Needing to get a GFX card

[Jinnai]

Mostly i'm restricted cuz of what an *** the company was who built my computer and took out my AGP slot so I only have PCI slots.

 

I want to get a GFX card that can run BG2 as well as some newer stuff since my onboard one won't run BG2, one of my few pc games i really liked, this is something important.

 

Since i have only PCI slots, i'm limited as far as what i can see to for the newest models of ati's Raiden 9250 and Nvidia's GeForce FX 5500. So what should i get?

 

And no getting a new MB is out of the question.

[Cybersquirt]

Since i have only PCI slots, i'm limited as far as what i can see to for the newest models of ati's Raiden 9250 and Nvidia's GeForce FX 5500. So what should i get?

 

And no getting a new MB is out of the question.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Too bad. Getting a Mobo would be a good idea.

 

I'll say, up front, that I have no tech data for either card - but I have an ATI and have had problems. I would, therefore, go with the Nvidia.

 

Check these for the cards in question: www.sysopt.com OR www.anandtech.com

[Jinnai]

My other question then...since they are based on the same components, would it be better to go with a 9200 Pro or 5200 Ultra? I'd be dropping my memory down from 256 to 128, but my clock speeds would be substantially improved, especially for the 9200.

 

Either case they aren't going to be even mainstream cards unfortunatly, but since if i got a new mb, i'd still haveto get a new cpu, soundcard and gfx card, i just don't have that much money right now.

[NiGHTMARE]

Couldn't you get a new motherboard that's compatible with your existing hardware, plus has an AGP slot?

 

BTW I strongly recommend ATI over Nvidea .

[neriana]

I have an ATI and have had zero problems. I know the ATI Radeon 9200 PCI is a good card.

[Cybersquirt]

BTW I strongly recommend ATI over Nvidea

you would. But Nvidia doesn't seem to have the compatability issues that ATI's cards (drivers) have.

 

My other question then...since they are based on the same components, would it be better to go with a 9200 Pro or 5200 Ultra? I'd be dropping my memory down from 256 to 128, but my clock speeds would be substantially improved, especially for the 9200.

 

It's generally a good idea to go with more memory, especially when paired with an older CPU - which I assume is the case with you computer.

 

I don't know what else to suggest, other than those sites. I only know what they tell me.

 

but since if i got a new mb, i'd still haveto get a new cpu, soundcard and gfx card, i just don't have that much money right now.

Don't forget memory. But bear in mind that you don't have to get the latest mobo; there are plenty of computer stores (online and otherwise) that sell older ones. Unless you're getting your new PCI graphics card for $25, I'd do a little more shopping (or searching). There are several solid AGP cards for less than $100.

 

Your call though.

[Jinnai]

My CPU is 2.6 ghz...not the top of the line, but descent. That's why i asked and i do have 512k base memory.

 

As i said the mb *should* have came with the agp slot so its not that old. Just the company was crap to take it out.

 

Since it was a prebuilt one (i got it for free so i can't complain about the price atleast), the CPU and other stiff are saudered on so i can't just go get another mb. My system isn't so outdated that it'd be better to get a new computer...except the agp port problem, which again should never according to the mb manu should be there, but isn't.

[CaenJade]

Look here - http://www2.newegg.com/index.asp - it's the most trustable place to buy computer parts on the internet, has great shipping, a VERY good return policy, and the prices are middle of the pack

 

Video Cards -

 

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/ProductList...Submit=Property

 

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/ProductList...Submit=Property

 

All but one is a Geforce FX (mostly because ATI stopped making PCI cards a long long time ago)

 

 

And since you only have 512mb of ram you need this too (anything newer than Win ME needs at least 1gig). Depending on your computer hardware and software setup in can improve performance by 43% or more (going from 512mb to 1gig)

 

Memory -

 

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/ProductList...Submit=Property

 

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/ProductList...870&PageSize=50

 

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/ProductList...70&PageSize=100

 

the first one is 266mhz, the second is 333mhz, and the third is 400mhz, all three being DDRram (since you didn't name your motherboard, and I find it hard to believe you have RDram). Oh and avoid anything that is not Crucial, Kingston, or Corsair like the plague.

