Graphics Card Advice

Hi! I'm looking to put in a new graphics card on my XP computer. I thought I would get a few thoughts before I finally buy one.

My current one (Geforce 210 512mb) has a faulty fan, (Stopped spinning), but it does work. Sort of. If I tax it to much, it will blank out and I have restart my computer, which then loses any open text documents that may have notes on them. And as a writer, that sucks.

I was initially think of either another 210, or a Nvidia NVS 310 512MB, or most likely, unless you talk me out of it, an ATI Firepro v5700 512MB with duel DVI which is nice in case I need it. And I have been known to hook up a little second monitor now and then for different reasons. I should be able to get the FirePro for like no more then $25, which is about the most I think I want to go on a graphics card. The 210 and 310 are probably closer to $15 or less. I am flexible though. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.

Over on another forum, which sent me here for OS reasons of course, we almost decided that I could do a GeForce GT710 1GB, but then I decided that since it was built in like 2015, that maybe it would be more trouble then it is worth since that exceeds the April 8th 2014 support cut off date. I'm not sure I want to update the BIOS just to put a new card in, and on Amazon, some reviewers said it didn't work well on their XP at all.

I have a Compaq Presario Model:SR5410F (circa 2008). I upgraded the CPU to the dual core E7600 3.06GHz (Wolfdale) and put in 2x2GB of Ram, but it will only use 2.75GB on account of it being just plain ol hateful. The power supply is 250watts of cheap. Two internal HD's. No SSD. Yet. I'm running McAfee on it.

Motherboard: MSI MS-7525 VER:1.0 (Boston-GL6)
https://soggi.org/motherboards/msi-oem/MS-7525-VER-1.0-Boston-GL6.htm

PS. I do have a few modern systems, including a gaming laptop, but truthfully, I'm cool with just using this one all day to hit the web, play a casual game, ect. I clearly love my XP! But it doesn't need to be a beast. I have a system for that. Honestly, if nothing else, it's what I like to write on and could also just as easily use it for just that and nothing more. I just need it to be reliable. I'm not playing Red Dead 2 on it. Clearly.

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

Have you tried replacing the fan/redo thermal paste? That usually helps with overheating CPUs. Not sure about GPU but ideally the fan would be replaceable.

 

That's a really good idea, and I'm definitely not throwing it away. I have some older XP systems that probably could take this card if I was able to successfully overhaul it, but I'm 100% going to buy a new used card on Ebay for this system in question. It's just a matter of what card.

On a different forum, someone still thinks I should consider the GT 710 1gb, because there are in fact drivers for it. And he is not wrong. I find this post on this forum that links to the drivers

https://www.xpforums.com/threads/driver-for-nvidia-geforce-gt-710.934133/

What you you all do? The Firepro V5700 512 or the GT 710 1GB, or just go cheap with the 210 or 310? If it was YOU, what would you do and why?

Thanks.

 

I have both nVidia GT 710 GDDR5 and GT 730 GDDR5. Fine video cards.
If anything, be sure to grab GDDR5 versions. Vid mem bandwith is importand.
They pull all the games I play these days: DooM (OpenGL), Stalker (DX8 static R1), TRS2004. Drivers are stable, no issues at all, im using them on my Win2003 rig.
PAE enabled... 16GB RAM.

 

In a nutshell, what's the difference between DDR3 and GDDR3, and GDDR5l, as all of those are options for this card on Ebay.

Or better yet, can I even use GDDR5? I really don't even need to know what the difference is. I really just need to know if I can use it. That and how important is the difference.

My Motherboard
https://soggi.org/motherboards/msi-oem/MS-7525-VER-1.0-Boston-GL6.htm

 

It depends what you need your GFX Card for. Desktop apps only? Then sure, go ahead w/ cheaper option. You do a bit of gaming or some 3D modeling? I think
GDDR5 is better option. Memory on GFX card is not significant for drivers.
Both cards will work fine under WinXP.

 

What do y'all think of this listing? Does this look pretty good? If so, I guess I'll grab it. It seems to be about as low priced this exact card sells for. It's a 710 1GB GDDR5 Fan version.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275271687097?hash=item4017789bb9:g:uEwAAOSwxkxiWNRn

 

Personally, I'd go for something period correct and also nice and powerful like the evga 750ti sc:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/evga-gtx-750-ti-superclocked.b2784

As you can tell it stomps the gt 710/730 into oblivion:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gt-710.c2614
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gt-730.c1988
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/evga-gt-710-low-profile-1-gb.b3542

 

I have replaced the fan on a graphics card, once. I remover the fan from its bracket & (seriously) installed new fan with some of those "twist-ties"!
I bought 3 asus (model ?) Silent fans, I think 2 gigs ram. The heat sink would give me a blister it got so hot. The mobo slot below that card was empty so I mounted a 3" fan on brackets to the 'slot cover' [directly facing the heat sink] Made a huge difference coolness-wise. & even looks kewl man!

 

You make a good point too about fixing the original fan--it's actually not that hard since the fans were pretty generic during that era. And some just put screws and mounted the fan to a regular heatsink so those were super-easy to replace. Zip ties and a case fan work great too as many a person has taken that approach as well. You can also probably find some upgraded new old stock cooler on performance pcs web site as they always have stuff like this and it's cheap.