View Full Version : Graphic Card / Recomendations Wanted
Hi,at the moment my daughters computer has got a Pci express 6800GT card fitted,i would like to upgrade this card.her pc is used for a lot of gaming.
I have got 160.00 pound to spend,can someone recommend :confused: the best card to get for thet sort of money.
Cosmo_1847
09-01-2007, 20:37
For £165 you can get an Nvidia 7950GT 256MB (http://kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_5366.html) card and for £160 you can get an ATi X1950pro 512MB (http://kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_5372.html). Both of them come with a DVI to VGA adapter.
For £165 you can get an Nvidia 7950GT 256MB (http://kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_5366.html) card and for £160 you can get an ATi X1950pro 512MB (http://kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_5372.html). Both of them come with a DVI to VGA adapter. Thanks for the advise,is there any benifit in having 512mb over having 256mb:confused: can it make a great difference :confused:
Yes it can, the more memory available for textures the better, especially relevant for computer gaming, plus as its cheaper you may as well opt for it anyway!
Edit: Doh...minor bumpage, nvm.
gainward bliss 8800 gts from OC UK :P
mushroom
02-02-2007, 00:53
My computer has a P3 processor with integrated graphics can I add a separate graphics card and would it improve the performance of the computer? I dont play games so I wouldnt need a really good one.
Any recommendations?
jamesp129
02-02-2007, 01:51
I doubt you would see an increase in performance if you dont play games or do any 3d work.
If you have a Pentium 3 then the graphics card is the least of your worries.
jamesp129
02-02-2007, 02:23
lol and there's that.id save the money for something abit more up to date.
mushroom
02-02-2007, 08:57
:(
Still does the job for me.
So why do you want to upgrade it, eh? :p
Fireblade
02-02-2007, 13:17
gainward bliss 8800 gts from XXXX :P
:(
You might want to go have a read of the Kustom PC's (http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/) forums rules, before you go bandying competitor store names about these forums again :rolleyes:
Fireblade
02-02-2007, 13:34
My computer has a P3 processor with integrated graphics can I add a separate graphics card and would it improve the performance of the computer?
You most certainly can add a dedicated graphics card... but it wouldn't improve the performance of the computer. Performance is primarily reliant on the CPU, and the amount of RAM in the system.
But a dedicated graphics card would improve the graphics capabilities... a lot!!
That in itself would make everything look a whole lot better... and could even make everything seem faster too ;)
As to what you could use: Your running an old P3 processor, so the motherboard will have an AGP graphics port at best... or a PCI slot at worst (PCI is much older and slower than AGP)?
If you can confirm the board has an AGP slot... then just get as good a[n AGP] card as you can afford.
Even something this 128MB Club3D FX5200 (http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_5374.html) (just £25) is far superior to the on-board graphics you're using just now!
I wouldn't go spending too much on one, for such an old system though!
Depending on how much you've got in it just now... more RAM would make a big difference as well, so give that some consideration too ;)
mushroom
02-02-2007, 14:13
Can fit any more RAM than it already has - 512MB. I think it just has PCI slots so it would have to be a PCI graphics card.
Fireblade
02-02-2007, 14:26
You'll need to double-check, 'coz you don't want to go buying a PCI card, if the board supports AGP!
If it does only have PCI though... all is not lost (http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_5301.html) ;)
Shame about the RAM :(
What motherboard is it? You're sure 512MB is its maximum though, and not just that that's what's in it now, and there's no expansion slots to add more?
If it's simply that you're out of expansion slots [and assuming the board can actually support 1GB]... you have the option of swapping out the 2x 256MB sticks you're using just now, for 2x 512MB sticks?
mushroom
02-02-2007, 14:30
I'm sure i looked at 512MB sticks a while back and it tuned out 256 was the max the mobo would allow.
Incidentally my GF has a P3 as well but it seems to have 3 RAM slots, I've never seen that before I thought 2 was the max?
Anyway, how do I tell if my mobo supports AGP?
Also what is PCI Express?
The p3 815 chipset supports a max of 512 mb
The p3 BX chipset on some MB's will take 768 mb
The mem slots on MY 815 mb (3) the third slot can only use single sided ram and 256 mb is max in any (up to 512 total).
The mem slots on my BX mb (4) can use double sided in any and 256 mb is max in any (up to 768 total).
