Video Card Upgrade

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ezxppc

ezxppc

I have an AMD Athlon XP 2800+ CPU. Two years ago, I purchased a Nvidia GForce FX 5500 128mbs AGP Vid Card.

Everthing is fine, but getting ansty about buying a new PC. This one is a Compaq Presario SR1124NX. Rather than purchase a new computer, I am wondering if I should spend a few bucks on a newer card? The CPU will stay as is, and my RAM is 1gig.

Any suggestions?
 
it depends on what you want to do with it. If you do a little gaming, a new graphics card should be all you need, a 7900gt, or 7600 would be good. If you are a serious gamer, then you might want to think about uprgading, but wouldn't be completly neccesary
 
I only play Links 2003 Golf. We are hoping a new version comes out, but this is truly the best Golf Sim ever created. The graphics may be more demanding by the new version, but I think what I have is great for my needs, but you know how we all feel about jumping into a new PC or building one! lol It's just too tempting after having the same PC for three years.

The www.zone.com is closing all server for CD installed games. No more direct play. However, there is another launching site in the works for the 1000's of us around the world who have played this game since it's inception.
 
I have a dual monitor setup as well, both monitors using the outputs on one video card. If I buy a second video card, can I have a tool bar on both monitors or is having two video cards for two monitors not a good idea with this computer?
 
The Awnser is Yes, it would be worth it, but it would be a lot easier if you set a budget.

Can you afford to spend £330 ($600) on the Gainward BLISS 7800GS+ (7900 GT core)

or more around £220 ($300) on a Standard 7800GS)

I recommend going for a 6600/6800 which are around £150 ($150), if you want the best comprise of cost and power. If you only play golf sims i think this all you would need.

Look for GS's, GT's and GTX's (in that order of goodness). Don'y go for any LE's or SE's as they are usually sucky.

You may notive inconsistances in my proings the $'s where taking from newegg.com and the £'s where from overclockers.co.uk

I don't no much about ATI cards but there is less choice for AGP than Nvidia.
The Best AGP ATI card is the X850 XT at £200 ($240) tjos doesnt support HDR though as it only as 2.0 pixel shaders (i think) for around £100 ($140)
 
True, but the Gainward cards are only called the 7800GS and 7800GS+ for marketing reasons, they have a 7800GT and 7900GT cores repectivley (check the overclockers link.) But they relitivley expensive and hard to get in America. So, yeah as I said I would recommend going for a 6600/6800.
 
Their is no reason for him to spend $600 on a card so he can play a simple golf game. If he were to upgrade his whole system, i would reccomend a pci-e motherboard, a amd x2 3400+, and and 7600gt. You can get all this for about $500, and it would be more effecient then this 7800 card with a 7900 core that i have never even heard of
 
lol, good point. Just giving him his options, it is twice the price of any PCI-e equivlent card. Some people don't like changing there motherboards and stuff though as that leads to all sorts of problems and conflicts (in my expirence any way).
 
considering that he has a compaq, i think he will be avoiding problems by switching from his OEM parts. I would disagree with you that changing motherboard ect. would cause problems. If you know what your doing..you'll be fine.
 
I have a dual monitor setup as well, both monitors using the outputs on one video card. If I buy a second video card, can I have a tool bar on both monitors or is having two video cards for two monitors not a good idea with this computer?
Click to expand...

I am not really sure what you mean when you say is having two video cards for two monitors not a good idea with this computer. You would not keep your old 5500 and put another new video card in as well, you would take the old one out and put the new one in. You can run dual monitors off this one video card
 
Since your PC is fine for your present gaming needs, I would just keep what you have for now and wait until a new game version comes out (if it ever does) and see what requirements the new game has and upgrade your graphics card accordingly. That way you can match it better. You might even not have to upgrade for all you know.

If you find another game before then, you'll still want to wait to see what its system requirements are to help guide your graphics card upgrade choice.

Most of the better graphics cards come with two video outputs so you can run two monitors from a single card as twite has already mentioned. Just check before you buy.
 
I guess I put too many question in one post. I just got back from Best Buy, and saw a nicer Video Card for about $180.00.

I also asked the tech at the store if I ran my old card, and a new card, could I get a desktop on both monitors (rather than an extended deskto). What all of you are saying is that even though you have two cards, you will still get "just an extended" desktop, not two desktops from the same system.

To have two desktops, independent of each other, I would have to have two systems. .....I kinda shoulda known that.
 
What is the nicer card that you saw?

It is immposible to run two different cards in 1 system...you can run 2 of the same cards which is called sli.

Their are many different options with duel view (2 monitors), you can have 1 extended screen, 2 of the same screen, and their are other options, but i am not familiar with them because i have never ran dual monitors.
 
The other card was the Nividia 6000 series for AGP. I haven't looked at cards in awhile---now I see the PCIe . The next generation of cards. So guess I will hang on to what I have and when I do buy a new PC with Vista 64 bit and all the bells and whistles. I will just sell the component to this computer at eBay. Everhing is in fine shape. I will probably gut this computer and just keep my DVD-R/W CD-R/W Memorex ROM drive....oh, and my 150gb hard drive. Evething else will fit nicely into small bubble packs to send to bidders at ebay. :)
 
Whatever you do...do not pay $180 for the 6600. That is ridiculously overpriced. Links golf is definitely not a demanding game....so you really do not need to upgrade your video card. If you feel the urge though..I would not buy the high end card suggested (7800GS = $265). Look into a 6600 or a 6600GT for budget options. If you wanted to spend a little more then I suggest buying the ATI X800GTO.
1). ASUS 6600 256MB 128-bit 8 pixel pipelines $112
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121196
2). eVGA 6600GT 128MB 128-bit GDDR3 8 pixel pipelines $129
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130220
3). Sapphire X800GTO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 12 pixel pipes $169
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102609

Other thoughts... What is your PSU wattage? Newer video cards require more power, so most likely you will want a PSU that is around 400W. If you decide to upgrade the vid. card, then you may need to buy a new PSU also.
 
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