Cheapest card for DIRT?

[MrWhippy]

looking for recommendations for a cheap gfx card capable of playing collin mcrae DIRT.
needs to be playable at 1280x1024 with as many of the enhancements on as possible.

the major factors here are cheap, and playable.
don't need a monster card, just something "good enough" to enjoy this game as the current x850 wont boot the game (lack of shader model 3).

 

[MrWhippy]

...most ppl will probably say get a 4850, seeing as they sooooo cheap...

to be honest i'm thinking cheaper than that.
sub £100 if possible. it's not for a main rig.

anyone reckon a 3650 would cope, seen them for around 50 quid?
or is that pushing too hard?

i think i have a 2400pro not in use somewhere, might stick that in for a laugh. don't expect it to be playable, but at least it should boot the game

 

[grudas]

3850 512mb should be fine i can run the game on my 3850 256 on same rez all settings maxed out

 

[Wayne~]

As the res is quite low the 3650 should handle it

 

[grudas]

As the res is quite low the 3650 should handle it

my 3850 256mb only gets 29avg fps at same res

 

[rojones]

Would one of those Asus GF 8800 GS 384MB that have been cut in price £59 not do the job on a budget ?

 

[ojrules]

yeh most things 'l run that very nice.. my agp x1950 still runs it almost full out on that res very well

 

[HangTime]

DiRT is a fairly CPU dependent game so you may be in luck.
Maybe have a look at the 9600GT @ £82inc, it's not far off a 8800GT.

 

[Greebo]

Or buy willhubs 8800GT for £70 on MM

 

[Antx777]

Same as Hangtime, its CPU dependant, as i tried a GTX8800 in my "old" FX-55 machine (2.6 amd), and the framerate was in the low teens in multi-car races, dropping to single figures. When exiting the game the CPU was 100%.

If you have a decent cpu (6600 or something), then no worries. A cheap SM3 will play it, but best to go for the dearest cheapest though Other games will benefit then.

I had the same prob as you, with a X850, wchich would be powerful enough to run the game EASILLY, because my laptop ATI 1400 plays it even albeit slowly.

Talking of CPU and this game, well I have a Quad 9650, but it won't play on 4 processors, I have to select cpu's 0 and 3 in the processor affinity, or the game keeps freezing.

As an anagram, your post could have read: "dirt cheap card for pest"

~Ant

 

[MrWhippy]

cheers all, feel much more clued, and hopeful now.
bet i could cover the cost if i only got around to flogging off some of the old bits and pieces of computer stuff i have laying around the place.