Video Card Recommendations?

[Chris Shearer Cooper]

Sorry for the cross-post, I'm really not sure which of these newsgroups is
the right place to post my question ...

I'm trying to get Pirates running on my XP system, and apparently my video
card is too old. I'm happy to upgrade, but I really don't do any heavy-duty
graphics editing on this machine, and not enough games to make a $400 video
card worthwhile. However, I don't want a piece of crap that I'm going to
have to upgrade next year, so I'm looking for that "sweet spot" card.

The official system requirements are "64 MB Hardware T&L-compatible SVGA
video card".
I've also seen the minimum requirements described as NVIDIA GeForce 2 or ATI
Radeon 7000, with the recommended hardware being GeForce FX 5700 or Radeon
9600.

I've got a KT7-RAID mobo, it can take AGP 2x and 4x.

Recommendations?

Thanks!
Chris

 

[marks542004]

Cheap nvidea geforce 4 card. Less than $50.

 

[Phil Weldon]

A real big help in answering your question would be the identification of
the card you have now that isn't up to the task. That will at least set a
bottom end. Also, what happens when you try to install the game on the
current system, and if it installs, what kind of performance do you get. A
description of the rest of your system (at least the CPU, speed, and memory
size) would also help. Not much sense in upgrading the card if the CPU
won't do the job, and you ought to know going in if you will also need more
RAM.

Phil Weldon

| Sorry for the cross-post, I'm really not sure which of these newsgroups is
| the right place to post my question ...
|
| I'm trying to get Pirates running on my XP system, and apparently my video
| card is too old. I'm happy to upgrade, but I really don't do any
heavy-duty
| graphics editing on this machine, and not enough games to make a $400
video
| card worthwhile. However, I don't want a piece of crap that I'm going to
| have to upgrade next year, so I'm looking for that "sweet spot" card.
|
| The official system requirements are "64 MB Hardware T&L-compatible SVGA
| video card".
| I've also seen the minimum requirements described as NVIDIA GeForce 2 or
ATI
| Radeon 7000, with the recommended hardware being GeForce FX 5700 or Radeon
| 9600.
|
| I've got a KT7-RAID mobo, it can take AGP 2x and 4x.
|
| Recommendations?
|
| Thanks!
| Chris
|
|

 

[Chris Shearer Cooper]

Good point ... CPU is a 1.8G P4, 512M RAM, Windows says the current video
card is an NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX.

Interesting ... owner's manual says it's a G2Pro Plus-T64D, which has 64M,
and a web site I found said it has T&L (not sure what we're talking about
there - Texturing & Layering maybe?) but I can't tell if the requirement is
for _hardware_ T&L (maybe this card implements it in software) ... I'll
check back with the manufacturer, see why they think my card isn't up to
snuff ...

 

[Chris Shearer Cooper]

The plot thickens ... I'm pretty sure this card is supposed to have 64M of
video RAM, but when I bring up its properties it's only showing 32M. I've
posted on the nvidia newsgroup for help with that one ... but that would
explain why the game ain't runnin'.

 

[Gary Hendricks]

Hi Chris

When whenever you try to run games, do note that you shouldn't read the
'minimum requirements'. Read the 'Recommend hardware' coz thats what's
needed to properly run the game to experience it properly.

I'd say the best video card to get for your purpose is one that
supports DirectX 9. I recently bought a PowerColor Radeon 9600 Pro and
it supports Pirates great!

***********************************************
Sincerely,
Gary Hendricks, Desktop-Video-Guide.com
Essential video software programs for making digital videos:
http://www.desktop-video-guide.com
***********************************************

 

[Benjamin Gawert]

Good point ... CPU is a 1.8G P4, 512M RAM, Windows says the current video
card is an NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX.

Ok. Thats already a bit better than an ATI Radeon 7000...

Interesting ... owner's manual says it's a G2Pro Plus-T64D, which has 64M,
and a web site I found said it has T&L (not sure what we're talking about
there - Texturing & Layering maybe?

Transform & Lighting...

) but I can't tell if the requirement is
for _hardware_ T&L (maybe this card implements it in software

Nope. All Geforce cards do T&L in hardware...

Benjamin

 

[Phil Weldon]

What CPU & speed does the game recommend? And how much memory does the game
recommend?

