Radeon (I know my limits and dont want to give crap info).

    Plus you need your Power Supply wattage..
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    SadisticSavior wrote: »
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    Could you direct me to a replacement graphics card that would be 100$ or less that would fit in the same graphics card slot as the one i have. That would be very appreciated.
    At the very least you will probably need a bigger power supply for that. It might be cheaper to buy a new system than to upgrade that one.

    I have a Radeon HD7770 and it handle high settings very well. I also have a 6-core FX processor, so I am not sure how much that is adding to it. I've been told this game is CPU intensive though. Thats why I said you might have to upgrade your CPU as well.


    you keep saying i might need to upgrade my cpu. what do you mean by that. how good is my current cpu or how do i find out?
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    SadisticSavior wrote: »
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    Could you direct me to a replacement graphics card that would be 100$ or less that would fit in the same graphics card slot as the one i have. That would be very appreciated.
    At the very least you will probably need a bigger power supply for that. It might be cheaper to buy a new system than to upgrade that one.

    I have a Radeon HD7770 and it handle high settings very well. I also have a 6-core FX processor, so I am not sure how much that is adding to it. I've been told this game is CPU intensive though. Thats why I said you might have to upgrade your CPU as well.

    also if i got that one or a lower one, would i need to get a seperate power supply for that card itself?
  • jambam817_ESO
    jambam817_ESO
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    That AMD Phenom is by far the weakest performer in your system. I had one for a while, even a black edition i got up to 4.2 ghz, but when i switched to an Ivy Bridge intel, gaming FPS was like night and day. Not dissing AMD, they are great price/performance but if you "only want to play on high" it may be time to consider a NEWER AMD or other CPU. I think your vidcard is ok

    Edit: I apologize, it appears that video card is a 5670, i read 5770. Unfortunately that card isn't the strongest performer either. Check out this link Tom's Hardware Graphics Card Hierarchy Top of the list is the best performers (more expensive) find your card and go 3 or more tiers higher, and you may find a new card to aim for :)

    Edited by jambam817_ESO on April 3, 2014 5:29PM
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    Hawke wrote: »
    Again, I dont know the equivalent is to the card you have, because you have a Radeon (I know my limits and dont want to give crap info).

    Plus you need your Power Supply wattage..

    how do i find out my power supply wattage? i have this power supply --http://www.ebay.com/itm/CyberPower-Model-883-8-Outlet-Surge-Suppressor-w-8ft-power-cord-/321337817392?nma=true&si=1Z30GBg9KLq7ZVuwrLcn6rTyNXI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
  • Lamprey
    Lamprey
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    I'm guessing the card you linked too will work for high. But, if you are looking to spend around $100, I'd up to a 600 series card. I have a 650 in my workstation and I was able to play on nearly maxed settings in beta.

    Maybe something like:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127703

    EDIT: Forgot to mention my 650 has 2GB of memory. I'd guess 1GB will be enough, but you might want to get 2GB. Not 100% what effect 1GB vs 2Gb will have on ESO as all my cards have over 1GB.
    Edited by Lamprey on April 3, 2014 5:27PM
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
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    I understand everyone is trying to help but no one is being direct. Look, the situation is i have laid out all of my info. I am now asking that BASED on that info, what video card slot do i have? pci express 2.0 or what? can someone find that out based on the card that i have given??? it sounds like you all would know that! or you can't search it on some site? also how do i know if it will require it's own power supply etc etc
  • Hawke
    Hawke
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    You did not lay out all of the info... You still need to find the power supply (It should have a tech sticker on it displaying the wattage).
  • SadisticSavior
    SadisticSavior
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    you keep saying i might need to upgrade my cpu. what do you mean by that. how good is my current cpu or how do i find out?

    I looked it up online and it actually seems close to the one I have, so the CPU is probably not the problem. It is probably the Graphics card.

    Your CPU (at least I am assuming this is it): http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+II+X6+1055T
    My CPU: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+FX-6100+Six-Core

    That being said, you are still back to square one. It is likely whatever Graphics card you upgrade to will need more power. From what I can tell your power supply is 450 watts...most modern cards will probably need at least 500 watts.
    Edited by SadisticSavior on April 3, 2014 5:31PM
    My Vampire guide - http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/99101/my-vampire-experience
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
    ✭
    SadisticSavior wrote: »
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    you keep saying i might need to upgrade my cpu. what do you mean by that. how good is my current cpu or how do i find out?

    I looked it up online and it actually seems close to the one I have, so the CPU is probably not the problem. It is probably the Graphics card.

    Your CPU (at least I am assuming this is it): http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+II+X6+1055T
    My CPU: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+FX-6100+Six-Core

    That being said, you are still back to square one. It is likely whatever Graphics card you upgrade to will need more power. From what I can tell your power supply is 450 watts...most modern cards will probably need at least 500 watts.

    how do i know how much power the graphics card i'm looking to get will need (watts wise) and how do i know how many watts i have ?Also, how do i know if the graphics card i;m looking to get needs to be plugged in on it's own. (i haven't done this and don't have the money to pay a tech 40$ an hour or more/less)
    Edited by glamorousskies on April 3, 2014 5:36PM
  • SadisticSavior
    SadisticSavior
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    I understand everyone is trying to help but no one is being direct. Look, the situation is i have laid out all of my info. I am now asking that BASED on that info, what video card slot do i have?
    We can't tell you specifically based on the information you provided. We can only give you a best guess.

