Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

The HD3450 is a subpar GPU...

Kyle Sanchez4 said:The HD3450 is a total dud...

So what actually works then?????????????😕😕😕:conf used:

Look for a used NVIDIA GeForce if you actually want to play anything.

The best you'll likely find for an AGP slot is an HD3850..

It’s not worth sinking money into a high-end card right now. You really need to grab at least another 512mb of RAM first.. it'll make the whole system run better.

Kyle Sanchez4 said:look for a used NVIDIA GeForce if you actually want to play anything

I was literally just about to ask about that exact card (NVIDIA GeForce), I found a used one online $117 but will my power supply actually handle it???

We'll figure out the RAM later.

Kyle Sanchez4 said:it's just not worth dropping money on a GPU right now...

Trust me, it's totally worth it (at least for me)😉 because without a dedicated card, I'm stuck using 64 MB of integrated memory:

The EM makes my PC crawl
And the graphics look absolutely disgusting

I can barely run Need for Speed Underground on medium at 800x600😠, and man, you have no idea how much that sucks to me

Look, if you go out and grab a graphics card right now, you’re basically throwing money down the drain. In two or three years—maybe even sooner... you're gonna swap this whole rig out anyway. Plus, no modern motherboard is gonna support AGP anymore, so what's the point?

Honestly, you'd be way better off just grabbing a new motherboard and a card at the same time.
Your processor is a socket 775 and you've got DDR2 RAM, both of which actually work with newer boards!

Look... I’m not really the type of guy who goes out and swaps his rig every couple of years just because some new chip dropped. If I buy a computer, I plan on riding it for six or seven years until it's basically a paperweight and can't handle anything anymore. This whole upgrade is just so I can actually play decent games; honestly, playing through those crappy little browser games is driving me insane. When my buddy saw I couldn't even run Carbon, I felt like a total loser. It's embarrassing. My whole generation seems to have high-end setups, and yeah, I've got a good machine too, but without a proper graphics card, you're basically holding a brick.

Look, it's not like you're sitting there with a top-of-the-line gaming rig or anything—but hey, just follow what Kyle Sanchez4 suggested and toss in another 512MB of RAM. It really can't hurt!

Here’s my current setup.. CPU is an AMD Athlon 64 3500+ sck939 2.21ghz
1.50 GB RAM (400 MHz)
300GB Maxtor HDD
GPU is a Point of View GF 7600 GS 256 MB, PCI-E
400W power supply...

So, I just picked up Grand Theft Auto IV, but—of course—it’s stuttering like crazy even on LOW settings. It's driving me nuts. I'm thinking about grabbing a new GPU and maybe another gig of RAM to stop the lag. What kind of graphics card would you guys recommend for this build? I'm looking to drop about $233... and I was eyeing an EVGA Radeon HD4670 with 512MB. Let me know what you think. I need some help here. 🙂

Hey, just take whatever you want to believe

So, what do you think—will GTA 4 actually run on this setup? I'm talking medium settings on a 17-inch monitor at 1024x768, 60 Hz. And please, tell me it won't stutter or deal with any of that other crap xD

crimsonmarlin13 said:so what do you think, will GTA 4 actually run on that setup? thinking medium settings on a 17-inch monitor at 1024x768 60hz?? hoping for zero lag or any of that crap lol xD

Doubtful...

but honestly, don't go blaming your PC if it struggles. GTA 4 is notoriously unoptimized, so it could easily stutter even on rigs way beefier than yours

I don't think I'll have any issues with that graphics card... though my processor is just an E5200 @ 3GHz 😬

What’s the verdict on this GPU???

BFG BFGE96512GTOCBE Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650

Motherboard: MBO DFI, s.775 Lan PartyDK p45-t2rs, Intel P45, Bus 1600 MHz, Serial ATA II, RAID, 7.1 sound, DDR2, 1Gbps, ATX2
CPU: Intel Core Duo E 8200 2x2.66GHz, GMB LGA 775, bus 1333MHz
Memory: 2GB (1+1) DDR2 800MHz RAM
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 500GB, Serial ATA-II, 7,200 RPM
I’m guessing a 400W power supply won't be enough... maybe.??

