[strikermed]

Ok, I have PCI express X16 2 gigz of ram, skt 939 board AMD 64 X2 4200. DDR1 pc3200 memory.

Give me some suggestions on video cards. Budget 100-200 bucks... tryign to stay around 150, but just lay them on me. Tell me what is good about them and bad... cuz I'm lost now when it comes to video cards.

[Advertisements]

I'd recommend something using ATI's Radeon HD3850 chip (or a HD3870 if you can swing it, for GDDR4 goodness).
Even though it's the latest high-end series from ATI, they enter the market at well below $200.

[thelocust]

I'd recommend something using ATI's Radeon HD3850 chip (or a HD3870 if you can swing it, for GDDR4 goodness).
Even though it's the latest high-end series from ATI, they enter the market at well below $200.

[james_8970]

Assuming you are using the HP Nagami2L-GL8E, I suggest the 9600GT.
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814150277
You can also get cheaper brand, but like the ones below. Though be warned, the warranty isn't as good, but it's still a good manufacturer.
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814261002
James

[strikermed]

oh, yes... I am running the nagli mobo, so there is not much space vertically for the video card so the card has to be low profile. No turbine for the fan because I dont have open room.

Oh I also have a question about the interface. Will PCI express 2.0 video cards work with PCI express x16 mobo? Is it kinda Like USB1.1 and 2.0... Backward compatible?

[Troy]

Oh I also have a question about the interface. Will PCI express 2.0 video cards work with PCI express x16 mobo? Is it kinda Like USB1.1 and 2.0... Backward compatible?

Hi there,

Yes this is the case - I'm running an 8800GT (2.0) in a Gigabyte motherboard that is not 2.0 specified - and it runs very well

So you're looking for a low-profile video card?

Troy

[strikermed]

ok, that's what I thought, because the interface looks the same... I'm looking for a good video card (better than mine) that is 200 preferbly 150 range but for significant performance I'll settle for 200

[Troy]

Hi there,

I would stick with the 9600GT James suggested.

Cheers

Troy

[james_8970]

The 9600GT is not a low profile GPU. I suggest you just stick with what you have, anything else that's currently on the market isn't much better then your current GPU.
The GPU's themselves have more features, but roughly the same power, in many cases they aren't as powerful.
James

[strikermed]

so your saying the x800 gto is is decent right now. I had some trouble running cod 4... Gonna test it out on this install, just rebuilt my machine, it might have been drivers

[strikermed]

Well, I dont have the problem I had before the rebuild with cod4. So I guess it was a driver problem... Testing out some demos... Crysis runs great!

[strikermed]

so what kind of features are you talking about in these new GPUs? And I knoticed their core clock is higher, does that make much of a diff?

[james_8970]

You cannot compare the clock rate of one series of GPUs, to another series of GPUs, that would be like comparing a P4 to Core2duo of the equivalent clock rate.

The new features would be things like DX9c and DX10, just a bunch of little things. The thing is, if you bought these low end cards with the new features, they wouldn't have enough power to actually benefit from the newer features as they cannot calculate the information required to process them. Are you sure this is a low profile card?
James

[strikermed]

When I meant low profile, I meant that it wouldn't take up 2 slots in my case. All the slots that I have been filled. And the cards like the HD 3700 couldn't fit my case, because it takes up an additional slot for the fan vent.

Now that I think of it, low profile probably means a very skinny card... BUt I'm wondering if my ATI X800 GTO (without overclocking) will do the job. I had problems before i rebuilt that it said the GPU had to reset, I thought because it was overheating, but it might have been a software problem, and I chose this time to only install drivers, and the ATI control panel, and not the overclock tool. I think it took over and caused problems.

I had problems with Rain and what not in COD4 Demo screwing up and every drop that hit the groud would made a white square flash. So I'm happy now that it is working properly.

And I haven't experienced lag in crysis Demo either, I'm gonna see how high the settings can go without lag...

[james_8970]

When I meant low profile, I meant that it wouldn't take up 2 slots in my case.

Low profile and a single slot cooler are two completely different things

I had problems with Rain and what not in COD4 Demo screwing up and every drop that hit the groud would made a white square flash.

This sounds like it *may* be artifacts, in which case your card *may* be overheating if you want to explore this issue let me know.

In all honesty, I think you can get a little bit more time out of this card and wait for the next generation of GPUs, assuming that you are not playing at really high resolutions.
James

Edited by james_8970, 04 April 2008 - 11:35 AM.

[strikermed]

I am actually interested in exploring the overheating problem.

I plan on holding on to this card, and taking your advice. I play at 1024x768 resolution. Oh and crysis gave me artifacts on high. Well I think that's what happened, the smoke coming out of the plane engines were brown squares.

And thankyou, when ever I can be corrected
on terminology, by all means let me know, cuz I'm kinda out of the loop