So I've been wondering on whether or not I should upgrade my video card, and now I think its finally time I started searching for a one.
Currently, I use an NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE card that came integrated in my computer back when I first bought it.
Right now I"m looking at the e-GeForce 8500GT 256MB DDR2 Graphics Card, as it falls into the price category of <$100 that I'm trying to stay into.
So, does this one seem like a good choice? Are there any others that would possibly do the job better and still fall into my price category?
All answers are appreciated.
Opinions on a new graphics card?
Syco Masato
Brianna
Don't buy the 8500, the 8600 counterpart is much better; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130085
I saw it for like 89$ before, maybe you can find it for that cheap again, I got mine for 119$ Retail 4 months ago though.
It doesn't sound like it's much of a difference in performance between the two - but trust me, it is.
The 8600 has GDDR3 memory, faster core clock and memory clock, more stream processors, It's basically substantially faster and still in your price range.
Oh, I forgot to mention, make sure your BUS supports PCI-Express, or that you even have one since you mentioned integrated.
The BUS will be either AGP or PCI-Express, do you know what you have?
If you're not sure, go on over to http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php and download CPU-Z, then just hit the ''Mainboard'' tab and it will have the ''Graphics Interface'' listed, and what type you have.
I saw it for like 89$ before, maybe you can find it for that cheap again, I got mine for 119$ Retail 4 months ago though.
It doesn't sound like it's much of a difference in performance between the two - but trust me, it is.
The 8600 has GDDR3 memory, faster core clock and memory clock, more stream processors, It's basically substantially faster and still in your price range.
Oh, I forgot to mention, make sure your BUS supports PCI-Express, or that you even have one since you mentioned integrated.
The BUS will be either AGP or PCI-Express, do you know what you have?
If you're not sure, go on over to http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php and download CPU-Z, then just hit the ''Mainboard'' tab and it will have the ''Graphics Interface'' listed, and what type you have.
Syco Masato
Alright, thanks.
Syco Masato
:-S The "Graphics Interface" area is all greyed out.. I'm guessing this is a bad thing.
Brianna
Hmm yeah.. that is bad, that probably means that you don't have AGP or PCI-Express, and that you only have Integrated and PCI. I don't know if you can really ''Upgrade'' to a PCI graphics card, maybe - but It won't be a huge upgrade, PCI graphics cards are very old.
I don't really have any recommendations for this situation, except for a bigger upgrade (E.G a new PC) or someone else can possibly post some suitable graphics cards?
Sorry
wish I could do more.
I don't really have any recommendations for this situation, except for a bigger upgrade (E.G a new PC) or someone else can possibly post some suitable graphics cards?
Sorry
wish I could do more.
bbh4r4l
Check out newegg.com they have good card great price.
Syco Masato
Yeah.. I can't really find any PCI cards that would really be worth upgrading to. Ah well.. I guess I'll stick with the setup I have now til I get a new computer >_> Cept that won't be for a while. Thanks for all your help Brianna 
Brianna
Aye np, it's a shame you couldn't have upgraded yet.
But it's a good thing you didn't go spend all that money just to find out you'd have an inconvenience.
But it's a good thing you didn't go spend all that money just to find out you'd have an inconvenience.
Syco Masato
Yeah.. that'd.. be bad. T_T
Quaker
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Syco Masato
:-S The "Graphics Interface" area is all greyed out.. I'm guessing this is a bad thing.
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Or you can take the side off and have a look inside.
Syco Masato
Okay, just checked the specs online and it said this about the graphic slots-
"Expansion Slots PCI Express x1 x 1 • PCI x 3"
..So that means I DO have a PCI Express slot? So I can still upgrade the card?
"Expansion Slots PCI Express x1 x 1 • PCI x 3"
..So that means I DO have a PCI Express slot? So I can still upgrade the card?
Painbringer
How old is your machine? 5 years or older? PCI is an old style followed by AGP then came the PCI express x 16 (I think)
sounds like you have the old style really long slots on the mother board
sounds like you have the old style really long slots on the mother board
Admael
There are very little PCI-e x1 graphics cards. You'll need to buy a PCI card instead.
Conventional PCI-e cards won't fit in your 1x slot.
Conventional PCI-e cards won't fit in your 1x slot.
Syco Masato
My comp is about.. 2-3 years old. If that helps.
Its an HP Pavilion a1430n
Its an HP Pavilion a1430n
Admael
Yep. Looks like you'll have to go with a PCI card.
It's not worth it. I'd upgrade the mobo and get a PCI-e graphics card.
It's not worth it. I'd upgrade the mobo and get a PCI-e graphics card.
Syco Masato
..How much would it cost to upgrade it to use PCI-e cards then?
Brianna
Anywhere from 70-350$ or something, just depends on what type of motherboard you buy.
But a cheaper good one that is capable of all the newest features would be somewhere around 100$
But a cheaper good one that is capable of all the newest features would be somewhere around 100$
Syco Masato
Hrm, so the new motherboard+new graphics card would.. kinda push me over my spending limit T.T
Guess I'll just wait til I can buy them both. Or just buy a new computer. Whichever comes first.
Guess I'll just wait til I can buy them both. Or just buy a new computer. Whichever comes first.
Admael
Syco Masato
That one looks good. Though if I buy it I'd have to go around figuring out how to take the old one out and put the new one in >_> But I guess thats what the internet (and the manual >_>) is for.
rob0626
yeah, just remember that it is usually cheaper to build it yourself than buy a whole computer. make sure it's compatible tho (made that mistake), and if you don't know google it or ask someone.
jimmyboveto
I'm not trying to take over this thread or anything, but I have a question that is sort of related, and I didn't want to start my own thread.
So... I downloaded that program and it said I had an AGP slot. So... does anyone have some suggestions on a video card around 60$ that's AGP and could run Guild Wars, and some other games like TF 2 and CoD 4 smoothly? I don't care about great graphics, I just want some decent performance that won't hinder the games.
So... I downloaded that program and it said I had an AGP slot. So... does anyone have some suggestions on a video card around 60$ that's AGP and could run Guild Wars, and some other games like TF 2 and CoD 4 smoothly? I don't care about great graphics, I just want some decent performance that won't hinder the games.
rob0626
AGP is dying, so you might as well get the best AGP card out there. you can get these for less than $100 bucks at http://www.newegg.com. I went with an ASUS N7600GS, but im having some weird errors with guild wars that probably aren't graphics related but they might be.