integrated video card

[sirleche]

so I was thinking about this card http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1058672&CatId=318

it seems like a great deal. it has good ratings. any opinions?

but I have an integrated card with my Dell system. Is it even possible to remove the integrated card?

[pangea33]

Welcome to the PCGuide Forums!!

You're going to find that most people here aren't too crazy about Dell, or any other high volume computer manufacturers for that matter. Everyone stays friendly, so don't take it personally, just letting you know in advance. :D

Usually those retailers stay pretty proprietary, so upgrades are difficult. The first step should probably be to identify the exact model of Dell that you have. Also, if you don't have a user's manual detailing the expansion slots in your machine, see if you can download one from Dell's site. We'll try to offer suggestions from there.

[hockey man]

Yes, you won't find many Dell fans here. To make a recommendation for you, we need to know what model number Dell you have. From there we can point you in the right direction.

[neilt]

My kids Dell has integrated video. I opened it up the other day to clean it out (the first day off warranty), and noticed there wasn't even a slot for the video card !
Better check that first.....

[hockey man]

Is it a Dimension 2400 or 3000?

[sirleche]

Is it a Dimension 2400 or 3000?

its a 3000

[saphalline]

Oh bummer.

The Dell Dimension 3000 series lacks any expansion slot for vid cards, other than the ancient PCI slot. The best vid card you can do with that is a GeForce FX 5500/5700.

[sirleche]

Oh bummer.

The Dell Dimension 3000 series lacks any expansion slot for vid cards, other than the ancient PCI slot. The best vid card you can do with that is a GeForce FX 5500/5700.

I looked in my pc earlier, there was a part that had AGP above it.. it was right above the 3 PCI slots

[saphalline]

Oh. Well then, nevermind! :p

Consider this (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1476658&CatId=0) vid card, though. Just $11-12 more than the other one you posted, but much better performance. And it doesn't use a ton of power so it won't overtax your Dell's PSU. That would be my recommendation.

[hockey man]

I've seen inside of those. .. PCI only. I've tried a 5500 I believe in one of those and could never get it to work. Dell even came and replaced the MOBO and HD! But still no scucess.

[beerbelly]

Another thing to look out for is cooling. Installing a video card might give you heat issues.
Things must have changed, because mine doesn't have an AGP slot, and It's only 7 months old.

[sirleche]

update: my mobo doesn't have the typical brown bus for the agp slot.. but there is an area labeled AGP that is normally used for cards..

[saphalline]

Is the slot actually there or not? An AGP slot (usually brown but doesn't have to be) is most noticable because it is off-set from the PCI slots. Looking down at your mobo, it is not lined up with all the other slots. If you have a slot like this, it's AGP. If not, you only have PCI.

[sirleche]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/leche/agp.jpg

theres the area for a agp card but it doesnt have that brown bus to put the card into.

[saphalline]

but it doesnt have that brown bus to put the card into.That's an AGP slot. It's brown. What do you mean when you say there's no "brown bus"? Busses themselves don't have a color - they have the physical traces and protocol properties, but not a color.