Upgrading my graphic card.

Hey everyone. I've got a HP Pavilion Slimline s3713w Desktop PC, and I'm wanting to upgrade the graphic card. Since it's a slimline pc I'm a little confused on which card I need to get and how big I can go.

Here is the link for my product specifications. Any help would be great.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/prodinf…product=3870526

Thanks
Jeremy

IMPORTANT: Due to the small computer size, you can only install a small, low-profile
PCI-E card of the same approximate size of the graphics card. HP recommends that you
install a card with power consumption of 25 watts or less.
Not all low-profile cards will fit into the PCI-E slot. Some external connectors, especially
connectors located at the top of the card, may not fit properly into the back panel.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00877796.pdf

Low profile and also "half-bracket".

Also note your very limited PSU @ 160 Watts.

"PCI Express x16 One (One available)" No problem there. Do you know how big the space inside the case is around your PCIe x16? The 160W PSU will probably limit you a lot in what kind of card you can get, so make sure to try to find out the minimum watts required before you buy a card. EDIT: Well, looks like someone else posted before me. Hehe, this is basically useless now

So could you give me an example of a card that will work in my computer??

They are not very common. You need a "half height" bracket on a "low profile" card. Some cards come with both a standard and a half height bracket so you can interchange them.

You also need to watch the power requirement at 25 watts or less which is going to be perhaps the most difficult to find.

Here is a Google for "half height" PCI_E cards:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=h…amp;btnG=Search

If I find a specific card I will pass it on.

So would you say I need to upgrade the power supply too??

That would certainly offer you more options but the standard service manual does not cover the PSU. We would need to find more documentation as to whether or not this system will support a higher wattage PSU. If it will then again we will need to search for small form factor PSU. If I can find more documentation from HP I will pass it on.

I can find no info on that particular model regarding a PSU upgrade.

It would be a Micro ATX of some form. They are not all the same by any means. Dell models in particular come in very unusual shapes.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=HP+micro+atx+psu

Can you get the part number off of your current PSU? There should be a detailed label on the side of it.

That might help us match the fit.

Here is a refined Google search for a card:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=l…mp;aq=f&oq=

Again the difficulty is finding specs for a minimum wattage requirement.

Also what is your overall budget here?

Sorry about not replying I was at work. Anyways the part number for the power supply is 5188-7520. Don't really have a budget.

At first glance I only see upgrades to 200 watts.

Can you verify that this model looks like your current PSU?

http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/200-watt-H…0-50PLA2-SL.php

well it does kinda of look like mine but it mine is 3.25" Wide X 1 5/8" Tall X 9" Deep. The screw holes look like the might be different

Well I would suggest trying to find a card that will work with your current PSU. To do this we need to work through lists similar to my last Google. When we find a card of interest we then need to re-Google that card and try to get the manufacturers specs which should include a minimum wattage spec. The PSU demand will most likely be in conjunction with the amount of card RAM. I myself am about out of here for tonight but will continue my searching tomorrow.

hp is telling that i can go up 600w. they are looking for a part number for me.

hp is telling that i can go up 600w. they are looking for a part number for me.

wow.

cool.

Let us know what they find.