Graphics Card

[Beav]

Hellooo.

My first post :)


Im looking to buy a better graphics card. I only have a standered dell dimension 3100. I can't afford a propper gaming rig but I only play runescape and nfs underground 2 anyway. NFS underground gets so laggy to. Could you please recomend a graphics card for me but I dont want a really powerful one for my system as it wont handle it. :cool:

Thanks-

[Dante]

So... are these your current specs:

Pentium 4 Processor 3.2Ghz
256MB RAM
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 up to 128MB shared

If so, I'd say you'd need more RAM, as NFSU2 doesn't ask for a big nasty new G-card, and that Graphics Accelerator is stealing your system RAM.

[Punkster]

i'd recommend a geforce 8600GT but you'd need to upgrade to at least 1 GB RAM.

[Webster Returns]

Edit: I should have looked up your computer before posting.

This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820141202) is probably what you should upgrade first. Not too expensive. Also we really need to know your budget before we can start making recommendations. It also helps to know your location.

[canveyboy]

get an ATI X1950PRO or X1650 or even an X1300 very cheap now and will handle most things easily.
(ive used all these cards and found them to be great) especially on a very small budget.

[jpph]

i'd recommend a geforce 8600GT but you'd need to upgrade to at least 1 GB RAM.

what he said.

[Beav]

Thanks people :D I got to be careful aswell because upgrading one thing means upgrading another and I dont want the pc to overheat. :S

[The Man]

i'd recommend a geforce 8600GT but you'd need to upgrade to at least 1 GB RAM.

I was gonna suggest that,too.

[Punkster]

i only just realized, after searching amazon.co.uk, that you can get a decent nvidia 7 series card that performs better than 8600GT. the 8600GT costs that much coz its DX10 compatible, but i don't think DX10 is necessary yet, still, unless you're going for a really high end system.

this is a good webpage to check the framerates of different cards: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/desktop-vga-charts/battlefield-2142,549.html?p=1613%2C1601%2C1598%2C1612%2C1594%2 C1595%2C1643%2C1637%2C1634%2C1572%2C1610%2C1633%2C 1638%2C1631%2C1628%2C1630%2C1620%2C1585%2C1603%2C1 621%2C1565%2C1605
just click on view all products at the bottom to see all the graphics cards listed.

the 7 series cards that were considered high end during its day are good value now. you can find some that are the same price as the 8600GT and perform considerably better. i think i'll get a 7 series card now.

possibly this 7800 GTX http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_ce/202-4123139-3723048?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=7800+gtx&x=0&y=0

or this slightly cheaper 7950 GT

http://www.amazon.co.uk/XFX-7950GT-550M-512MB-DDR3/dp/B000J1FLWC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1216812687&sr=1-3

now i understand why many people were disappointed with the 8 series low-mid range cards.

[Beav]

Thanks for the links but wont some off them graphics cards be overkill for my standered dell dimension 3100?

[halo-fan-4ever]

the 8600gt wont be

[Beav]

Serious? It wont over heat? I might buy 2 sticks of 1GB ram to so I have 2GB of ram. Would this be ok then?

[halo-fan-4ever]

ya you might as well, RAM is so cheap now

[Beav]

could get 2 sticks off 2GB but might not work and be over the top probably.

[halo-fan-4ever]

ask at the pc you are gona buy them from if it will be ok, or was you gona buy them online?

[Beav]

Was gona buy offline mate. :P Im working in a pc shop but finish tomoro (experience only) and my boss says its a waste of time moding a dell dimension but he would cuzh e wants everyones money.

[halo-fan-4ever]

ha lol sounds just like my local pc store.... the only thing left i can think of is searching on google

[Beav]

ha lol sounds just like my local pc store.... the only thing left i can think of is searching on google

Ok thanks mate.Me asking on Dell site

Thanks for help bud~

[halo-fan-4ever]

no probs dude

[Punkster]

you can always use the parts in future PCs, so even if you purchase a graphics card that's bottlenecked by the rest of your PC, it won't be a huge waste coz you can use it in a future PC you build yourself maybe.

8600GT is ok for you, but just a word of warning. you can get some much better cards for about the same price, if you do the searching. i think 8600GT is a bit more expensive than what it should be worth, coz it's DX10 able, which is pointless for gaming coz you're better off using DX9 with a low end card like 8600GT.

and i'd've so wanted to be in your position right now, being at a computer shop for work experience. there's so much i want to ask about computers, and i can't be arsed to just read about it myself. i'd rather be shown it and explained by someone.

[jpph]

no, you shouldnt really go lower than those cards mentioned, cos theyre not much and theyre great.
whats your psu?