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Best Graphics Card for light gaming/tv tuner PC

post #1 of 9
8/15/06 at 3:39pm
Thread Starter 
I recently bought an ATI TV Wonder Elite for a song and am in the process of assembling a new computer I am hoping will eventually supplant my need for a TiVo as well as all my other desktop functions. I play the GTA games, and a few others but am by no means a hardcore gamer. I would like this rig to last me through the next two years at least.

Any suggestions as to brand/ model of graphics cards that wont break the bank (poor law student) but work well for the near future?

PS: I am incredibly pleased with the consensus on this board that tilted me toward buying my Asus Z70Va lappy. I cannot believe how well it works for what I needed. I am eternally grateful
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post #2 of 9
8/15/06 at 3:45pm
With the recent ATI price drop, you can get a X1800 or X1900 card for around $200.
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post #3 of 9
8/17/06 at 3:37am
Believe it not, after selling my XPS months ago, I've reverted back to my 'old, crappy' desktop with a Radeon 9600XT card in it and I cannot believe it can still run Far Cry/HL2, Doom 3 at 1280X1024 (med settings) at a pretty decent frame-rate! U can get the 9600XT for less than $60 nowadays.

S
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post #4 of 9
8/17/06 at 11:43am
to the OP

might want to say whether you're looking for a PCI-E, AGP or PCI video card. You didn't say what kind of computer you're assembling...
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post #5 of 9
8/17/06 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
good call Dman22. For right now i have an open PCI-E and an open PCI. The other thing I should mention is that I have a Dell 20" widescreen flat panel which has max settings of i think 1680 x 1050. (right now its just connected to an ancient computer whose card wont go that high)
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post #6 of 9
8/17/06 at 2:30pm
oh, widescreen monitor means you're gonna have to find a card that works with it. Most of the older ones won't do ws resolutions and running an LCD at non-native resolution makes the visuals much crappier.
I think most video card boxes have their supported resolutions on the side and they should also have them on the web site. Definitely don't trust an employee in the store though, they'll tell you anything to get you to buy it and then charge a restocking fee because they were wrong

also, go with PCI-E. PCI only goes up to a geforce 5700, which isn't even close to a good card.. they're also really hard to find, mostly can only find geforce 5200's in PCI and those are even worse
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post #7 of 9
8/17/06 at 2:32pm
I picked upa X1900GT for $199 free shipping. A X1800GTO can be had for $176 and a X1600XT is anywhere from $120-$140.
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post #8 of 9
8/17/06 at 11:55pm
Thread Starter 
again, thanks Dmann22. i guess i have some more digging to do. i didnt know GPUs were specific to WS displays
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post #9 of 9
8/18/06 at 6:42pm
i would get a 7600gt or find a deal @ newegg for an x850xt. i picked mine up for $100.
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