15 réponses à ce sujet

[Titan3167]

Hey guys,

So I need some help. I bought Dragon Age Origins only to realize that I don't have a legit graphics card to play this game. So basically here is what I want to ask:

1 - Where do I buy video cards?
2 - I don't care about having super ultimate graphics, I just want something that's not ghetto that will get the job done. What should I look for and how much would it cost?
3 - Once I purchase this card, how do I install it?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[RaenImrahl]

I am sure several of our more experienced users will be able to advise you.  To help them, however, could you give us your other hardware specs and such?  That will help folks figure out what kind of video card your particular PC can support.

Check out this thread for details of what we need and how you can find it:  http://social.biowar...8/index/7280573

[Titan3167]

Sure.

I have a Dell Inspiron 518 Desktop. Windows Vista. Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.50 GHz processor. 3.00GB RAM. 32 bit operating system.

I think my current video thing is "Generic PnP Monitor on Intel® G33/G31 Express Chipset Family

Thanks again for the quick reply! I'd like to start playing this game, feel like an idiot atm.

[RaenImrahl]

Next question... what kind of (if any) graphics card slot does your machine have. You might have to check with whatever documentation came with the machine to answer that. The answer will be something like PCI-E or AGP. Possibly vanilla PCI.

[Titan3167]

Hmm, so I asked a few friends and used google... and I got an idea, just wanted to double check it's okay.

I went to Dell's website and there was an option for me to enter what computer I have, and it listed video card options as an upgrade. I'm thinking of just buying this one... "Radeon HD 2600 XT 512 MB GDDR3 PCI Express Graphics Card"

Basically I know it's going to be compatible and work so it's less of a head ache on my end. I'm tempted to just go ahead and buy it tonight. Is this idea alright? I'd rather just go ahead and buy it than spend a few days shopping for the best deal.

I just want to know if I'm making a mistake buying this or not.

[Gorath Alpha]

The 2600 XT is getting quite elderly by now. It was new in 2007, when the asking price was about $200 for it, and four years in the computer world is a terribly long time. Its actual value today is about $45 or so, plus shipping. If you are in a big rush, go for the Radeon HD 6670 or a Geforce GTS 450.

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 09 mai 2011 - 03:22 .

[Titan3167]

Well my main thing is I just don't what what's compatible with my motherboard and there are just so many options, that for someone who isn't tech savvy, this is a terrible difficult decision to make.

[Gorath Alpha]

Everything for the PCI Express Video Bus newer than 2007 fits everything else since 2007, when it comes to PCIe. There are only very minor differences in the video bus that don't really make for a hill of beans compared to everything else that is involved.  The normal retail packaging will include sufficient documentation to perform the install, but if you happened to find what is called an "OEM" version, which comes with almost nothing, and is a few dollars less expensive, there are hundreds of internet tutorials on how to do it, many fully illustrated, and quite a few of them set up as video tutorials. 

http://www.build-gam...video-card.html

http://www.google.co...a graphics card

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 09 mai 2011 - 06:05 .

[Gorath Alpha]

Aeiona, this is the message thread covering your situation, if you have a Desktop style PC.

FYI, this is one, although it wouldn't play games (it's a $349 machine, without a gaming graphics system): 

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 10 mai 2011 - 05:20 .

[Aeiona_]

okay, though I dont really know what is a "Desktop style PC". I have... a regular computer.
Anyhow, I understand you suggest that I'll buy a new video card? I tried to google video cards (on my country) and tried to find something familiar. I'm on the very far end of being tech savvy...
Is nVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB good?

[RaenImrahl]

Aeiona_ wrote...

okay, though I dont really know what is a "Desktop style PC". I have... a regular computer.
Anyhow, I understand you suggest that I'll buy a new video card? I tried to google video cards (on my country) and tried to find something familiar. I'm on the very far end of being tech savvy...
Is nVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB good?

Gorath is the acknowledged expert on video cards... but from my perspective, the 8400GS is a decent card but an old one.  A desktop PC is a regular computer with a case and a separate monitor, keyboard, mouse... as opposed to a portable laptop or notebook/netbook.

[Aeiona_]

RaenImrahl wrote...

Aeiona_ wrote...

okay, though I dont really know what is a "Desktop style PC". I have... a regular computer.
Anyhow, I understand you suggest that I'll buy a new video card? I tried to google video cards (on my country) and tried to find something familiar. I'm on the very far end of being tech savvy...
Is nVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB good?

Gorath is the acknowledged expert on video cards... but from my perspective, the 8400GS is a decent card but an old one.  A desktop PC is a regular computer with a case and a separate monitor, keyboard, mouse... as opposed to a portable laptop or notebook/netbook.

Oh, then I do have a desktop PC...... thanks.
I have no clue about all this.... computer staff. My dad is the expert one, maybe I should ask him...
So should I avoid completely Nvidia and look after Radeon? I feel all lost in this....

BTW - thank you so much for helping me!

Modifié par Aeiona_, 10 mai 2011 - 03:37 .

[Gorath Alpha]

The 8400 GS, IMO, was essentially junk when brand new. It had overheating problems, fan problems, and poor value problems. That was also true of the majority of the Geforces in the initial release of the 8n00 generation, with the 8600 GTs having such problems in spades. The various 8800s were better off in most regards, and also were updated before the next generation was released (GT200s). The 9n00s were the same 8n00 cards with new names, and improved cooling / fan control, and better value.

Compared to the minimum official Geforce, which cannot handle Medium textures because of minimal VRAM, the 8400 GS is too slow for Medium textures. At four years old, the value of the 8400 GS is very poor today, since they cost so much compared to better cards that perform much better for the same cost and less.

