graphics card

[Myrthe]

i started a thread like this about a month ago but my question never got answered and now i have more info on it.

i have a plain PCI slot. im looking at two graphics cards at BestBuy.com http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7727365&type=product&id=1140391860712 and http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7638283&type=product&id=1130987962308

i am hoping you can put a PCI express into a PCI slot. is this true?

im also hoping for any thoughts, comments, or personal experiences.

thanks in advance!

~Myrthe~

[Karyuu]

I would really recommend browsing through newegg.com - you can find the same cards for a lot cheaper.

[steuben]

i am hoping you can put a PCI express into a PCI slot. is this true?

nope no go on that.

pci express is a radically different technology from pci.

[Myrthe]

the system requirements say GeForce. so should i get that or Radeon?

and i dont know what all that stuff means...like:

Radeon X800GTO
256MB GDDR3 <the GDDR3 part

compared to:

Geforce 6800XT
256MB GDDR3

i am hoping you can put a PCI express into a PCI slot. is this true?

nope no go on that.

pci express is a radically different technology from pci.

dangit because from what i can see PCI is the crappyest kind of card only 2and some clock speed compared to PCI expresses 400 clock speed.

[Xordan]

If you have a AGP slot, then buy a AGP graphics card. If you don't have a AGP slot then it's time to buy a new PC (or buy a new mobo, proc, ram etc.) You can't get any graphics card which will go into a PCI slot these days I think. It's just PCIe and AGP.

[Myrthe]

Xordan: look at my second link and i dont have money for that. plus my dad wont get me another as long as this comp works...

heres another of one i found on newegg.com: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814241020

it looks too cheap to be worth buying...true? also, its the only PCI on the intire page...

[steuben]

plus my dad wont get me another as long as this comp works...

there are ways to arrange that... just make sure you have your data backed up first.

[Myrthe]

so lets say im buying a new comp...any ideas of what i should get?

is there more than one type of AGP slot also?

just curious about this but thanks guys for all the help so far!

am leaving for a couple of hours now so i wont be able to reply. but please keep posting!

[steuben]

there are various speeds of agp. but they are all basically the same

but to get a new comp...
pick a price point. get the fastest cpu, most ram, and best gfx card you can.
and don't skimp on the power supply. the remaining compontents you can usually salvage from your exsisting comp.

[Karyuu]

If you're going with a new machine (but not looking to put it together yourself) I'd recommend PCClub (if you're in the US, anyway). You can get a base system of an AMD ATHLON-64 X2 3800+ 2.00GHz, 512MB RAM, 160GB HDD, and a GEFORCE 7600GS for $699.00 (the NITRO EXTREME base) :> But you can also build the systems yourself up from that base, to change various features. For example if you can get 2GB RAM, I'd recommend it xD They have awesome reviews everywhere I've looked, and my next machine is coming from them as well.

No need to go Alienware to get a good system :}

[tssthorn]

Thing about building your own computer is you have so many more optiuons. I also find they work much better as well... not sure why though ... Oh wait I do! Most of the time the companies have there own type of parts installed ... such as the motherboard. First thing you are going to think of if you where that company is how to build it cheaper .. and there is your answer. -Though I have nothing to back that fact up, but its just from experience and thats what I think. So in anycase, its always best to build the computer yourself. Trust me its easy, I say if you can hook up a game system you can build a computer!

Edit: Ahh yes, also I built my computer and the specs are a little bit lower then my friends and yet for some reason mine is so much faster. He also has to restore it maybe 3 times a year, not sure if its him or the computer but why take the chance? Building is cheaper any way, I can build an Alienware 5,000 buck computer for half that price and make it better!

[Karyuu]

Building your own machine can be very rewarding. But there are also risks - and sometimes tech support is worth it Depends on the individual - I've had so many problems with my current custom-built rig that I'm willing "risk it" with an established company.

[tssthorn]

Oh ya that is kinda true, some times I forget I know how to fix computers as well. Well I stil say build you own computer and learn how to fix it if its ever needed. Saves alot of money, I mean come on I get 60 bucks for every computer I fix, but hey better for me. ... so maybe I should stop while im ahead or I might be out of bussiness 

[willelmo]

Anyone getting new computer nowdays should not buy one with AGP slot, those are old technology and it starts to be difficult to get gfx cards for those so if one buys new computer at least check that it has pci-express slot and 1GB of ram, I'm serious 1GB is soon needed so better get that already.

There was just released new CPUs from Intel and AMD dropped prices so now you should get decent computer with quite good price.

X800XL based gfx cards have been also offering incredible performance for their price, can be just hard to get those already.

My experiences are that HP computers have been quite good, there is not so much faulty units from factory than some clone manufacturer, but they can be bit limited for more advanced technically minded user, but for those that don't care to get too much into computer tech  those are very good option. Btw, I was really against HP and Compaq once, but seeing computer business from different angles I have had to change my opinion, when computers are tools used for business there is no point even think about anything else than those big names, well also Dell/IBM, but there is not many other options because others have more trouble with quality and aftersales support and service.

Of course it depends a bit where you live to what is available and so on, but I believe quite big part of this is global.

So there is no single solution, it depends what type of user is and what he/she would like to get, for some clone machine is ok, for some building his own is ok, for some big brand machine is that suits best.

Price that you pay from computer is about same what machine you get if you look it at long term, if you buy weaker machine you need to get new one just sooner than if you get more powerful machine. Of course avoid latest HYPE technology, you may get incredible performance, but if you can get 10-15% less performance for 50% less money it is quite clear what to choose

Anyway here is my thoughts about getting new machine, maybe after being more or less in business over 10 years have made me thinking like old man, but I feel it is needed to keep head cool and take bit distance, then look what are needs and base decision for that more than spending everything to latest stuff

[neko kyouran]

I have a 4 year old custom built system, which I recently upgraded the vid card on as it's final upgrade before I simply biuld myself a nwe system in a nother year or so.  At the time of purchase (4-5 monts ago) this is what I considered the best card for the system.  (Anything above it in the radeon series required PCIe, which this mobo doesn't have) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102677

I'd suggest shying away from a PCI card, as they just aren't worth it IMO.  The PCIe ones, I read, are pretty nice, but you said you don't have the slot so that really isn't an option.  I haven't heard of too many motherboards to not include at least 1 AGP slot on them.  (unless we're talking laptops, but they are a whole different story all together.) 

Normally, Nvidia compared with ATI, well it's mostly user preference.  You can basically find the same card with just about the same specs made by both for about the same price.  The card I had before getting the one above was a Geforece 4 TI.  It lasted 4 years and I was pretty happy with it, the only reason I put it into storage and got a new one was becuase after 4 years it was finally starting to hinder game performance, as in, I couldn't tweak the game settings anymore to make it play smoothly on my system.  I decided to try an ATI this time, and I think I liked the Geforce better.  Yes, the ATI certainly is much better hardware wise, but the drivers for the card, well NVidia does a better job with driver support and the such, at least to me. 

Now, for building a new system, well, theres quite alot of different chioces to be made and if you're going with custom built, there's even more.  Since it sounds like you're not the tech saviest (no offense meant) of people, I'd recondmend going with something prebuilt from a place like the one Karyuu suggested.  Not to say that building your own isn't an option, but I'd suggest you get yourself a good buddy or someone that has experience with building systems to help you figure out what is the best for you as in terms of specs, cost, etc, and also to help you set it up when it arrives.  You can save a few bucks building it yourself, but should something break or not work properly, that can quickly be outwieghed by the cost of hassel it is to send stuff back, get new parts, try to see if those work, etc, etc.  A prebuilt system doesn't come with those risks.  Hope this helps.