Low price graphic cards that aren't crap

[kekn06ab]

Hi you wonderful people

I'm looking for a bit of advice, for I just entered the world of impossible-to-compare graphic cards. This is my current settings:

Intel Pentium D, 3.2GHz
1,50GB DDR2 RAM
240GB harddrive space
NVidia Geforce 7500 LE, 256 MB DDR2 RAM

It's about time I upgrade my PC, so I decided to put in some more RAM and exchange the crappy old graphics card. But it seems like everyone is talking about the most expensive cards out there... I'm not interested in paying several hundreds of dollars for a new graphics card.

So my question is: How do I find a low-price graphics card (preferrably <100$) that isn't just as crappy as my old one?

Kind regards

/Kenneth

PS: I'm new in the market and not a hardcore gamer, so be gentle in your advice

 

[Helloworld_98]

get a new CPU, mobo and ram first, even IGPU's on amd mobo's can beat the gfx card you have now.

 

[kevin1212]

Yea, the 4770 is supposed to go for $100, but its very rare right now, so it costs a bit more. Closer to your budget and current system, something like a 4670 would be good. Those go for about $80 or less. I believe you can also find some 4830s or 9800gt's for around that price, if so then get one of those instead.

 

[teja92]

a 9600 GSO which i bought is great
have a look at HD 4670 also

 

[hundredislandsboy]

For under $87 and Free Shipping:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187030
SPARKLE SFPX98GT512D3 GeForce 9800 GT 512MB
And comes with Call of Duty (a $40 game) so you're like paying $45 for the card that is about the same as a 4850.
It compliments your CPU nicely too.

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

The 9800GT isnt comparable to a 4850, no where near it

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

On this list http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000380048%204027&name=%2475%20-%20%24100
100$ or less, this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102770 is the best card, period, on that list, brand new

 

[coozie7]

We need to know your PSU: Watts and output on the +12v line/s, failing that make and model.
Your CPU is n't as bad as some make out, it'll fly two space shuttles and not even get warm, let along break a sweat!
A bit more memory might come in handy, but do n't just drop chips in without checking the motherboard manual first. Not all motherboards support mixed memory modules and some that do can be fussy about which chips are mixed with which. If you hve lost the manual, it'll be on the manufacturers website for download and the make and model will be printed on the 'board itself, which you will find when you open up the case to check the PSU.
A list of cards and where they stand:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-geforce-graphics,review-31583-6.html

 

[kekn06ab]

*** ed...

 

[kekn06ab]

*** ed...

 

[kekn06ab]

Sorry about those edits... appears the board doesn't like my language. Thanks for all the replies though, this is exactly the kind I was looking for.

We need to know your PSU: Watts and output on the +12v line/s, failing that make and model.
Your CPU is n't as bad as some make out, it'll fly two space shuttles and not even get warm, let along break a sweat!
A bit more memory might come in handy, but do n't just drop chips in without checking the motherboard manual first. Not all motherboards support mixed memory modules and some that do can be fussy about which chips are mixed with which. If you hve lost the manual, it'll be on the manufacturers website for download and the make and model will be printed on the 'board itself, which you will find when you open up the case to check the PSU.
A list of cards and where they stand:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-geforce-graphics,review-31583-6.html

First of all, nice link.

Well, I managed to open the case and take a look at my Power supply. Now is the time you take over, because it's pure mumbojumbo to me.

DC Output:
+5V _-- /25A , +12V _-- /19A
+3,3V _-- /18A , -12V _-- /0,8A
+5VSB _-- /2A

+5V & 3,3V shall not exceed 175W
+5V & 12V shall not exceed 268W
Max output power 300W

Made in China

Now, another problem is to find out what my motherboard can take, can't seem to find a manual. It's an:

Manufacturer: ASUStek Computer INC.
Model: EMERY2
Chipset: Intel i945P, Rev. A1

Am I in trouble?

 

[daedalus685]

You need a better PSU.

 

[kekn06ab]

You need a better PSU.

God I hope not... I need something to keep it going for a few more years, not a new computer.

The Geforce 9800 GT for example, I read that it uses in the area of 151watts and 220watts, so it should still be possible, right?

 

[Helloworld_98]

^ add the CPU, fans, mobo and ram, then you'll see that your PSU can't take it.

it's cutting it close already because of capacitor aging.

 

[daedalus685]

You are going to have to get a low power card if you want to make the PSU last. Something like a 4670, remeber the PSU has to power the rest of the system as well. Some that are more familiar with the nvidia low power cards will be of more help. But a 300W PSU is rediculously inadequate for a modern computer. Let alone an old generic 300W PSU.

 

[coozie7]

@ kekn06ab: This is why I asked about the psu, mate.
It really was a bit weak, even when new and as they get older they lose performance, as Helloworld_98 points out. Making matters worse is the CPU, the older dual cores could burn over 120W under full load, that's 10 amps gone and a HD4770 can pull 80W under full load, another 6.6 amps, which leaving almost nothing for the rest of the system (CD/DVD drive/s HDD, sound, memory, motherboard etc). Sorry to bang on, but I think it is importaint for you to understand this point fully.
And some units can fry the entire system if overloaded.
Your best option seems to me to drop a 450W PSU in there and add a new card later, when funds permit.

This is n't too bad:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010320058%20113142554%204025&name=%2425%20-%20%2450

This is higher quality but a little less claimed on the +12v:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703017

Either will drive even the fairly power hungry HD4850.

 

[hundredislandsboy]

The 9800GT isnt comparable to a 4850, no where near it

Let's not split hairs. If they're within 5% in the performance benchmarks as tested by TH, is that near enough? Lol...

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

So, a GTX+ is only 5% also? Then whats the point of the GTX+?

 

[kekn06ab]

Well I'll be... Just to get the full picture, how much will additional RAM blocks, say 2x1GB blocks, strain my power supply?

 

[coozie7]

^ They will not add enough to worry about.

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

OK, look here
http://www.pcgameshardware.com/?menu=browser&article_id=648086&image_id=840682
or here
http://www.guru3d.com/category/vga_charts_crysis/
or here
http://www.guru3d.com/category/vga_charts_stalker_quake_wars/

or, since you mentioned Toms, here
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-price,2323-6.html Look how the GT is positioned compared to the 4850. Cost alone tells you nothing here, as ATI is better bang for buck.

The 9800GT isnt even in the same tier

 

[Mousemonkey]

God I hope not... I need something to keep it going for a few more years, not a new computer.

The Geforce 9800 GT for example, I read that it uses in the area of 151watts and 220watts, so it should still be possible, right?

If a 9800GT is a renamed 8800GT then the power consumption figures that you read may not be that accurate.
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.aspx?i=3413

 

[coozie7]

After rereading your first post kekn06ab, I think a HD4650 might suit: Miserly 48W under load and well under $100 so it fits your current system and pocket, you might even be able to add the 2Gb of extra RAM and still have change for a beer
Oh, your current card sits just below the 7300GT in the chart I posted from the info I've found on it BTW.

 

[kekn06ab]

After rereading your first post kekn06ab, I think a HD4650 might suit: Miserly 48W under load and well under $100 so it fits your current system and pocket, you might even be able to add the 2Gb of extra RAM and still have change for a beer
Oh, your current card sits just below the 7300GT in the chart I posted from the info I've found on it BTW.

These are great news to me, thanks for putting your mind to work on this. Thanks to you all, now at least I know what I might expect from an upgrade. Now I just need to make up my mind, heh.

 

[topper743]

Is it a Graphics Bus: PCI Express and AGP?