Member Avatar for jjk2003

I need to know some information about what I can possibly upgrade my video card to as I obviously dont want to waste money on a card that will not be compatible.

I am currently using a Gateway model GT5694 desktop, I am not 100% if this is the correct motherboard or not but I googled the stock mother board and it shows as Gateway GT5694 GM5688e MOTHERBOARD 4006272R Bengal. The unit came with a very low quality radeon graphics card, and if possible I would like to upgrade to XFX Radeon HD 4890 Video Card.

one question is if a motherboard is compatible with a specific brand name like radeon, is it compatible with all radeon cards? or is it dependent on specs?

I have very little experience with hardware and I could really use some help! thanks in advance!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by crunchie

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Practical checklist for — the three risk areas already flagged by , and are correct: interface, power delivery, and physical/BIOS limits. The following gives concrete, verifiable checks and what to look for before buying a faster card.

Confirm the interface and any BIOS limits. Modern graphics cards use the PCI Express standard, and PCIe generations are designed to be backward/forward compatible (bandwidth will scale to the slower device when needed). OEM systems can still impose firmware or TDP limits, so verify the board/BIOS upgrade notes for that Gateway/Foxconn Bengal family before changing core components. (pcisig.com)

Assess the power path (not just total wattage). Open the case and note the PSU model/label, then check the +12V rail amperage and which native PCIe power cables the unit provides. Prefer a reputable, correctly rated PSU (80+ certified) that supplies dedicated PCIe leads — do not rely on peripheral-to‑PCIe adapters or single-cable splitters for high‑draw cards. Those adapters and daisy-chains are common failure/fire sources; replacing the PSU with a proper unit is the safe choice. (howtogeek.com)

Check physical fit, cooling, and real-world limits. Measure case clearance (card length and dual‑slot width), ensure good airflow, and confirm the exact card specs (length, TDP, exact power plugs) from the vendor/spec database before purchase. The XFX Radeon HD 4890 is a relatively high‑power, dual‑slot design — confirm its dimensions and connectors against the case and PSU. Finally, use monitoring tools (MSI Afterburner / HWiNFO) to see whether the existing CPU will bottleneck a faster GPU: high CPU utilization with lower GPU use indicates the processor is the limiting factor. (techpowerup.com)

Summary (ordered): verify the slot is PCIe-compatible, read the PSU sticker for +12V/connector info and replace the PSU if needed, measure card clearance and cooling, and confirm OEM BIOS/CPU upgrade constraints before spending on a high‑power card.

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Member Avatar for The New Normal

There are 2 basic types of graphics card sockets. The old AGP socket and the new PCI-E socket. It looks like you have a PCI-E socket, so as far as physically plugging it in, you'll be fine.

However you also need to consider how much power a new graphics card will need. Have a look at the sticker on the side of your power supply and see how many watts it is (you'll need to take the side panel off your computer case to see it). From my quick google, it will probably be around 300w.

It looks like the minimum you'd want for that card is 500w http://www.overclock.net/ati/528844-hd-4890-power-requirement.html so that will be your main stumbling bock in getting the thing running. It's always best to get a good quality power supply, as if this fails it can damage other components apparently.

If you do get this all up and running you may want to look at a faster CPU, but I really don't know much about the recent AMD processors.

Member Avatar for thepastimer

It really depends on what you need the computer for with the CPU. It looks like the socket on your Motherboard is AM2+ so you might look into an Althlon 64 x2 CPU, but the one your computer has right now is probably good enough. If you do end up getting a new cpu though, make sure its at least a dual core and at least 2.0 ghz.

Member Avatar for crunchie

The New Normal is spot on. Check/upgrade your power supply first as you do not want to buy an expensive card just to find it will not run. It will need two connectors for the graphics card too.

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