I Need a New Video Card

[Stumanji]

My computer can't handle Halo:PC, says that my video card (nVidia GeForce 2, 32 MB) has serious issues with the game...

I'm looking to upgrade this MoFo, but I'm not sure what to get...

Any suggestions?

Price Range: $50.00-$100.00

[DiscoDave]

At that price range? :o

I'd probably get a 9600 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-305&catalog=48&depa=1).

[Stumanji]

Thanks.

[Excessive]

What is the rest of your PC like? OS? RAM? CPU?

[Stumanji]

It's a 2-yr old computer, and it was never "designed" for gaming...

I'll tell you what I know:

Dell Dimension 4300
Windows ME
Intel Pentium 4, 1800 MHz
256 mb RAM

Am I missing any important info?

[DiscoDave]

I'd strongly suggest getting another 256meg of ram in there, if not a 512. It's cheap.

I'd also suggest getting a copy of Windows XP.

Halo should run quite nicely with your processor and a 9600. :rup:

[Stumanji]

Boy... I'd need help getting this whole thing put together.

Doing what you say will cost me what?

[Excessive]

Start with the video card. Then upgrade the rest as you get more money. Win XP will run best with 512 MB ram or more. So I would recomend the ram then OS upgrade. XP is 10 times more stable than 98/ME. Ram will cost 40-80 bucks for 256 I think. XP home about $150 I think.

[Itsmeee]

you could eat your pants.

[DiscoDave]

Yea, 256 meg of ram is gunna run you around $50 or so. XP Pro is another $100, but you probably won't need that to run Halo...it'll just make your overall computing experience more pleasurable.

[Stumanji]

Can you give me a link to a webpage that has a 256 or 512 ram I can get for my computer?

Could I get XP from my roommates computer (save me dough)?

[DiscoDave]

256m (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-025&catalog=147&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1) and 512m (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-407&catalog=147&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1).

If your roomate has a real, genuine, WindowsXP cd, you probably could. If he's got a "System Restore CD with Windows Software", then you're up the creek.

[DaemonLee]

Or you could get a illegal verison from someone in Auburn...but then again, I'm not ENCOUURAGING Pirating...^-^

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Originally posted by DiscoDave
256m (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-025&catalog=147&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1) and 512m (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-407&catalog=147&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1).

If your roomate has a real, genuine, WindowsXP cd it'll work fine, you probably could. If he's got a "System Restore CD with Windows Software", then you're up the creek.

So... what are you suggesting here. Isn't he going to run into problems when he tries to activate a copy of XP that has already been activated to another computer?

[DiscoDave]

Originally posted by M4LFUNCT10N
So... what are you suggesting here. Isn't he going to run into problems when he tries to activate a copy of XP that has already been activated to another computer?
Woops...I meant to delete "it'll work fine" and replace it with "you probably could". ;)

[Itsmeee]

Actually you should be able to install them on both computers. If it does get an error you call MS and say you reformatted and it gave you this error. They'll fix it, only prob is you'll have some network issues. I don't think you can share files if they are the same copy.

[Stumanji]

Question: If I bumped up my price range for my new Video Card to $100-$175, what would you suggest?

Dell Forum-goers believe my computer would not fit 512 MB RAM, and I should just go 256 MB... good idea?

[ghrogels]

wutever u do, don't get an ATI:[ANYTHING] SE

they r 4 the special people like Ender + Discodave :P

[DiscoDave]

Originally posted by Stumanji
Question: If I bumped up my price range for my new Video Card to $100-$175, what would you suggest?

Dell Forum-goers believe my computer would not fit 512 MB RAM, and I should just go 256 MB... good idea?
It's going to depend on your motherboard, and I'll assume that Dell Forumer-Goers are more educated in the motherboards Dell uses than I am. If you get another 256meg bringing your total to 512m, that should be fine as long as you don't do anything heavy duty with your computer.

I don't have time to check prices, but if you can afford a 9700 Pro, get that. Best bang for the buck, imo. Otherwise, the 9600 is a good buy.

[DiscoDave]

The cheapest I could find a 9700 was $190.

If you can afford $155, you can get a 9600 XT (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-326&depa=1).

Here's some benchmarks (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1904&p=10).

[RawKus]

I think i actually saw a 9600 for like 100 bucks in a best buy add the other day. Although i suggest getting a 9600 xt for $155, especially if you are a Half Life fan, which basically everyone is. You get half life 2 for free with the xt, for whenever it comes out if it ever does. (damn delays:mad: ) Also, one of the problems with Halo for PC is that you got to have a high end computer to run the damn thing. i don't know if its changed now, but i have a 2.6ghz p4, gig of ram, 9800 pro 128, and i couldn't run the game on full settings in single player. Hopefully after some patches its changed. But i don't care much anyway, halo is not as good on pc as it is on xbox. The rocket warthog is sweet though.

[DiscoDave]

I think HL2 only comes with the 9800 XT, the super-dooper-uber high end card.

And yea, Halo PC kinda sucks ass.

[RawKus]

Nah it comes with both, my friend bought a 9600 xt and it had the key in tehre and what not, he had to take it back though becuase his mobo didn't have an agp slot.

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Originally posted by RawKus
his mobo didn't have an agp slot.

:wtf: I haven't seen a mobo without an AGP slot in forever! Heck, the computer I built 11, wow, 11 years ago has an AGP slot.