    Based on what I could find online:
    http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19333154/19699802.aspx
    ...it looks like you have a PCIe (version 2) slot. Make sure whatever video card you buy will fit that slot.

    Assuming you do have a PCIe (2) slot, all you need to worry about is your power supply. Make sure whatever card you get has a recommended power supply of 450watts or less. Looks like a Radeon 7750 will work - http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1761731/300w-power-supply-handle-msi-radeon-7750-2gb-graphics-card.html
    My Vampire guide - http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/99101/my-vampire-experience
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
    ✭
    SadisticSavior wrote: »
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    I understand everyone is trying to help but no one is being direct. Look, the situation is i have laid out all of my info. I am now asking that BASED on that info, what video card slot do i have?
    We can't tell you specifically based on the information you provided. We can only give you a best guess.

    Based on what I could find online:
    http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19333154/19699802.aspx
    ...it looks like you have a PCIe (version 2) slot. Make sure whatever video card you buy will fit that slot.

    Assuming you do have a PCIe (2) slot, all you need to worry about is your power supply. Make sure whatever card you get has a recommended power supply of 450watts or less. Looks like a Radeon 7750 will work - http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1761731/300w-power-supply-handle-msi-radeon-7750-2gb-graphics-card.html

    so based on you taking accurate guesses. You're assuming i have a 450 watt power supply? And how can i check my power supply again? Or do you know mine is 450 watt based on what i've said (can you look up my power supply in other words based on my comp?) and if i get the radeon 7750 does that have the pci 2 slot just like mine does? The radeon 5670? Also, if i buy the radeon 7750 will i need to do anything different then the current card i have right now?( is it just a card and i will take the old one out and put the 7750 in or will i need to get an adaptor for my power supply and all that junk and plug the 7750 in to something?)
  • Hawke
    Hawke
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    Hawke wrote: »
    You did not lay out all of the info... You still need to find the power supply (It should have a tech sticker on it displaying the wattage).

    A smart guy talked about how to find the power supply wattage earlier.
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
    ✭
    SadisticSavior wrote: »
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    I understand everyone is trying to help but no one is being direct. Look, the situation is i have laid out all of my info. I am now asking that BASED on that info, what video card slot do i have?
    We can't tell you specifically based on the information you provided. We can only give you a best guess.

    Based on what I could find online:
    http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19333154/19699802.aspx
    ...it looks like you have a PCIe (version 2) slot. Make sure whatever video card you buy will fit that slot.

    Assuming you do have a PCIe (2) slot, all you need to worry about is your power supply. Make sure whatever card you get has a recommended power supply of 450watts or less. Looks like a Radeon 7750 will work - http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1761731/300w-power-supply-handle-msi-radeon-7750-2gb-graphics-card.html

    also the radeon 7750 isn't a pci 2 slot is it?
  • glamorousskies
    glamorousskies
    ✭
    Hawke wrote: »
    Hawke wrote: »
    You did not lay out all of the info... You still need to find the power supply (It should have a tech sticker on it displaying the wattage).

    A smart guy talked about how to find the power supply wattage earlier.
    i gotta open the comp up right? also can someone tell me what type of card the ati radeon 5670 is based on looking it up? is it a pci express 2.0? What type of card is ati radeon 5670? What is that? pci express 2?
  • SadisticSavior
    SadisticSavior
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    so based on you taking accurate guesses. You're assuming i have a 450 watt power supply?
    If you follow those links I posted above, that is why I am assuming you have a 450w supply. Those links are talking about a Dell studio xps 7100.
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    And how can i check my power supply again?
    If you open the box and look on it, it should tell you somewhere how many watts it is.
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    if i get the radeon 7750 does that have the pci 2 slot just like mine does?
    From what I can tell, you have a PCIe 2.0 slot in your system. I think the Radeon 7750 will fit that. It is technically a PCIe 3.0 card, but from what I understand, that only affects your maximum resolution. But I have never tried to use a PCIe 3.0 card in a 2.0 slot.

    According to this link - http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1855903/graphic-card-pci-version-slots.html - Version 3.0 cards are compatible with Version 2.0 slots though.
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    if i buy the radeon 7750 will i need to do anything different then the current card i have right now?
    Doubt it. If it works at all (according to the link above it should), your current drivers should still recognize it. Radeon cards use unified drivers now. One driver works for all cards in that class.

    If not, just update your drivers.
    glamorousskies wrote: »
    is it just a card and i will take the old one out and put the 7750 in
    Yes. You should not need any adapters (except maybe an adapter for the monitor cable, but those are cheap).

    The process is not entirely straight forward, and there is a risk you could fry your system if you do it wrong. Static electricity in particular is dangerous to your motherboard, even at levels you can't feel. I'd advise paying someone to install it or asking a friend who knows what they're doing to do it for you.
    My Vampire guide - http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/99101/my-vampire-experience
  • SadisticSavior
    SadisticSavior
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    glamorousskies wrote: »
    also the radeon 7750 isn't a pci 2 slot is it?
    It is a 3.0 card. But as I said in the last post, it appears they are compatible with version 2.0 slots.

    I personally have never tried to do that before though.
    My Vampire guide - http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/99101/my-vampire-experience
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