Graphic Card Recommendation

I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 06:25:45 GMT, Grinder
wrote:

I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.

What is primary need for new card, most demanding video usage?

If you're just wanting better gaming, consider a Geforce 3 TI200,
or any other DX8 or higher card, perhaps a Radeon 9600 (no
mention of budget was made). For only 2D work, consider a
Maxtrox 400 or higher. We don't know what the power supply is
like so you'll have to judge whether it can support what you
might add.

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 06:25:45 GMT, Grinder wrote:

I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.


The ATI9000 is a decent general purpose graphics card and the price is
right.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...102-386&depa=1

Sounds like you can upgrade that RAM too. It sounds like maybe you're using
133Mhz RAM that's really cheap... plug a 128MB in there or switch out for a
256 or two.

I've seen that RAM for free after rebate. Under $30 otherwise.

-Max


"Grinder" wrote in message
news:Jdd_c.288125$eM2.85873@attbi_s51...
I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.

More ram will help the most. Add a 256 meg stick. A new video card won't
help that much, since the processor is so slow. You might be able to
get an okay used one cheap.

Grinder wrote:

I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 11:02:20 GMT, kony wrote:

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 06:25:45 GMT, Grinder
wrote:

I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.


snip

perhaps a Radeon 9600 (no
mention of budget was made)...

What I meant here, was that although you did write "less than
$100", it's not too cost-effective to buy (up to $100) video card
for that box. An idea of future viability of the card, if it
might be reused in next system or if a specific use warrants
higher than $5 budget, could be helpful in determining if it's
worth spending up to $100, or the real budget would be aiming
towards (anything, any old AGP card) as cheap as possible, which
could be $5 on ebay for a card same age or older than rest of
system.

Grinder said:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see
some improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

Improvement in what? I think the suggestion of a Geforce3 Ti card is a
good match for that system. I used to have one. They are a little loud,
but offer good performance. Don't pay more than $30 shipped.

A Geforce4 Ti card is another alternative, should be able to get one for
about $50 shipped. There are lots of them around from people upgrading.

Don't waste money on an MX card unless it's really cheap, either of the
above are faster, better choices.
--
Mac Cool

kony wrote:

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 11:02:20 GMT, kony wrote:


On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 06:25:45 GMT, Grinder
wrote:


I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.


snip

perhaps a Radeon 9600 (no
mention of budget was made)...


What I meant here, was that although you did write "less than
$100", it's not too cost-effective to buy (up to $100) video card
for that box. An idea of future viability of the card, if it
might be reused in next system or if a specific use warrants
higher than $5 budget, could be helpful in determining if it's
worth spending up to $100, or the real budget would be aiming
towards (anything, any old AGP card) as cheap as possible, which
could be $5 on ebay for a card same age or older than rest of
system.

There's little hope that the card will be recycled into a new machine --
$50 seems like a reasonable target, as I will likely have to replace the
power supply as well. (It only has a 200W supply.)

kony wrote:

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 11:02:20 GMT, kony wrote:


On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 06:25:45 GMT, Grinder
wrote:


I'm trying to pep up a friend's PC. It is:

Mobo: Intel Easton D815EEA
Proc: Pentium III, 733 MHz
RAM: 128 Mb
HD: plenty
Video: Integrated
Audio: Creative PCI 16

There is an AGP slot on the board, so I'm guessing that I might see some
improvement with a new video card. Budget is a consideration.

If it seems reasonable to blow less than $100 on a new card, can you
recommend which card to buy? Thanks.


snip

perhaps a Radeon 9600 (no
mention of budget was made)...


What I meant here, was that although you did write "less than
$100", it's not too cost-effective to buy (up to $100) video card
for that box. An idea of future viability of the card, if it
might be reused in next system or if a specific use warrants
higher than $5 budget, could be helpful in determining if it's
worth spending up to $100, or the real budget would be aiming
towards (anything, any old AGP card) as cheap as possible, which
could be $5 on ebay for a card same age or older than rest of
system.

Oh, almost forgot. Principal use of the machine is web browsing and
other light-duty stuff. I would like to increase the PC's gaming
potential if possible. (Three kids in the house 16 and under.)

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 21:30:26 GMT, Grinder
wrote:


What I meant here, was that although you did write "less than
$100", it's not too cost-effective to buy (up to $100) video card
for that box. An idea of future viability of the card, if it
might be reused in next system or if a specific use warrants
higher than $5 budget, could be helpful in determining if it's
worth spending up to $100, or the real budget would be aiming
towards (anything, any old AGP card) as cheap as possible, which
could be $5 on ebay for a card same age or older than rest of
system.

Oh, almost forgot. Principal use of the machine is web browsing and
other light-duty stuff. I would like to increase the PC's gaming
potential if possible. (Three kids in the house 16 and under.)



I'd probably go with the Radeon 9600 then, and a Sparkle 300W
PSU... if it's not mATX that is. General idea here is that the
ATI card would have better performance and image quality at it's
price point, but preferribly a DirectX 8 or higher card will have
hardware T&L, which will reduce some of the load from the already
slower CPU. Another poster already mentioned that a memory
upgrade might help too.