Best GPU for UNDER $50... help please

Hi there, I'm looking for an inexpensive PCI-E x16 video card to put in my girlfriend's computer (not upgrading, building new) but we're on a really tight budget. She plays the Sims2, and various roller coaster tycoon games and zoo tycoon and such like that.

What would be the best option for under $50?

I had chosen the 7300LE but was later reading that it was barely better than onboard... so now I'm at a loss.

Please help

Thanks in advance.

Simple pleasures for simple minds eh?

Simple pleasures for simple minds eh?

Indeed. She wouldn't really touch video games when I first met her 19 months ago... but after being together so long I guess they caught on... she's got her own PS2 now and has beat Kingdom Hearts (working on KH2) and plays other games like FFX, GRAW, Shadow of Colossus, Gun, and GTA.

Awesome thanks, just a couple questions:
1. What does it mean "Open Box"
2. Both are 256MB, how much of a difference will there be in performance?

As for the onboard idea.. I thought of that, but I've never had a good experience with onboard so I wouldn't know what to get. It is an AMD based build for her, so that should work?

Here's the CPU I picked out and here's the motherboard. I'm not sure what I can do to find a better one for the cost, we're trying to stick as close as possible to the $300 mark. Already with the $50 cap on video card we were at $310.90... the extra $15 wouldn't be a killer, but at some point a line needs to be drawn.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

Onboard video from ATI/AMD and NVidia are totally different experiences than onboard video from Intel.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813138074
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131172

However, I understand your fears...

Open Box from Newegg means it's a customer return, so YMMV. Odds are someone bought it and decided to return it. If you have issues, you can always return it to newegg.

The amount of RAM in a video card doesn't matter nearly as much as the chip powering the card, combined with the bus width to that RAM. X800 was ATI's top card a couple of years ago, and will be AWESOME in older games, but doesn't do DirectX 9 or 10 in hardware. The 7300 will also be acceptable, depending on what resolution you want to play games, but you're right it's not much better than onboard. The reason I'd get onboard is that the cost difference is minimal, and if you decide you do need a bump in performance, you can buy an add-in card.

Correct, I was oversimplifying...

It does not handle all the features of the latest DirectX 9.

A solid buy either way.

This card will spank the 7300 even with DDR2 and 128 bit and it's only 67.99 after 10$ rebate. The ATI 800 would do the job quite well too.

Here is another with DDR3.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814153031

I would get the x800. a steal at $65 shipped. at 1024x768 it will even play oblivion and bf2, should she want to take her rpg/fps off console.

I'd start by changing your mobo choice as the AMD 690G chipset boards are newer and come with better onboard graphics (x1250 with avivo hd) for around the same price ($68.99 on newegg for the ASUS M2A-VM Socket AM2 AMD 690G) and will give decent frame rates in the games you mention while giving u the option to upgrade later. See here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131172

With the saved $30 you could then get a MUCH better dual core cpu, namely the AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ which is currently going for $59 here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103036

Let us know what you go with.

I don't know how well onboard will work since I haven't used it for a long time but for gaming a discrete card is better.The 7300 is junk IMO and not much better than onboard.

Simple pleasures for simple minds eh?

dude thats rude, sims2 and RC Tycoon are complex games, if she plays sims2 then buy her a 7600gs for 50 bucks more or a 6600gt.

Only problem being, we don't really have the extra $50.. I could list all the parts I'm fixing to use in the build and maybe you guys could help me shave cost in other areas?

Thanks again for all the help.

Am I blind or did this gentleman say he only wanted to spend $50.00 ---- WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TELLING HIM TO BUY A WHOLE NEW motherboard and cpu for ??????? DUUUUHHH -Goto ebay and get a ati 800 and download the newest drivers .... it'll scream compared to what she's using now .

My suggestion is don't buy new stuff. Buy used. If you're near a Fry's or have someone who might be nice enough to ship to you, you can get a motherboard and proc roughly equivalent to what you're spec'ing for less than $90. There are used X850XTs out there for less than $100 if you look.