[jibberjabber]

Recenty my ati radeon x1300 pro agp has finally worn out after 3.5 years. I realize that AGP are outdated but I am hoping I can squeeze an additional year to year and a half out of my computer before I have another one built. I'm looking for video card for around $75, but cheaper is always better if its decent quality, and yea i do play wow. Although my choices are limited with agp I would like to avoid ATI since I have not been reading many good things about them, their support, and their driver errors. Additionally, I have never upgraded to Vista since I was waiting on them to get rid of the bugs, so I am still using xp.

I use:

GIGABYTE GA-K8NS Ultra-939 939 NVIDIA nForce3 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16813128263

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Winchester 2.0GHz 512KB L2 Cache Socket 939 Single-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16819103502

CORSAIR 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model VS1GBKIT400
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16820145440


Not sure if you need to know all of that, but like I said I'm looking for a solid replacement, thanks

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Welcome to geeks to go...


Here is a link to two Cards

I haven't used either one. Read the reviews for your self and make a determination.


Make sure you have good ventilation. Either of theses cards will create more heat than your previous one...

Good luck


I hope I was able to help you...

Cbarnard

[cbarnard]

Welcome to geeks to go...


Here is a link to two Cards

I haven't used either one. Read the reviews for your self and make a determination.


Make sure you have good ventilation. Either of theses cards will create more heat than your previous one...

Good luck


I hope I was able to help you...

Cbarnard

[iBlade*]

I would advise you look into this video card here.

It gives alot of bang for your buck.

[cbarnard]

I would advise you look into this video card here.

It gives alot of bang for your buck.

Thank you Iblade* for your input... The only problem is that his MOBO has an AGP interface and the card you linked to is a PCI express... That specific card will not work for his setup...

But you are correct that would be a better card for him if the interface was the same...

Good luck

Cbarnard

[jibberjabber]

After looking at all the reviews I went with the GeForce 7600 GS. Once installed I turned my computer on and all I have been able to read because the screen changes so quickly, is that I have an insufficient amount of power for the video card. Once I pass that screen everything appears to be working correctly. I am just wondering if once I begin to play games if something will go wrong.

My case has a 400W power supply and the card said I simply needed a base of 350W:
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16811147006

Any suggestions if needed would be appreciated. Thanks

[cbarnard]

Well... Congrats on your purchase...


Your computer is correct... Your PSU is slightly under powered for the Card...

Yes your PSU has 400watts but... It only has 18amps. on the main 12v line...

The cards recommended amperage is 20amps...

My suggestion is...

Run the computer with your current PSU, if it shows signs of instability then you will need to upgrade the PSU

The card is recommended at 20amps, but you can probably get away with the 18amps. as long as you are not OCing...

If the PSU needs to be upgraded here is a link to a great PSU made by Corsair...

It doesn't have a "massive" amount of wattage, but it has excellent amperage "33" on the 12v line...

If you plan on upgrading to a serious setup in the near future... You may want to purchase a higher output PSU instead of buying one now and then later...

I hope this helps good luck

Here is a PSU calculator to help you out...

Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom of the page. I recommend setting Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. If not listed, check a comparable card (same graphics engine and RAM) from a different maker. The key specifications, in order of importance are:

1. Current (amperage or amps) on the +12V rail,
2. Efficiency,
3. Total wattage.

Then look for power supply brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Ensure the supplied amperage on the +12V rails of your chosen PSU meets the requirements of your video card. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. I strongly recommend you pick a supply with an efficiency rating equal to, or greater than 80%. Look for the 80 Plus - EnergyStar Compliant label. And don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation).


Credit to Digerati for this speech:

Cbarnard