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PC-Philes: Bang for buck PCI Card. Yes just PCI.

C

CrushDance

Banned
*I'm building another computer as soon as round 2 X38 motherboards come out*

I've got an older computer here thats served me really well and I wouldn't be able to throw it out. I want to spruce it up a bit and everythign is fine except it came with onboard video so I'm just looking for a PCI card. It should have come with PCI-E but I didn't know much abotu computers back then >_> Anyway so here's my options below. I'm not going to be playing bioshock at 1900x1200 so no worries:

ncfl21.jpg

GPU/VPU: Visiontek Radeon X1550
RAMDAC: 400 MHz
Pixel Pipelines: 4
Additional Features: Vista Ready
HDTV Ready
DirectX 9
OpenGL 2.0

Video Memory: 256MB
Memory Type: DDR2
Interface Type: PCI
Connector(s): VGA (15-Pin D-Sub)
HDTV/S-Video
DVI
Price: $166.99 CAD

OR

x59p1u.jpg

GPU/VPU: HIS Radeon X1550
RAMDAC: 400 MHz
Fill Rate per Second: 2.2 billion pixels
Pixel Pipelines: 4
Maximum Resolution: 2560 x 1600 (Digital)
Video Memory: 256MB
Memory Type: GDDR2
Core Clock: 550 MHz
Memory Bus: 64-bit
Memory Clock: 800 MHz
Memory Bandwidth: 6.4GB/sec.
Interface Type: PCI
Connector(s): Dual DVI
HDTV
Multiple Monitors Support: Yes
Price: $166.99

OR

3D Fuzion NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500
ztgkdx.jpg

270 MHz GPU
4 Pixel Pipelines
350 MHz RAMDAC
Memory
128 MB, 64 bit DDR
400 MHz (effective)
3.2 GB/s Memory Bandwidth
Interface
PCI 2.1
DVI-I, S-Video/RCA
Resolution & Refresh
240 Hz Max Refresh Rate
2048 x 1536 x 32bit x 60 Hz Max Analog
1600 x 1200 Max Digital

Price:$93.99 CAD

OR
5btw6h.jpg

GPU: Viper Radeon X1550
Bus Type: PCI
Memory: 256MB GDDR2-128bit
Core Clock: 450 MHz
Mem Speed: 520 MHz
Pixel Shader Units: 4
API Support: DirectX® 9.0, Shader Model 3.0 and OpenGL 2.0
Price: $104.65 CAD
Output: DVI(Dual Link), VGA, HDTV, D-Sub Support
 
B

bill0527

Member
You didn't get the memo?

People at GAF only build $3,000 and above computers.

They also hate you if you try to buy an old or mid-range video card.
 
C

CrushDance

Banned
Jade Knight 08 said:
What's your computer specs?
Click to expand...
P4 2.6GHZ
512MB RAM
700GB HDD space
XP Home

I think that's about it.
bill0527 said:
You didn't get the memo?

People at GAF only build $3,000 and above computers.

They also hate you if you try to buy an old or mid-range video card.
Click to expand...
:lol I actualy built a quad core but the motherboard had serious problems with the SATA controller/sout bridge so I just reurned it and will wait for X38.

Vaporak said:
Wait, PCI only... as in no AGP slot?
Click to expand...
I'll never buy from a "Dell" company again. It's a great computer, just only PCI.
 
G

Gio_CoD

Banned
CrushDance said:
I'll never buy from a "Dell" company again. It's a great computer, just only PCI.
Click to expand...
What the hell does that have to do with whether or not you have an AGP slot on your motherboard? AGP has been standard for like 8 years now.
 
C

CrushDance

Banned
Haleon said:
What the hell does that have to do with whether or not you have an AGP slot on your motherboard? AGP has been standard for like 8 years now.
Click to expand...
That's the point. I got my computer from MDG in freaking 2003! And no PCI-E...
 
M

madmook

Member
:lol I remember buying a PC in 2002 and that had AGP.

I say save the money. Over $100 for a POS gpu that'll barely run any recent games is a damn waste.
 
