What graphics card to choose?

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Processor: AMD X2 6000+
Motherboard: ASUS M2A-VM
OS: Vista x64
RAM: Currently 2GB PC5300, but I'm thinking of most likely upgrading to the 4GB PC6400 Geil memory posted in the current bargains board.
PSU: Winpower 450W (I'm hoping this is actually powerful enough)
Case: EYE-T Silver X-Blade Mid Tower Case - With 450W PSU (in case it matters, due to possible space limitations etc.)

My question is, what graphics card should I pick? I'm not the sort of person that would bother with Crysis, but I probably would go for CoD4, however since the integrated graphics of the M2A-VM is ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 1GB Hypercaching, would it mean that an ATI card would be the best one?

Also, I tend to use a resolution of 1024x768 for most things, so I'd assume that even in gaming, it'd probably only be 1280x1024 maximum (though I could be wrong I guess.....I have 2 monitors that I can use, a 14" and a 19", both LCD's, the 19" being a HD-Ready Acoustic Solutions ASTVD 3119WS).

Thanks

(Sorry about the editing, I kept remembering bits that I'd forgotten to include)

[staffsMike]

450w is enough for most new cards BUT, i'm not sure about the PSU in that case. I wouldn't want to push it very hard for fear of blowing it up.

So, I would replace the psu with something like this
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

COD4 doesn't actually require much grunt but what is the budget for this card?

You don't need to worry about ATi or Nvidia it makes no difference.

At around £70 there is the 8600GT which is ok for basic gaming at low resolutions such as yours

£95 gets you the cheap end of Ati HD3850pro 256mb range. A very good capable card.. certainly all you will need.

£120 can now get you an 8800GT 512mb from amazon (check the bargains section)

all will run on a 450w power supply quite nicely.

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I'd been thinking about £130 maximum, so the 8800GT sounds good - though I could've swore I read that the one from Amazon for about that price was a 256MB?

Thanks for the advice

[staffsMike]

Nope it's a 512mb Palit card

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Ah, I see - would I also need to buy anything else extra (for example cooling)?

[staffsMike]

Give it a go first you might be suprised.

There is another version "sonic" on there for an extra £10. Might be worth finding out if they have different coolers to the stock ones as palit usually do.

[Output]

Ah, fair enough.

Regarding the PSU - would you recommend the one you mentioned against Amazon.co.uk: Thermaltake W0093 PSU 500W TR2-500W: Electronics & Photo for about the same price (but apparently 50W more power)?

[staffsMike]

Looks alright yeah. I would use the corsair or if you want a modular PSU I would have the enermax liberty 400w for about £45

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Thanks for all the advice, it's very much appreciated

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Sorry, one last thing - I'm thinking of ordering the PSU and RAM at the beginning of January, and the graphics card at the end of January - is it likely that it would still be about the same price then though?

[staffsMike]

order them when you need them. RAM and PSU price's won't drop more than a pound or two so it will make little difference.

[Output]

Ok, thanks again for all the advice

[Pob255]

Thermaltake W0093 PSU 500W TR2-500W
Can I just say NO NO NO.

The TR2 are the budget range from thermaltake and are not that good or supply that stated power.

It would power your current system but I wouldn't trust it with a high end graphics card as well.
(I've recently replaced my TR2 470w because I didn't trust it, it was getting rather hot after long gameing sessions and makeing high piched humming sounds)

If you want a relatively cheap but good PSU then have a look at an Antec EarthWatts, although the Corasir VX is an exellent PSU for the price
From Ebuyer (free delivery if you add something to bring your order up to £50 )
antec earthwatts
Corsair VX
As a rough guide you should be looking to spend £40-50 on a PSU

[Output]

Sorry about bumping this back up again, but I'm wondering whether the PSU suggested would actually fit in the case in place of the current one (since the suggested one sounds bigger).

EDIT: Uploading a picture of the back of the case so it can be more obvious
EDIT2: Done, please see below.

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Just another bump, in the hope that someone knows the answer to the above (since obviously I'm hoping to order everything ASAP, and hopefully take advantage of Google Checkout offers etc.).

[Aez]

yes it will fit, psu's are all a standard size except the bigger ones (usually 1000+ watts) and then they require more depth not a larger mounting area.