Video Card for HP Compaq D530

my nephew wants a new video card for his HP Compaq D530 and all I'm getting is conflicting advice.Can anybody here help me?Thanks.Below is all you need to know abot his PC

Specifications

Operating Systems: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition


Platform: PC


Orientations Allowed: Vertical
Horizontal


Form Factor: Small Form Factor (SFF)


Bays: 1 - 5.25" Drive Bay
1 - 3.5" Drive Bays


Internal Bays: 1 - 3.5" Drive Bays


PCI Slots (Total): 2


PCI Slots (Available): 2


AGP Slots (Total): 1


AGP Slots (Available): 1
Low Profile


Expansion Slots: 3


PS/2 Keyboard Connectors: 1


PS/2 Mouse Connectors: 1


Serial Communication Ports: 1


Parallel Ports: 1


USB Ports: 6


LAN Ports: 1


Audio Out Jacks: 2


Line In Jacks: 1


Microphone Jacks: 2


VGA Ports: 1


Processor Brand: Intel®


Processor Class: Pentium® 4


Processor Speed: 2.60GHz


Processor Interface: Socket 478


Processors Supported: 1


Processors Onboard: 1


Memory Type: DDR


Memory Size: 256MB


Total Memory: 512MB


Memory Speed: DDR 266 (PC-2100)


Memory Slots (Total): 4


Memory Slots (Available): 2


Maximum Memory Supported: 4.0GB


Interface: EIDE


Capacity: 40GB


Optical Drive Type: CD-ROM


Interface: EIDE


Type: Floppy


Capacity: 1.44MB


Media Types: Floppy Disk


Audio Description: Integrated Audio


Audio Chipset: AC '97 Audio


Graphics Description: Integrated Graphics


GPU/VPU: Intel Extreme Graphics 2


Video Memory: up to 64MB Shared Memory


Video Interface: VGA (15-Pin D-Sub)


Maximum Resolution: 2048 x 1536


Communications Description: Integrated LAN Support


Interface Type: RJ-45 - Ethernet Connector


Data Transfer Rate: 10Mbps
100Mbps


Power: 185 Watt


Mouse Type: Standard


Buttons: 2


Connection Type: PS/2


Keyboard Type: Standard


Connection Type: PS/2


Height: 3.95"


Width: 13.3"


Depth: 15.1 "

 

Any modern graphics card will need a new PSU, of at least 300W. Anything above a midrange card will be limited by the CPU. I suggest, if you get a 300W PSU, to get a NVidia 8500 GT or an equivalent: anything above that will be CPU-limited, I believe.

 

From the information about the AGP slot, you need a low-profile AGP (not PCIx) graphics card.

Look at the System Requirements of the programs (games?) you want to run for the level of graphics. If you only get the minimum, the system will struggle to run it.

 

Due to the aging of AGP you have a very limited option of suitable cards.
Looking at the general configuration I would suggest it is AGP 8, meaning you will need a 1.5 V card.

 

1.5V cards are the newer ones anyway, aren't they? But I think you'd be better off upgrading the entire computer, assuming you have the funds. Certainly the PSU would be tight with any modern cards, as I stated.

 

According to HP it is AGP 8 1.5 V low profile. In regards to the PSU, like some other HP models not all can fit standard size PSU's with some you have to buy replacements from HP. But you would have to check that out and see like Lukeno1 stated costwise it might not be worth while. I certainly would not spend the money on a new graphics card with a 185 W PSU. But that is only my opinion, you might be able to get a cheap one on ebay just to try it out to satisfy your own curiosity.