Upgrade Video Card

[old_geekster]

A good video card can be a must when gaming.  It is an easy upgrade for someone without much technology background.  However, there are some things that you have to consider when choosing a card. 

The first thing to consider is the BIOS/UEFI in the motherboard.  Most newer video cards require UEFI in the motherboard instead of a standard/Legacy BIOS.  You can find this information in the "System Information" app, in the BIOS Mode section, on your computer.  The BIOS can't be upgraded to UEFI.  There are three other important things to consider: 1) the length of the card; 2) the wattage required to run the card properly and 3) does the power supply unit (PSU) have any necessary 1x6-pin, 1x8-pin or both supplementary power connectors.  If not, this will require a PSU upgrade.

You can determine if the card will fit by measuring the space where it will be installed from the Back I/O ports to the front of the case.  There should be enough space to allow for good airflow.  The airflow is extremely important because these newer high-power cards develop a lot of heat.  HEAT is your enemy in a computer.  The wattage required is very important, also.  It is normally recommended that the PSU has 100W to 150W more than the card requires.  This allows for extra power for peak needs and for other future upgrades.

Once these requirements are met you can choose the manufacturer that you like and find a card that will meet your needs.  A good resource for assuring that you choose the best card for your system is the manufacturer's Tech Support.  They are the experts on their products.  I have always found them to be very helpful.

There are numerous videos online to help you with the actual installation.

💡If you have any questions regarding this or any other topic, please click here to create a new post. 

[old_geekster]

A good video card can be a must when gaming.  It is an easy upgrade for someone without much technology background.  However, there are some things that you have to consider when choosing a card. 

The first thing to consider is the BIOS/UEFI in the motherboard.  Most newer video cards require UEFI in the motherboard instead of a standard/Legacy BIOS.  You can find this information in the "System Information" app, in the BIOS Mode section, on your computer.  The BIOS can't be upgraded to UEFI.  There are three other important things to consider: 1) the length of the card; 2) the wattage required to run the card properly and 3) does the power supply unit (PSU) have any necessary 1x6-pin, 1x8-pin or both supplementary power connectors.  If not, this will require a PSU upgrade.

You can determine if the card will fit by measuring the space where it will be installed from the Back I/O ports to the front of the case.  There should be enough space to allow for good airflow.  The airflow is extremely important because these newer high-power cards develop a lot of heat.  HEAT is your enemy in a computer.  The wattage required is very important, also.  It is normally recommended that the PSU has 100W to 150W more than the card requires.  This allows for extra power for peak needs and for other future upgrades.

Once these requirements are met you can choose the manufacturer that you like and find a card that will meet your needs.  A good resource for assuring that you choose the best card for your system is the manufacturer's Tech Support.  They are the experts on their products.  I have always found them to be very helpful.

There are numerous videos online to help you with the actual installation.

💡If you have any questions regarding this or any other topic, please click here to create a new post. 

[old_geekster]

@xyyzq , welcome to the Community.

The short answer is, yes!

The motherboard in your computer is HP proprietary. It has a 4-pin power connector instead of a standard 24-pin ATX power connector. You will have to buy any PSU upgrade from HP.  The PSU is only 180W.  You can check with HP Customer Support to see if they have a PSU that is compatible.  If so, you will have to buy a video card that will run properly with that amount of power.

[old_geekster]

@George_Mebz , welcome to the Community.

The best way to measure the space is open the case and use a ruler or measuring tape to measure from the back edge of the case to the first obstruction at the front of the case.

 Airflow is extremely important.  The newer cards can create a lot of heat.  There should be enough space around the card to allow the air to flow around the entire surface of the card.

[old_geekster]

@George_Mebz, glad to help!!

[Riteshh]

Hello can you please help me getting good gpu for hp pavilion 570 p046in will my a12 9800 bottlenack with gtx 1060 if i upgrade and please suggest good graphics card for my processor 

[old_geekster]

@Riteshh, , welcome to the Community.

Here is a HP Knowledge Base article that will explain what to consider when adding or upgrading a video card.  After you read the article you will know which cards should work.

You will most likely have to upgrade your power supply unit (PSU).  The current PSU is only 180W.  Most video cards will require at least 400W to operate properly.  As it states in the article, it is recommended to have a PSU with 100W to 150W more than required by the video card manufacturer.  This will give you reserve power for peak needs.  I like Corsair PSU's.

[Riteshh]

Amd a12 9800 will bottleneck  gtx1050 or 6400rx

[old_geekster]

I believe if the cards mentioned meet the requirements in the article that I provided, they should work fine with your processor.

[Amalia18]

Choosing the right video card for gaming can be crucial, especially for those with limited tech knowledge. Considerations such as BIOS/UEFI compatibility, card length, wattage requirements, and power supply connectors are vital. Adequate space for airflow is essential as high-power cards generate significant heat. Ensuring the PSU has ample wattage above the card's requirements allows for peak performance and future upgrades. Once these factors are met, selecting a preferred manufacturer and seeking guidance from their tech support can ensure the best card for your system. Online videos also provide valuable assistance during installation.

[BigDave9903]

Hello, I am currently using an Omen Desktop 870-224 with an I5 7400 processer and the graphics card, a GTX 1060 3 GB, is on it's way out. I am getting artifacting and graphical bottlenecking. I am thinking about upgrading to a newer graphics card, and most likely a new PSU and would welcome any suggestions that you may have that would be compatible. 

[old_geekster]

@BigDave9903 

I suggest reading my article at the top of the page.  This will give you a good idea of what to consider.  You can use any ATX power supply unit (PSU) that will fit into your computer.  I suggest at least 700W to assure there is plenty of power to run a newer video card.  The PSU should have at least a 6-pin and/or 8-pin ATX connector.  The motherboard has "One PCI Express x16 (Gen 3.0)".  It will support any of the newer mid-range cards.  I like MSI or Corsair.

[brianfromGA]

I just purchased the Victus by HP 15L Gaming Desktop TG02-0013w (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c08282869) and according to the spec sheet I linked it has aa 350w power supply.

I plan on adding some memory and more storage, but I'm having a hard time figuring out if I can change the PSU and add a new GPU.  

[old_geekster]

@brianfromGA 

The first thing that you will have to do is check to assure that your motherboard has a 24-pin ATX power connector.  If so, you should be able to use any ATX power supply unit (PSU) that will fit into the space provided.  The wattage can be whatever you choose.  I like Corsair PSU's.   If not, you will have to buy any PSU upgrade from HP for a 4-pin power connector.

The motherboard has "One PCI Express Gen 3.0 x16" for the video card.  Read my article at the top of the page to know what to consider when adding or upgrading a video card.

[old_geekster]

Thank you for your nice description of my article, @Idreeskhan!