C

CrushDance

Banned
Joe Molotov said:
I didn't even know they made PCI cards up to that recently.
Click to expand...
Yeah me neither, but apparently theres a large segment of PC users with just that. I think I'll just go for the X1550.
 
S

sk3tch

Member
madmook said:
I say save the money. Over $100 for a POS gpu that'll barely run any recent games is a damn waste.
Click to expand...

End the thread right here, folks. It's the only way to go. Save towards a new rig. You will cry once your craptastic PCI card is installed and games still run like garbage.

Oooor...I just had an idea...take the money you were going to spend, lay it on the ground outside...piss on it...then pour lighter fluid all over it, light it, and crouch down like Jimi Hendrix on his burning guitar.

Don't forget to take a video of the whole thing to post here. Kthxbye.
 
A

aznpxdd

Member
I personally wouldn't even bother getting a PCI GPU after looking at those prices. Just suck it up and stick with integrated graphics until the parts come out.
 
Pimpbaa

Pimpbaa

Member
Stay away from the GeForce FX 5500 like the motherfucking plague! The whole GeForce FX line was absolutely terrible.
 
bee

bee

Member
you can get 8500gt pci cards, not sure how much they are but the pci-e version goes for around £40 ($80 us) in uk so maybe a little more than that.
 
C

CrushDance

Banned
bee said:
you can get 8500gt pci cards, not sure how much they are but the pci-e version goes for around £40 ($80 us) in uk so maybe a little more than that.
Click to expand...
Hm.

See I know it's bad and basically pointless, but something is better than nothing right? Even when I build my new PC(SOrry MickyKnox :p) I'll still keep this one because it's really done a lot for me and never failed unless I do something.

;( I'll think it over.
 
Z

Zaraki_Kenpachi

Member
CrushDance said:
Hm.

See I know it's bad and basically pointless, but something is better than nothing right? Even when I build my new PC(SOrry MickyKnox :p) I'll still keep this one because it's really done a lot for me and never failed unless I do something.

;( I'll think it over.
Click to expand...

:lol You sound like me. I still have my old 300-350mhz dell that i got a 64mb video card for recently after building my new computer. 8mb was ass to game on :p. I had the same sentiments though it may be old and slower but it hasn't failed me yet.
 
S

ShowDog

Member
Some shitty PCI card off of eBay will get you close to what those cards are gonna do. The PCI bus is just too slow for anything to run quickly. Don't spend more than $15-$20.
 
K

Kinan

Member
well, x1550 is clearly superior over fx5500. Since clocks for the first card in the list are not given you cant say which one of those you mentioned is the fastest, but the last one stated to have 128bit bus and have much lower price, so looks like a good choice. Core frequency is lower though and memory frequency not clear so I would dig some additional info before buying.
 
S

SRG01

Member
Sparkle announced a 8500 GT PCI card, but it never materialized at retailers. :(

I want that card so badly, even if it's on a bandwidth starved PCI slot.
 
P

Pakman

Member
I think everyones missing the point here. The guy obviously wants to waste his money upgrading his pos (no offense) computer for sentimental (or whatever) reasons. He did state he will build an actual rig once those new mobos come out.

The X1550's should be faster - better DX9 support and more raw power. I only glanced at those specs you posted on those cards but I have no clue why that Stealth card is $60 cheaper than those other X1550. I can't see anything that warrants that sort of price difference. So go with the Stealth card (unless they're notoriously bad and I dont' know about it).
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Next month is the tenth anniversary of AGP mobos hitting the market.
 
L

Lhadatt

Member
Pakman said:
I think everyones missing the point here.
Click to expand...
GAF usually does.

Crush: Get the cheaper one. Nothing matters at this point, you're on PCI. And PCI-E would not have been available when you bought that PC, you're thinking AGP.
 
L

lexi

Banned
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
:lol You sound like me. I still have my old 300-350mhz dell that i got a 64mb video card for recently after building my new computer. 8mb was ass to game on :p. I had the same sentiments though it may be old and slower but it hasn't failed me yet.
Click to expand...

8mb was ass to game on? What games are playing, Doom 2?
 
C

CrushDance

Banned
Lhadatt said:
GAF usually does.

