I recently got a new PC, but its not really a gaming PC. I've just gotten into the gaming computer scene and need advice on my PC and what I'll need, as in Video Cards, Sound Cards, etc., in order to run games like Darksiders 2, Portal 2, or Dmc.

My PC Specs:

-AMD Quad-Core A8-5500 Accelerated processor 3.20GHz 4MB L2 Cache

-6B DDR3 SDRAM system memory (expandable to 32GB)

-1TB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive

-IntegratedAMD Radeon HD 7560D Graphics

-Windows 8 OS

Additional Information:

• Total Memory Slots: 4 DIMM (DDR3) (one available)
• 1x PCIe (x16)
• 3x PCIe (x1)
• 1x MiniCard (occupied)
• Power Supply: 300W

Also thinking of spending between $200-400 tops

Do you have steam?

Also avoid Origin like the plague. And integrated graphics are not really ideal for many games, though it should run Portal 2 just fine. And you can not replace integrated GPU's because they are hardwired on the mother board. You can get an external GPU but they are expensive and ultimately not worth it. As far as sound cards go they are not really important (not to me at least) I would also say get a windows 7 disk, just because as far as gaming goes it is far superior.

As it stands your already set to run those games at least at medium settings. The AMD A8 APU handles both cpu and gpu loads, so the integrated GPU will go alot farther than it would with a standard cpu.

If you want to run them all on high settings 1080p, just drop 300 bucks on a GTX 660ti and your good to go.

Hmmm....I believe you main issue is going to the power supply. I imagine that PSU might not be able to handle the GPU as well, but you didn't state what kind of Power Supply Unit you have. Still 300 watts is well under power to support any current graphics card.

You do have at least one PCI x16 slot. There is hope. Just curious if it is a 2.0 or 3.0 slot. After doing some research it is most likely a 2.0 slot. Doesn't matter for current graphic cards.

Edited: Found it. I was assuming that this wasn't a home built PC and I was correct. I am guessing you have a HP Pavilion P7-1235 Oh boy, I really do not like these desktops because they severely limit what you can do.

Get a Graphics Card, something around $250-$300 should be fine to start out with, also may want to get a larger Power Supply to help that new Graphics card.

@RawknRo11a said:

Get a Graphics Card, something around $250-$300 should be fine to start out with, also may want to get a larger Power Supply to help that new Graphics card.

1) Can you replace the power supply? - as 300W probably won't cut it for any $200 card

2) What resolution and/or screen size will you be using?

3) Is there a PCI-Express slot on your motherboard?

Definitely get a better power supply when you get a higher end graphics card. I chose to ignore the warnings and ended up having my old psu shoot sparks out of my case scaring the hell out of me.

@WasabiCurry: That's the one.

@tvekrules: The good news is that the power supply can be replaced. The bad news, you need to replace the power supply. Depending on what kind on gaming experience you want. I would recommend a 500 watt PSU and if you are looking for a graphics card, perhaps a Nvidia 560 ti?

If you call up HP, they will likely tell you that you cannot upgrade due to being a proprietary power supplies. They simply want you to spend more money on their products so do not fall for that! Here is a link where someone was asking for a PSU upgrade on their Pavilion. As well as a 560 ti card. Just do some research on what kind of PSU you need, get the card, and read up on what you need to do in order for proper air flow, replacement for the parts, and keeping it clean!

@tvekrules: I'm having a stroke. I could have sworn I replied to this topic this morning...

Anyways, You need a new 500 watt power supply. So drop 60ish bucks on something like This and then spend the remaining 300 on a Radeon HD7950 3Gb as recommended by Tom's Hardware . This version of the card only requires a 500W Power Supply Unit (PUS).

Now, you have no idea how to hook up a power PSU. Good news! Tested.com did this great video on How to build an Awesome $1500 PC . The Will Smith goes into detail about the power supply right in the middle of the video. Just mimic what he does, but I recommend you watch the entire video because it's just that helpful in understanding how to build a PC.

Pat yourself on the back because your beast will probably be better than the new hardware Microsoft and Sony will put out this year.

Edited: I changed the recommended PSU to a modular version of that same brand of PSU. Looking at the thread @WasabiCurry posted, it looked like you would have a bad time with all the extra cables a non-modular PSU would have.

The guy above me, combined OP's specs, is my PC exactly. And I can't wait to go home and play some silky smooth Sleeping Dogs. Played through Far Cry 3 maxed out. Only game that gives me trouble maxed out is The Witcher 2, honestly I think that is just bad drivers/ AMD optimization.