Action Middle-range graphics card go (Read 1346 times)

  • Avatar of Jester
  • FIFTY FIFTY FIFTY
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 29, 2002
  • Posts: 3676
So my GF 8800 GTX is going kaput, it started just crashing L4D2 randomly but I just got a bluescreen on startup and my desktop is all kinda funky so I need to get a new one.

Thing is I'm building a whole new PC from scratch in the next year, so I don't want to spend a ton on this at the moment. I also can't afford it anyway.

So I need an okay mid-range card. Should I just get another 8800? They seem to be more expensive than I'd expect, but that might be cos they don't make them anymore or whatever.

I'm looking at a GF GT220 1GB right now, is that any good? I don't really know shit about cards released after the 8000 series.

Wow, my desktop is distorting as we speak. Quick, GW!!


edit: also, what's this PCI 2.0 thing? i dont think my mobo supports that. argh.
Last Edit: January 06, 2010, 03:04:00 pm by Jester
  • Avatar of ATARI
  • Lichens!
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Oct 26, 2002
  • Posts: 4136
i have a geforce 2 MX 64MB i'll give you
  • Avatar of Jester
  • FIFTY FIFTY FIFTY
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 29, 2002
  • Posts: 3676
i hate you and hope you die

i already reserved one im gonna go pick up tomorrow. some cheap gf 220 or something. kinda meh but itll do for a year

thanks for nothing gw!!
  • Buttkiller
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Member
  • Joined: Jul 30, 2009
  • Posts: 747
Q: asre you the real mario
  • Pip
  • Group: Member
  • Joined: Oct 11, 2009
  • Posts: 135
the GT220 isnt a middle range graphics card, its a budget card. you should get a GTX260 core 216 for the best midrange card. you can pick one up for about £150, its pretty much almost as good as a GTX280/285 and will be perfectly fine for everything, but far more affordable.

the 300 series is coming out later this year though so you may want to wait
  • Avatar of Jester
  • FIFTY FIFTY FIFTY
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 29, 2002
  • Posts: 3676
did you miss the part where i said im building a new pc next year, i dont want to spend a ton, and my current pc is melting?

like.. the whole topic
  • Avatar of StudioFortress
  • Group: Member
  • Joined: Sep 14, 2009
  • Posts: 35
My PC was blue-screening a few months ago when playing large videos. Turned out it was a graphics driver bug. An update fixed it.

But if you only buying a card for one year then I'd recommend a Geforce 9800GT. I have one and I'm happy with it. It's powerful enough to have all the settings (except anti-aliasing) on full in most of the games I'm playing. Ebuyer has some starting at only £68.
  • Pip
  • Group: Member
  • Joined: Oct 11, 2009
  • Posts: 135
did you miss the part where i said im building a new pc next year, i dont want to spend a ton, and my current pc is melting?

like.. the whole topic
pro tip if you get a good graphics card now you can use it in your new pc later :)
  • aye ess dee eff el cay jay ache
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 24, 2005
  • Posts: 5149
pro tip a years a long time for technology
I USE Q'S INSTEQD OF Q'S
  • Pip
  • Group: Member
  • Joined: Oct 11, 2009
  • Posts: 135
pro tip if you are happy with an 8 series in 2010 you will be happy with a 200 series in 2013
  • Avatar of Jester
  • FIFTY FIFTY FIFTY
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 29, 2002
  • Posts: 3676
pro tip if you are happy with an 8 series in 2010 you will be happy with a 200 series in 2013
im not, tho. when i make my new pc it will be all new. this machine was a beast when i made it in like 06 and i want a new beast when i make a new one :D

but yeah i dont have like £300 to blow on a graphics card like i did when i bought this one. this is literally just so i can play games, even on low, for the next year until i move.

i will look at 9800s tho. i run games on full without AA on this card so that sounds pretty ideal.
  • Avatar of Mama Luigi
  • Wind of Peace
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 16, 2004
  • Posts: 1282
When you consider a new computer down the road, consider getting one with Lucid Hydra's chip... it's like SLI except better... you can mix and match any video card and it should distribute the game rendering evenly. You'll be able to keep your GT 220 or whatever and mix it with something from the G300 series. Theoretically (and in some cases demonstratively, from what we've seen from the pre-production units) it should perform better than SLI as well.
  • Avatar of ATARI
  • Lichens!
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Oct 26, 2002
  • Posts: 4136
lock this topic.  or talk about geforce 2.  the best geforces.
  • Avatar of the bloddy ghost
  • ::pulls another Hideo Kojima::
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Mar 25, 2003
  • Posts: 1050
i'm going to have to disagree with you there atari. the 3dfx voodoo is a far superior graphics card.
has a girl in his bed. pot in his pipe and family guy on the tube. i like life
  • None of them knew they were robots.
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Nov 5, 2006
  • Posts: 3242
I still have a voodoo 3 on my table, I don't know what to do with it
Play Raimond Ex (if you haven't already)


I'll not TAKE ANYTHING you write like this seriously because it looks dumb
  • Avatar of ATARI
  • Lichens!
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Oct 26, 2002
  • Posts: 4136
you're wrong chef.  this doesn't end here.
  • Avatar of `~congresman Ron paul~~
  • Legio Morbidius
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jan 18, 2006
  • Posts: 2653
go with a radeon 5770 pro. it's not a beefstick, but it's great for the price and you can expect some better performance down the road than the 4870 when DX11 drivers get better.

alternatively i have an 8800 GTS 320 that's in good shape you can have for a low price

That’s right, you have the young gaming with the old(er), white people gaming with black people, men and women, Asian countries gaming with the EU, North Americans gaming with South Americans. Much like world sporting events like the Wolrd Cup, or the Olympics will bring together different nations in friendly competition, (note the recent Asian Cup; Iraq vs. Saudi Arabia, no violence there) we come together. The differences being, we are not divided by our nationalities and we do it 24-7, and on a personal level.

We are a community without borders and without colours, the spirit and diversity of the gaming community is one that should be looked up to, a spirit and diversity other groups should strive toward.
  • Pip
  • Group: Member
  • Joined: Oct 11, 2009
  • Posts: 135
im not, tho. when i make my new pc it will be all new. this machine was a beast when i made it in like 06 and i want a new beast when i make a new one :D

but yeah i dont have like £300 to blow on a graphics card like i did when i bought this one. this is literally just so i can play games, even on low, for the next year until i move.

i will look at 9800s tho. i run games on full without AA on this card so that sounds pretty ideal.
if you literally just want a temporary low power graphics card then just get another 8800 or even an 8600 or something if you can find one
Last Edit: January 07, 2010, 06:50:51 pm by bretly
  • Avatar of Carrion Crow
  • I need to watch things die
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Apr 5, 2006
  • Posts: 3516
Don't ever buy an ATI card. They are SO shite. The GUI and multiscreen support, support of HDMI etc is abysmal. NVidia have always been quality.
  • Avatar of Mama Luigi
  • Wind of Peace
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Premium Member
  • Joined: Jun 16, 2004
  • Posts: 1282
I wouldn't say ATI is shit. Period. NVidia cards seem to have more features for your buck - PhysX, 3Dvision support, can actually force games to run specific settings like anti-aliasing. ATI typically gives you the best value, though. And I will say that the higher end 5000 series has me wet down there.