Can I have your alls opinion?

[YoursShrewly]

This is my current set up:

Cpu: AMD Athlon XP 3000+
Mobo: Asus A7V8X-LA (Kelut) Agp (4x Max Supported)
1 gig of RAM
Running XP
120 gig HDD
Stock 250 Power Supply
(No video card, running off onboard graphics...)

I love the Sims 2 and I have never been able to play it decently...well I was considering getting these two upgrades:

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16817371005

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814141060

Do you think that these are compatible? If so, do you all think that these will be able to play The Sims 2 and other older games decently?

Thank you all and if you need more info about my system just tell me.

My first of hopefully many posts

 

[SpinachEater]

Hey, well welcome to the forums then. What I am thinking for you is something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102085

You will get more bang for your buck out of this one and it looks like it sits in your price range pretty well for what you were looking to spend on a video card. You will be able to play a lot of games with that and it will be a huge leap from the on board graphics you are using.

The PSU looks good to me. I think with that video card, it is recommended to have at least 350W. So 380W will do you just fine. Plus that $25 off is nice too.

This is my suggestion, so I would wait for a few more people to chime in and see what they have to say as well.

 

[Annisman]

Woo hoo, another wildly big spender here at Tom's Hardware forums, yet another clear sign that the economy has tanked.

 

[dev1se]

Woo hoo, another wildly big spender here at Tom's Hardware forums, yet another clear sign that the economy has tanked.

Not everybody devotes their live's to making their PC the best it possibly can be.

Just because their PC isnt a multi thousand £/$ rig doesnt mean you've a right to make comment.

This persons PC usage is clearly much different to your own. Where you might be an enthusiast, this person is just a basic user who likes the occasional game here and there.

How would you feel if EVERYBODY was an enthusiast and we ALL had more $ / £ to spend than you, so your PC was bottom of the pile?

With regards though to OP, the Sims games run on pretty much anything, an hamster on a wheel could power that game so you dont need to spend alot on a graphics card to get that game looking OK. Look for a nVidia GeForce 6200 256mb, which sell really cheaply, and to keep the ATi lovers off my back, the Radeon X1650 is a steal right now with DDR2 & plenty of memory. I'd advise the X1650 as this will give you playability on alot more titles.

 

[mactronix]

Hi YoursShrewly
I think SpinachEater has it covered the PSU is easily enough to power the card get them both and enjoy your game,
@ dev1se :lol: good comment but not quite true the game does have a requirement for Hardware T&L which i dont think is in the tec specs for a hamster and wheel, I seem to recall that didn't come in until the revolutionary Gerbil in a ball
Mactronix

 

[YoursShrewly]

Thanks a lot you all. Ya, I am really strained for cash right now and I just need something cheap for right now (I'm going to buy a new comp in September). I was also looking at this one since the x1650 has been deactivated ...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131076

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103029

If you all have any recommendations please tell me because I'm not that skilled in the realm of graphics cards...I don't play graphically intense games like Crysis or anything like that, I just play sims 2, maybe Empire earth 2, KOTOR, and thats really about it so i don't need anything too extravagant . Well if you see any cards that could play those games fairly well tell me about em

Thanks a lot all.

 

[reconviperone1]

Woo hoo, another wildly big spender here at Tom's Hardware forums, yet another clear sign that the economy has tanked.

That was a dick thing to say, guy asks a simple question and you want to be a smartass, everyone isnt gonna spend 100's of dollars on a pc, because some of us have responsibilities and a life. To the OP, have you considered a 7600gs instead of the 6800, they should be about the same price, but the 7600 will give you better perfromance.

 

[reconviperone1]

Thanks a lot you all. Ya, I am really strained for cash right now and I just need something cheap for right now (I'm going to buy a new comp in September). I was also looking at this one since the x1650 has been deactivated ...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131076

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103029

If you all have any recommendations please tell me because I'm not that skilled in the realm of graphics cards...I don't play graphically intense games like Crysis or anything like that, I just play sims 2, maybe Empire earth 2, KOTOR, and thats really about it so i don't need anything too extravagant . Well if you see any cards that could play those games fairly well tell me about em

Thanks a lot all.

