Best PCI Video Card

[jaymo]

I have inherited a dual PIII server board with a gig of memory on it, but a very bad and low end PCI video card in it. I would like to turn it into my graphics workstation because of the dual processor and memory in it. It does not however have a AGP slot, only a PCI. What is the best pci graphics card I should get to use for graphics editing? Any help would be appreciated. 8O

 

[tehrobzorz]

do they even make pci video cards?
even so, i doubt you could do much with p3s and a 5yr old (or more) video card ==

 

[mesarectifier]

If you're thinking of creating a high-performance 'graphics workstation' just because it has dual CPUs then you're much mistaken.

The words 'graphics workstation' don't generally go in the same sentence as 'P3' or 'PCI GPU' anymore.

If you really want a graphics workstation then a dirt-cheap Pentium D will run rings around that dual-P3 setup any day of the week.

 

[jaymo]

Yes I still can get them on Ebay. My main use is for photo editing. My adobe software for still graphic production works exceptionally well on the PIII. I was given the machine for free. Thats why I want to turn it in to a machine to handle my still picture editing.

 

[jaymo]

As to a high preformance machine, I know it is not. My main machine is a P4 machine with a gig of memory and a hight end radieon card. However, this is my family machine that my wife and kids use. IF I cna off-load my still image work to thiws machine, I can ake the load off my main household machine, and optimize it for working with just graphics.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Well, there's this ATI 100-505113 FireMV 2400 128MB DDR PCI Low Profile/Half Length Video Card, but I'm guessing this is way too much card for your inherited system.

Any other thoughts on the card?

-Wolf sends

 

[commanderspockep]

I'm sorry but by todays standards, under even the most optimal conditions, your adobe software will not run exceptionally well on that machine. You may think it runs exceptionally well because you haven't seen it run on a newer machine. However the fact that it has dual cpu and 1GB memory is a plus. So I can see that it could have some use until you can upgrade to a newer system. But since it is an older machine don't be suprised if components start to break down on you. It's a risk.

Newegg still lists PCI cards for sale. I would shy away from ebay because some of the cards I saw listed as PCI were not PCI. Also at the most I would not spend more than $70 dollars on a new video card. It would just be throwing good money out to bad. (Although I think even investing in this machine is.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010380048+1069609642&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=48

 

[robmurphy]

What are the problems with the existing card?

Is it that it does not support the clour depth at the resolutions you need?

Rob. Murphy

 

[jaymo]

The current video card is a pci Diamond stealth 2K Pro with 4 meg of memory

 

[adder1971]

might make sense to buy a dual proc board with agp. just depends how much bandwidth you need. just a thought.

 

[robmurphy]

OK so the present card only has 4 meg of memory. That would mean photos at high resolution would be in medium/low quality. Is that the problem?

 

[weilin]

if you REALLY need a better card, i would recommend SApphire ATI RADEON 9250, it might be one of the best pci cards left. Newegg has it for around 50 bucks.

 

[dougie_boy]

there is a 6200 GPU with 128meg onboard memory.

looks like it will work with a PIII aswell.

how much ram has the thing got?

ignore the people telling u not to do it. if u want to do it there is no reason not too. u wanna do something try it. u have nothing to lose and only experiance to gain.

they also sell these in the U.k. (dont know where ur from. geussing the US.)