I can't figure out which video card to get

[Monk]

I'm buying myself a computer one of these days and I want it to play Civ4, naturally -

I thought I'd get an idea of what's needed by checking out various threads about minimum system requirements, but they're just making me dizzy. The processor speed and RAM stuff I can figure out, but I need to know just which video cards to look for.

The official site (along with the box cover as well, I suppose) just says '128 MB Video Card' but things I've read around here suggest there's more to the picture than that. What's with this or that compability and what are ATI drivers anyway? Can somebody translate the facts into proper English and maybe provide a list of 'appropriate' cards (Adeon this, Geforce that)?

I'm sorry if the info I need is already out there somewhere, I just want to make sure I don't fall into some sort of hardware trap where a brand new computer can't play it smoothly.

[Timmer]

Well, tomorrow (if my copy of CIV is in store anyway)
I'll first see if it works on my computer. If it
doesn't, I'm going to the computer store and ask
for a video card with more than 68MB (128 or
higher, I'm guessing) and has Transform and Lightning
capabilities. That seems to be important.

Other than that, I'm flying blind too.

[Jim0322]

I don't really know the ATI cards. As far as Nvidia goes, it depends on how much you want to spend. I would recommend the Geforce 6600GT, 6800 series, or 7800 series. All have 128MB or more. Just because a card might have 256 MB instead of 128 does not mean it is better. For instance, the Geforce 5200 with 256MB is really inferior to the 6600GT with 128. The same goes for the 6200.

[Monk]

Originally posted by Jim0322
I don't really know the ATI cards. As far as Nvidia goes, it depends on how much you want to spend. I would recommend the Geforce 6600GT, 6800 series, or 7800 series. All have 128MB or more. Just because a card might have 256 MB instead of 128 does not mean it is better. For instance, the Geforce 5200 with 256MB is really inferior to the 6600GT with 128. The same goes for the 6200.

aaaaargh

At this point I'm willing to spend just about anything to get this matter solved

[Timmer]

As I feared, I needed a new card too.
So I just took my CIV manual, wich has the
specs in it, to a computer store and they
gave me what I needed. (to the tune of 75 euros)

Also, if you try playing the game with an inferior
card, the leaderheads are just eyebals and hair,
and you only see the units on screen, everything
else is black. Funny to see really, for about a minute.

[Locutus]

As said, it all depends on how much money you're willing to spend on your video card. As a (very rough) rule of thumb, the more money you spend, the less likely you'll have problems with Civ4. One thing's for sure, don't buy a PC with integrated video! Or at least make sure you can install an external card next to it.

If you're looking for the cheapest card possible (which would be very ill-advised but if you're on a tight budget you might not have a choice), I'd recommend you get an Nvidia card, as the cheaper ATI cards are giving a lot of people trouble. There are some reports of problems with cheap Nvidia cards as well though, but not nearly as frequent or consistent (i.e. it works for one person but not for another with the same card). Pretty much any Nvidia will do, as all the ones that you can buy new today are equipped with T&L. If you're looking for a mid-range card (say €80-150), either an Nvidia or a Radeon 9700 or higher will do (that includes any card in the X series) -- for that price range I'd recommend a Radeon 9800 Pro myself, few if any cards can match it's price-quality ratio. For cards in the higher price segments it probably doesn't matter too much what you get, at least for Civ4.

So in summary, for Nvidia any new card will do (though for performance reasons I wouldn't take anything lower than a 5800), for ATI get a Radeon 9700 or higher.

[Monk]

Thank you for that input

[alva]

One thing to remember is that IIRC the 9600 ATI was their first true DirectX9 card(not sure for nVidea). Lower cards are compitable with it but it has to jump some extra hoops, making it even slower.

Let me clarify that, say 100 is the best a card can perform and that the game requierments are equall, then:

______________Direct8 card // DirectX9 card
DirectX8 game_____ 80 ____ // ___100
Direct9 game ______60 ____// ___100

my advice:
ATI cards: 9800PRO & upwards
nVidea: 6000 series and upwards

If you're looking for the cheapest card possible

I'd even say: don't!! period.
If you haven't got the money atm, wait for better times.
Yes, you'll be happy for a few days playing civ but after that it will start to irritate you and you'll end up buying another card (too) soon and thus paying double.

There's many holydays coming up remember.
Of course for many that will be the reason you can't afford a new card to begin with.