Geforce FX5200 to replace integrated graphics

[billybgood]

My son wants to play Battle for Middle Earth II, which the integrated graphics on my Dell Dimension 4600 (2.8 G, 512 RAM) won't handle. Dell suggests GeForce FX5200, as being the only card that will fit in my AGP slot.
Anyone have experience with this card?
There seem to be several manufacturers making equivalent cards; does it matter?
Does BFMEII run well with this card?

thanks,

bg

 

[mdd1963]

Unless your Dell case is unusually cramped and/or requires some sort of low profile/half-height card, I'd expect there to be room for most common sized AGP cards, disregarding the dual slot 6800Ultras, etc...

If a 6600GT is available, it's a nice amount of performance for a relatively low cost...well below $130-ish on sale...

Ideally, I'd buy it from a place with decent return policies, where you won't be charged a 20% restocking fee 9which is common robbery, and...very coomon in many shops/stores!) for a cash refund...

 

[Heyyou27]

An FX5200 won't do much for gaming beyond UT2004.

 

[NumenorLord]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121216

256 mb GeForce 6800 vanilla AGP graphics card for $174

12 pixel pipelines, 350 MHz core 540 MHz memory clockspeeds

Woops, correction: 512 mb GeForce 6800 vanilla, even better : )

Also, it looks like the Dimension 4600 uses PC2700 memory, though you'll want to verify that. I would definitely recommend getting 1 GB for your system (but not more, since it is getting older and you'll want to purchase a new computer in the next year or two most likely anyway).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145439

That's what I'd get, but I suggest you verify with Dell that that is the memory you're supposed to use.

 

[unsmart]

The 5200 and all the fx's are junk. I wonder if dells worried about the psu with a good card? The x1300 are under $100 and have good eye candy. Really anything form the ati 9xxx[9500 and up] and geforce 6xxx will kill a 5200. I loved my x700pro agp, OCed like mad.

 

[omarad]

512mb on a 6800?

 

[NumenorLord]

Yeah, 512 mb of GDDR2 memory. It's only 128-bit though (whatever difference that makes, I don't know).

 

[rmthompson]

Yeah, 512 mb of GDDR2 memory. It's only 128-bit though (whatever difference that makes, I don't know).

From what I've been told.. all the difference in the world.

 

[hashv2f16]

He's right - FX5200 was crap. How do I know? I own one. Sure, it's largely better than integrated - but I would consider a a GeForce AGP card in the low 6600-series. However if you are on a tight budget therefore you don't need anything great performance-wise, then have a look at the 6200 AGP 128MB.

Only things you will want to watch out for are that your new card will get enough power and your case ventilation is OK - everything's not getting too hot in there.

cheers

 

[billybgood]

Thanks. I'm not overly constrained by budget, though I'm not looking for a high-end card.
* How can I tell ahead of time if one of the cards you recommend will fit?
* How do I know if a new card will get enough power? Do cards come with required wattage?
* I've read about others having problems with cards getting hot. How big of a danger is this--to the computer and perhaps as a fire hazard? What can be done to alleviate it? Is it caused by using too small a psu?

billy

 

[hashv2f16]

The reason why Dell only suggests a FX5200 for the Dimension 4600 is maybe either because of power restrictions in their particular PSU, or maybe because another card is too long to physically fit into the case (in case of the case being a Micro-ATX).

I've never worked with a 4600 so I don't know how much room you've actually got in there.. If it looks like you don't have a heck of a lot of room, make sure to check up with the computer store on the length and width of your planned video card before purchase.

Other than that there's no reason why any AGP card will not work.

What's the wattage on your power supply? Is it 350W, 300W or something else?

Yeah, high-end cards will obviously require a fair deal more power than slower low-end cards. As for cooling, just make sure your case has a generally good airflow. Make sure there's an exhaust fan sucking air out the back, and possibly even a fan blowing air in from the front over the hard drives. And the CPU fan should naturally draw air into the side vents of the case - if there isn't alreay a fan there.

 

[unsmart]

check this link it's the sticky for gfx cards http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Short-List-GAMING-VIDEO-MONEY-ftopict169937.html It also links to toms vga charts. For the size part, most cards are under 4" h[ thats form the agp port up] x 7"l. You could cut some cardboard to that size and see if it fits. For heat you can get a pci slot fan for cheap.

 

[frozencpu]

My son has a 4600 and just went with a 6200 because the power supply is only 250 watts.

 

[FITCamaro]

A 9600 Pro or something would work fine since they're a smaller card. I'm guessing you need one thats short and thin and those cards fit the bill for that. Thats the only problem with Nvidia. Their cards tend to be wider and longer than ATIs especially the older ones.

 

[hashv2f16]

a 6200 looks apetizing at this point. most of those are passively cooled so as long as the air flow is good then you'll be sweet

 

[bobbydamm]

5200
No, Don't Do it.
I would recommend an ATi 9550 before I'd do a 5200.
(yuk, poo, stank of wee...)
Had one.
Been there.
Wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
Sorry.
(I bought one when they were released before the FX fiasco was understood.)

 

[mdd1963]

"Woops, correction: 512 mb GeForce 6800 vanilla, even better : )
"

Not really, if the card is handicapped with a 128 bit bus, as many are...; many of the 512 variants sell well, but are completely blown away be "mere" 256 cards!

 

[pharoah]

an nvidia 6200 would be leaps and bounds ahead of a 5200 and power most likely wouldnt be an issue and to be honest any half way decent card would be better than integrated graphics

 

[NumenorLord]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814140067

This is only a 128 mb GeForce 6800, but the memory is 256-bit. Would 256-bit 128 mb beat 128-bit 512 mb memory?

 

[billybgood]

I think it's 250 watts. Perhaps I'll upgrade the PSU while I'm at it.

Are there other considerations about doing that? Size perhaps? Keep track of everything plugged into it?

thanks,

b.

 

[hashv2f16]

Er yeah there's one. The Dell PSU you have at the moment most likely will not be a normal ATX PSU. Meaning, if you plug in a new PSU that isn't a Dell one then it will fry your Dell motherboard. There's Dell in a nutshell for ya.

 

[apache_lives]

My son wants to play Battle for Middle Earth II, which the integrated graphics on my Dell Dimension 4600 (2.8 G, 512 RAM) won't handle. Dell suggests GeForce FX5200, as being the only card that will fit in my AGP slot.
Anyone have experience with this card?
There seem to be several manufacturers making equivalent cards; does it matter?
Does BFMEII run well with this card?

thanks,

bg

mate of mine's usin a FX5200 in that game - works ok too (P4 2800c, 1gb ram), but surly you can do better.

 

[Snorkius]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814140067

This is only a 128 mb GeForce 6800, but the memory is 256-bit. Would 256-bit 128 mb beat 128-bit 512 mb memory?

Yes.

 

[VowNix]

hi, i have a similar problem. i currently have an ATI Radeon PCI 7500 and i want to get Battle for Middle Earth II. I know my current card is nowhere near sufice to play it and as a result, i am in the market for a new video card. My dilema is, I can only get a PCI card (old motherboard), and i don't want to spend more than $150 CAN. the card doesn't have to be really great, i just want to be able to play BFME2 on it over LAN with my new laptop. Any suggusetions would be great, as well as possible retailers. thx

btw: is the nVidia GeForce FX 5400 really that bad? it would work for what i want it to do?

 

[NumenorLord]

I think you could snag an FX 5500 for PCI. That would run it - not well, but it would run it.