Which Video Card(s)?

struby · 07-30-2005, 10:54 PM

I am looking to buy a new video card for my computer, here are my guidelines:

My computer is a Dell Dimension 2350 Desktop
I currently have 256 mb of RAM, but am looking to upgrade that as well
My current video card is just what came with the computer, and I am hoping to run Guild Wars smoothly and maybe even more advanced things.

-Must fit into my computer, without making other modifications.
-I am not looking to spend too much money, I would say no more than 80-90 bucks, if not even less (tell me if I am thinking too low).
-I am not extremely knowledgeable about computers, so I might need someone to walk me through the process.
-I was thinking Radeon, since the Guild Wars box has that mentioned, as well as GeForce, but I am open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

**The_Other_One** · 07-30-2005, 10:58 PM

You don't have much of an upgrade path... Apparently the machine only has PCI so you can only get a PCI graphics card. The perforamce will be quite limited due to this. And that's plain PCI, not PCI Express.

joshj · 07-30-2005, 11:29 PM

Well, I think you can find a 5500 for PCI. But it's not going to really boost your performance. The best upgrade for you right now is to get more ram, at least another 512MB. 1GB would be good.

**The_Other_One** · 07-30-2005, 11:33 PM

*nods* RAM's good...maybe a processor upgrade. What's the processor? Celeron?

struby · 07-31-2005, 01:28 AM

Processor is pentium 4.
So is that do say I couldn't put in like a Radeon 9000?
Because I don't think that my video card is compatible with the game.
edit: wouldn't any of these work/be a good upgrade?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

**The_Other_One** · 07-31-2005, 02:03 AM

Yeah, any plain PCI card should work just fine.

struby · 07-31-2005, 02:14 AM

But are any of those an upgrade, and are any of those as good as the radeon 9000, because that is recommended for the game, so basically, are any of those pci video cards as good as or better than the radeon 9000?

**The_Other_One** · 07-31-2005, 02:18 AM

First off, the Radeon 9000 isn't much of a card. I beleive it's actually comparable to the older 8500... Now, I don't know right off how good those really are, but I'd suggest just finding one that's within your price range and looking for a benchmark.

struby · 07-31-2005, 02:32 AM

Thanks for your help man, so how about I pick one out, and you can tell me whether it is better than the Radeon 9000, the box of Guild Wars recommends the ATI Radeon 9000, which is why I am asking and want one at least equal to and if not better than it, I will edit in a card.

edit:
Like the Radeon 9200 se
The Radeon 9250
The Radion X550
I would appretiate it greatly if someone could take a look at that list and tell me which ones are not equal or better to the Radeon 9000.

**The_Other_One** · 07-31-2005, 03:59 AM

From what I can see, the X550 just uses PCIe so no point to even consider that one...

I can't find a good side by side conmparison between the 9200 SE and the 9250, but the plain 9200 is normally about 5 FPS slower than the 9250... And, just FYI, the 9600 is about twice as fast as the 9200!

07-30-2005, 10:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
struby Bronze Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	Which Video Card(s)? I am looking to buy a new video card for my computer, here are my guidelines: My computer is a Dell Dimension 2350 Desktop I currently have 256 mb of RAM, but am looking to upgrade that as well My current video card is just what came with the computer, and I am hoping to run Guild Wars smoothly and maybe even more advanced things. -Must fit into my computer, without making other modifications. -I am not looking to spend too much money, I would say no more than 80-90 bucks, if not even less (tell me if I am thinking too low). -I am not extremely knowledgeable about computers, so I might need someone to walk me through the process. -I was thinking Radeon, since the Guild Wars box has that mentioned, as well as GeForce, but I am open to suggestions. Thanks in advance.

07-30-2005, 10:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	You don't have much of an upgrade path... Apparently the machine only has PCI so you can only get a PCI graphics card. The perforamce will be quite limited due to this. And that's plain PCI, not PCI Express. __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

07-30-2005, 11:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
joshj Silver Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 19 Posts: 176	Well, I think you can find a 5500 for PCI. But it's not going to really boost your performance. The best upgrade for you right now is to get more ram, at least another 512MB. 1GB would be good. __________________ Athlon64 3700+, EPoX EP-9NDA3+, 1GB 2-3-2-5 DDR400, BFG 7800GS OC @ 505/1.46, 250GB, 160GB, 120GB, DVD, CD-RW, 570W Skyhawk PowerOne, WinXP Pro

07-30-2005, 11:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	nods RAM's good...maybe a processor upgrade. What's the processor? Celeron? __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

07-31-2005, 01:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
struby Bronze Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	Processor is pentium 4. So is that do say I couldn't put in like a Radeon 9000? Because I don't think that my video card is compatible with the game. edit: wouldn't any of these work/be a good upgrade? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&Go.x=0&Go.y=0 Last edited by struby; 07-31-2005 at 01:33 AM.

07-31-2005, 02:03 AM	#6 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	Yeah, any plain PCI card should work just fine. __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

07-31-2005, 02:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
struby Bronze Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	But But are any of those an upgrade, and are any of those as good as the radeon 9000, because that is recommended for the game, so basically, are any of those pci video cards as good as or better than the radeon 9000?

07-31-2005, 02:18 AM	#8 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	First off, the Radeon 9000 isn't much of a card. I beleive it's actually comparable to the older 8500... Now, I don't know right off how good those really are, but I'd suggest just finding one that's within your price range and looking for a benchmark. __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

07-31-2005, 02:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
struby Bronze Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	Thanks for your help man, so how about I pick one out, and you can tell me whether it is better than the Radeon 9000, the box of Guild Wars recommends the ATI Radeon 9000, which is why I am asking and want one at least equal to and if not better than it, I will edit in a card. edit: Like the Radeon 9200 se The Radeon 9250 The Radion X550 I would appretiate it greatly if someone could take a look at that list and tell me which ones are not equal or better to the Radeon 9000. Last edited by struby; 07-31-2005 at 02:36 AM.

07-31-2005, 03:59 AM	#10 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	From what I can see, the X550 just uses PCIe so no point to even consider that one... I can't find a good side by side conmparison between the 9200 SE and the 9250, but the plain 9200 is normally about 5 FPS slower than the 9250... And, just FYI, the 9600 is about twice as fast as the 9200! __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

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