Advice on video card upgrade: Radeon 9250?

[jledoux]

I want to upgrade my video card. My current card is Nvidia GeForce 2 MX 200. I don't want or need anything too fancy - my kids play video games from time to time, such as "Battle for Middle Earth", and their latest games are starting to be too much for my current card.

What are the main things I need to look for? All I know is that I need to get an AGP 4x, 1.5V card and I'd like about 256 MB Ram. I found a card for about $50 that seems to fit the bill - Radeon 9250 256 MB 128-bit DDR AGP 4x/8x (from Newegg). Is that a reasonable card? Are there any pitfalls that I should be aware of? Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Rik]

If the card says its X4, x8 then it wont work in your pc. You need one that is x2, x4.
Had the same prob with my old motherboard so i upgraded it.

Check out this https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic30156.html

And this https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic26726.html

Hope that helps, Rik.

 

[Ampacity]

well alot of people have problems out of ATI.. loop holes and such. i'd get a geforce. the are about 100 dollars for a good 5200. at walmart of corse. Online u can get the much cheaper like 50-60 and i haven't had much troble out of geforce cards. but ati have given me heck. so i always give them a mean look.

check www.newegg.com for a good card.

 

[jledoux]

Thanks. From what I've seen elsewhere, seems like some 4x/8x cards work in an 4x AGP slot, as long as they are compatible with 1.5 V - is that correct?

I guess the safest bet is to go with a 2x/4x card, but all of them seem to be 32 or 64 MB. Are there any 128 MB 2x/4x AGP cards out there? If it is possible for some 4x/8x cards to work in an AGP 4x slot, that would open up more possibilities for getting a 128MB card.

 

[Vigilante]

I would assume that if your motherboard says it supports 4x, and your video card says it supports 4x, there shouldn't be a problem. And hey, if there is, start sueing some people for false advertising, you'll be rich in no time. And please send me a check for giving you the idea

Ampacity, hey I have the same "mean look" as you, only the other way around. lol I go ATI all the way!

A basic set of features you want to have is as so:

1) 128mb or greater. There is very little difference betwix 128 and 256 cards. Often 128mb card have faster RAM in them. Think of a 128 card as a Dodge Viper, and a 256 card as a Hummer. HA, well not quite. ehem

2) Get a card that supports DirectX 9.0. And 9.0c if you can. Which means at least a 9600 on the Radeon side, and I think the GeForce FX series on the nVidia side. Though not positive about nVidia but I think so.

3) With DX9.0, get support for "Hardware Transform and Lighting" or just "Hardware T&L". Most games out the last year or so use this technology. Some games won't even install without it.

The rest is up to your budget.

Happy hunting

 

[springy101]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127154

ati radeon 9550 128mb ddr 128 bit agp 4x/8x dx9.0

this should work great for you

 

[C_Conqueror]

If you want to be on the safe side I am pretty sure that you have a pci slot so this will work for that and it has 128 mb of memory. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102354