I want a cheap decent new graphics card

INeedNoSalt

see title

Right now I have an ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT and it isn't it cutting. Some numbers here: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/547/1/

I've got a 2.2ghz quad-core processor (AMD Phenom 9500), and three gigs of uh "DDR2 Dual-Channel" ram. I don't know what the "DDR2 Dual-Channel" part means.

Basically, is my computer terrible, or can I just get a big, beefy video card for ~$200 that will solve all of my problems?

Darkewolfe

What's your mobo out of curiosity, and are you on a 32 bit or 64 bit OS?

INeedNoSalt

I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium, 32 bit

Belarc thing says my motherboard is uh this and I have no idea what it means: ECS MCP61PM-GM 2.1

Everest says this:
Motherboard ID 11/26/2007-MCP61PM-GM-6A61KCDHC-00
Motherboard Name Unknown

INeedNoSalt

hack weeze

matt has a problem

Oops, missed the $200 part.


You can get a new card just fine, you've got a PCI-e x16 slot.

matt has a problem

$124, but no HDMI.

$154, with HDMI.

Elin

Make sure you check what power supply is needed for your beefy new card. You may need to up the wattage to deal with it.

matt has a problem

But what "problems" are you having? I mean, you're not going to be able to run everything on high with full AA at max resolution with a new card.

Raekreu

For less than $200 you could get an ATI 5770, which is not too bad. They're the mainstream version of the much beefier 5850. Though if you're trying to future proof yourself just going up to the $300 mark will get you a 5850, which is a VERY good card atm.

INeedNoSalt

I got tired of having to run things like Star Trek Online and Dragon Age on the lowest possible settings and still getting poor framerate.

I could probably go up to $300 if it'll make a significant difference

1ddqd

The 5850 will keep you from having to buy a new card in the next 2-3 years, solid. What kind of computer do you have? I get the feeling it's a boutique (read; HP, Dell, etc).

INeedNoSalt

Yeah. I was having computer troubles with my last PC and my parents just up and bought me a new one.

It's this guy, right here: http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/1015003R/1015003Rsp3.shtml

matt has a problem

INeedNoSalt wrote: »

Yeah. I was having computer troubles with my last PC and my parents just up and bought me a new one.

It's this guy, right here: http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/1015003R/1015003Rsp3.shtml

Power Supply 300 watt

You're going to need a new power supply then.

INeedNoSalt

oh god i don't know anything about power supplies

okay so if we're looking at $300 or so, what do i need to do with power supplying to get a superior video card?

matt has a problem

It depends. If your current one is the standard dimensions, usually 3.5" x 6" x 6", you can get a new one from just about anywhere that sells power supplies (Newegg). If it's not though, it'll be a little trickier to find one that fits.

Bartholamue

Raekreu wrote: »

For less than $200 you could get an ATI 5770, which is not too bad. They're the mainstream version of the much beefier 5850. Though if you're trying to future proof yourself just going up to the $300 mark will get you a 5850, which is a VERY good card atm.

Yeah, that's what I was going to recommend as well. You get a Direct X 11 card, and while not as powerful as the 5850/5870, the 5770 is still quite powerful. That was the card I was going to buy two of.

INeedNoSalt wrote: »

oh god i don't know anything about power supplies

okay so if we're looking at $300 or so, what do i need to do with power supplying to get a superior video card?

I would recommend a 500 watt PSU at least. You can probably get by with 450, but 500 is pretty much standard now.

If you're really worried about how much power you'll need, this power supply calculator is a good start.

Darkewolfe

Make sure there's enough physical space on the mobo for some of these oversized cards, also in the case.

DHS Odium

You could go the route I did, I have a quad-core dell that came with 3GB ram (I have 4 in it now), rather than get a new PSU, I got a lower powered card that was still decent, and cheap. ATI 4670 I think, I can run everything I've thrown at it on high or medium-high settings. Low power and it's running off a 350 watt PSU, quiet too.

1ddqd

There will be enough room in the case for the video card. Also, Gateway uses standard ATX sized power supplies. Here are the two products I recommend (and free shipping!):

$60 Power Supply: Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W

$170 Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 5770

The cheapest 5850 I found at newegg.com was $280, so that's breaking the bank if you include the PSU in your $300 upper limit. The 5770 will keep you afloat for at least 2 years though, minimum. Antec is one of the better power supply makers out there; Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake, Seasonic, Silverstone, there are literally tons of good power supply makers out there.

If you're iffy, google "X power supply review" and you'll get some good reads on anything worthwhile.

Sir Headless VII

Tom's Hardware does a monthly best graphics card for the money. That one is from January, if you wait a week or two they'll do another one but it'll probably be roughly the same.

LoneIgadzra

4890 is the ideal choice at the $200 price point. It performs way way better than the 57xx series (which, in turn, actually benchmark worse than the equivalent 48xx series budget cards!), even though it can't do DX11. It requires at least a 500W power supply with dual PCI-E though (any SLI/Crossfire capable PSU should do).

I am very happy with mine. I can run everything at 1080p with all settings maxed (except for Shattered Horizon and Crysis - have to settle merely for "high" at that resolution as opposed to "very high"). With most modern games it's not a question of "can it run with everything maxed" so much as "can I also turn on antialiasing or maybe even adaptive antialiasing?" In particular you mention Dragon Age: rest assured that I get perfectly good framerates at 1920x1080 with everything maxed and 4x AA. The framerate can dip below 30, depending on what is in the frame, but top-down view never has any slowdown.

GoodOmens

This is the sort of advice I've been looking for as well. I'm looking to upgrade, and I'm not that worried if it's obselete in 2-3 years...I figure by that point I'll have a family and won't be doing much gaming anyway. The 5770 or 4890 look like good choices to me, but I'm kind of dumb about this whole thing...my mind usually goes "big number=good card" and that's about it. Probably time to start trolling Ebay and see if I get a lucky deal.

A question about replacing power supplies: is it as simple as it looks? Unplug wires, unscrew and remove the old one, put the new one in, reconnect everything?

SniperGuy

GoodOmens wrote: »

This is the sort of advice I've been looking for as well. I'm looking to upgrade, and I'm not that worried if it's obselete in 2-3 years...I figure by that point I'll have a family and won't be doing much gaming anyway. The 5770 or 4890 look like good choices to me, but I'm kind of dumb about this whole thing...my mind usually goes "big number=good card" and that's about it. Probably time to start trolling Ebay and see if I get a lucky deal.

A question about replacing power supplies: is it as simple as it looks? Unplug wires, unscrew and remove the old one, put the new one in, reconnect everything?

As long as you reconnect everything where it's supposed to go, yup.

Raekreu

SniperGuy wrote: »

GoodOmens wrote: »

This is the sort of advice I've been looking for as well. I'm looking to upgrade, and I'm not that worried if it's obselete in 2-3 years...I figure by that point I'll have a family and won't be doing much gaming anyway. The 5770 or 4890 look like good choices to me, but I'm kind of dumb about this whole thing...my mind usually goes "big number=good card" and that's about it. Probably time to start trolling Ebay and see if I get a lucky deal.

A question about replacing power supplies: is it as simple as it looks? Unplug wires, unscrew and remove the old one, put the new one in, reconnect everything?

As long as you reconnect everything where it's supposed to go, yup.

The only thing I can add is to make good use of the zip ties that are usually in the box with the new PS...I've had a few close calls over the years where a stray wire would get caught in a fan, usually after I'd moved the tower and it'd been jostled enough to move things around.