 

 

If you ever decide to get a new computer go here - http://www.pricewatch.com/ - and build it yourself, it's cheaper and you can get better tech support from friends/the internet then anywhere else including places like Dell and Alienware. The only thing to watch out for is some of the sites that advertize there suck badly and will do things like remove you AGP slot (you'd be supprised how often that happens).

[Cybersquirt]

Since it was a prebuilt one (i got it for free so i can't complain about the price atleast), the CPU and other stiff are saudered on so i can't just go get another mb. My system isn't so outdated that it'd be better to get a new computer...except the agp port problem, which again should never according to the mb manu should be there, but isn't.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's ... an interesting way to build a machine.

 

But thanks for the exposition. Now I understand why you're only getting a video card.

[CaenJade]

Since it was a prebuilt one (i got it for free so i can't complain about the price atleast), the CPU and other stiff are saudered on so i can't just go get another mb. My system isn't so outdated that it'd be better to get a new computer...except the agp port problem, which again should never according to the mb manu should be there, but isn't.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's ... an interesting way to build a machine.

 

But thanks for the exposition. Now I understand why you're only getting a video card.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This happens ALOT, and I mean ALOT. AGP, PCI, Ram, IDE, SATA, PS/2, USB ports (among others) can all be removed "legally" without notification to the consumer. Basically manufacturers deny all knowledge that it happens and that they give permission to do it, and I have never heard of or met a person who was happy when they found out.

 

Of course it happens illegally as well and I have heard reliable stories of people who, when they turned on their computer and nothing happened, looked inside the case and found not only did they not have a CPU inside they did not have a CPU socket to put one in.

 

Saving money sometimes costs you alot of money. "Buyer beware" and all that jazz

 

Oh and who did you buy the computer from?

[Jinnai]

I bought mine from Best Buy. Its an emachine.

 

And yes the memory is DDR.

 

I wouldn't have minded if they had removed one of my PCI slots so much.

[CaenJade]

If you aren't going to build your own computer you should try to avoid buying a computer from general electronics stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, Tweeter, etc) unless you have no other choice, as they are the biggest perpetrator of removing/using computers parts that have been "trimmed" (manufacturers sell them for less but the store can still say it is the normal piece of hardware, which saves the store money), except of course if you buy one from a place like Walmart/K-Mart, in which case you will get a computer that will (quite literally) blow up in 3 weeks.

 

Always buy a computer from a store that only deals with computer hardware or at least a VERY minimal amount of software (stores that sell software as well have a lower profit margin, so they cut corners, usually in the shiiping, tech support, and return policy areas) unless you have no other choice , but you still have to be careful, there is a very large and abundant "balck market" for computer parts.

 

 

Oh and emachines =

[Jinnai]

As i said, i didn't buy this one. It was bought as a present and aside from the missing agp port, which still pisses me off, its much better than my previous one which was a sorely outdated 333Mhz Celeron.

 

Had i been able to do it the way i wanted, i'd have built it by buying the components seperatly.

[neriana]

CaenJade, you forgot Dell on that list. I've lost count of how many people I've had to explain "it's a new computer" does not mean "it's got high-quality parts" to who have bought brand new Dells. It's not a "bargain" when they charge you $900 for a computer that's worth $300, isn't upgradable, and has no AGP slot.

 

What do they do with the AGP slots they remove, anyway?

[CaenJade]

Sell them to the "black market" and computer "chop shops", but mostly the parts with "removed" slots and interfaces are made that way by the manufacturers and sold slightly cheaper, which wouldn't be a problem except that the retailers are not obligated to notify you that they are using stripped down parts unless you ask, and no one EVER does (and some seedier places will lie).

 

Dell, while being the "best" mainstream pure computer retailer, is not close to being adequate to some one who uses their computer for more then IM, email, and surfing (a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one).

 

The only thing the word new means when it comes to computers is that you just bought it.

 

@Jinnai - that is an extremely encouraging statement. To many people get an inferior, more expensive, and buggy computer because they think building a computer from scratch is hard/complicated and that they won't be able to figure it out or screw up. I can put together a computer from scratch and install Windows in 1 hour, some one who has never done it before can do it in 3 hours easily, and that is if they are taking there time.