Graphics Card Recommendation?

**Tharzool** · March 10, 2006, 10:31 AM

It appears that I need to get a better graphics card to play the RTW battle map. Can anyone recommend the best card from their experience? (Hopefully one that will support as many RTW and other games as possible to get the biggest bang for the buck.)

Btw, I've installed other kinds of cards, such as ethernet and modem cards on my PC. Is installing a graphics card any different? Ave!

Tharzool

**Lusted** · March 10, 2006, 10:40 AM

Moved to the basement, its the place for question such as this, and the enrds who live here will have a great time recommending the best card for you.

**Kaweh** · March 10, 2006, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Tharzool

It appears that I need to get a better graphics card to play the RTW battle map. Can anyone recommend the best card from their experience? (Hopefully one that will support as many RTW and other games as possible to get the biggest bang for the buck.)

Btw, I've installed other kinds of cards, such as ethernet and modem cards on my PC. Is installing a graphics card any different? Ave!

Tharzool

Hi! I had a nVidia GeForce FX5200 for some time, and it was quite a good card, however, the GeForce 5 series are not the best, and the FX5200 is quite obsolete by now. Right now I have a nVidia GeForce 6600GT, and it's a really good card, and it's quite cheap. I guess you'll be able to play all the new games on it (I play RTW with highest video options on it and still get about 30 frames per second).

But it depends on what card you are using right now. Of course you could also consider buying a newer GeForce card of the GF 7 series. I think nVidia cards are much better than ATI cards.

K.K

**Tharzool** · March 10, 2006, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Kaweh K.

Hi! I had an nVidia GeForce FX5200 for some time, and it was quite a good card, however, the GeForce 5 series are not the best, and the FX5200 is quite obsolete by now. Right now I have a nVidia GeForce 6600GT, and it's a really good card, and it's quite cheap. I guess you'll be able to play all the new games on it (I play RTW with highest video options on it and still get about 30 frames per second).

But it depends on what card you are using right now. Of course you could also consider buying a newer GeForce card of the GF 7 series. I think nVidia cards are much better than ATI cards.

K.K

Here is what my 'puter says about my display card:

Name VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_7205&SUBSYS_81181043&REV_01\4&10AF1F73&0&0008
Adapter Type VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP, VIA/S3G compatible
Adapter Description VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP
Adapter RAM 64.00 MB (67,108,864 bytes)
Installed Drivers vtdisp.dll
Driver Version 6.14.10.0212-16.94.42.16
INF File oem24.inf (viagfx_3205 section)
Color Planes 1
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1024 x 768 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Memory Address 0xE4000000-0xE7FFFFFF
Memory Address 0xE8000000-0xE9FFFFFF
IRQ Channel IRQ 16
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\vtmini.sys (6.14.10.0212-16.94.42.16, 168.50 KB (172,544 bytes), 3/8/2005 10:50 AM)

What all this means and how it relates to selecting a new card is just a bit beyond my knowledge base. lol

Anyhow, I hope this may help refine the choice(s) of available new cards. Thanks for the info!

Ave!
Tharzool

**Kushan** · March 10, 2006, 12:53 PM

To recommend a good card you would have to know that slot ype that it will be fitting in (PCI, VGA, or PCI-E), also knowing how much your willing to spend. My personal recomendation would be a PCI-E of the GeForce 6600 or 6800. But I know that only new computers, motherboards, support PCI-E (Not to be confused with PCI). If you really want to over kill go with either the GeForce 7800GT OC or the 7800GTX, but those are veryexpensive, running you 300-600. Also do you want to run duel cards in SLI? If your looking for a decent just to get by card (aka cheap) then, I would go with the 6200 series of cards.

There really is alot to be considered.

Kushan

**Incinerate_IV** · March 10, 2006, 03:00 PM

VIA graphics cards isn't exactly ment for gaming, if you need a graphics card get nVIDIA or ATI, post the specs of your computer and what slots your motherboards have.

