My HP Pavilion Media Center A1640n (Core 2 Duo 1.86 GHz, 2 GB RAM, with 8500 series video card isn't able to handle SWTOR. Operating system is Windows XP.

Video card expansion slot is a PCI Express x16.

My friend has a geforce-8800 GTS 320MB he will give me for free. I will have to replace the stock power supply that came with this tower, the stock power supply is 300W.

I researched the video card, its minimum is 400W.

I'm looking at a OCZ power supply rated at 550W on newegg for 60 bucks. The computer is otherwise stock aside from the video card.

My question is what video card will help my older spec'd computer. Will the 8800 GTS 320MB video card enable my computer to play?

My tower is slow and sluggish in general I'm hoping I can get by with only replacing the video card instead of the entire tower.

Check out the benchmarks for the game at tomshardware.com on the main page.

8800gts 312mb will definately run the game.

You want more than 2gb of ram, 4+ is ideal.

Unsure on processor.

Edit: Try to get a quality power supply. Look for 80+bronze rating, higher amps on fewer 12v rails is better, single rail best. Get modular if you can afford it or don't have room for cables.

I have a 8800 gts 320mb and an intel core 2 duo e6750 @ 2,66Ghz. and 4gb ram @ 800Mhz.

Windows XP.

I barely run this game on low settings on the imperial fleet my fps is like 5-13.

Abilities feels stiff in this game with this fps even more. Very hard to do operations with.

Flashpoints and questing are ok.

I am waiting for ivy bridge with AMD/ATI 7000 series or Nvidia Kepler series.

Would be a major change <3.

My HP Pavilion Media Center A1640n (Core 2 Duo 1.86 GHz, 2 GB RAM, with 8500 series video card isn't able to handle SWTOR. Operating system is Windows XP.

Video card expansion slot is a PCI Express x16.

 

My friend has a geforce-8800 GTS 320MB he will give me for free. I will have to replace the stock power supply that came with this tower, the stock power supply is 300W.

 

I researched the video card, its minimum is 400W.

 

I'm looking at a OCZ power supply rated at 550W on newegg for 60 bucks. The computer is otherwise stock aside from the video card.

 

My question is what video card will help my older spec'd computer. Will the 8800 GTS 320MB video card enable my computer to play?

 

My tower is slow and sluggish in general I'm hoping I can get by with only replacing the video card instead of the entire tower.

It's not just your GPU that's the issue, your CPU isn't great either. They recommend a minimum of 2.0ghz core 2 duo, yours is under that. As others have said your RAM could use an upgrade too, but you can only in fact put in one more GB otherwise without a 64 bit version of windows, your PC will not register it.

Personally I think you will waste your money if you just buy the GPU you are talking about. You'll see little or no improvement at all. You need a new PC if you want to see any significant improvement.

The 8800 might be a bit under what's needed for the game. If it's free, go ahead and try it with the new upgraded power supply and see how it functions.

Since this is an older machine, make sure you check the CPU core and reapply thermal paste and reseat it with the fan assembly. The thermal paste they ship with those cores is crap after a few years and will basically just be powder. Strip it off (according to the instructions!) and apply some fresh thermal paste. Obviously vacuum it all out and make sure the fans are unobstructed, as you're probably going to be taxing the machine.

I'd also suggest upping your RAM to 4GB if your OS will let you. You are slightly below spec on the CPU but they set those specs up for safety so you ought to be okay.

You might need to get a better video card to compensate for the processor, however. But give the 8800 a try first and see where you're at.

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I've got a HP Pavilion Media Center m8430f:

Core 2 Quad-core Q6600 2.4 GHz

4GB RAM

I added a Corsair 550W power supply and bought the Asus ATI Radeon HD 6670 with the 1GB GDDR5 RAM. I can be running SWTOR and Media Center at the same time (with Media center in a little window) and get 30+ fps.

The HD 6670 card cost me about $115 at a local shop. I get 35-45 fps with all settings to high and Media Center running on top of the game.

Probably not enough to thrill the extreme gearheads but it's fine for my purposes. Runs the Hero Engine and CryEngine2 and others quite well, great for my 3D modeling using Maya and Adobe video apps.

I've got a HP Pavilion Media Center m8430f:

Core 2 Quad-core Q6600 2.4 GHz

4GB RAM

 

I added a Corsair 550W power supply and bought the Asus ATI Radeon HD 6670 with the 1GB GDDR5 RAM. I can be running SWTOR and Media Center at the same time (with Media center in a little window) and get 30+ fps.

