Curse

Eskimo Bob · May 12, 2005, 05:35 AM // 05:35

Yes sadly enough I have come to discover my motherboard has no AGP slot (curse you compaq). But I am still desperate enough to get a PCI graphic card so I can play guild wars. This card will be used for guild wars temporarly until I cough up the cash to get a better computer. I just need some advice on what is the best temporary PCI card to get. I will probably use the card for 3 months to maybe over a year. I don't want to spend more than $70 US.
The cards I have been looking at at newegg are:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814164033

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814108129

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102533

If you have any other graphic cards on mind post them.

My system specs are:

Windows XP home w/ sp2
Intel Celeron 2.6 ghz
512 mb ddr sdram
Intergrated craptacular graphics (I would also like to know how to disable this when I get a graphic card).

Lunarbunny · May 12, 2005, 05:44 AM // 05:44

I'll let the card experts choose that, but if it actually lets you turn the IGP off, it will be in the BIOS setup. Hit DEL/F2/F10 or whatever the key is when your computer is first starting up, and look for the settings for your onboard graphics (after you've installed the new card). See if you can turn it off; if not, bring its RAM usage down to minimum (probably 2MB). You want it to take as little as it can from your system.

DarKAzNKiD · May 12, 2005, 05:52 AM // 05:52

fx 5200. Just compare the specs of the cards side by side..the fx 5200 has a core clock speed of 250mhz and a mem of 400 mhz. The radeon 9250 has a core clock of 240 and mem of 400. The fx 5200 also supports directx9 and open gl 1.4 while the radeon 9250 only supports directx8 and opengl 1.3. Memory on video cards doesnt usually play a big factor in overall performance.

Eskimo Bob · May 12, 2005, 06:04 AM // 06:04

Ok thanks, I will ask my dad if he will help me get it.

Vorkronor · May 12, 2005, 08:34 AM // 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarKAzNKiD

... Just compare the specs of the cards side by side ...

Comparing specs of different chipsets of graphics cards by clock frequency is a road to hell!

IMO the performance of the Radeon 92XX line is superior to the nVidia 52XX line. Period. The reviews speak by themselves!

http://www.techreport.com/reviews/20...a/index.x?pg=9

Even the elderly 9000 Pro can perform the same as the 5200!

EnDinG · May 12, 2005, 10:46 AM // 10:46

Well, if you figure your going to buy a new computer later, are you going to use the same card or leaving it in that computer? If not, might as well buy a good card now and save yourself the money of buying another one later.

Look for the 6600GT PCIe card. They are right now the best card for most gamers who don't wish to spend their families Christmas money.

Omega_2005 · May 12, 2005, 10:54 AM // 10:54

or if you have lots of money, the ATi RADEON X600/X700 are the best cards for the computers at the moment... they cost around £300 but the power of the graphics will make sure the games never lag, even on Ascalon City!

Vorkronor · May 12, 2005, 11:17 AM // 11:17

Don't confuse PCI with PCI Express!

PCI is an old standard for PC peripheral cards.

PCI Express (aka PCI-E, PCIe, PCI E, people use a wide range of short forms) is a recent (2004) standard for PC peripheral cards, that will not be available in Eskimo Bob's old COMPAQ.