Look at the slots in a tower the TOP slot would be the AGP one and it looks quite different than the next lower few.
There MAY be one or two black slots at the bottom that are older isa slots (bx chipset only)
I looked up my wifes P3 815 chipset board and I THINK its the only chipset that has onboard graphics and it does support agp as well, hers has an agp slot but that does not mean they all do.
There will be NO ISA slots on an 815 board only PCI and 1 AGP at the top.
Her BIOS has a setting for onboard graphics or AGP so look in the bios and see.
mushroom
02-02-2007, 15:09
Just has PCI.
What does PCI Express mean btw?
Think I'm going to get a cheapo one on ebay like a Radeon X300 that had a DVI output, that should improve the picture on my TFT shouldnt it?
Stephen B
02-02-2007, 15:12
Just has PCI.
What does PCI Express mean btw?
Think I'm going to get a cheapo one on ebay like a Radeon X300 that had a DVI output, that should improve the picture on my TFT shouldnt it?
Peripheral Component Interconnect
mushroom
02-02-2007, 15:17
I was really wondering what the Express part was.
brumster
02-02-2007, 16:25
It's faster ;)
Sorry, couldn't resist...!
Stephen B
02-02-2007, 16:45
It's faster ;)
Sorry, couldn't resist...!
no self control :)
brumster
02-02-2007, 17:23
My missus has been talking, obviously... ;)
Fireblade
03-02-2007, 12:25
I'm a little concerned about you making all these enquiries about PCI-E?
DON'T make the mistake of buying a PCI-E card... 'coz it won't fit!!!!
Any old PCI card will help improve the picture... yes... but don't skimp too much. As I've said... get as good a card as you can afford ;)
Frankly unless you're playing games a new graphics card will do sod all for you. Having a dedicated graphics card will free up system memory, but on a Pentium 3 era machine the onboard graphics chip won't be using much memory. You're better off keeping your money IMO.
mushroom
03-02-2007, 18:42
I'm a little concerned about you making all these enquiries about PCI-E?
DON'T make the mistake of buying a PCI-E card... 'coz it won't fit!!!!
Well that is why I was asking what PCI-E was but nobody has told me.
:(
You might want to go have a read of the Kustom PC's (http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/) forums rules, before you go bandying competitor store names about these forums again :rolleyes:
It might be a good idea to remove the reference from the original post then ;)
I think that you should look into upgrading other components (eg: RAM) before splashing out on a GPU :)
mushroom
03-02-2007, 19:33
Is nobody going to explain the difference between PCI and PCI-E then?
pci - 33-66mhz slots generally used for things like sound cards, old old graphics cards :) and add on cards
pci-X - replacement for the pci slots, never really took off on much
pci-E - also known as pci express, newest slot, 4 sizes, 1x small slot about 1/4 or 1/5 of pci slot, 4x about a 1/3 and 8x/16x/20x full size, about the size of an agp slot. 8x/16x/20x Often coloured due to sli/crossfire etc
AGP slot - full length slight set back in relation to pci slots
ISA slots - old hardly seen on newer boards.
mushroom
03-02-2007, 21:48
Thanks. So PCI-E is a no-no?
Thanks. So PCI-E is a no-no?
if youre referring to the p3 you mentioned earlier then pci-e is a definate no-no. You might have an agp 4x slot (my old p3 500mhz did)though so have a look inside to see if there is a slot set back a bit
linky (http://www.slo-tech.com/testi/plate01/agp_slot.jpg) to what it looks like (colour may be different though)
mushroom
03-02-2007, 23:49
No i only have 4 PCI nothing else.
Fireblade
04-02-2007, 12:23
It might be a good idea to remove the reference from the original post then ;)
Indeed. And I would... if I could... but I can't...
Only Super-MODs/owners have the ability to edit posts in any forum sections.
Us lowly MODs are designated a specific forum section (i.e. mine's 'Games'), and we can only 'moderate' that particular section ;)
Fireblade
04-02-2007, 12:30
So PCI-E is a no-no?
Erm...
DON'T make the mistake of buying a PCI-E card... 'coz it won't fit!!!!
If you absolutely must know the specific differences between the two... there's always Google!
Suffice it to say however, that they have different connections, so you can't fit a PCI-E card, in a PCI slot, or vice versa :rolleyes:
jamesp129
04-02-2007, 12:36
I would if i could but i cant so i shant.:D
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