I need help on a budget card

[kipliq]

I'm looking to upgrade my cpu and videocard. I already know what cpu I would like. The PII x3 720 but I need a budget gaming card. I don't play fps much. I just play sims 2 and wow. What would be a budget card I could purchase that will give me good results. My current car is old x850xt. Thanks for the help.

 

[krnmastersgt]

What's normally VERY helpful is your actual budget and resolution you play at. But from what you described, I'll just throw out 9600 GT or Radeon 4830/4670 as suggestions.

 

[nosfe]

if your budget is at about 100$ then i'd say wait for the price cuts on the 4870/4850 cards to hit

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: nosfe
if your budget is at about 100$ then i'd say wait for the price cuts on the 4870/4850 cards to hit

Nosfe, what kind of indication were you given to think a 4850, let alone a 4870 will get close to 100.00 in the near future?

Cheapest 4850 on the egg is 136.99 less a 15 dollar MIR for a total of 121.99. And that's cheap. They only go up from there. Unless there is a super special deal somewhere that you know of and I'm missing.

 

[manutdc]

keys: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2282183&enterthread=y - the 4850s should drop to about $100 or so. The Egg also had a 4870 for $125 or so recently.

 

[nosfe]

weren't you paying attention? ati will cut the price of the 4870/4850 to $150/130 and seeing as how newegg likes to sell stuff at below msrp+rebates....

 

[angry hampster]

Sims 2 and WoW? Get a 4670 and a shitload of RAM.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Look for a 9600GSO, HD4670, 9600GT, 9800GT (soon to be GTS 240), HD4830, or HD4850.

 

[kipliq]

Around $100 would be correct. I will be playing sims 3 when it hits the streets.

What do you all think of this card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102794

 

[angry hampster]

Originally posted by: kipliq
Around $100 would be correct. I will be playing sims 3 when it hits the streets.

What do you all think of this card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102794

Outdated. A 4830 will perform MUCH better.

 

[Tempered81]

4830 is a fast card for around $75

 

[angry hampster]

Wait for price cuts on these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...iption=4830&name=512MB

Should level out around $75-80 in the next week or two. Alternatively, buy one used on the FS forums here.

 

[kipliq]

Very cool, I will wait for the price cuts. Has anyone read the new ati cards coming out. I was about to wait for that one. I believe it's a 45nm gpu but not sure.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: angry hampster
Sims 2 and WoW? Get a 4670 and a shitload of RAM.

correct... and a faster CPU too...
But mostly ram, run it on vista 64bit (or windows 7 when it arrives) and with at least 4GB of DDR2 ram, i recommend 8.

 

[octopus41092]

HD4830 for the video card right now, it's < $100. If you're waiting for price cuts then the HD4850 or you might want to look into the HD4750 when that comes out. Your CPU should be fine, and you probably want 4GB of RAM