Woah!, dont you dare, those are about the same as what you using onboard, this is what you want
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125039

 

[asgallant]

If it fits in your budget, an X1650Pro like these (they are the 512 MB versions of the previous one - the extra ram doesn't get you anything really, but you can still buy these ones).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131070
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161052

They are about the same as the 7600GS, but $20 cheaper.

As a general guideline, anything with a product number that is lower than a 6 for the second digit is effectively the same as an integrated graphics chipset (look for products with a *6**, *8**, or *9**).

 

[jay2tall]

I vote teh x1650, it will do well for the sims. Or if you are feeling up to it a 2600pro

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814241072

 

[mactronix]

NO NO NO
You are being linked to far too much in money wise as far as what you actually need to run the sims 2 as per my earlier reply its only really the T&L hardware support thats realy important the actual spec says 32mb T&L but thats min and to be honest its not worth buying less than a 256 unless its for the short term and you are going to get a new syatem soon.
Any of the following will to be frank piss all over the sims2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102084
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131086
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127294

The last is the weakest card but if you seriously dont want any more performance than to just run the sims its all you need
Mactronix

 

[pauldh]

Wow, price is cheap, but I must say that GF6800Xe is the worst crippling I've seen. A GF6800 with 8-pipes, 128-bit, GDDR2, and 275/533 clock speeds!!!

On the power supply, you picked a very nice one. But the eathwatts 430W is less than $3 more shipped than the 380W so you may as well grab that one as with 30 amps on the 12v you could reuse it later and power almost any card with it. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006

On the GPU end, a X1650 pro would be a good option. Here's one for $60 AR. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161052

The GDDR2 X1650 pro is more often than not a bit behind the 7600GS, BUT pricing makes it a better option than the grosly overpriced 7600GS is now. (not worth almost $100 by any means when you can get a better 2600 pro for that price and have been able to get the HD2600XT for $100).

 

[pauldh]

NO NO NO
You are being linked to far too much in money wise as far as what you actually need to run the sims 2 as per my earlier reply its only really the T&L hardware support thats realy important the actual spec says 32mb T&L but thats min and to be honest its not worth buying less than a 256 unless its for the short term and you are going to get a new syatem soon.
Any of the following will to be frank piss all over the sims2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102084
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131086
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127294

The last is the weakest card but if you seriously dont want any more performance than to just run the sims its all you need
Mactronix

It's AGP, that's why the links are big bucks.

 

[mactronix]

Opps
Cheers pauldh. still more than needed though

 

[Shadow703793]

Woah!, dont you dare, those are about the same as what you using onboard, this is what you want
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125039

Agreed. I too would recommend you get a 7600. Also a new PSU if possible.

 

[rockbyter]

sims 2 lags a bit on the significant other's system with the x1650 512 mb agp. Its certainly better than the nforce onboard she was running, but consider going a step higher. 7600 would be better, but reallly max out whatever you have for cash.

 

[mactronix]

Look taken from th eofficial site
Minimum System Requirements for The Sims 2



If you have a T&L capable video card with at least 32 MB of video RAM then you need at least:
800 MHz processor or better
256 MB RAM if Windows Vista, XP, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
If you have a non-T&L capable video card (an Intel Extreme Graphics or a Radeon 7000/VE Series) then you need at least:
2.0 GHz processor or better
256 MB RAM if Windows Vista, XP, Windows ME, Windows 98, or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
Get the most current driver for your video card. The manufacturers usually have the video drivers on their sites for you to download. Visit the nVidia site, the ATI site or the support site for your computer's manufacturer for the latest drivers for those video cards.

