Looking for a reasonably priced Video card

[pete1229]

Any help will be appreciated. I am looking for a video card, compatible with Windows 7 64bit Asus M3N78-VM mobo. I don't do any real gaming, maybe Flight Sim, that sort of stuff. I watch DVD's and the o/b graphics ( Nvidia Geforce 8200) w/256mb memory gets hung up occasionally and has resulted in BOSD more than once. I need a PCIE card preferably 1Gig memory. I had purchased one from Tiger Direct a Sparkle Geforce 8400 1GB DDR3, which rendered my PCI audio card useless even though there were no known conflicts I could fine (Worked on it for 2 weeks). Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[nwo]

What is your budget? Are there any special requirements (example: low power consumption, fanless, low-profile, etc)?

 

[formulav8]

Just get the cheapest 4350/5450 or GT210 type video card you can find. There is a gt210 in the hot deals forums for $10 if you don't mind sending/waiting on a $40 mail-in-rebate. Someone in f/s forum has a used one for $25 shipped.

So basically just get the cheapest half-way modern video card you can find.


Jason

 

[Arkadrel]

Your Onboard Geforce 8200 is a old ah heck.

8200 mGPU:

Pixel (GP/s)= 2
Texture (GT/s)= 4
Bandwidth (GB/s)= ~6.4

vs

AMD/ATI 5670:

Pixel (GP/s)= 6.2 (3x above)
Texture (GT/s)= 15.5 (3x above)
Bandwidth (GB/s)= 64 (10x above)



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-365-_-Product

a 1gb version of a 5670, for 69$ @newegg.
That should more than forfill all your needs


*IF* you just want the cheapest card that ll do what your old Geforce 8200, did and more (should be abit faster)... then you probably want something like a 5450.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-922-_-Product

25$ for a 5450, and 5$ shipping. (the 25$ version has GDDR3, the 21$ one has GDDR2, the 4$ are worth it to go for a GDDR3 version)

its passively cooled, so it wont make a sound, if thats a plus.

 

[Termie]

The 5450 is a good idea, as is the 5670. But right in the middle is the 5570 for $50AR/FS, which might be the best solution for you: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131342

The 5450 is very basic, and you can't really get one for less than $30: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=&srchInDesc=

The 5670 is 50% faster than the 5570, but the 5570 is 150% faster than the 5450, for only $20 more: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2935/8

 

[betasub]

I had purchased one from Tiger Direct a Sparkle Geforce 8400 1GB DDR3, which rendered my PCI audio card useless even though there were no known conflicts I could fine (Worked on it for 2 weeks).

Hmm, are you sure that a different PCIe graphics card won't have the same problem? Or are you able to run with onboard sound?

 

[pete1229]

O/B sound also had quality problems lots of clicking etc. went away after installing pci sound card. I did pick up a Galaxy Geforce 9500 GT w/1 Gig DDR2 today for 60 bucks at best Buy. So far so good and I even have sound out of my pci card! Only problem now is I have Ubuntu running along side Windows 7 64 bit in a dual boot. Its a challenge to find drivers that will work with Ubuntu for some hardware. But thanks one and all for the replies.

 

[taltamir]

maybe Flight Sim

Which specifically? IIRC some are very heavy.

I watch DVD's and the o/b graphics ( Nvidia Geforce 8200) w/256mb memory gets hung up occasionally

Then turn off GPU video acceleration and use the CPU only.

and has resulted in BOSD more than once.

huh? aren't you using Windows 7 64bit? With windows vista and windows 7 the computer will reboot the video card if it crashes, it should not cause a BSOD... Do you even use a video player that uses the onboard GPU for video rendering acceleration? most do not, I would suspect a CPU, RAM, mobo or PSU problem if it causes BSODs. If that is the case then enable GPU acceleration might make things better... go try http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/

I need a PCIE card preferably 1Gig memory.

If you don't do any gaming, why do you need 1GB of memory?

I had purchased one from Tiger Direct a Sparkle Geforce 8400 1GB DDR3, which rendered my PCI audio card useless even though there were no known conflicts I could fine (Worked on it for 2 weeks).

PCI audio card? thats a red flag right there... is it a CreativeLabs audio card? Creative is the PLAGUE! get rid of it! burn it in a FIRE!
Seriously creative has the worst, most unstable, most shittiest drivers ever made. Always had... they make nice hardware but their drivers are so bad that using it is unacceptable. If you are having BSODs and using a creative audio card the first thing I would do is unplug that sucker... use the onboard audio, its more then good enough.

 

[Termie]

O/B sound also had quality problems lots of clicking etc. went away after installing pci sound card. I did pick up a Galaxy Geforce 9500 GT w/1 Gig DDR2 today for 60 bucks at best Buy. So far so good and I even have sound out of my pci card! Only problem now is I have Ubuntu running along side Windows 7 64 bit in a dual boot. Its a challenge to find drivers that will work with Ubuntu for some hardware. But thanks one and all for the replies.

Looks like you're all set, but the 9500gt for $60 was not a good deal, and certainly isn't even close in performance to the cards we suggested. That being said, it probabaly won't matter to you - looks like you just wanted something that would allow you to turn use your computer.