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  #1  
Old June 27th 03, 07:45 AM
S3Trio
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Default Video Card

Hi, I just purchased a PNY GeForce4 MX440-se video card from Tiger Direct.
No where on the specifications on Tiger Direct are their any mention of
minimum requirements. After I ordered the card I went to nVidia's site and
looked up the some of the features and warranty information. nVidia has a
minimum requirement of a 250 watt power supply. I have a Dell Dimension 4100
with a 200 Watt power supply. Any one know if this card will work? Will I
burn out my power supply? Any thing else I should know?

Thanks

S3.


  #2  
Old June 27th 03, 02:23 PM
S3Trio
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Default

Thanks Dave for the information. All I am running in the machine
is one hard drive, Sound Blaster Live PCI card, 10/100 nic card, one case
cooling fan along with the power supply fan and the AGP card when I get it.
Their is a Foxconn stamped on the power supply if this is any help. Like I
said in my post Tiger Direct had no mention of minimum requirements. If they
did I would not have purchased the card. Thanks again Dave the information
is appreciated.

S3Trio.


"kony" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 06:45:36 GMT, "S3Trio"
*spam wrote:

Hi, I just purchased a PNY GeForce4 MX440-se video card from Tiger

Direct.
No where on the specifications on Tiger Direct are their any mention of
minimum requirements. After I ordered the card I went to nVidia's site

and
looked up the some of the features and warranty information. nVidia has a
minimum requirement of a 250 watt power supply. I have a Dell Dimension

4100
with a 200 Watt power supply. Any one know if this card will work? Will I
burn out my power supply? Any thing else I should know?

Thanks

S3.


Dell usually uses pretty good power supplies, usually conservatively
rated. I'd speculate that their 200W model is comparible to the
average name-brand 250W model _IF_ it's a full sized power supply, not
a mATX or some other "downsized" form. Those smaller units almost
always do have up to 200W as the true upper limit.

Not knowing exactly what else is in that system, it's hard to say how
much capacity's remaining, though odds are it'll work fine. At least
it's only a GF4 440MX, not the higher-end, more power-hungry cards.

If you can identify the power supply's actual manufacturer, model
number, it could be more telling... but remember you may not be
looking for a PSU called a "200W". I don't remember what Dell uses
now but in the past they've used "PC Power & Cooling", "Lite On", and
something resembling "Hi Pro" but I'm not sure "Hi Pro" is the actual
manufacturer's name, and the "Hi Pro" line may only be a
budget/economy version of the beefier Dell counterpart built on the
same PCB (on those I've seen).

If all else fails monitor the voltage levels before and after
installing the new card.


Dave



  #3  
Old June 27th 03, 03:16 PM
Adrian
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Default

I'd play it safe and try to upgrade the power supply. It's simply not worth
it to gamble on it working. The last thing you want to do, is starve the
motherboard of power. I think the guiding factor would be if nVidia says it
wants a 250watt, and you have a 200watt - that would be enough reason to
upgrade it.

~ Adrian ~


  #4  
Old June 27th 03, 05:53 PM
Adrian
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Default

I hate to sound cynical, but is TigerDirect going to be there if anything
goes faulty on your computer? It's fine to give out assurances, but will
they back it up in the event something goes wrong? Their goal is sell
computer hardware. I hate for you to fry something (RAM, CPU, etc.) due to
a cheap video card upgrade.

If you're comfortable doing that, then that's OK. If it were me, I'd maybe
look on eBay for a PSU upgrade, similar size to what you have now, a Dell
branded one.

Good luck.

~ Adrian ~


  #5  
Old June 27th 03, 07:21 PM
S3Trio
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Default

Good point because I am not 100% comfortable doing this. My anolagy is the
computer has 6 months left on the warranty. If their is a hardware failure
and Dell contributed it to the video card that lists 250 watts as a minumunm
requirment. Tiger Direct assures me their is no problem putting a 250 watt
card with a 200 watt power supply my way of thinking is Tiger hasn't a leg
to stand on. On the other hand I will take your advise and poke around ebay
for a 250 watt power supply. I didn't consider your reply cynical by any
means. I thought you was right on the mark.

Thanks S3.


"Adrian" wrote in message
. ..
I hate to sound cynical, but is TigerDirect going to be there if anything
goes faulty on your computer? It's fine to give out assurances, but will
they back it up in the event something goes wrong? Their goal is sell
computer hardware. I hate for you to fry something (RAM, CPU, etc.) due

to
a cheap video card upgrade.

