Looking for some suggestions and/or advice on a -budget- video card.

[n0tdan]

Ok, for my GF's birthday, i'm going to be upgrading her computer.
~~~~
Option (A)

I'm grabbing a 1GB stick of memory so she'll have 1256MB total (I'd have two swap out one of her 256MB chips because her mobo only has 2 slots)

and, I'm getting her a new video card. (upgrading from a 32MB GF2 MX 200)

Unfortunately, my budget is aprox $120 +/- a few for both ><; depending on the shipping costs.

so that brings me to about $60 for a video card.

Anyone familiar with, or is there anyone who can direct me to some comparison links for budget cards? I browsed through newegg, and in that price range, it appears to be between an nvidia 128MB 6200, and a 256MB 5500. (any other suggestions are welcome, i'd like to get the best performance out of the budget i have available right now)

Option (B)

$120 video card, and stick with 512MB system memory for now.

browsing newegg again, it looks like i have a choice between a 128MB 9800pro (i have a sapphire version on my main computer and i've been satisfied with it so far, though it's getting a bit dated) a few different nividia 6600's 128 and 256MB versions, and some 9600XT's 128 and 256MB versions.
~~~~

Her system is
AMD XP 1900+
512MB PC2100
GF2 MX 200 (AGP)

She uses her computer -mainly- to play WoW, and as you probably figured, a majority of the time it has to go to the HD virtual memory. Just looking to get her a decent amount of playability. Sadly, she's seen my computer run WoW, and i can't just tell her it must be server lag wink wink ...

Thanks for any suggestions, tips, or links.

oh yeah, Her birthday is friday grin so i am hoping to order sometime tonight or monday!
~thanks

 

[tuteja1986]

arr :! are you sure she really wants that :! why not spend the cash taking her on a weekend holiday

 

[n0tdan]

Yeah I know she would like an upgrade for her B-day. Of course, she will get spoiled by me no matter what! Sadly, i work all weekend and have school all week so at most it would be dinner at mc donalds (joking! i'm joking!) a night out is also on the menu for her b-day too this is just my budget for her upgrade.

 

[tuteja1986]

hey notdan :! give your graphic card to her and buy yourself a 6800gs agp :?

 

[Powermoloch]

I used to have a 6600 AGP (256 mb) and it plays very well on the latest games on 1024x768 sometimes on max/med settings. Really do enjoyed it.

 

[n0tdan]

Heh, the funny thing is, i did look at upgrading mine and giving her my 9800pro, but i would like to spend a bit more than i have available at the moment if i upgrade. aprox 209+ s&h for the 6800gs ><; i'd have to wait untill friday to do that, and i don't know if i could handle a gf2mx200 in my machine untill the 6800gs arrived

edit.. and tax for ca ><;

 

[imported_Kiwi]

That $60 really doesn't allow you any wiggle room. Most anything "current" priced down there is pretty limited. If you can get in the USED market, or go with something still NIB, but not this year's goods, you can find Radeon 9600's and 9700's (harder to find the latter). Generally speaking, FX's were a major loss of face for nVidia, and the leftovers from that series are hardly worth considering, but there are a few new FX 5600U's floating around about your price, and in Dx8 /Dx8.1, those are roughly Radeon 9600 speed. Where they fall down is shader handling in Dx9.

P.S. I did more or less forget how puny the VGA she has now actually is. By comparison, a Ti-4200 for $40 shipped would be a great deal faster and easier on the eyes, and there are still a lot of those, new in the box, from a variety of semi-generic Chinese factories. Buy one from a reputable retailer, though, because tracking the actual producer down for warranty claims would be impossible.

 

[n0tdan]

oh, i forgot to add in, it's a 32MB gf2 mx200 on top of that ><;

 

[imported_thefonz]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130233

50 bucks after MIR

But i would suggest maybe just sticking with the ram that you have now, or maybe just getting a stick of 512 ,and getting a better video card, there is a refurb HIS x700 for 99 denaro on newegg,which would run WoW alot better than a 6200.

edit: nvm just get the 6200 and the gig, as her CPU would probably be a bottleneck on a x700.

 

[n0tdan]

bump

Option (C)

I get a 1GB stick of memory, wait till friday, and on friday order a card in the 70-200 range

 

[imported_Finny]

To be honest, in a system like that, I don't see a gig of ram as being truly necessary... So, I'd say save the money there (Or perhaps try finding a cheaper 512 stick?), and spend it on something a little more powerful, like a 6600. Don't worry about 128/256 video ram; at the speeds of these cards, 256 would be overkill.

Hell, the 6200 in my rig still dazzles me. Doom 3 on High, 800x600 = Holy ****** to me. 'Course, I was dealing with a gf2 mx200 32meg 'bout... 10 months ago myself. Needless to say, the 6200 looked next-gen to me.

Regardless of what you get her, at this point, it's gonna be like night & day.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: thefonz
(Link to eVga 6200 at Newegg)

50 bucks after MIR

Only problem is that eVga dropped the 128/128 6200 card, if they ever made one, and now only has 64 Bit 6200's for either interface. I would believe this 6200 version is slower than the Ti-4200, but it's for more, not less, money.

 

[n0tdan]

If i got a 512MB stick i'd only be upgrading to 768MB of system memory, her mobo only has 2 available slots, and she's got 2 256 sticks in there right now ><;

I'm leaning towards grabbing a 1GB stick, so i'll have somthing to give her, then on friday, grabbing myself a new card and putting my 9800pro in her machine.

a few <200 cards i was looking at.

256MB X800

512MB X1600 Pro

256MB 6600GT