Crush: Get the cheaper one. Nothing matters at this point, you're on PCI. And PCI-E would not have been available when you bought that PC, you're thinking AGP.
Click to expand...
There was no PCI-E in 2003? Really?

And yes like Pakman said, it's basically one last "hurrah" to this computer before I retire it or it dies.
 
P

Pakman

Member
CrushDance said:
There was no PCI-E in 2003? Really?

And yes like Pakman said, it's basically one last "hurrah" to this computer before I retire it or it dies.
Click to expand...

I don't know when PCI-E first appeared, but I don't think it was that common till sometime in 04/05 or so. But I could be wrong. It's really odd your PC didn't have an AGP slot though.
 
Joe Molotov

Joe Molotov

Member
CrushDance said:
There was no PCI-E in 2003? Really?

And yes like Pakman said, it's basically one last "hurrah" to this computer before I retire it or it dies.
Click to expand...

It came out in 2004. I remember building a moderately high-end PC early in 2004 and I decided to go with AGP instead because PCI-E had just came out and there weren't very many cards and mobos that supported it yet.
 
C

CrushDance

Banned
Pakman said:
I don't know when PCI-E first appeared, but I don't think it was that common till sometime in 04/05 or so. But I could be wrong. It's really odd your PC didn't have an AGP slot though.
Click to expand...
Intel D845GVSR "Seabreeze" mobo. I was a computer noob and wanted to play the shiny games. MDG guy said "Intel extreme graphics are great!" :lol

I'm 99% sure there's no AGP. From now on I build myself heh.
 
M

M3d10n

Member
*Reads thread*

bill0527 said:
You didn't get the memo?

People at GAF only build $3,000 and above computers.

They also hate you if you try to buy an old or mid-range video card.
Click to expand...
Wow! Bullseye!
 
M

M3d10n

Member
SapientWolf said:
PCI video cards over $30 are pretty much a waste of money. They are severely bottlenecked.
Click to expand...

I find it hard to believe that there's no performance difference between a PCI GF4MX and a PCI X1550, but I haven't used a PCI card for years so I don't know.
 
1

1-D_FTW

Member
ShowDog said:
Some shitty PCI card off of eBay will get you close to what those cards are gonna do. The PCI bus is just too slow for anything to run quickly. Don't spend more than $15-$20.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Plus, with games, even my PC that I built 4 1/2 years ago, soon required an upgrade to 1GB RAM to play the more demanding games then. So a RAM upgrade is in order too.

M3d10n said:
*Reads thread*


Wow! Bullseye!
Click to expand...

Well, to be honest, there is a sizable chunk that do have this attitude.

It's my personal theory that these are the same people, who a couple years later turn on PCs and bitch about how expensive PC gaming is and why console gaming is vastly superior.
 
Z

Zaraki_Kenpachi

Member
"8mb was ass to game on? What games are playing, Doom 2?"

I never said I was doing high end gaming but it kept me happy. I played dod, counterstrike, and the other older valve games, outlaws, red faction, so dos games I really enjoyed, starcraft, etc. It was my first computer and it hasn't failed me yet so like I said I understand his sentiment.
 
T

Threi

notag
get the x1550pro.

I had an AGP 5500, not the greatest card in the world.

try this site and punch in your card (just use AGP if it doesn't show up)

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=103&card2=369

I really, really hate pricks who try to recommend more expensive stuff all the time (NO GET A QUAD CORE LOLZ DUAL CORE IS OLD NOW), but keep in mind you will be paying a good $20-$30 more on a PCI card because of the bridge chip that is required to make it run on PCI.
 
C

CTLance

Member
CrushDance said:
Intel D845GVSR "Seabreeze" mobo. I was a computer noob and wanted to play the shiny games. MDG guy said "Intel extreme graphics are great!" :lol

I'm 99% sure there's no AGP. From now on I build myself heh.
Click to expand...
...and right you are, on both counts.
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d845gvsr/sb/cs-008824.htm
You no haev teh AGP.

I say, try to comb through fleamarkets, ebay, hell, even recycling centres. Spending 100 bucks on a GPU that is so useless nowadays is just wrong.
That being said, if I'd be limited to your choices I'd take the cheapest one. Easy as that.
 
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