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Need new but old graphics card

Enfield

Enfield

Enfield

Soldato
Joined
8 Nov 2003
Posts
7,409
Location
UK
Hi guys,

I have a really old computer but cannot afford to upgrade the whole lot just yet and am in need of a semi decent graphics card.

The one I am using will make any game just freeze for about 15-20 seconds then it will come back to live and look pixelated if you get me?

I have an Asus P4C800 E-Deluxe motherboard which takes AGP Pro/8x/4x etc. I've had a brief look around and see graphics cards with DDR2 and DDR3 memory and I'm not sure if they will work with my motherboard.

So basically, what can I get for around £50 that will work with my computer and can I use DDR2/3 cards?


Cheers
 
I thought the memory on the gfx is completly seperate from the mobo's memory type?

Unless it's different for AGP boards you should be fine using a gfx with gddr2 or 3 memory. Obviously you'd need DDR for your system memory.
 
I think you're getting confused.

Your *motherboard* will only take DDR1 memory. However, the type of memory on the graphics card is irrelevant to the rest of the machine. Whether it takes GDDR2 or GDDR3 memory doesn't matter. As long as it is compatible with the motherboard AGP slot, you're fine.

I have to also point out that your stated problem: " games just freeze for about 15-20 seconds then come back to live and look pixelated" might not be fixed by just changing the graphics card. It sounds a lot like system-RAM paging, which would require more system memory (the DRAM sticks you put into the motherboard) to fix.

What is the actual spec of your machine? What CPU, what amount of memory, what current graphics card? Also, what games are you trying to run on it?
 
The graphics card was given to me by a mate and the same thing happened to him so I know it's definitely the card. My one broke because it was running overclocked for donkeys and I needed another to get me up and running again.

Asus P4C800 E-Deluxe
Intel Prescott 2.8Ghz (used to have it o/c to 3.2)
GeiL 512mb PC3700
Nvidia GeForce FX5600
WD Raptor 36Gb 10krpm

I use my comp mainly for the net so use archlinux atm, but have decided to stick Win2000 on another hard drive and use that for my old games I got lying around.

Trying to play Ghost Recon at the moment. Proper old game :D

When I'm back in the money I'll bin the whole lot but that won't be for a while yet. But I am tempted to stick some more RAM in there. Could get x4 1GB sticks I suppose.
 
Well, if your mate also had 512Mb memory it doesn't necessarily mean it's the graphics card.

The 5600 is pretty old, though. You could probably pick up a nice cheap AGP card second hand on ebay or on MM for under £30, which would wipe the floor with the one you have now. 9800pro, 6600GT etc. If you can find another 512mb stick of PC3700 nice and cheap that would help things along a lot also.

Given the rest of your spec, the CPU is fine.
 
Duke said:
Sorry misread what you meant. No the memory on the graphics card itself doesn't matter - as long as it is AGP.

Something like the ATI 2600 Pro would be OK - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...2MB DDR2 HDTV/DVI (AGP) - Retail (11115-01-20)
Click to expand...

Not sure that it would work according to this (from Asus):

"AGP8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth up to 2.12GB/s."

Extreme data rates – up to 5GB/sec! For the card you recommended...
 
Enfield said:
Not sure that it would work according to this (from Asus):

"AGP8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth up to 2.12GB/s."

Extreme data rates – up to 5GB/sec! For the card you recommended...
Click to expand...

Don't get confused between the video-memory to GPU bandwidth (which is quoted by that card), and the GPU-memory to system-memory bandwidth, which is transferred through the AGP slot.
 
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