Supported video cards (and the more video memory the better):

ATI RadeonTM series (7000 or better)
Radeon 7000/VE series (non-T&L; requires 2.0 GHz processor)
7200, 7500
8500, All-In-Wonder 8500
9000, 9200, 9500, 9600, 9700, 9800
X300, X600, X800


Nvidia� QuadroTM series
Quadro, Quadro2, Quadro4


Nvidia� Geforce series (GeForce2 and better)
GeForce2
GeForce3, 3 Ti
GeForce4, 4Ti, MX 420, 440
GeForce FX 5200, 5600, 5700, 5800, 5900, 5950
GeForce 6600, 6800


Intel� Extreme Graphics (non-T&L; requires 2.0 GHz processor)
82845, 82865, 82915

Rockbyter you others system has a serious problem unless the CPU dosent reach the req spec.
I realise i cocked up on the AGP not PCIE thing but that was coming back to a thread and not re-reading it. - Im sorry but the fact remains that people are recomending cards semingly(correct me if im wrong) but it looks like people are recomending standard min recomended for gameplaying card and not what the op needs to run the games mentioned.
Mactronix

 

[Nik_I]

i'm gonna recommend the 7600 as well. i bought a 7600GT (DDR2 version) in december for a decent price. because it's the DDR2 version, the performance would be fairly close to the GS and it does a decent job for what i want it to do.

 

[YoursShrewly]

Thanks again everybody.

Yes, I do have a lot of responsibilities and that limits what I can get ....

But anyways, I think I have decided on this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161052

Is there anything I need to download before I put it in my system? Or do I just put it in, install it, then update the drivers? Remember, I'm new .

And this card will play most dx9 games right? I've heard of a lot of cards that don't play most games and I just want to make sure that these games DO use that x1650 pro chipset.

Thanks.

 

[mactronix]

Download the drivers before you replace the card. Uninstall the old ones use drivercleaner pro if you want, I just use the uninstall that comes with them then delete the enteries in control panel. shut down -install the card and reboot when prompted just keep canceling and when windows hasdone asking if you wanytit to auto find or if you want to install form a specific file etc. Then double click on the drivers you have saved for it (I put mine in my documents) and follow the on screen prompts.
Mactronix

 

[sailer]

But anyways, I think I have decided on this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161052

Is there anything I need to download before I put it in my system? Or do I just put it in, install it, then update the drivers? Remember, I'm new .

That card should do what you want just fine. As Maxtronix said, download the latest drivers for that card into a temp file and then start the change.

I do the changeover a bit different than he does. I uninstall all the current card drivers through the control panel and then start the restart as directed, but just as the computer turns off, I pull the plug while its off so as to prevent it from starting. I then change the card and start the computer. The computer detects a new card and asks for a driver, at which point I direct it to the new drivers in the temp file, As I say, its a different way of doing things and I can't say if its the best or not, but its worked for me for several years now.

 

[MrCommunistGen]

But anyways, I think I have decided on this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161052

Looks like that one is out of stock now too... Just my opinion, but if you are planning on upgrading you should avoid spending any more money on this than you have to. I have a 9800Pro I could probably sell you if you're desperate, but there are better performing cards that can be bought for not much more... like if you find one of those X1650 Pros in stock...

-mcg

 

[ryanthesav]

the price just continued to go up, hehe.

My tuurn :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133125

 

[MrCommunistGen]

the price just continued to go up, hehe.

My tuurn :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133125

NIIICE!... I think thats the Quadro version of a 6800 series.

-mcg

 

[YoursShrewly]

O if I was a rich man

Do you all think it would be wise to order an open box card?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161053R

Its fairly cheap and I know Newegg has great service (I've had to RMA a lot of stuff to them...) so I know they'd help me out, but what do you all think?

I'm actually quite nervous about buying some of this stuff since I'm no expert (when I got my paycheck one time I splurged and bought 900 dollars worth of stuff....but it was all incompatible lol, so I guess thats why I'm nervous ) But I thank you all for your time.