Gaming I know nothing about shoping for computer stuff. Any help?

[Aijelsop]

I'm looking for the perfect Graphics card for playing games.

My previous graphics card died, and my dad's friend had an extra one. Problem is that it is at the very minimum for stuff. It doesn't work with openGL or whatever it's called. It also can't play games like MapleStory (testing) and ROBLOX (my brother) which used to work.

Here are my computer specs:

Operating System
MS Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP3
CPU
AMD Sempron 3400+ 50 °C
Palermo 90nm Technology
RAM
512MB Dual-Channel DDR @ 198MHz (3-3-3-8)
Motherboard
MSI AMETHYST-M (Socket 939)
Graphics
HP vs15 (1024x768@60Hz)
ATI video (ATI)
Hard Drives
156GB Seagate ST3160021A (PATA) 45 °C
Optical Drives
TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H552D
Audio
Realtek AC'97 Audio

What graphics card should I buy? Could you link me to a store such as BestBuy or Amazon? I'd really appreciate it.

I live in the US.

Thanks!

 

[Law]

considering the rest of your specs I wouldn't see the point in paying more than $30 for a low-end card. Just find a cheap one and make sure it'll fit whatever slot the motherboard has.

 

[Aijelsop]

What type though?

Also, does that mean my computer is relatively good?

 

[Law]

No, your computer is terrible. There's no point buying a high-range card because there'll be a huge bottleneck and you'll be spending money for power that will just go to waste.

any current card will support openGL, this generation, last generation, the generation before that. Any card you'll find being sold in a store will most likely support OpenGL.

assuming you have a pci-express slot: http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-nVidia-GeForce-...8531&sr=8-1 If you look around you'll probably be able to find one cheaper.

If it has an AGP slot you'll probably end up paying out the ass for an AGP card.

 

[Aijelsop]

:9

Ok.

 

[Magsor]

No he meant your computer is not good...
Your graphic card is probably AGP also which are more rare also because its too old.
If you go to Best Buy and you buy the cheapest of the cheapest one, It will be too good for your computer already but good enough for low end games like maple story and roblox.

 

[Originality]

Your graphic card is probably AGP also which are more rare also because its too old.

No, the MSI AMETHYST-M provides 1 PCI-E x16 slot and 3 PCI slots. Source - second to last section. It only took a minute to google that up.

Fortunately that means any modern graphics card on the market will work for it. Unfortunately, every single one will experience a bottleneck in multiple parts of the system. Either way, you should be able to play Maple Story again.

And to emphasise Law, it's a low-budget system that's quite old, which is why it's "terrible". In terms of technological progression, a budget computer should be replaced every 1-2 years, a mid-ranged computer should be replaced/upgraded every 3-5 years, and a high-end system has to be replaced/upgraded every 4-8 years. The more money you put into a computer, the longer it'll last you before you experience problems with newer games/programs.

 

[Deleted User]

To be honest, the give away for me, (and I'm just an amateur compared to the more knowledgeable) tech users was the CPU's manufacturing architecture-size. 90nm is pretty significantly larger; from what I've gleaned over the past year that type of CPU seems like it would produce a lot of heat compared to newer parts which are manufactured on a smaller die.

Liking he new avatar Originality, took me a moment to see that that was you. Even if a modern graphics card would work; he'd still need to upgrade his power supply, and with that CPU (as I mentioned in the first paragraph, besides the global bottle-necking; I'd guess that you'd have some high temperatures too.
Then again, if the cpu was manufactured at 90nm, it probably has a fairly high TDP anyhow.

 

[Aijelsop]

See, this is why I'd rather buy a new computer. The moment you say a word about like processors and AMD, to me, it's another language.

Problem is I've spent so much time doing things with my computer I can't afford to loose, (not just files) I doolbooted ubuntu somehow idk it took me forever, and some more things I'm not wasting valuable time
redoing

 

[Originality]

Then get a new computer but use the same hard drive. You might have to reinstall drivers for a new graphics card, but other than that it'll work just the same, only faster.

EDIT: @Raven, it's actually an old avatar that I've only decided to start using again.

 

[Deleted User]

Yeah, it seems vaguely familiar, Originality. Definitely worth it to just buy a $300-500 rig, even a budget rig will be able to play games better than what you've got now. That sempron is only a 1.8 single core, it's really outdated for much more than basic use.

 

[Originality]

I wonder which is more powerful, a 1.8Ghz Sempon or a 1.6Ghz Atom...