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  • #1

    What kind of video card should I buy?

    I want to upgrade my computer by getting a new video card. The one I have is 16mb, and that's all I know about it.

    So what should I get? 32mb, 64mb, 128mb?


    Can someone explain in layman's terms the terminology of video cards? What's all this stuff about non-pro and PCB?

    Will I need to upgrade my processor (I've got a 550 AMD)?

    I want something that will last a few years, but I don't want to spend a lot of money.

    Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me.
    Golfing since 67
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  • #2
    I too have a 550 MHz AMD, and solider on with a TNT2.

    It would be helpful if you gave a bit more info.

    1) Your top budget.

    2) What monitor size you are using - is it tube or flatscreen?

    3) What games you like to play, and how long before you have money to upgrade again (1 year? 3 years?)
    Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
    "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

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    • #3
      Processor:
      Celeron 2GHz for $80,
      Athlon 2GHz for $90.

      Graphics Card:
      Nvidia Geforce 4 MX 64MB for $70-$80

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      • #4
        OK, some basics before Asher and Skanky arrive to give you some buying tips;

        1) The CHIPSET of the card is the most relative. So I am using an NVIDIA TNT chipset. NVIDIA went over to the GEFORCE series, and latest one I have seen is the GEFORCE4 TI5800. No doubt there's a better one now. ATI, a competitor to NVIDIA, make the Radeon chipset, again available in different model numbers.

        2) The memory TYPE is more important than the size. DDR memory is the preferred type, as it has a much faster access than the SD-RAM type.

        3) Cards are made by many manufacturers (Creative Labs, PalitDaytona, Sparkle amonst many others) but it's the chipset on the card that usually matters.

        4) In order to upgrade that processor, you will need a new motherboard, as the 550 AMD is the fastest that will fit into a socket 7. Your choices are;

        1) A slot 1 motherboard (not recommended - P2s and older P3s, you won't see a huge difference).

        2) A Socket A motherboard (for Duron/Athlon AMDs. Cheapest way to a faster processor).

        3) A socket 370 motherboard (for older Celerons - cheap but not as fast as AMD).

        4) A more recent Intel slot for Pentium 3/4s. Most expensive but give the fastest clock rates.

        As I am on a budget, I have gone for option 2. Got a cheap motherboard in the January sales and am saving my pennies for a cheap Athlon 1-1.4 GHz.

        HOWEVER, you will also need some more memory to make the faster processors work more effectively. AMD use DDR (in 200, 266, 333 and now 400MHz, compared to SD-RAMs 133 MHz top limit) and some P4s use it too. Many P4s use an Intel standard called RIMMs which IIRC have been discontinued now, because DDR is cheaper and more effective.
        Last edited by Cruddy; June 5, 2003, 03:48.
        Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
        "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

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        • #5
          Re: What kind of video card should I buy?

          Originally posted by Tingkai
          Can someone explain in layman's terms the terminology of video cards? What's all this stuff about non-pro and PCB?
          Read the first part of this article. It's pretty technical stuff, but it gives you a good basic grasp. You can skip the review part, but it might help you with deciding what card to get.
          (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
          (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
          (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

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          • #6
            There is no point in buying the latest CPUs and GPUs. Most of my games and applications still run smoothly on my ancient 500MHz Pentium 3 with Geforce 2 MX 32MB. I doubt Tingkai is a hardcore FPS fan, so he should be perfectly ok with Celeron/Athlon 2GHz and Geforce 4 MX.

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            • #7
              OOps., nearly forgot - their are 2 standard connectors for GFX cards, AGP and PCI. AGP is the preferred option (faster) and comes in X1, X2, X4 and latest X8. PCI is slower but many motherboards don't have an AGP slot, so those boards can only be upraded with a PCI graphics card.

              Just one point Lord Merciless - a P3 500MHz has got a little more power than an AMDK6-2 550MHz. It's got a lot more than my PC Chips motherboard can supply (To get top speed I have to run at 64Mb system RAM - now that is bad news).

              You can understand why I don't want to use this motherboard or processor any longer than I have to.
              Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
              "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by Cruddy
                I too have a 550 MHz AMD, and solider on with a TNT2.

                It would be helpful if you gave a bit more info.

                1) Your top budget.

                2) What monitor size you are using - is it tube or flatscreen?

                3) What games you like to play, and how long before you have money to upgrade again (1 year? 3 years?)
                I think I have a TNT2.