 

The HD 6670 card cost me about $115 at a local shop. I get 35-45 fps with all settings to high and Media Center running on top of the game.

 

Probably not enough to thrill the extreme gearheads but it's fine for my purposes. Runs the Hero Engine and CryEngine2 and others quite well, great for my 3D modeling using Maya and Adobe video apps.

This is of little use to the OP as your CPU is far far better than his. He is on an older dual core which doesn't even meet minimum requirements.

This is of little use to the OP as your CPU is far far better than his. He is on an older dual core which doesn't even meet minimum requirements.

Not really. They're on the Core 2 architecture but just has the dual 1.86 GHz instead of the quad 2.4 GHz. My system was shipped with the same 8500 GT video card as theirs and same 300W stock power supply.

I fried that 8500 card trying to run CryEngine2 with it, lol.

Granted, they are not going to get the same performance, but it might be fine for what they want and they are obviously trying not to spend a huge amount on the rig.

Since I've got the Quad I might be able to do more than they can, like have Media Center running/recording while playing along with having all of my apps open down there and being able to switch back and forth, but I'd wager they can load up the game as the only app running and play it with suitable performance with that system.

Biggest thing is to check that processor. As I've just run through the same issue, my computer was almost completely unresponsive and sluggish, and opening up the proc and reapplying thermal paste (as the old stuff shipped with the Pavilion was dried up and useless) refreshed the performance.

Not really. They're on the Core 2 architecture but just has the dual 1.86 GHz instead of the quad 2.4 GHz. My system was shipped with the same 8500 GT video card as theirs and same 300W stock power supply.

 

I fried that 8500 card trying to run CryEngine2 with it, lol.

 

Granted, they are not going to get the same performance, but it might be fine for what they want and they are obviously trying not to spend a huge amount on the rig.

 

Since I've got the Quad I might be able to do more than they can, like have Media Center running/recording while playing along with having all of my apps open down there and being able to switch back and forth, but I'd wager they can load up the game as the only app running and play it with suitable performance with that system.

 

Biggest thing is to check that processor. As I've just run through the same issue, my computer was almost completely unresponsive and sluggish, and opening up the proc and reapplying thermal paste (as the old stuff shipped with the Pavilion was dried up and useless) refreshed the performance.

That might be the case, but you are underestimating how much of an impact your CPU has on gaming.

That might be the case, but you are underestimating how much of an impact your CPU has on gaming.

This is quite possible. But they're only talking about spending $60 to start to see if the old system can be revived, and in this particular instance, I can almost assure you that the processor's thermal paste has broken down, and part of the sluggish response is going to be that the proc is overheating.

As I said, if I hadn't had the same HP Pavilion brand and the Core 2 chip with the same crappy factory thermal compound job, I wouldn't be as sure. With a free 8800 and a $60 power supply and $10 for new thermal paste, I'd say that's a pretty good bet to see if the system can handle the game.

If not, check out what motherboards you MIGHT upgrade to, and see if there's a PCI x16 compatible mobo. If so, get the new video card, see if that offloads enough of the stress to play the game.

If not, take the card back for a refund, or continue the upgrade process and use the new power supply and new graphics card in the new system. Seems like a good process to me.

Good luck, OP!

The 8800gts that you're friend have for you should be fine. Though I hate to say it but your bottleneck is probably you're CPU (processor). My graphics card is a 8600gt 512mb, and it runs the game on high settings, i have shadows turned off. the only real lag i get is when i go to the imperial fleet. there are usually around 200 people there though. also have 4 gigs of ram but only 3.5 is registered due to windows 32 bit. Running windows 7.

Like others have said when it comes to power supplies get one with a trusted brandname company, like Corsair, antec,silvertone they usually make some very solid power supplies

I have a 8800 gts 320mb and an intel core 2 duo e6750 @ 2,66Ghz. and 4gb ram @ 800Mhz. Windows XP 32bit. All settings on lowest possible.

I forgot to say pvp is also impossible for me

You need more ram....at 2GB your FPS is going to be constantly brutal due to hard drive loading lag.

My GF had similar specs to yours, and with a GeForce 220 she can typically nail 30FPS now that she's at 4GB with smooth flow in cities. She was routinely 5-10FPS in cities with a lot of freezing.

The memory is going to mean a lot more than the video card for you right now.