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Graphics card for old 2004 machine...

fatrabbit

fatrabbit

fatrabbit

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Joined
25 Sep 2007
Posts
16
I have an old PC from 2004 that I'm trying to get Half-Life 2 running decently on. It's for a game audio demo that I have made for my course on another machine, but I thought that I could take this older machine in to Uni rather than my much better machine (for reasons of damage/possible theft etc.). The graphics don't have to be that amazing, just to run smootly at 1024x768 with decent anti-aliasing, as it's all about the audio (this machine has a good soundcard).

Trouble is that HL2 runs suprisingly badly on it. The graphics card currently is a Radeon 9250 PCI. The motherboard is pre-PCI-Express so my options for upgrade are limited.

The motherboard apparently can take AGP 4x/8x with a maximum of 1.5v (rather than the 3.3v). Any good recommendations for upgrade? Otherwise it's old PCI, but all the cards now are PCI-X.
 
You didn't say what CPU you have, that makes a big difference.

Assuming it's a fairly decent CPU for the year, then you have loads of inexpensive options on AGP. The best bet would probably be a 2600XT, as they run really cool, based on newer tech and will have great performance in that game

Other cards exist, like 1950XT, but it would probably be overkill for your needs and they run hot, requiring a decent PSU to avoid problems.

Less expensive options would be a 7600GT if you can find one still for sale - again they run cool and have similar performance to a 6800GT.
 
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id say try and find a 7800gt or is it gs ?? somewhere or fail that you should be able to pick up a 7600gt on the bay
 
Are there any on the Overclockers site?

How about...?
7300 GT
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-094-OK&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411

2400Pro
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-163-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=403

2600XT
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-162-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=403

I'm trying to get a balance between performance and requirements, as I don't want to upgrade PSU or anything. Also, how can I be sure that these will work with my motherboard (Asus P4P800-E) and are 1.5v cards (which have 2 key gaps in between the connectors I believe)?
 
7600GT is a good call... Low power, low heat and cheap ! ! Probably the best card for little money.

You could start going silly and get an ATI X1950 or the new ATI 3850 but that would just be wasting money really as you would probably need a new PSU as well.
 
The trouble is the suggestions made (thanks by the way) are the wrong AGP (ie. they have the wrong connector - needs to have the 2 gaps or my mobo won't take it).

Or how about a bog-standard PCI card (replacing the one that's there):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-FX5500-Ge...oryZ3762QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Any good? Just needs to run HL2 smoothly at 1024x768 with a bit of AA - not too demanding these days.
 
fatrabbit said:
The trouble is the suggestions made (thanks by the way) are the wrong AGP (ie. they have the wrong connector - needs to have the 2 gaps or my mobo won't take it).

Or how about a bog-standard PCI card (replacing the one that's there):
Link to fx5500

Any good? Just needs to run HL2 smoothly at 1024x768 with a bit of AA - not too demanding these days.
Click to expand...

woah! stay away from the fx5*** series, they're notoriously bad. I, of course, would recommended 7600GT agp like mine! as it has been mentioned it's probably the best value agp, is low power and will run HL2 like a breeze.

edit: sorry, didnt see the slot requirement first time, not sure if mine has what you need, but i would still stay away from the fx series

edit: not sure if you should have that link
 
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Seconding the stay away from the fx5***, had one in a p4 machine (when hl2 came out) and it drove me mad! (it was a 5200 which from what i could see wasnt really a dx9 card...)

The 3.3V thing is jsut saying it cant do pre agp x4 cards so pretty much any recent ish agp card will do fine.

Have a look on ebay for ati 9800 :) they were pretty snazzy for hl2
 
As said above, that board surely will take any recent AGP card as they're all 1.5v/0.8v 4x/8x compatible - even my old Geforce 2 GTS was a 1.5v/4x card.

The cards the board won't support are probably the 3.3v AGP 1x/2x ones. Or perhaps it's an AGP Pro slot?

Can't remember the last card or motherboard that was 3.3v - they're old. What motherboard model is it?

Anyway, just to be sure google up on it. Or read here:

http://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/agpcompatibility.html
 
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