Hardware I need a new graphics card...

[xJonny]

As a rule of thumb, you need 430W minimum for a graphics card. 300W will die even with a 6600GT. To be perfectly honest, you CAN'T upgarde.

Crap you don't need to read, Twiffles:

Spoiler

Not true at all, a review site showed that a Core 2 Extreme processor, 4GB RAM and 8800GTX with a few gigs in hard drives etc. only used about 330w. I'm running an ASUS 8600GTS TOP OC (which I won, don't flame me for not buying a 8800gt) on a 325w Dell PSU with no trouble (although I am on a Pentium 4 with 1GB RAM

)

Anyway, it is true that a new PSU is probably in order for a graphics card.

Antec Earthwatts EA430 430W - ATM, this is a great deal (good brand, high effeciency, powerful enough (30A 12v) runs cool and reliable. A steal if you can get it off newegg and use the rebate.
or SILVERSTONE SST-ST60F 600W - pretty awesome and modular meaning it's easier to install and neater and better airflow.

For a graphics card, this is very good: EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800 GT
and this is even better: ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850
or if you want to go moar extreme: PNY VCGGTX260XPB GeForce GTX 260 or DIAMOND 4870PE5512 Radeon HD 4870 512MB

Just to tell you the first graphics card (8800gt) will play Crysis very well. So that and the first PSU will be great for about $160 after rebates.

 

[Mangofett]

As a rule of thumb, you need 430W minimum for a graphics card. 300W will die even with a 6600GT. To be perfectly honest, you CAN'T upgarde. Even an 8600GT won't be compatible. Well it could possibly run at first, but you would get a lot of lag errors, BSODs, and damaged hardware over time. Especially when the computer's under load (e.g. during a game or HD movie), your graphics card will eat up a lot more power.

No.

My post was form first hand experience.

I am running:

q6600 2.4ghz
3GB RAM
two hard drives in RAID
DVD burner with lightscribe
8600GT
hauppage tv tuner

with a 350W (300W continuous rating) psu, and I have been for over a year now. And I play games, do video work, etc.

 

[xJonny]

As I said, it's been proven that often graphics card makers overestimate necesary PSU wattage.