I'm building a compact PC for a friend who currently uses a laptop with integrated graphics. Unfortunately, I've spent most of my budget on RAM, so I need a GPU that can draw power directly from the PCIe slot without requiring an additional power cable. I was considering a GTX 1650, but I'm unsure if that's still a decent option for games like War Thunder and World of Tanks. Is it outdated or still good enough? If you have better suggestions, I'm all ears! Just to note, the build has an Intel i7 9700 processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB SATA drive since the motherboard doesn't support NVMe. Thanks for the help!
3 Answers
If you're open to something a bit older, you could score a GTX 1060 6GB for around $50. Just ensure you get the 6GB version; it's much better than the 3GB variant. You could make it work with a dual SATA or molex to 6-pin adapter if needed.
You might want to check out the RTX 3050, as it also works without needing external power. It's a solid choice if you're looking for something modern and capable for gaming.
Thanks! I’ll definitely look into that. What kind of budget should I keep in mind for the 3050?
Just to clarify, without a PSU, the whole PC won't run at all. The motherboard and all components need power too, which comes from the PSU, not just the PCIe slot. Did you mean that the PSU you have is too weak?
I wasn’t aware of those adapters! But is there a risk of overheating with them?