The real value is about $35 or so, and you can't find them at that price.  Right now, it's difficult to find them at less than about $60, it seems.  This retailer claims to have two in stock for $54 plus shipping

http://www.futurepow...12SPPB&REFID=PG

That's a horrible excuse for value when for the same price, you can get an HD 4670 from Newegg

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx

It may even be less.  The rebate is larger on the indexing page for HIS Graphics. 

Aeiona_ wrote...

Oh, then I do have a desktop PC...... thanks.

http://us.test.giga-...?ProductID=3011

I have no clue about all this.... computer staff. My dad is the expert one, maybe I should ask him...
So should I avoid completely Nvidia and look after Radeon? I feel all lost in this....

BTW - thank you so much for helping me!

nVIDIA makes very good products, but most haven't been competitively priced for the majority of various video card price points for a couple of years.  They usually do sell the very fastest, very fanciest, and the very highest priced cards, but when it's a question of performance per dollar, AMD beats them for games, hands down.

Yes, I know you are overseas, but the principle and the inflated MSRPs are worldwide.  nVIDIA and its partners are price gouging just based on popularity with people who don't understand shopping for frames per dollar.

Just comparing basic raw specifications, which is admittedly not the most intuitive approach, both the 6150 and the 8400 come off poorly compared to the real (practical) minimum.  I'll do the Pie in the SKy fantasy minimum next:

Desktop 8400 GS vs practical minimum nVIDIA Geforce for DAO:
http://www.gpureview...1=529&card2=178

According to the raw specifications, an 8400 GS might be within 80% of the performance of the minimum.

Geforce desktop 6200 closest in powerlessness vs minimum Geforce for DAO
http://www.gpureview...1=196&card2=178

The 6200 is what the 6150 partly copied, and has 30% of what the minimum can do. 

Geforce desktop 6200 closest in powerlessness vs official minimum Geforce for DAO
http://www.gpureview...1=196&card2=187

The 6200 is what the 6150 partly copied, and has 20% of what the Pie in the SKY stupidity ("official") can do. 

The 6600 GT is faster than the 6800 Vanilla (practical choice), while having a narrower memory bandwidth and far too small of a VRAM total (max 128).

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 12 mai 2011 - 08:23 .

[Aeiona_]

Gorath Alpha wrote...

The 8400 GS, IMO, was essentially junk when brand new. It had overheating problems, fan problems, and poor value problems. That was also true of the majority of the Geforces in the initial release of the 8n00 generation, with the 8600 GTs having such problems in spades. The various 8800s were better off in most regards, and also were updated before the next generation was released (GT200s). The 9n00s were the same 8n00 cards with new names, and improved cooling / fan control, and better value.

Compared to the minimum official Geforce, which cannot handle Medium textures because of minimal VRAM, the 8400 GS is too slow for Medium textures. At four years old, the value of the 8400 GS is very poor today, since they cost so much compared to better cards that perform much better for the same cost and less.

The real value is about $35 or so, and you can't find them at that price.  Right now, it's difficult to find them at less than about $60, it seems.  This retailer claims to have two in stock for $54 plus shipping

http://www.futurepow...12SPPB&REFID=PG

That's a horrible excuse for value when for the same price, you can get an HD 4670 from Newegg

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx

It may even be less.  The rebate is larger on the indexing page for HIS Graphics. 

Yes, I know the author is overseas, but the principle and the inflated MSRPs are worldwide.  nVIDIA and its partners are price gouging just based on popularity with people who don't understand shopping for frames per dollar.

Ok i found my Motherboard profile. now please tell me, which video cards may work in my computer, and which one may fit best?:   major thanks~!

Board: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. M61PME-S2P

Processor: 2.40 gigahertz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core

OS: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600)

Memory: 1024 MB

Display: NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE [Display adapter]

[RaenImrahl]

Your board has a PCI-E x16 slot, meaning it should run any card that uses "PCI Express".

[Gorath Alpha]

As per my comment above here, to the original author of the first post, PCIe is just PCIe; all cards and all motherboards all interchange completely and the changes so far in the PCIe(16) video bus technology have been basically incremental differences that most PC owners can ignore without fear of problems.

You can use a Geforce GT 440, which happens to be overpriced, or a Radeon HD 4670 which (in the Newegg example) was a huge bargain. The 440 is a Dx11 part, for which there isn't a lot of software yet, and for which high end, high dollar parts are what make the best usage of that latest step upward.

An HD 5570 is newer than an HD 4670, but basically about the same general performance. The HD 6n00 cards still have a "newness" cachet, which means they are still carrying slightly inflated prices compared to the cards that are a year old (HD 5n00).

As an FYI here, once ATI started using nVIDIA's 2004 style of graphics card naming, they stuck with it.  From their Radeon Xn00 generation, they supposedly were following the basic plan, but that year, none of the X600 cards were any better than business graphics level ("400").  The hundreds digit tells the story for Radeons, with zero to 299 all being onboard chipset video chip graphics, like your 6150.  300 to 499 is for business graphics, 500 to 599 or budget game levels, and 600 to 799 for Mainline Gaming graphics cards.  The High end, expensive cards are 800 and upward.

The best way to decide is to first determine the budget you are working with, then the hoped for graphics quality, and finally to tell us what market you'll be purchasing the upgrade in, including the monetary units, such as Euros.

Incidentally, when any of our members are overseas doing their shopping, I'm at a loss these days.  I used to keep up somewhat with good retailers in the UK, but haven't been doing so lately, so we'll have to hope that when you answer, there will be one of your countrymen on hand who can suggest an equivalent to Newegg (fast, honest, and bargain priced).

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 11 mai 2011 - 02:09 .