Need a good gaming video card!

[katzdvd]

I need to purchase a good gaming video card for my son's pc. I am considering the ATI All-In-Wonder 2006 Edition Radeon 9600, since I already have that one installed in mine, & got all the "bugs" worked out.

But, I am open to suggestions. Don't want to spend a lot of $$$ on this project, but problem is that The Sims, Halo, Counter Strike & some other require a higher end card than a $30.00 special!

Thanks, katz

[Chewy]

no need for the all-in-wonder edition, better to cut back on capture and even buy an oem with a better chipset, pro or XT? for less money

[katzdvd]

no need for the all-in-wonder edition, better to cut back on capture

Good idea, Chewy. He has no need for that. Would you recommend sticking with ATI or going with something different. (GeForce, etc.?)

[Chewy]

after burning up an overcharged/over priced geforce(bad cooling design) I looked around last year for a cool running card that wouldn't break the bank

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102043

I paid 120$ and had to get an unknown Euro brand from tiger direct

might be better off depending upon your budget choosing a chipset with more choices

anony is your man for this

what are the specs on your son's computer? no sense throwing money down a hole with too good a card

[katzdvd]

what are the specs on your son's computer?

It is an HP 512n.

1.4 celeron
384 ram
80 gb hd

Not the fastest one out there, but will have to do for now.

EDIT: I was looking over the specs online, & this thing does not have an AGP slot

I didn't open it up yet to check it out, but that is what hp's site has listed...

[Chewy]

make sure you are sharing the max amount of memory and forget pci vid cards

[katzdvd]

make sure you are sharing the max amount of memory and forget pci vid cards

?

I don't follow you...The games won't even run at all with the vid. that is in the pc now. Are you saming that if I share ram that it will work?

What is wrong with using a pci card?

[RocketDogg]

Maybe have a look at this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814103016

Although it is a little pricey for PCI, but to try to run some games pretty smoothly this might be 1 of your choices. It sux that you don't have an AGP slot, but I would consider this for an option. GL

[anonymez]

katz, list the games that are to be played

is that counter-strike: source? or the original?

What is wrong with using a pci card?

inherently slow, more expensive, limited to older/weaker models. newer games might run, but unplayable.

[katzdvd]

Anony - Games he plays;

Counter strike source
Sims 1 - house party, unleashed
Sims 2 - university, night life
Halo Combat Evolved
Half Life 1 source
Half Life 2 / deathmatch

That's pretty much it for now.

I was looking at the card that RocketDogg posted;
https://=http://www.newegg.com/Produ...82E16814103016

It is a bit pricey; at this point, it looks like it might be easier to just upgrade the mobo.

[Chewy]

it looks like it might be easier to just upgrade the mobo.

think about upgrading for yourself and striping yours and passing it down

then you would have 2 computers for video work, when he's not gaming

[anonymez]

for half-life 2/CSS to be playable at a decent res and graphics, you'll want a geforce 6600GT, an athlon64 and 512mb DDR ram. your radeon 9600 might run well enough, but expect chugs in the larger/busier environments. as chewy said, consider upgrading and giving your son your current parts.

[katzdvd]

think about upgrading for yourself and striping yours and passing it down

then you would have 2 computers for video work, when he's not gaming

Was thinking of that

Thing is, I am trying to do this the "cheap" way so I don't have to spend a lot of dough right now...

[anonymez]

gaming is expensive (coming from someone who has spent upwards of $2000 just on graphics cards the past ten years , and only the last 2 or so were high-end). a PCI graphics card and a celeron won't give you much gaming goodness, unfortunately

[Chewy]

you'll want a geforce 6600GT

there are a few left, my son said they overheat, he got a 6800, they are all gone