Keith Hall43 said:What’s your take on this GPU?

BFG BFGE96512GTOCBE Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650

Motherboard: MBO DFI, s.775 Lan PartyDK p45-t2rs, Intel P45, Bus 1600 MHz, serial ATA II, RAID, 7.1 audio, DDR2, 1Gbps, ATX2
CPU: Intel Core Duo E 8200 2x2.66GHz, GMB LGA 775, bus 1333MHz
RAM: 2GB (1+1) DDR2 800MHz
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 500 GB, Serial ATA-II, 7,200 RPM
Power supply is probably 400W—I assume that won't be enough...

The card itself is decent enough, I suppose, though everything really depends on what you intend to do with the machine and the resolution of your monitor. As for the power supply, it should technically provide sufficient wattage—even if it is just some budget brand from a big-box retailer—but then again, you have to wonder about the reliability and safety of the components. Most of those cheap units lack any meaningful protection against voltage spikes or similar surges. If you plan on overclocking, then I would suggest replacing it immediately; otherwise, you are simply increasing the odds that a failing PSU might take another component down with it into an early grave...

Thomas Martin4 said:The graphics card itself is decent enough, I suppose, but really it all depends on what you actually plan to do with the PC and how big your monitor is. As for the power supply, it should technically be sufficient, but since it’s just some budget Codegen unit, my concern is really about reliability and safety. Those cheap units practically lack any meaningful protection against voltage surges or similar issues. If you're planning on overclocking, then yeah, definitely swap it out immediately. Otherwise, if you stick with it, you're just taking a massive gamble that the PSU might fry itself and take several other expensive components down to the grave with it..

Aha... well, I was looking at it pretty quickly and it seems perfectly fine for that price point to me. It feels like a step up from an HD3850 or an HD3870. Do you actually have a suggestion for something better within that same budget??

Keith Hall43 said:Aha... well, I checked it out quickly and it seems perfectly fine for that price point—certainly an upgrade over an HD3850 or HD3870. Unless you have some other recommendation for something better at that same cost?

And how much are you actually planning to spend? Prices vary wildly depending on which retailer you use—Best Buy, Micro Center, or whoever. Just give me a specific number and let me know what kind of monitor you're running—what's the screen size?

Thomas Martin4 said:So, how much cash are we actually talking about here? Prices vary wildly depending on which store you hit up. Just give me a specific number and let me know what kind of monitor you’re working with—what’s the screen size?

It's an LG 17" CRT monitor.🙄

Price, $267 TOP

Keith Hall43 said:Dell 17" LCD monitor🙄

Price, $267 TOP

I see you're based out of a smaller town—nothing much in the way of budget electronics there, I suppose. For a monitor like that, a 9600GT, an Nvidia GeForce GT 210, or maybe a 4730 would be plenty. Even in a major hub like Chicago, you might find them for $50–$233 depending on the retailer or if there's a bundle available... though for $267 you could look into an Nvidia GeForce 250 or an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX, which—if people are being honest—are probably overkill for that screen. If you're planning on upgrading the monitor itself soon, those two wouldn't be a bad investment, I guess. You should probably dig through some online reviews to see which card actually fits your needs. It really depends on what you're doing with the PC—gaming, or something else?

Thomas Martin4 said:I see you're based in a place where you don't exactly have cheap shops nearby. For that specific monitor, a 9600GT, an Nvidia GeForce GT 210, or a 4730 would be plenty. Even in a big city like Chicago, you'd be looking at maybe 500-$233 depending on the retailer or if there's a bundle... and for $267, you could grab an Nvidia GeForce 250 GTS or an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX, which I guess are what people call "overkill" for that monitor. If you think you might upgrade the screen soon, those last two wouldn't be a bad choice. Maybe do some digging through reviews online to see which card actually fits your needs. Also, what's the main use for this PC? Gaming, or something else?

Well, the PC is for music, video, and gaming (obviously🙂)... regarding the monitor, that's just what I have right now, but my first priority is going to be picking up an LCD once the prices finally drop👎... so I really need to look at this from a long-term perspective. Just imagine if I had an LCD 😉

What do you think about this card?
MSI Radeon HD3870 512MB GDDR3 $266