Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

Kyle Sanchez4 said:Just make sure you stick to the requirements listed above.

PCI-E
My current setup consists of a dual-core E8200 processor, an AMD Radeon HD 2600, a 250GB hard drive, 3GB of DDR2 RAM, an ASUS P5KPL motherboard, and I think my power supply is around 400W.
I'm running at a resolution of 1280x1024.
Honestly, what else should I know? $400.
My main goal is to actually play the new GTA 4 properly—you know, playing like a human being with everything set to high settings so I can just enjoy the game.

I already know that the AMD Radeon HD 2600 needs to go. What are your thoughts on this Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX, and what would that card cost me in US dollars right about now?

If that isn't the right move, please suggest something better.
Thanks!

Maybe an HD 4850 for about $367, or if you can swing the extra cash, just go for the HD 4870.

Radeon HD 4830 paired with a decent power supply

Kyle Sanchez4 said:An HD 4830 paired with a decent power supply

Well, thanks! What about an Nvidia Geforce card?

You won't have any headroom left for the power supply... if you're actually looking for a long-term solution, just grab a Corsair 400 CX

XFX Radeon HD 4850, 512MB DDR3

Gigabyte Radeon HD 4850 w/Zalman, 512MB DDR3

Or maybe there’s something even better sitting in this same price bracket... thanks a ton for any help! 🙂

dustytiger19 said:XFX Radeon HD 4850, 512MB DDR3

Gigabyte Radeon HD 4850 with Zalman cooling, 512MB DDR3

Or maybe there's something even better out there if I stay within this price range... anyway, thanks a million! 🙂

250GTS

Alright, I’ve got one more little dilemma spinning around in my head... should I go with the 512MB or the 1GB? To be honest, the price isn't even really a factor for me here. It's more about whether it actually makes sense to grab the 1GB version just because you get double the capacity—like, will there actually be scenarios where that extra headroom gets put to good use?

What resolution are you running at? I guess you'll notice a much bigger difference between 1 GB and 512 MB on higher resolutions. At lower settings, 512 MB shouldn't really be an issue.

I’ve been dreaming about running things at 1280x1024, but if I’m already stepping up to a 22" monitor, what would be my best bet for staying budget-friendly? Specifically, looking at the graphics card—what kind of VRAM should I be aiming for to keep things smooth?

Honestly, you might just want to grab a 250 GTS since it comes with a gig of RAM... though, if you're looking at a 22" monitor, the highest resolution you'll really be pushing in most games is 1920x1200

So, I'm looking to pick up a new 22" monitor.
My current card is a P117 with 64MB and a 350 RAMDAC, but for a 22" widescreen at 1680×1050, I need a 400 RAMDAC—so what's the move here?
Interface: AGP 8×
PSU: 400W Maxpower P4/K7
Motherboard: ASRock K7-upgrade-600
RAM: 256MB 333Mhz—planning to bump this to 1GB
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 1.47Ghz
GPU: P117—just threw it in so the thing actually boots
OS: Ubuntu

I'm not a gamer or anything, I don't play games; I just need the monitor for movies and daily stuff (MSN, Mozilla ...).

THANKS; hoping for a quick reply!!!

Ideally, I want a passive heatsink because the noise drives me crazy—right now the PSU is the loudest thing in my rig—the CPU fan is 17dB, and the two case fans are 15dB. Since they don't really make them with passive coolers, I just want whatever produces the least amount of noise possible. It would also be cool if the GPU was smaller since I have 7 LEDs in my case so it won't show through, but whatever...

Nvidia GeForce 6600 GT?
is the fan loud? does it have any jumpers on it... does the fan need extra power?

Used Nvidia GeForce FX 5200

I'm with you on this. It’s honestly a bit ridiculous to drop money on a brand-new card that completely overpowers a build like that. You're just wasting cash. Just grab something used and call it a day. Plus, since you're running Linux, you'd be much better off going with Nvidia. Getting the drivers to actually behave will save you a massive headache.

I just picked up this rig less than a month ago—brand new, at least to me.
So far I've got a 750MHz chip, 128MB of RAM, and a 32GB graphics card.

So the GeForce 6600 GT isn't any good? I hate buying used gear—it's always a gamble.

What about Nvidia?

Used or new

What am I even supposed to do with this piece of junk???

Should I just buy it and light it on fire???

1. No 400 MHz RAMDAC!!!
2. No DVI port!!!

I’ve got like 8 of these things lying around my house—just with less RAM. They're totally useless to me...

Haven't looked...
hmm.. maybe try hunting for one of these..
nvidia 7300, 7600

just don't expect to find any AGP cards sitting on a shelf brand new.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121315

this one?

just type "agp" into the search
you'll find plenty of cards for 200-$83 😉