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Video and sound cards


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#1
matthew staton

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Hello guys I am new at this.I been playing tons of games on my new pc. I just need to no if my computer needs to be upgraded soundcard or video card.My computer is the HP media center PCm7334n.It has played all the games I have tryed very well except stubbs the zombie, game it Looks like it runs to slow is there a way to upgrade my computer so I can play some awsome games like maybe quake 4 or some of the newer games.Do I need a new video card or a graphix card or some thing to play theses new games and have them run smooth.Please let me no what I need to buy to add to my computer or up grade to make it run theses games and is my new computer upgradedable to play theses types of games.



Here some of my computer info: it is a hp 3800+ amd athlon 64x2dual core processor , 1.0gb memory 250 gb hard drive and right now has the ATI radeon xpress200 graphix card . Man I hope this computer is not a crap hole help me out guys please!!!
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#2
addy_010

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well it seems ok to me, i'm kinda still a newb to this so don't rely on my advice, im just offereing it as no one else has relpied, but once someone else does, ignore what i say.

as far as i can tell from what you say you have, the only thing needed to upgrade is the graphics card but then i don't actually know the specs of that car, im basing my judgement on the number 200, sounds old unlike the x1900 xtx, sounds much stronger. How much you thinking of spending is what we need to know first?
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#3
matthew staton

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well it seems ok to me, i'm kinda still a newb to this so don't rely on my advice, im just offereing it as no one else has relpied, but once someone else does, ignore what i say.

as far as i can tell from what you say you have, the only thing needed to upgrade is the graphics card but then i don't actually know the specs of that car, im basing my judgement on the number 200, sounds old unlike the x1900 xtx, sounds much stronger. How much you thinking of spending is what we need to know first?



I would hope that I could maybe buy a good graphix card for about $100 to $200 to run games like far cry and quake 4 .Is there one out there for around this price that is power full enough that some one would suggest?
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#4
jrm20

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Get a 6800gs by nvidia. It runs anywhere from $180-$210. You can find some around $180. It runs every game on high settings.
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#5
matthew staton

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Get a 6800gs by nvidia. It runs anywhere from $180-$210. You can find some around $180. It runs every game on high settings.



Thanks I go buy one of those next week when my wife gets paid.Ok one more quick question will this card beable to be put in my computer that I have if I bought it.I just asking because I no some computer can be a pain thank you for all the help.
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#6
jrm20

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Thanks I go buy one of those next week when my wife gets paid.Ok one more quick question will this card beable to be put in my computer that I have if I bought it.I just asking because I no some computer can be a pain thank you for all the help.



Couldnt find anything on your computers model. Must of spelled something wrong because I even serched on google.


You should have atleast a 300-350 watt powersupply. 350 watt should really be the minimum 300 watt is cutting it close and it might restart every now and then because of not enough juice. I have friends that bought manufactured pc's and put in a 6800gt so 300-350 watt power supply will run a 6800gs video card as long as you dont have alot of other stuff plugged in to the power supply. :tazz:

The amd 3800+ dual core x2 cpu that you said you have is new and it will do fine. You dont need to buy a new pc yet, just get a good quality videocard like the 6800gs. The reason your computer may seem slow is because you dont have a real video card. The onboard video cards really suck and it does slow down the whole system I might add. In games you really need to get away from any onboard video card as they are not really made for gaming at all lol..
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#7
comanighttrain

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Being from the UK id say go for an ATI card like the X850XT (£200ish). The only thing letting you down is the graphics card.
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#8
jrm20

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Being from the UK id say go for an ATI card like the X850XT (£200ish). The only thing letting you down is the graphics card.



Ya depends on where you live to get the better price for certain makers.. If you live in the usa or if you live in the UK the ati cards would be cheaper.


The nvidia 6800gs has a good price in the usa.

Edited by jrm20, 13 February 2006 - 11:46 AM.

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#9
comanighttrain

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good card too! my mate got it and it kicks butt, cept he is a pentium boy *shakes fist*
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#10
warriorscot

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X850s are under 150 in the uk. 200 quid is closer to getting an X1800.
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#11
Thebinaryman

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dont forget to get the right version. couldent find out if your pc was pci-e or agp. you should open 'er up and find out which slot you have so you know if what card to get. you may have niether card slot, and be stuck with a standard pci card, which i think an fx5500 is the best you can get.

but you probably have a agp or pci-e slot, so find out before you buy.
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#12
jrm20

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dont forget to get the right version. couldent find out if your pc was pci-e or agp. you should open 'er up and find out which slot you have so you know if what card to get. you may have niether card slot, and be stuck with a standard pci card, which i think an fx5500 is the best you can get.

but you probably have a agp or pci-e slot, so find out before you buy.




Ya I tried also but the model he gave doesnt exist.
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#13
warriorscot

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As far as i know all the mbos with ati200 are pci-e and none have agp.
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#14
matthew staton

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Couldnt find anything on your computers model. Must of spelled something wrong because I even serched on google.
You should have atleast a 300-350 watt powersupply. 350 watt should really be the minimum 300 watt is cutting it close and it might restart every now and then because of not enough juice. I have friends that bought manufactured pc's and put in a 6800gt so 300-350 watt power supply will run a 6800gs video card as long as you dont have alot of other stuff plugged in to the power supply. :tazz:

The amd 3800+ dual core x2 cpu that you said you have is new and it will do fine. You dont need to buy a new pc yet, just get a good quality videocard like the 6800gs. The reason your computer may seem slow is because you dont have a real video card. The onboard video cards really suck and it does slow down the whole system I might add. In games you really need to get away from any onboard video card as they are not really made for gaming at all lol..



my computer is new I just bought it from best buy it is a hp media center the number on the front is m77334n I think it still is on the site.
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#15
jrm20

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As far as i know all the mbos with ati200 are pci-e and none have agp.



Ya your right it does have pci express 16x, I checked on bestbuy. I didnt remember reading that it had ati radeon xpress 200... lol


Make shure you look at the pci express model of the 6800gs. I should of remembered that all of the newer pc's with the amd dual core is almost always going to have pci express. Very few dont. :tazz:
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