Need Help! Buying new video card

nastynate · 10-19-2009, 04:34 AM

I've got a Pentium 4 2.8 ghz processor with a Radeon 8500 series graphics card.
I want to upgrade to a better card that can run games like call of duty 4, dead space, Left 4 dead, etc.

Right now i've got my eyes set on the Geforce 8400 gs video card.

Any suggestions/Comments???

Thanks

ganzey · 10-19-2009, 04:50 AM

whats your price range? because the 8400 isnt a very good card and could probably barely play those games.

nastynate · 10-19-2009, 05:13 AM

tryin to stay under $100. but can go more.

do you know about any good radeon cards that could run newer games?

linkin93 · 10-19-2009, 08:00 AM

There are plenty, but the Pentium 4 will bottleneck a fair bit.

Do you have AGP or PCI-E? that will determine which cards you can get.

daisymtc · 10-19-2009, 11:21 AM

What PSU have you got?

Best $100 card:
AGP - ATI 3850 512MB
PCI-E - ATI 4850 512MB

Matthew1990 · 10-19-2009, 11:50 AM

P4 and 4850 not a good idea, trust me.....it will bottleneck like hell, I had that setup for about 24hrs, 8fps in crysis.......

Ethan3.14159 · 10-19-2009, 03:50 PM

Unfortunately, upgrading the video card will leave your CPU bottlenecked. So, you can throw in the best video card out there and the CPU just won't keep up. It's like getting Porsche and then towing a trailer of bricks. Sure the Porsche is fast, but is dragged down by the trailer of bricks.

If you are set on upgrading take a look at the ATI 3850. Always has been a good value card, and will run those games at decent settings with decent frame rates.

Matthew1990 · 10-19-2009, 06:51 PM

instead of a new card, save money for a new system, thats what i did, in 6 mnths i was ready.

nastynate · 10-19-2009, 11:23 PM

i have PCI and AGP slots. no PCI express

and i really dont want to buy a whole new motherboard.

i also have 2 gigs of ram

nastynate · 10-20-2009, 03:26 AM

i've decided to just go ahead and rebuild my system.

10-19-2009, 04:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
nastynate New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 16	Need Help! Buying new video card I've got a Pentium 4 2.8 ghz processor with a Radeon 8500 series graphics card. I want to upgrade to a better card that can run games like call of duty 4, dead space, Left 4 dead, etc. Right now i've got my eyes set on the Geforce 8400 gs video card. Any suggestions/Comments??? Thanks

10-19-2009, 04:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
ganzey Platinum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: belvidere, Illinois Age: 16 Posts: 666	whats your price range? because the 8400 isnt a very good card and could probably barely play those games. __________________ When I walk through the shadow of the valley of death I will fear no evil, cause I'm the biggest son of a b*tch in the Valley

10-19-2009, 08:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
linkin93 Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: NSW, Australia Age: 16 Posts: 2,355	There are plenty, but the Pentium 4 will bottleneck a fair bit. Do you have AGP or PCI-E? that will determine which cards you can get. __________________ System CM Storm Scout - Asus P5N-E SLI - Core 2 Duo E4500 @ 3.02Ghz - 2x1GB Corsair XMS2 @ 900mhz - Sapphire HD 3870 - WD 250GB Caviar SE16 - SHAW 860W - Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Perhiprials Logitech G5 Mouse - Logitech R-10 Speakers - Targus Keyboard - HP L1470 17" 1280x1024 Monitor

10-19-2009, 11:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
Matthew1990 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK / Scotland Age: 18 Posts: 218	P4 and 4850 not a good idea, trust me.....it will bottleneck like hell, I had that setup for about 24hrs, 8fps in crysis....... __________________ CASE Antec 300 with 4 120mm fans MOBO Asus P5Q SE P45 GPU XFX GTS 250 512mb CPU E5200 @ 3.15GHz RAM 4GB OCZ @ 1000MHz Display Samsung 20' SyncMaster 2053BW 1680/1050 HDD Hitachi 250GB/noisy Windows 7 64BIT Pro

10-19-2009, 03:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ethan3.14159 Diamond Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Age: 19 Posts: 1,692	Unfortunately, upgrading the video card will leave your CPU bottlenecked. So, you can throw in the best video card out there and the CPU just won't keep up. It's like getting Porsche and then towing a trailer of bricks. Sure the Porsche is fast, but is dragged down by the trailer of bricks. If you are set on upgrading take a look at the ATI 3850. Always has been a good value card, and will run those games at decent settings with decent frame rates. __________________ CPU: AMD Phenom X4 9950 BE MB: Asus M3N-HT 780a RAM: 4GB OCZ Platinum DDR2 800 GPU: XFX GTX 260 55nm PSU: Silverstone DA650 650 watt HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB 7200.12 Case: Cooler Master CM 690 Pure Black Edition (1 of only 300) OS: Windows 7 Ultimate Other: Logitech G15, Microsoft Sidewinder, Logitech X-230 PM me for a Lockerz.com invite Folding for the good of mankind: Team 44358

10-19-2009, 05:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
nastynate New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 16	tryin to stay under $100. but can go more. do you know about any good radeon cards that could run newer games?

10-19-2009, 11:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
daisymtc Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: UK Posts: 3,918	What PSU have you got? Best $100 card: AGP - ATI 3850 512MB PCI-E - ATI 4850 512MB

10-19-2009, 06:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
Matthew1990 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK / Scotland Age: 18 Posts: 218	instead of a new card, save money for a new system, thats what i did, in 6 mnths i was ready. __________________ CASE Antec 300 with 4 120mm fans MOBO Asus P5Q SE P45 GPU XFX GTS 250 512mb CPU E5200 @ 3.15GHz RAM 4GB OCZ @ 1000MHz Display Samsung 20' SyncMaster 2053BW 1680/1050 HDD Hitachi 250GB/noisy Windows 7 64BIT Pro

10-19-2009, 11:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
nastynate New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 16	i have PCI and AGP slots. no PCI express and i really dont want to buy a whole new motherboard. i also have 2 gigs of ram

10-20-2009, 03:26 AM	#10 (permalink)
nastynate New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 16	i've decided to just go ahead and rebuild my system.

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