**Zelech** · March 11, 2006, 11:56 AM

I only have PCI slots.

I found this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814139166
in comparison to this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814143032

may I ask ye pc-savvy peeps, are either of these worth their money?
my comp is 2.4ghz proc., 512 MB (will update to 1 gig)... I don't know what other information you need. However, I would like to play ES4: Oblivion on it when Oblivion comes out. Play it comfortably.

I have been relying on my integrated Intel 64mb gfx chip up till now, and its seen me thru RTW and Morrowind, so I've been very happy. Even if they are set on the lowest settings, they still run pleasurably to this old seadog.

**Proximus** · March 11, 2006, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Zelech

I only have PCI slots.

I found this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814139166
in comparison to this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814143032

may I ask ye pc-savvy peeps, are either of these worth their money?
my comp is 2.4ghz proc., 512 MB (will update to 1 gig)... I don't know what other information you need. However, I would like to play ES4: Oblivion on it when Oblivion comes out. Play it comfortably.

I have been relying on my integrated Intel 64mb gfx chip up till now, and its seen me thru RTW and Morrowind, so I've been very happy. Even if they are set on the lowest settings, they still run pleasurably to this old seadog.

I wouldn't count on any of those cards to run Obilivion smoothly. If I were you a buy a new mainboard with the same socket you have now. And with either AGP or PCI-E ports.
Which socket is your CPU?

**fatsheep** · March 11, 2006, 04:22 PM

PCI isn't going to support a powerful enough graphics card.

-sheep

**Incinerate_IV** · March 11, 2006, 07:29 PM

Save your money and get a new motherboard, if you are getting a PCI graphics card you are basically getting riped off, AGP and PCI-E graphics cards are much much cheaper. Also PCI isn't ment for graphics cards, I think the FX5700 is probabily the most powerful one you can get.

**Lee1026** · March 11, 2006, 09:30 PM

Also, you might be choked by slow CPU because PCI only computers are old.

**Aristocrat** · March 12, 2006, 02:07 AM

Buying a PCI graphics card for a next generation game is about smart as cutting your own leg off to make you better at running.

You are better off putting it towards a new PCI-Express motherboard and a PCI-E graphics card, give us a budget and Im sure we can all come up with something....tell us what cpu you have as well.

**rayzzz** · March 12, 2006, 04:54 AM

or you could just buy an entirely new computer.

**Zelech** · March 12, 2006, 07:19 PM

EDIT:

Thanks guys.

I'm not going to upgrade; I can handle not playing the latest games for now. I think it will be best if I buy a new computer all-together in a couple of years.

**MasterCommander** · March 12, 2006, 07:24 PM

i have a 7800 and it works great for RTW and other games that are very picky about vid cards like Battlefield 2 and others

**Quintus Valerius** · March 13, 2006, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by MasterCommander

i have a 7800 and it works great for RTW and other games that are very picky about vid cards like Battlefield 2 and others

Hi, MasterCommander. Is that a 7800GT or 7800GS (the AGP version)? My wife has relented and will let me buy the latter, as I've an AGP motherboard.

**Incinerate_IV** · March 13, 2006, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by Quintus Valerius

Hi, MasterCommander. Is that a 7800GT or 7800GS (the AGP version)? My wife has relented and will let me buy the latter, as I've an AGP motherboard.

There isn't a 7800GT for AGP, only 7800GS. Also, ANY one of the 7800 series is more than enough to play all the games avilable now and at least in the next year on max settings.

**Quintus Valerius** · March 13, 2006, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by Incinerate_IV

There isn't a 7800GT for AGP, only 7800GS. Also, ANY one of the 7800 series is more than enough to play all the games avilable now and at least in the next year on max settings.

Yeah, I know. Sorry, I should have been clearer. What I meant was which one are you using, the PCI-E or AGP version? I have to get the GS as I'm not prepared to do all that extra upgrading for PCI-E.