Cheap Gaming Graphics Card

[The Magpie]

Does anyone have good sugestions on what a good gaming graphics card is?

I would like a 256 or 128 card that could decently run Half Life 2 and more importantly World of Warcrat.

I would hope to find one that can accomidate a budget... :rolleyes:

[KilluminatiStyle]

How about an idea of what you are willing/hoping to spend?

[Stuey]

Recommendations depend on your budget. I've seen world of warcraft on a 3 year old machine and it still looked decent. As for games like half life 2 and doom3, be very careful when choosing a video card. For my system build, I bought a Gigabyte FX5600XT which I assumed was a good card, but it was the dumbed down version of an FX5600. I replaced it with an ATI 9800 which could handle everything I have thrown at it with highest settings(except for Doom3 of course).

If you'd rather not pay the $220 or so for the 9800 pro, the 9600XT should still provide impressive performance. It seems that chain retailers each week trade as to who puts this card on sale. If in the USA, check circuit city, best buy, and compusa as to who has sales on these cards.

[The Magpie]

I am willing to spend 75-200$

[kram 2.0]

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256-bit 128MB is probably you man there - spectacular HL2 handling. :D

kram

[The Magpie]

ok ill look TY!

[The Magpie]

good card but is like 300 bucks

[kram 2.0]

good card but is like 300 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-213&depa=0

kram

[The Magpie]

205 then srry... That might be what i choose, but i hope i can find one cheaper, ty

[The Magpie]

Chaintech GeForce FX5500 Video Card is only $93.

The reviews look nice, but has any one tried this card. I am affraid to buy something this cheap and hope that is will last...

[kram 2.0]

Chaintech GeForce FX5500 Video Card is only $93.

The reviews look nice, but has any one tried this card. I am affraid to buy something this cheap and hope that is will last...
A GeForce FX series card is not living up to the HL2 expectations - as a DX8 "native" card, it won't render images like a true DX 9 (later nVIDIA cards, ATI Cards) would.

kram

[The Magpie]

You can still install direx9 right? And if not is it worth the money? I think so.

Do you think it will still run Half Life 2 with "decent" graphics?

[Moose on the Loose]

Chaintech GeForce FX5500 Video Card is only $93.

The reviews look nice, but has any one tried this card. I am affraid to buy something this cheap and hope that is will last...

Hold it right there :) You don't want that card, believe me. Try not to focus on the amount of RAM a graphics card has. 128 is perfectly fine. If you want to spend $150-ish, get a ATI 9600XT, if you can spend $200-ish, go with the GF6600GT. Back away from nVidia cards that have FX in front of them is my motto.

[fedz]

6600GT is my recommendation. Runs HL2 better than the 9800pro, and I won't even delve into the Doom 3 performance. (In fact, I will: it beats the X800pro in some tests :eek: )
Anyway, if you choose the 9800pro that's no big deal, very good card as well.

:) fedz

[mountainking]

get the 9800pro... i play World of Warcraft as well and radeon 9600xt sorta cuts it but not quite. To really run that game efficiently on LOWEST settings your gona need a 9800pro. On my system with the x800xt i couldnt even get the game to run in highest settings while keeping a decent frame rate.

[fedz]

6600GT will run it on fairly high settings, better than the 9800pro. Nvidia perform much better in that game than ATi.
The 6600GT also has Purevideo enabled, which allows the card to take strain off the CPU when streaming/editing etc.
It's just a case of whether you want to spend $10-20 more for a card which performs better.

:) fedz

edit: this 6600GT is fabulous. It's a VIVO edition too...
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-150&depa=0

[Moose on the Loose]

get the 9800pro... i play World of Warcraft as well and radeon 9600xt sorta cuts it but not quite. To really run that game efficiently on LOWEST settings your gona need a 9800pro. On my system with the x800xt i couldnt even get the game to run in highest settings while keeping a decent frame rate.

I think you're exaggerating. A 9800 Pro or 6600 GT will run WoW on fairly high settings. My system will run WoW with all bells and whistles (@1248x1024 or whatever the numbers are :)) and keep constant framerates :o

[fedz]

Mountainking are you running at 2048x1536?
That's the only explanation for that sort of performance. The 6600GT will run that game with bells and whistles at 1280x1024, so I don't see what yo could have done to the game/card for that sort of performance.

:) fedz -- now powered by ATi Radeon X800XT-PE technology

[mountainking]

yup lol. Ive actually got it at work and they just recently got some nice 22 inch lcds there that run at 2048x1536.

[fedz]

Jeez that's amazing
Now I understand!!

:) fedz