Upgrading video card.

[impguardman]

Hi, I havn't done any sort of modification before to a computer and I guess this would be a good time to start. I recently bought:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10071339&catid=20217

This comp costed me something like $400 with a 17" widescreen LCD monitor. Don't ask how I got the deal. Anyways I noticed it had an ATI Radeon 200 Express Video card and thats fairly crappy. I assume it is integrated into the mobo. Havn't opened up the case yet.

What I have is 2 PCI slots available. Im not sure what sort of options I have in terms of upgrading the videocard.

Anyways I would like to purchase something online, and seeing as I'm in Canada I'd like to use this site:

http://www.pccanada.com/

Anyways I have a $200-$250 budget for a new video card. Looking for the best bang for my buck that will fit in the PC mentioned above.

 

[ssjheero_yuy99]

Before we can answer that question, we really have to know what type of interface you have. Open up your case, or look on the back. If your video card plug in is up where all the other motherboard plugs are, (keyboard, mouse, usb, etc), then you have integrated. If the card is not there and is somewhere else then you have a card. As the details do not say it has a card, then I believe that it has a card. But we need to know what interface it has. There are a few ways to check, you could get a program like 3dmark06, which will tell you how your video card is connected, or you can open the case and check. Opening the case will void the warrenty, however, if your going to open it up anyway to update the graphics card, it would probably just be easier to open it up. there are four options that it could be.
1) integrated graphics
2) PCI Graphics
3) AGP Graphics
4) PCIe x16 graphics.

with 4 being the best, 1 being the worst. although some integrated isn't bad anymore.

I currently run AGP, and if you are willing to spend 200-250, you can get the best card possible for an AGP. PCI, the best card probably isn't better then you integrated, or if so, not by much and probably not worth the money. and if you have PCIex16, then you can be looking at cards in the 1,000s if you wanted to.

So, please get back with the interface you have.

 

[impguardman]

Alrighty. I opened her up and inside is some sort of Asus Mobo with integrated Radeon 200 Express card. I was checking and it looks like I can only fit a PCI card, not PCI-e. That leaves me with few options.

Is a GeForce 5500 any good? I know there is one that works for PCI. I also have a spare Radeon 9600 in a spare comp thats also PCI.

So should I get the 5500 or take the 9600 out of the spare machine?

 

[gmanych]

Well is there a APG slot? If so this one looks resonable. Its very good for its price.

http://www.pccanada.com/viewitem.asp?id=4353

And also the GF FX 5500 is Sh*t it has lack of shaders and is very outdated. If you dont have AGP then email me at gmanych@hotmail.com and i can help you further from there