                I don't play FPS, but would like the option. I just noticed that some of the new games are recommending having a 32 mb card.

                Thanks for the info about AGP and PCI. I'll have to figure out what I have.

                As for price, I glanced at some cards yesterday and the price seems to range from HK$350 to +HK$1,000 (about US$45-$125). So something under US$75.

                But the link UR posted talks about prices of more than US$300! Is that how much I would have to spend?
                Golfing since 67

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Tingkai


                  I think I have a TNT2.

                  I don't play FPS, but would like the option. I just noticed that some of the new games are recommending having a 32 mb card.

                  Thanks for the info about AGP and PCI. I'll have to figure out what I have.
                  If you select "Properties" from "My Computer" you can see what is "under the bonnet" without undoing a single screw. Plus, it lists PCI or AGP (although beware - onboard graphics sometimes appears as either when it fact it is neither!).

                  So are you SURE you have a card? Check the back of the box - if the monitor lead is connected to a slot (one of the vertical metal strips) then yes you do, and the above method will tell you what you've got. Some motherboards have TNT2 built into them (onboard graphics).

                  Originally posted by Tingkai

                  As for price, I glanced at some cards yesterday and the price seems to range from HK$350 to +HK$1,000 (about US$45-$125). So something under US$75.

                  But the link UR posted talks about prices of more than US$300! Is that how much I would have to spend?
                  Lord Merciless recommendation is about right - the MX versions of the GeForce 4 aren't as good as the TI or VX but are still MILES better than a TNT2.

                  If you're going 2nd hand - well, you might get lucky and get a Radeon 9500 for that.

                  Yes, you can spend hundreds of dollars on the latest cards - but as most people don't have them at any point in time, software people are wary of releasing games that need them. Luxury items, see what I mean?
                  Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
                  "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

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                  • #10
                    Oops - I doubt a Radeon 9000 or better will work with an AMD 550.

                    Typically, if you have an AGP port it's going to be X1 (because the AMD550 only supports 100MHz SD-RAM and AGP X2 needs 133MHz SD-RAM).

                    Correct me if I'm wrong here people - but a PCI graphics card will work with just about all systems, but you are going to need a motherboard and processor upgrade for sure to use an AGP X2 or later AGP card, such as the AGP GeForce 3 or 4 or the Radeon 9000s or later.
                    Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
                    "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

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                    • #11
                      If you want faster GPU, you probably need better CPU to keep up with it. If you upgrade CPU, you need new memory and motherboard. May get expensive.
                      Never buy celeron, if you want cheap, buy amd.
                      Non-pro is just something that isn't "pro" version. Pro versions are usually bit faster but not signifigantly, and more expensive.

                      Somebody upload the links for him from Tom's hw processor marathon so he can see for himself?? Or the links for graphic card tests, I'm too lazy to find them.

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                      • #12
                        GeForce 4 Ti4200 is a relatively cheap card and has good performance in most current FPS games. Radeon 9500 Pro is also very good, don't know about the price, though.

                        The CPU marathon is here:
                        http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030217/index.html
                        The enemy cannot push a button if you disable his hand.

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                        • #13
                          With that CPU you may as well get something cheap like a GeForce2, you get MUCh benefit out of anything faster

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                          • #14
                            Get a GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GeForce 4 MX440 SE with 64MB.. at newegg it sells for $58 (US). You can't go wrong with that one...

                            That is if you don't upgrade the CPU..

                            If you do, go ahead and go with an ATI Radeon 9500 PRO. It is a good value and offers solid performance, that the nearest Nvidia card fails to offer.
                            For there is [another] kind of violence, slower but just as deadly, destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions -- indifference, inaction, and decay. This is the violence that afflicts the poor, that poisons relations between men because their skin has different colors. - Bobby Kennedy (Mindless Menance of Violence)

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                            • #15
                              AH nice info useful to me too thanx.

                              i got my hands on a 700 mhz processor and mothercard and im thinking maybe do an upgrade from my 430 mhz. i dont use the PC for games etc so my needs are verylimited.
                              yet with a new video crad of just 60 euros i think i can do a minor upgrade why not.


                              i;m thinking of this too Nvidia Geforce 4 MX 64MB for $70-$80


                              and the 128mb one isjust 10 euros more expensive so maybe

                              although i dont know if a 128 will go lost with just a 770 mhz processor?

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