What Graphics Card Should I Get?

[LP_Man 0]

I own a Compaq Presario 6000NX. It has an Intel Celeron CPU with a 2.7 Gig processor. The card (chip?) is an Intel 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller.I've never upgraded anything on this computer other than putting 1 Gig of memory in it from the original 256 Mb of RAM. I'm going to put in a bigger hard drive in a month or two along with a decent graphics card.Any suggestions? Looking to spend a couple hundred bucks on the card.

[sargeski 16]

What are you planning on using this system for FS9 or FSX?If your planning on using the system for FSX, I'm sorry to say that no graphics card is going to be of any help to you as FSX itself is CPU bound.If your planning on running FS9, I would probably look into an 8800GT/GTS.Make sure you can disable your onboard graphics adapter prior to making a purchase.

[LP_Man 0]

>What are you planning on using this system for FS9 or FSX?>>If your planning on using the system for FSX, I'm sorry to say>that no graphics card is going to be of any help to you as FSX>itself is CPU bound.>>If your planning on running FS9, I would probably look into an>8800GT/GTS.>>Make sure you can disable your onboard graphics adapter prior>to making a purchase.Ooops. I forgot that little tidbit; I'm running FS9.Who makes the 800GT/GTS?How does one disable the onboard graphics adapter if you don't mind me asking? I'm delving into unknowns here.Hope i didn't ask too many numbskull questions.

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

Make sure you check what video adapter slot your motherboard is equipped with. Newest technology is PCI-E. but older systems have AGP.Both work fine, but the video card has to match..

[sargeski 16]

>How does one disable the onboard graphics adapter if you don't>mind me asking? I'm delving into unknowns here.If it can be disabled, more than likely there will be an option in your BIOS.

[Guest jourdog]

FS9 isnt tough to run on max settings so grab a cheap graphics card and save some money. (My 1.7GHz Laptop can run FS9 on max settings)

[LP_Man 0]

>Make sure you check what video adapter slot your motherboard>is equipped with. Newest technology is PCI-E. but older>systems have AGP.>>Both work fine, but the video card has to match..Ok.My computer is a late 2003, early 2004 HP/Compaq model. So, i'm sure it falls in the new technology slot. I'll be looking into the chassis in the coming month to find out what i have.

[G7USL 117]

.>>Who makes the 800GT/GTS?NVidea.

[LP_Man 0]

>Make sure you check what video adapter slot your motherboard>is equipped with. Newest technology is PCI-E. but older>systems have AGP.>>Both work fine, but the video card has to match..I went into my device manager to Display Adapter and it said this;PCI bus 0, device 2, function 0So, i'm good on the PCI part. Now, is this the same as PCI-Express or is that yet a different type?

[Guest SoarPics]

PCI bus 0, device 2, function 0Sorry to say that they all say (the "PCI bus" part) this no matter what bus they have.After a bit of research I found a page listing the specs for the motherboard in your computer: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documen...uct=388433#N357Take a look at the diagram and pic of the board... you have neither PCI-e or AGP add-on capabilities. Your only choice is a standard PCI card in one of the available slots.The 845GV chipset of your motherboard has what Intel calls "Multiplexed AGP interface"... which doesn't mean a whole lot with regard to performance/IQ. Even if you spent $100 on a high end PCI video card you may or may not see much/any improvement.Sad to say your system is not a gaming machine, as is often the case with bundled computers. As well, it has a very limited upgrade path at this point in time.Hope this helps (a little... sorry for the bad news),

[LP_Man 0]

>After a bit of research I found a page listing the specs for>the motherboard in your computer:>http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documen...uct=388433#N357>Take a look at the diagram and pic of the board... you have>neither PCI-e or AGP add-on capabilities. Your only choice is>a standard PCI card in one of the available slots.>>The 845GV chipset of your motherboard has what Intel calls>"Multiplexed AGP interface"... which doesn't mean a whole lot>with regard to performance/IQ. Even if you spent $100 on a>high end PCI video card you may or may not see much/any>improvement.>>Sad to say your system is not a gaming machine, as is often>the case with bundled computers. As well, it has a very>limited upgrade path at this point in time.>>Hope this helps (a little... sorry for the bad news),I was afraid of that. So, buying a card would be a waste of money for me. I guess i'll forget that and just put in a new hard drive.I bought this thing in 2004 and had no computer experience. I'm alright with it nowadays but i'm absolutely green when it comes to hardware.Thanks for the help and answers.