Phil Weldon

| Good point ... CPU is a 1.8G P4, 512M RAM, Windows says the current video
| card is an NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX.
|
| Interesting ... owner's manual says it's a G2Pro Plus-T64D, which has 64M,
| and a web site I found said it has T&L (not sure what we're talking about
| there - Texturing & Layering maybe?) but I can't tell if the requirement
is
| for _hardware_ T&L (maybe this card implements it in software) ... I'll
| check back with the manufacturer, see why they think my card isn't up to
| snuff ...
|
| | >A real big help in answering your question would be the identification of
| > the card you have now that isn't up to the task. That will at least set
a
| > bottom end. Also, what happens when you try to install the game on the
| > current system, and if it installs, what kind of performance do you get.
| > A
| > description of the rest of your system (at least the CPU, speed, and
| > memory
| > size) would also help. Not much sense in upgrading the card if the CPU
| > won't do the job, and you ought to know going in if you will also need
| > more
| > RAM.
| >
| > Phil Weldon
| >
| > | > | Sorry for the cross-post, I'm really not sure which of these
newsgroups
| > is
| > | the right place to post my question ...
| > |
| > | I'm trying to get Pirates running on my XP system, and apparently my
| > video
| > | card is too old. I'm happy to upgrade, but I really don't do any
| > heavy-duty
| > | graphics editing on this machine, and not enough games to make a $400
| > video
| > | card worthwhile. However, I don't want a piece of crap that I'm going
| > to
| > | have to upgrade next year, so I'm looking for that "sweet spot" card.
| > |
| > | The official system requirements are "64 MB Hardware T&L-compatible
SVGA
| > | video card".
| > | I've also seen the minimum requirements described as NVIDIA GeForce 2
or
| > ATI
| > | Radeon 7000, with the recommended hardware being GeForce FX 5700 or
| > Radeon
| > | 9600.
| > |
| > | I've got a KT7-RAID mobo, it can take AGP 2x and 4x.
| > |
| > | Recommendations?
| > |
| > | Thanks!
| > | Chris
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Flow]

I would agree that the 9600pro is a fine budget card.

 

[dannysdailys]

Chris Shearer Cooperwrote:
Sorry for the cross-post, I'm really not sure which of these
newsgroups is

the right place to post my question ...

I'm trying to get Pirates running on my XP system, and apparently my video
card is too old. I'm happy to upgrade, but I really don't do any heavy-duty
graphics editing on this machine, and not enough games to make a $400 video
card worthwhile. However, I don't want a piece of crap that I'm going to
have to upgrade next year, so I'm looking for that "sweet spot" card.

The official system requirements are "64 MB Hardware T&L-compatible SVGA
video card".
I've also seen the minimum requirements described as NVIDIA GeForce 2 or ATI
Radeon 7000, with the recommended hardware being GeForce FX 5700 or Radeon
9600.

I've got a KT7-RAID mobo, it can take AGP 2x and 4x.

Recommendations?

Thanks!
Chris

This is a good question and I have one for you: How long do you plan
on keeping the equipment you have? Do you want a video card you can
take with you to the next machine? Would the next machine be store
bought? If so, you can get onboard graphics in a nice machine and
use your new video card for that as well. Onboard graphics only,
will save you a good dollar on a new machine. See where I'm going
with this?

Maybe a Radeon 7000 will get you through this one particular game, but
what about tomorrow?

If you'll be upgrading to a newer machine anytime soon, get a decent
card. Even an 8x card will still run well for you. But, it'll only
run at 4x speed.

What ever you buy, you really must buy something that supports
DirectX9. A Radeon 9600XT at the very minimum.

The sweetspot today is the BFG Nvidia 6600GT OC. The OC stands for
overclock. It's a 250 dollar card that will run very close to a 400
dollar card.

 

[Mike]

unless on a real tight budget I'd ante up for the 9800pro, pretty reasonably
priced now for a lot more performance

Mike

 

[fredman]

unless on a real tight budget I'd ante up for the 9800pro, pretty reasonably
priced now for a lot more performance

I'd argue that the 9800PRO is a bit overkill for the rest of his
hardware, and that a 9600 or 9600PRO is a lot more affordable
(probably <$100USD) and applicable to that system; I'd also make sure
I have minimum 256MB or better - 512MB, too. You could do both for the
price of a 9800PRO (~$150-200). That should handle most any type game
other than the modern edge-bleeder FPS's, and come in handy for light
video like watching movies or manipulating jpegs; and extend the life
of that box another 6-12 months. Good luck.