Plz help with choosing new video card for this system

[talamoth]

Hi,
My daughter's computer needs a new video card to run the Sims 3. Her system passes on all the other specs. I am computer ignorant regarding hardware compatibility so need some help. I'll post the specs to her computer below. I'm hoping for some suggestions as to a "moderate" low budget video card that will go with this particular system. Not high end as we don't have a lot of money but want her to be at least able to play the game. The Sims 3 list of accepted video cards are below the system spec. THX in advance! Really appreciate it. Specs are:

Mainboard : Asus PTGD2-VX
Chipset : Intel i915GL
Processor : Intel Pentium 4 530 @ 3000 MHz
Physical Memory : 1024 MB (2 x 512 DDR-SDRAM )
Video Card : Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family
Hard Disk : WDC (200 GB)
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional 5.01.2600 Service Pack 3
DirectX : Version 9.0c
Manufacturer : Sony Corporation
Mainboard : Asus PTGD2-VX
Bios : American Megatrends Inc.
Chipset : Intel i915GL
Physical Memory : 1024 MB DDR-SDRAM
Processor : Intel Pentium 4 530
Frequency : 3000 MHz - (current : 2992.71 MHz)

SUPPORTED VIDEO CARDS
NVIDIA GeForce series
FX 5900, FX 5950
6200, 6500, 6600, 6800,
7200, 7300, 7600, 7800, 7900, 7950
8400, 8500, 8600, 8800
9600, 9800, GTX 260, GTX 280
ATI Radeon™ series
9500, 9600, 9800
X300, X600, X700, X800, X850
X1300, X1600, X1800, X1900, X1950
2400, 2600, 2900
3450, 3650, 3850, 3870,
4850, 4870
Intel® Extreme Graphics
GMA X3x00 series

 

[talamoth]

Thx so much! No more than a couple of hundred bucks would be best. If that's laughable, then the cheapest possible thing that would work without a log of lagging, freezing and crashing.

The model # is PCV-C12L I'm not sure how to find the "power supply watts". It's a desktop and I have this program called PC Wizard that categorizes all of specs. In the power status category it has some info. For example this type of thing:

Processor Performance Information :
Throttle Mode AC : None
Throttle Mode DC : Adaptive
Current Configuration : None
Throttle : 2992 MHz

ACPI Information :
ID : ACPIAM OEMRSDT
Version : 1.00
Revision : 4.19
Power Profile : Desktop
IRQ ACPI INT : 9
APIC MP Support : Yes
ACPI Timer Support : Yes DOES THIS HELP??

 

[talamoth]

we can probably find you one for around $50, let me look

Thank you! That sounds really inexpensive. I like cheap but I also like functionability.

 

[talamoth]

Thank you so much. You are an angel! I know the computer is old and it will be replaced at some point in the near future. I told her she should stick with World of Warcraft cuz it runs fine on her pc. But she got addicted playing the Sims 3 on my computer. Anyway, I really appreciate your help. Have a great 4th of July.

ok, it took me forever but I found that motherboard on the HP site of all places. Asus has no information on it. It seems as if has a PCI-E x16. Sony has no info on your computer, I believe its sold under a different name now.

Sims 3 does not need a powerful video card but I don't need to tell you that CPU is getting kind of old.
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10302/

Your choices are basically the Nvidia 9500GT or ATI 4550 or 4560. I would recommend the ATI 4650. Just double check in your PC that it has a PCI-E x16 slot.

9500GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127419

4650 (draws less power then the 9500GT)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102838

4550 (a step below the other two cards but can handle Sims 3)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121306