[lionelhutz5]

Hello, I have searched for my question and could not find an answer so I will post. I apologize if I missed it somewhere in my search, and any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have a Dell 4600 Windows XP and after I upgraded my RAM, I am looking to upgrade my graphics, from the lousy integrated graphics. I have searched and found that for my needs that the ATI 9550 series is best suited. However, there are the certified retailers that use ATI graphics in their cards. I was originally just going to get the one from ATI for about $120, but then I noticed the Connect3D and Sapphire and Powercolor. I am looking for the 256 MB in these, and their specifications look almost identical to the one made exclusively by ATI but for a lot less. And about the Catalyst software, I know that the ATI one comes with it, and I do believe that you can get it for the other made brands, but from their website download. Does anyone know which is the best card? And would I be able to get Catalyst with this from the download?

Thanks a bunch,
Jared

PS I am willing to sacrifice money for quality. If these other cards are much worse, the extra money is not a factor. Also, the fan with the card is not a big deal because I am planning on purchasing maybe either just a PCI fan or the Aquarius III is I decide to overclock.

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Why a 9550. If this card is gonna be used for gaming I suggest you get a 9600xt. The 9550 is not very powerful

[MOLEXRULZ]

Why a 9550. If this card is gonna be used for gaming I suggest you get a 9600xt. The 9550 is not very powerful

[chopyaedoff]

get a 9800pro at least
unless you want to play games from the last millenium

[MOLEXRULZ]

Yea..although HL2plays at 40 fps on 10x7 with max settings sans AA and IA with a 9600xt

[lionelhutz5]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The reason for the 9550 isn't because I want to turn my computer into a gaming machine. I just wanted better quality graphics for DVD playback and video. The Dell integrated one is much weaker - the quality on an LCD screen should be a lot better.

[MOLEXRULZ]

oh..then I would recommend an nVidia card. In terms of production goals. nVidia is more focused on multimedia.

If your gtting bad quality on a LCD then it could be your monitors fault. Consider upgrading to a LCD with low response time such as 8ms

[lionelhutz5]

Thanks, I'll change my mind to the nVidia. Any specific card do you recommend- GeForce model? And my monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 173T in case you were wondering. And it does provide good quaility on normal applications. I'm pretty sure its the 865G graphics - Intel Extreme 2- because it is based upon system usage. I can tell that when I am running other programs, when other users are on, and watching DVD, it is a bit worse that without it (throwing away the monitors complete liability). So because of this compensation for system usage, I figure that even when the system is being used for nothing else, it could be better.

GO BILLS!!!

Dell Dimension 4600
Pentium 4 2.8GHz
Windows XP Home Edition
160GB Internal Drive
1GB DDR RAM
2 DVD-ROM/CD Burner Drives
1 USB DVD Burner Drive
DAIO A940 scanner/fax/copier/printer
Silicon Image DVI for Samsung 173T 17" Flat Panel
Unfortunate Intel 865G Integrated Extreme Graphics
Fx OVER IE
Protectyed by NIS 2005
Adelphia - also unfortuante - Cable Internet Connection

[lionelhutz5]

Quickly, I researched some of the nVidia ones. The XFX GeForce FX5500 Video Card seemed pretty good. Does anyone have anything against this - best part is, only 75 net at newegg minus 20 bucks from MIR.

Thanks again,
Jared

[stettybet0]

unlike ATI, nVidia doesn't actually manufactuer their cards. They get other companies, like XFX in this instance, to do this for them. The card that you are looking at does seem like a pretty good deal. I'm assuming this is the card you talk of.
As you said earlier, you are not afraid to sacrafice money for quality. XFX is not the best brand of nVidia cards. EVGA and PNY Tech. usually are. You could get an EVGA FX5500 for just a little bit more. Here. Of course, like everyone else has said, you could get a nice $150-$300 gaming card, but if you are going to be using this card for movies, you should be fine.

Hope that helps

stettybet0

EDIT: Based on your specs, you could have a nice gaming machine though... if you ever do decide to make it into a gaming machine, i suggest this card. The Geforce 6600. It is the same card I use (except mine is Pci-E x16), and I have been very happy with it. Also it isn't that expensive considering the quality. Of course, if you have $450 to burn...This is the card for you.

Again, I hope I have helped.

