Want to Upgrade Video Card

[GregS_from_MI]

My grandson got a Pavilion TP01-1214 for Christmas and wants to upgrade the video card on the PC. According to the specifications it has an Intel UHD Graphics 630 video card. I'm not familiar with them so I'm not sure if that is card using a slot in the PC, e.g. PCI or not. 

If you are familiar with this machine, can I swap out the video card for a more robust card? Evidently, the game that he is playing needs a higher FPS rate than what he currently has, 

Part of my problem is I'm out of state and can't actually take the cover off to look at the machine so I'm hoping someone the community can help me with the question. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[itsmyname · Accepted solution]

@GregS_from_MI -- is this the computer: HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-1214 PC Product Specifications | HP® Customer Support

It does have "Expansion Slots: 2 M.2; 1 PCIe x16; 1 PCIe x1".

So, that "PCIe x16" slot is where a "better" videoo-card can be attached, to supersede the integrated video.

That web-page does not list the wattage of the computer's power-supply.

Most "high-end" video-cards require more wattage than what this computer can supply.

So, you may need to also upgrade the power-supply, or be limited in your choice of of video-cards.

Do you trust your grandson (under the supervision of a parent) to unplug the power from the computer, remove one side-panel, and use a smart-phone to take a few pictures, and then to send those images to you?  Or, even better, "FaceTime" with you, to get him to point the camera to where needed?

[GregS_from_MI]

So, I found that the PC only has a 180-watt power source. I highly doubt that will support a bigger video card. I'll talk to my son and suggest that he take it back to Best Buy to see if they have a recommendation. I think I mentioned previously that the PC that my son originally ordered for Christmas would have had more than enough horsepower to run his games. But the order got lost and he was forced to be something in a hurry. 

I'm afraid there is no solution other than getting something better. 

Thanks for your response. 

Greg

[Erdos777]

Your upgrade path is limited because of power supply limitations. This system has an integrated graphics card. Your best bet is transplant what you have into a barebones system if you really must upgrade. Salvage and move on.

[Erdos777]

Generally speaking HP does not offer power supply upgrades.

[itsmyname]

@Erdos77 / @GregS_from_MI -- Your best bet is transplant what you have into a bare-bones system if you really must upgrade. Salvage and move on.

Given that the computer was "purchased for Xmas", I agree with @GregS_from_MI that the best option is to return it, and exchange for a real "gaming" system.

However, there may be a "bottleneck" somewhere else in the computer, not the integrated video-adapter. If so, then adding a PCIe graphics adapter will not help.  Open the Windows "Task Manager", and switch to the "Performance" tab. Minimize the window, and launch the online game. Play for a minute or two, then "de-minimize" the window, to see what percentage of the CPU & RAM are being used, how heavily the disk-drive is doing input/output, and the real-time speed of the network traffic.  Does the grandson have Internet at 50 Mbps? 150 Mbps? 500 Mbps? 1000 Mbps? Faster is better, if the grandson can afford it.  🙂

Via: HP PartSurfer  (click this link!)

I see that the grandson's power-supply is used in over 200 HP products.

Via one of those 200 models, namely: https://partsurfer.hp.com/Search.aspx?type=PROD&SearchText=9ED82AA

I see: Power Supply -N/A- L10875-800 Power Supply - GNRC PSU 310W SFF Entl18 FR Gold

So, there is a "better" power-supply -- 310 Watts.

However, the "N/A" means that you cannot purchase it directly through HP.

You might search for that part-number on eBay or Amazon, to try to find a match.

[Erdos777]

Indeed the best option is to return  it.