Help with the decision to buy a new video card?

M

Mark F

New Member
Hi, my video card at the moment is old and weak, its only a 64mb one; however this has done me because I own a lot of old games...

I want a new one but my PC is fairly old and I have heard that updating video cards can in fact just make your computer slower then it already was due to the processor speed, is this true? For instance if I bought a 128mb or a 256mb card (being that my machine's processor speed is 1.67 GHz) would it slow it down more? Or do I need to get an entirely new computer, or motherboard.

Cheers anyone who helps with my concern, Mark.
 
It wouldn't slow it down, just still useless.
I would say you should buy a completely new machine. I used to say that because i only play old games i don't need a new computer, but old games are old games for a reason.

You don't need the latest and greatest, but is a good idea to get good stuff.
New motherboard that supports new CPU (if you don't know mcuh about computers, that is the heart of your comp, or the kitchen)
new CPU
Kinda New Graphics card
new RAM
keep your old hard drive, unless its small.
 
But if I did buy the new card, would it do anything at all? Like even the slightest thing, or would it just be useless like you said.
 
But if I did buy the new card, would it do anything at all? Like even the slightest thing, or would it just be useless like you said.
Click to expand...
If your computer is really old, chaces are it doesn't have a PCI-E slot so it's not worth upgrading, because AGP and PCI cards are relentlessly expensive for the performance they give.

What are the specs of your computer? CPU model/speed, current graphics card model and amount/type/speed of RAM is something we could really use.
 
Mark F said:
But if I did buy the new card, would it do anything at all? Like even the slightest thing, or would it just be useless like you said.
Click to expand...

just be pointless really, upgrade I mean, yeh sure you play old games, but there will be a time when your like, "Cool, look at this... install" "WHAT! IT DOESN'T WORK! Maybe I should upgrade like that goose guy said."
*goes online and orders parts* *builds comp* *plays game* *goes on CF*
"Thanks goose for the advice"

And ill be like "no problem"
 
*or goose may be talking shit depending on the current system specs including psu.*

Mark download PC Wizard from my sig and install it. Go to FILE SAVE AS and click OK> then copy that text into this thread. Also open your psu and tell us what model psu you have.
 
OK, I'll do that then post the specs, I think it's like 1GB Ram but can't remember the rest. All the parts are old though, by the way I bought a second-hand graphics card, Nvidia Geforce 128mb AGP (my PC doesn't take PCI) and it was only $12 so I figure I didn't have much to lose... hard to tell if it's actually doing something though. The other thing is money, I have money but isn't there a cheap way of building computers because like, everything is so expensive.
 
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Alrighty here it is - the raw data for my computer

Manufacturer : Hallmark Computers
Mainboard : Gigabyte 7VM400M-RZ
Chipset : VIA KM400
Processor : AMD Sempron @ 1333 MHz
Physical Memory : 1024 MB (2 x 512 DDR-SDRAM )
Video Card : NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X (Microsoft)
Hard Disk : ST340014A (40 GB)
Hard Disk : WDC (40 GB)
DVD-Rom Drive : LITE-ON COMBO SOHC-5236V
Monitor Type : ASUS VW193T - 19 inches
Network Card : VT82C570 MV IDE Controller VT6102 Rhine II Fast
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.01.2600 ServiceP
DirectX : Version 9.0c (March 2006)


Hmmm, guessing it doesn't look good. I have a nice monitor though...
 
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