If you're comfortable doing that, then that's OK. If it were me, I'd

maybe
look on eBay for a PSU upgrade, similar size to what you have now, a Dell
branded one.

Good luck.

~ Adrian ~




  #6  
Old June 27th 03, 07:24 PM
S3Trio
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Posts: n/a
Default

strike minumunm--------add minimum


"S3Trio" *spam wrote in message
et...
Good point because I am not 100% comfortable doing this. My anolagy is the
computer has 6 months left on the warranty. If their is a hardware failure
and Dell contributed it to the video card that lists 250 watts as a

minumunm
requirment. Tiger Direct assures me their is no problem putting a 250 watt
card with a 200 watt power supply my way of thinking is Tiger hasn't a leg
to stand on. On the other hand I will take your advise and poke around

ebay
for a 250 watt power supply. I didn't consider your reply cynical by any
means. I thought you was right on the mark.

Thanks S3.


"Adrian" wrote in message
. ..
I hate to sound cynical, but is TigerDirect going to be there if

anything
goes faulty on your computer? It's fine to give out assurances, but

will
they back it up in the event something goes wrong? Their goal is sell
computer hardware. I hate for you to fry something (RAM, CPU, etc.) due

to
a cheap video card upgrade.

If you're comfortable doing that, then that's OK. If it were me, I'd

maybe
look on eBay for a PSU upgrade, similar size to what you have now, a

Dell
branded one.

Good luck.

~ Adrian ~






  #7  
Old June 27th 03, 11:09 PM
Adrian
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Posts: n/a
Default

If Tiger Direct is saying a video card that requires 250watt minimum, will
work on a system with a 200watt PSU, they are crazy. They are just trying
to sell you something, regardless of the situation. I mean who on earth
would give a recommendation like that?!

I'd play it safe. Have a look at this link, it has power supplies (in
Canada, I know) and specifically mentions something to do with Dell
proprietary units.


"S3Trio" *spam wrote in message
et...
Good point because I am not 100% comfortable doing this. My anolagy is the
computer has 6 months left on the warranty. If their is a hardware failure
and Dell contributed it to the video card that lists 250 watts as a

minumunm
requirment. Tiger Direct assures me their is no problem putting a 250 watt
card with a 200 watt power supply my way of thinking is Tiger hasn't a leg
to stand on. On the other hand I will take your advise and poke around

ebay
for a 250 watt power supply. I didn't consider your reply cynical by any
means. I thought you was right on the mark.

Thanks S3.



  #8  
Old June 27th 03, 11:13 PM
Adrian
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

If Tiger Direct is saying a video card that requires 250watt minimum, will
work on a system with a 200watt PSU, they are crazy. They are just trying
to sell you something, regardless of the situation. I mean who on earth
would give a recommendation like that?!

I'd play it safe. Have a look at this link, it has power supplies (in
Canada, I know) and specifically mentions something to do with Dell
proprietary units and an adapter they sell.

http://quietpc.ca/psu.html

~ Adrian ~


  #9  
Old June 28th 03, 12:58 AM
kony
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 22:09:42 GMT, "Adrian" wrote:

If Tiger Direct is saying a video card that requires 250watt minimum, will
work on a system with a 200watt PSU, they are crazy. They are just trying
to sell you something, regardless of the situation. I mean who on earth
would give a recommendation like that?!



The same company that sells a kit with a "GigPro" CPU
(actually a C3 650MHz), claiming that it's:

"(Comparable to Processing Power of 1GHz Intel)"

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...p?sku=k13-1000


TigerDirect should be avoided.


Dave



  #10  
Old June 28th 03, 04:16 AM
Adrian
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Posts: n/a
Default

Amazing, eh? A VIA C3 650MHz CPU is comparable to an Intel 1GHz?!

I just loved this item in their Return Policy:

"ALL NON-DEFECTIVE RETURNS ARE SUBJECT TO A 15% RE-STOCKING FEE and such
returns will be for store credit or refund at TigerDirect's sole discretion"

Meaning, if you buy something and find out you ordered the wrong item, or,
you just don't like the item you bought, you may end up getting a store
credit, and not a refund! Just great. The last thing you want is to be
forced to order from them again!!!

~ Adrian ~



 




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