Choosing a graphics card

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hey, well ive been playing a game called guild wars, and everytime i start to play, it freezes. so thats when i decide to get a new graphics card. does anyone know any good graphics card thats is less than 100 dollars and is pci? also i have a question when installing a graphics card. if i get one that has something at the bottom that looks like this:----- ----------------- -----
could i still install it even tho i only have 2 of those things that look like:
--------------------- -----. can some post message in this thread or im me at lhuynh1210?
 
About your PCI graphics card problem. I’m assuming that you are upgrading an old graphics card to a new one. The other option is that you are currently using an onboard graphics card that is built into your motherboard. You may need to be a bit more specific about your cards than drawing those lines. For all I know, you’ve been drawing pictures of RAM DIMM slots. What graphics card are you currently using?

Now I’m no expert at this, but here’s my 2 cents. PCI cards go out the back of the computer, and the slots tend to be white. If you have a brown one that is placed slightly farther away from the back, it is probably an AGP slot. If you have this, don’t bother with PCI, because AGP is faster, has more buying options, and seems cheaper.

For PCI, I’ve just recently bought a GForce FX 5500 PCI with 128 Mb DDR RAM. It runs Counterstrike (classic) really well, and Unreal 2004 pretty smoothly (I don’t know how to see the fps in Unreal). I’m sure it would be adequate for Guild Wars. :unch:

The alternative (comparable price) would be the Radeon 9250 with 128 MB RAM. I believe both of these cards can come with 256 MB, but if you’re stuck with PCI, it probably doesn’t make enough performance difference to justify adding another $50 to the price.

CompUSA is selling the PNY Verto FX 5500 (What I just got) for $59.99 after $20 mail-in rebate. I would check that out.

If you find a comparable-looking card for even less, I would look very closely to see whether it has a 64-bit memory interface or 128-bit. Always go for the 128-bit.

Hope this helps.
:hotouch:
 
well no i have an onboard integrated chip thingy. well i think i have a 32-bit slot that is 2.2pci slot.also the slots are white and the slots sorta look like the ramm slots just shorter. if u have aim can u im me at lhuynh1210
 
Sorry, no AIM for me (I'm at work :evil: )

Ok, so PCI limits your choice of cards to get. As I said, the Radeon 9250 and gForce FX 5500 are comparable cards for about the same price. They both come in PCI.

For a more money, you can get the FX 5700le, and if you can actually find it, the 5600 (I don't think they have these any more).


Anyway, after you make your choice and actually get your hands on the card, installation is really easy. You pop open your case, unscrew one of the little plates blocking an opening next to the PCI slot you wish to use. Sorry, I don't know the technical terms :)

an FX 5500 or Radeon 9250 can simply be inserted into the slot and screwed in without connecting any wires. Then close your case, and voila. The whole process took me about 3 minutes. Just make sure you ground yourself, so as not to fry anything.

You can then take your monitor cable (mine is blue) and plug it into the slot in your new card (also blue). Turn on your computer, and and install the driver CD.

By the way, if you had your computer on throughout this process, you're probably lying there dead right now.
 
haha duh..... lol well thats not my point, i already know wat graphics card im getting, im thinking of getting the FX5200plus but the thing is i dont know if u can have a pci card taht takes a pci slot of 2.0 into a 2.2

see ill draw the lines that are the slots of 2.0 and 2.2

most common pci slots(2.0): ----- ------------- -----
1 2 3
my slot thats weird (2.2) : ------------- -----
2 3
if u see in the drawing above, i have 2.2. no if i got a graphics card with a 2.0 slot needed, and i installed it into my computer that has just 2 and 3. could 1 just hang off the edge?
 
Where are you seeing these "most common PCI slots"?

As far as I can tell, the slots you have are teh standard PCI. I'm not sure what the other one's you've drawn are.
 
I'm not sure why you would have that problem, but as far as I know, if the card doesn't fit correctly in the slot, it won't work. puke:
 
haha, well i just found my solution, as i was fixing up my old comps..... even tho the pci card has something that looks like :---- ------------- ---.

IT STILL FITS!!

lol.... its amazin haaha
 
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