Graphics Card Assistance

[Erich_870]

Yeah, newegg still has quite a few PCI cards listed. I went to "Desktop Graphics/Video Cards" and then chose "PCI" on the left under "interface".

Is there any way to check my machine for PCI 2.1 compatibility?

Erich

[Seanz0rz]

i guess i suck at searching!

it should be fine. newegg is great about returns too!

[Erich_870]

i guess i suck at searching!

it should be fine. newegg is great about returns too!

I was looking on newegg and saying to myself, "I wonder why all these PCI ones won't work for me? "

The one I posted below needs a 300w power supply and my box has a 250 watt, but I think I'll still get it anyway, and upgrade the power supply if I have to.

Anyone else have a suggestion?

Thanks,

Erich

[mastacox]

Man PCI video cards are a blast from the past

That EVGA card looks good, and like Sean says Newegg is very good about returns. The only other website I can recommend for finding computer parts is www.pricewatch.com but in the end Newegg is usually the best deal.

This is the video card I've got my sights on : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150329

EDIT: now that I see the mail-in rebate on it, I'm pulling the trigger on it, I need DX10 graphics baddd!

[CJM]

Dude, you can build an entire new lighting fast pc for 350 bucks at most. My brother just built my mom and dad one and its sweet. Everything from newegg, he and I love that site.

[Erich_870]

Dude, you can build an entire new lighting fast pc for 350 bucks at most. My brother just built my mom and dad one and its sweet. Everything from newegg, he and I love that site.

You have my attention. Care to share all the specifics?

Erich

[mastacox]

"Lightning fast" for $350 may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you can build a VERY nice one for about $750, or a lot faster than your current computer for perhaps $400 or so.

For the $750 machine:

Gigabyte Mobo- $135
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor- $185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115057

4GB DDR2 Ram- $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231148

Western Digital 1 TB Hard Drive- $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136337

XFX GTX 260 Graphics Card- $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150329

650 W Power supply- ~$100
Case- Around ~$50
DVD-Writer- ~$20

-----------
TOTAL: $755

That doesn't include the operating system, if you got Windows Vista 64 bit you'd be looking at about $150 I think.

[CJM]

Well it depends on lightning fast and your definition.

For most what you listed brian cant really be used or fully utilized by most avg people. Your avg person who surfs the net and doesnt play games doesnt need 4gb of ram, a super duper gfx card, 1tb hard drive, or a super duper cpu or mobo. If can survive on a P4 laptop with 512 ram, and only 3.2ghz then many others can. This pc runs everything I want tbh besides games or software that is vista only.

Also NO ONE SHOULD EVER INSTALL VISTA PERIOD, IT SUCKS. Stick with XP. XP can be had free from any tech savvy person you know man. Dont pay for windows out the ass..

I will have to check the specs with my brother, ill get you them. Shoot me an email so I dont forget.

FWIW, this ones only about 400 bucks and would suit you fine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883113094

[mastacox]

Well it depends on lightning fast and your definition.

Maybe so... but I'm not sure a $400 machine can be considered "lightning fast" in any sense of the term these days. FWIW, I bought my wife a refurbished Dell laptop for $250 that surfs the net just fine.

For most what you listed brian cant really be used or fully utilized by most avg people. Your avg person who surfs the net and doesnt play games doesnt need 4gb of ram, a super duper gfx card, 1tb hard drive, or a super duper cpu or mobo.

Well, let's just say I'm an enthusiast That's an AMAZING computer for $755, similar hardware from a computer builder is likely to cost twice that. That's about the minimum I would consider "lightning fast."

If can survive on a P4 laptop with 512 ram, and only 3.2ghz then many others can. This pc runs everything I want tbh besides games or software that is vista only.

I use my computer for games, HD video re-encoding, Photoshop, lots of graphics and CPU intensive stuff. Surfing the net is one thing, and you can do that on most cell phones these days.

Also NO ONE SHOULD EVER INSTALL VISTA PERIOD, IT SUCKS. Stick with XP. XP can be had free from any tech savvy person you know man. Dont pay for windows out the ass..

You can get Windows 7 for free until next summer, and it's been working great for me. I understand >most< of the reasons people like staying with XP, but eventually you have to move on I stuck with XP for a long time, but I'll definitely say that Windows 7 is a huge difference.

[CJM]

Yes if you do the things you do, you need all that hardware. I built several machines a few years ago that lasted till now tbh.

As for windows 7 or vista, no just plain no. XP is finally fully stable and of course M$ needs something new.

Like I said, for surfing the web or doing normal stuff you wont ever need what you have. Stuff becomes outdated so quick its not worth it to even build and keep around after a year or so.