GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

It’s an ATI Radeon HD 3650, obviously—we're talking about a gap of several whole generations here—and while your CPU is definitely a bit too weak to keep up with it, at least you aren't stuck with that 6800 which is absolute garbage.

I was wondering if you might be able to point me toward a different AGP card—something specifically for an older rig—that would actually be capable of running the games I listed in my previous post?

The only ones that actually outclass yours are the 4650, 4670, and 3850.

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for some GPU advice (given which sub I'm posting in, it's pretty obvious...)
So, basically, I'm hunting for the cheapest AGP card out there that actually has an HDMI port and won't totally choke
when paired up with my Intel Celeron D 2.2 GHz—and hey, don't come for me if I've got the specs wrong, I'm not entirely sure if
that's even what this processor is called. Anyway, I just need it to handle 1080p video playback so I can hook it up to a Full HD TV.

Doesn't matter if it's brand new, used, or if you just want to drop a hint about a specific model so I can go hunt it down myself...

Thanks in advance!!

GeForce 8600 GT (or maybe a 4650, honestly just go see which one is cheaper right now—prices vary wildly depending on where you shop) http://www.nabava.net/graficke-kartice__150?&se=3970

The thing is, those cards have UVD, so the card handles pretty much all the heavy lifting—which means it won't matter at all if your CPU is absolute garbage.

Benjamin King2 said:Check out the GeForce 8600 GT (or maybe a 4650, honestly just go with whatever’s cheaper)—do a little digging on some retail sites because prices vary like crazy everywhere: http://www.nabava.net/graficke-kartice__150?&se=3970

Since those cards have UVD, they basically handle all the heavy lifting themselves—so it doesn't even matter if your CPU is total junk.

Thanks a ton!! I see the GeForce 8600 GT is going for about $100 on Craigslist, so I'll
probably just grab something like that...

shadowviper12 said:Thanks a lot!! I see there are plenty of GeForce 8600 GT cards on eBay for about $100 so I'll probably
just go that route....

For the GPU, this might be an option too—full UVD support plus a 2-year warranty:

http://www.newegg.com/products/detail...450512mb/35811

Paul Wright7 said:For an HD card, this could be a solid pick—you get full UVD support plus a 2-year warranty:

http://www.newegg.com/products/detail...450512mb/35811

Now this actually sounds pretty interesting... provided you're 100% certain it can handle 1080p
without any stuttering or anything weird happening?

shadowviper12 said:That sounds pretty interesting too... Provided you're certain it can handle 1080p
without any stuttering at all?

It handles 1080p just fine. Here is the official manufacturer's overview:

http://www.amd.com/us/products/deskt...-overview.aspx

I guess I'll just hunt down some used gear and give it a shot then—not really have any other choice at this point...

So, these DVI to HDMI cables... is there some kind of hidden catch with them, or do they actually just work like they're supposed to??
I just pulled the trigger on one of those "gold-plated" ones from eBay.... I can't exactly complain about paying $5.00 for it... or can I?

Using a DVI to HDMI adapter really only makes sense if your graphics card is capable of outputting audio through the DVI port. If it isn't—which is pretty common—you're essentially just going to get a video signal and nothing else...

Casey Long2 said:Using a DVI to HDMI adapter really only makes sense if your graphics card actually supports audio output through the DVI port. If it doesn't... well, you're just looking at a picture with zero sound.

Honestly, that’s not even my main concern here—I don't really care about getting audio through the TV anyway since I run everything through an external amp and speakers... 👍
I mean, I should be fine getting the sound from my sound card, right???

So, what's the deal with that? 😕

Benjamin King2 said:So what about it? 😕

UVD 2 - a cheaper option for my buddy andola

And what exactly am I supposed to shove into that AGP slot? 😁

Should I use an official ASUS hammer? 🤣

So, haven't they manufactured those AGP to PCIe adapters yet? 😵

Following Casey Long2's method, here are my warm recommendations 😂 just make sure to save me a front-row seat so I don't miss a thing (and grab some popcorn)

The point is, they're making all sorts of ridiculous DVI to HDMI cables that end up being used in clubs for people with hearing impairments.

I picked up this rig about a year ago, maybe a little longer, and honestly, I’ve been pretty happy with it. Sure, the absolute latest AAA titles are starting to struggle a bit, but it's fine. ^^ The real headache is that my graphics card just kicked the bucket, I think. I'm getting these weird blue and yellow lines streaking all over my screen. Time to go shopping for a replacement. Here’s what I’m running right now:

CPU: DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2900 MHz (14.5 x 200) 5600+
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-M720-US3 (4 PCI, 2 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce 9800 gt
Is this the RAM?: DIMM1: Kingmax KLDE88F-B8NU5 2 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-18 @ 400 MHz) (4-4-4-12 @ 266 MHz) (3-3-3-9 @ 200 MHz) though I have 4GB total
And I have zero clue how to check my power supply specs. ^^

Let me know if I missed anything important.

I want a card that can actually handle modern games—something that isn't going to be obsolete by next Tuesday. Price-wise, I don't know, depends on what's out there, but if I can find something for under $333, that would be great. I don't even remember what I paid for this one. :$ Since I live in a small town, my local shop options are basically non-existent. Ever since that local tech shop closed down, I haven't really kept up with the market. I'm totally lost when it comes to buying stuff. ^^ Might have to order something from a big retailer in Washington, D.C.

Paul Wright7 said:So, what's stopping them from making those AGP to PCIe adapters? 😵

That kind of "brilliant" logic is exactly what you'd expect from someone over at Assrokovac—honestly, I’m surprised they didn't come up with it first. 😂 Sure, Albatron once messed around with some bridge chip to try and shove AGP cards into PCIe slots, but we all know how spectacularly that disaster ended.