$100 budget for Video Card

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Newbie

I have a $100 budget for a gaming card. Can anyone make the best
recommendation? My motherboard is only able to support AGP 8x slot.

Thanks
 
Don't use price point to select your video/graphics card.
Pick the game you "must" play and see what video card is
required to run that game. Understand that such details as
refresh rate (frames per second, color level, and
resolution) will be better on the higher cost cards. If you
buy a "cheap" card it may not run the game you want, fast
enough or with a picture that satisfies your needs. Also, a
15 or 17 inch CRT monitor does not need as much graphics
power as a 19 inch or bigger monitor.

Check reviews at hardware sites such as
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/index.html They
also have prices search functions on the site.

Find a card that will do what you want and then shop for the
price by checking on-line prices at various web sites,
www.pricewatch.com www.pricegrabber.com are two such sites.

8x AGP is the fastest AGP, so you can run any of the current
cards.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


message |I have a $100 budget for a gaming card. Can anyone make the
best
| recommendation? My motherboard is only able to support AGP
8x slot.
|
| Thanks
|
|
 
Hi Jim,

Unfortunately $100 is about what I can budget for a video card. So
obviously, I am going to want the best for my buck.

The games requirements I want to play is below:

2.0 Ghz CPU
Directx 9.0b
Geforce 4 128 MB (Not MX) or equivalent DirectX9 compatible videocard
512 Megabytes of RAM
2 GB free hard drive space
(additional space required for Windows swap-file and
DirectX 9.0b installation)
16x CD-ROM drive
Directx 9.0b Compatible Sound Card
MS compatible mouse
Keyboard

I have everything covered except the video card. Below are some video card
candidates I have in mind, with the first one listed as my top one. Let me
know if think otherwise. Thanks



http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-145-110&depa=1



http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-240-041&depa=1



http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-240-021&depa=1



http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-295&depa=1



http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-320&depa=1
 
Newbie said:
Hi Jim,

Unfortunately $100 is about what I can budget for a video card. So
obviously, I am going to want the best for my buck.

The games requirements I want to play is below:

2.0 Ghz CPU
Directx 9.0b
Geforce 4 128 MB (Not MX) or equivalent DirectX9 compatible videocard
512 Megabytes of RAM
2 GB free hard drive space
(additional space required for Windows swap-file and
DirectX 9.0b installation)
16x CD-ROM drive
Directx 9.0b Compatible Sound Card
MS compatible mouse
Keyboard

I have everything covered except the video card. Below are some video card
candidates I have in mind, with the first one listed as my top one. Let me
know if think otherwise. Thanks


I think you will be happier with
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-152&depa=1
This has better specs than the other cards you listed for the same price.
 
My point is not that you should, or must spend more than
$100 for a video card, but that you should be sure to buy a
card that will run the game that you want to play. A $100
card will not run the latest games at the highest resolution
with the greatest realistic detail look. A $100 card will
not have 100 fps, may not play the game smoothly.
Just so you understand my position, I'm satisfied with the
on-board graphics on my D845GBVL motherboard. But I don't
play games. I cannot pick a card for you. If you read the
computer and gaming magazines you will see reviews and tests
that will report on such details as frame rates, resolution
and how a certain card plays a certain game. Just be aware
that a $100 card is NOT going to play as fast, look as good
or even allow you to run some games unless you turn all the
game settings to the lowest color depth, etc.

It doesn't matter what you buy now, it will be obsolete for
gaming before you get it installed. But you can play most
games if you adjust your settings in the game and your
expectations compared to machines you have played elsewhere.

Just as an example, I did a Google for "video card+medal of
honor" and got 442,000 returns...
EA GAMES - Medal of Honor Pacific Assault
.... The Medal of Honor Pacific AssaultT High End Demo
requires a DirectX 9 video
.... DX8/DX9 card, but lower system requirements: The Medal
of Honor Pacific ...
www.eagames.com/official/moh/
pacificassault/us/editorial.jsp?src=downloads - 32k -
Cached - Similar pages

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Spearhead Demo 2 - GameArena
....
.... As this is known to resolve a number of video card and
other issues. ...
How to fix the MX 400 for use by Medal of Honor Allied
Assault ...
www.gamearena.com.au/files/details/html/6470 - 48k -
Cached - Similar pages

Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault SP Demo
.... Medal of Honor Pacific AssaultT puts you in the boots of
a WWII soldier in
the Pacific ... 3D video card with 128+ MB video memory
which fully supports ...
downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=859 - 57k - Cached -
Similar pages

Tech Support Guy Forums - Medal of Honor Pacific Assault
video problem
.... To view the full version : Medal of Honor Pacific
Assault video problem ...
it refers to a problem with my ati3d2ag.dll file from my
video card driver. ...
forums.techguy.org/archive/t-339535.html - 6k - Cached -
Similar pages

Maximum3D - Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
.... GeForce3 or better video card. Four-point sound. The
Game. Medal of Honor:
Allied Assault recreates the sights and sounds of World War
II Europe, ...
www.maximum3d.com/reviews/mohaa.htm - 11k - Cached - Similar
pages



You should do a similar search by the name of the games you
are interested in playing and look for reports by users and
how they like their card. If all you can spend is $100 and
you really "need" a $200 card you will have wasted the $100
on the first card. You might be better off to save for
another week or two and buy one card that will really do the
job you will be satisfied with when you play the game..

Sorry I can't make your choice for you, but then you will
learn a lot more if you ask for recommendations by naming
the exact game(s) you want to play and asking on a gaming
newsgroup so you get useful info. For example, blondes have
certain specifications...Sarah Michelle Geller, Paris
Hilton, Christina Applegate, just to name a small number.
Each meets the basic requirements but perhaps none would
satisfy the particular "game."


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.





message | Hi Jim,
|
| Unfortunately $100 is about what I can budget for a video
card. So
| obviously, I am going to want the best for my buck.
|
| The games requirements I want to play is below:
|
| 2.0 Ghz CPU
| Directx 9.0b
| Geforce 4 128 MB (Not MX) or equivalent DirectX9
compatible videocard
| 512 Megabytes of RAM
| 2 GB free hard drive space
| (additional space required for Windows swap-file and
| DirectX 9.0b installation)
| 16x CD-ROM drive
| Directx 9.0b Compatible Sound Card
| MS compatible mouse
| Keyboard
|
| I have everything covered except the video card. Below are
some video card
| candidates I have in mind, with the first one listed as my
top one. Let me
| know if think otherwise. Thanks
|
|
|
|
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-145-110&depa=1
|
|
|
|
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-240-041&depa=1
|
|
|
|
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-240-021&depa=1
|
|
|
|
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-295&depa=1
|
|
|
|
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-320&depa=1
|
|
in message
| | > Don't use price point to select your video/graphics
card.
| > Pick the game you "must" play and see what video card is
| > required to run that game. Understand that such details
as
| > refresh rate (frames per second, color level, and
| > resolution) will be better on the higher cost cards. If
you
| > buy a "cheap" card it may not run the game you want,
fast
| > enough or with a picture that satisfies your needs.
Also, a
| > 15 or 17 inch CRT monitor does not need as much graphics
| > power as a 19 inch or bigger monitor.
| >
| > Check reviews at hardware sites such as
| > http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/index.html
They
| > also have prices search functions on the site.
| >
| > Find a card that will do what you want and then shop for
the
| > price by checking on-line prices at various web sites,
| > www.pricewatch.com www.pricegrabber.com are two such
sites.
| >
| > 8x AGP is the fastest AGP, so you can run any of the
current
| > cards.
| >
| >
| > --
| > The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
| > But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
| >
| >
| > message | > |I have a $100 budget for a gaming card. Can anyone make
the
| > best
| > | recommendation? My motherboard is only able to support
AGP
| > 8x slot.
| > |
| > | Thanks
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
In Newbie <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
I have a $100 budget for a gaming card. Can anyone make the best
recommendation? My motherboard is only able to support AGP 8x slot.

Thanks

With all of the excelent advice given to you here I will add that you should
pay very close attention to Jim's advice. I set a $100 dollar limit on this
system BUT I am not a gamer. I ended up with an ATI Radeon 9600 with 256 MB
of RAM. Here's a good link to get you started as you can compare the actual
prices which will include shipping. Be sure to read the vendor reviews and
research the vendor before buying your product as not all companies seem to
be able to ship in a timely manner and I know that when I'm waiting for a
computer part I get really antsy :)

http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=37&a=5630

Galen
 
Recently I purchased a Sapphire Radeon 9600 256mb 8x AGP for about 100
Canadian...80 USD. I am quite pleased with it and it has added benefit
of no cooling fan.
 
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