Edited by stettybet0, 02 July 2005 - 05:44 AM.

[lionelhutz5]

hey Thanks so much. I would have replied earlier, but I got no email notification...or I just missed it.

And i forgot, 800MHz FSB above. I know that it looks good for starting gaming, but my parents paid for most of it, and they do not want me using it for games - a workhorse for schoolwork? (They have to be kidding.) So next summer, when I have some more time, I'm going to build my own gaming system and overclock. So for this system, I'm only looking for speed and graphics acceptable for normal video.

Thanks again, I'll look at the EVGA And PNY Tech ones.

Jared

[lionelhutz5]

I've looked at both cards, and I...finally...have decided on getting the EVGA one from Newegg, only 69 bucks minus a 5 dollar pricegrabber rebate to make it 64. (Which brings me to my tip. When shopping onlinw, use pricegrabber, even if you do not care for the shopping at different places. I would say that 4 out of 5 items I llok at have a 5 dollar mail in rebate review bonus for the product. I already got mine for the TI-89 Titanium review I wrote. Check it out if you want. 5 bucks for a review..dounds good to me.)

Vaya con Dios,
Jared

[stettybet0]

Good luck with the card. Just a quick tip, make sure your computer can support AGP x8! I am pretty sure the Dell you have can, but you never know... Also, a tip on overclocking: DONT. It offers marginally faster speeds, but also wears out the card. Litterally. I had an old Geforce 4 MX 440 that I overclocked. Even with an extra fan, within EIGHT hours it was dead. Especially if you are only using the card for movies, you definatly shouldn't even consider trying to overclock unless you are a professional computer technician (in which case you wouldnt be asking questions about graphics cards ). Again, good luck with the card. When you get it, post back and tell me how it works.

Edited by stettybet0, 03 July 2005 - 02:29 PM.

[warriorscot]

It really depends i have a cheapo MSI fx5200 and overclocked it in a time machine that runs incredibly hot and its been running fine for 2 years and plays counterstrike and hl2 albeit at the lowest settings not bad at all for a lowest end budget card.

You would be surprised what computer technicians dont know alot of the time, had one ask me what Geforce series nvidia was up to, he still thought his 3 series was top of the line. This was in pcworld mind you which is understandable as they seem to know very little and tell people that they cant open there pcs without voiding the warranty because they will now if it is opened what crap. Looked inside one was thinking in all honesty they fitted the sensors to the door. Even though they had them they werent even fitted.

Besides when it comes to this stuff who listens to their parents, my dad once told me off for using the number pad instead of the numbers along the top. And my mum knows how to turn it on and open the internet( i placed the icon conveniantly in the middle).

[lionelhutz5]

Hey thanks for the new replies. Stettybet0, I am sure that the 865G Mobo supports 8x. In fact, I already have a card in there now. It's Silicon Image DVI, but it will become unnecessary with my new video card, so I will remove it. Also, concerning overclocking, I never had any intentions to do it on this system, as I said, my parents would not want me risking a very expensive system THEY paid for. So next summer, when I have some more time, I am building my own gaming machine and am going to overclock it. I am not worried because my neighbor runs his own cabling company and has his own server with 8 computers networked. His main one has 1.6 tetra bytes, yes that's right 160,000 Gigs. And he overclocks his parts (his video card was 800 and some bucks). He said that if I need help, he is willing so show me step by step building and overclocking. Also, I am going to computer engineering in college next year (fall of 06) and I ma taking an electronics course this year in a few months. So I have a lot of help in my way, and I am already aware of HOW to overclock, I just needed some advice on some crap parts for my system that I do not want to risk overheating and frying. But since you mention it, I am going to get the Aquarius III colling system or the Thermaltake Rocket liquid cooling for the system. Man, those things just look sweet.

Peace,
Jared

And warriorscot, I agree. Some of those computer guys are frauds. They wouldn't know USB from Firewire. I hope no girls read that.

[stettybet0]

Good luck! Just a note about your friend's 1.6 terabytes (not tetrabytes), 1.6 terabytes is only 1,600 gigabyes, not 160,000! The largest commercially available hard drives I know of are 800 gigabytes, so he probably has two of them in his system. (800+800=1,600) I'm sure you could overclock if you had a professional like your friend help you. Just make sure you get temperature monitoring software to make sure you're not running too hot.