PCI Graphics board question

[Chgoman]

My friend just bought a Dell E310 desktop and didn't realize that it only has PCI slots (he read PCIex1 and didn't realize that it wansn't PCI Express). He wants to get a graphics card, but since his options are limited to PCI, does anyone have any idea what the best PCI card is out there (I've already told him it won't be that great).

Thanks!

[DarkFury]

Yeah.. that's gonna be a TOUGH one.

I hope he isn't planning to play any of the latest games.

Here is a short list of the best PCI video cards currently available:

Nvida chipset:

eVGA Geforce FX5500 128MB 64-bit DDR PCI Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130255&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=14-130-255


ATI Chipset:

Sapphire ATI RADEON 9250 Video Card 128MB DDR DVI/TV-Out PCI - $52
http://www.ichibanpc.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2994

or here at Newegg - $54
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102522&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=14-102-522

and...

SAPPHIRE Radeon 9250 256MB DDR PCI Video Card - $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102533&ATT=14-102-533&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r

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Pretty much I guess it is a toss up between the GeForce FX5200 and the ATI Radeon 9250 as far as "best PCI" card is concerned.

Personally, I like Nvidia cards... so I'd recommend the FX5200... but hey, the ATI part in this situation is probably as good. Good luck on your choice. :D

[Markel]

There's a number of choices here (including 256MB FX5500):
http://www.microcenter.com/search_results_e_compare.phtml?coordinate_group=D4F2&search_id=3e8fc156500ed62d33b1fc0a8d598c3e

[Chgoman]

Thanks for the input, you pretty much confirmed what I had been looking at, I just wanted to get some confirmation before I let him know since it's been a while since I looked at the PCI boards.

[mcs328]

I have one of those PCI cards running on a Dell 2350 (All PCI slots also) from about 2-3 years ago. It plays WoW decently and would be better if bumped up the RAM to 512 or even 1 gig.

[DarkFury]

I have one of those PCI cards running on a Dell 2350 (All PCI slots also) from about 2-3 years ago. It plays WoW decently and would be better if bumped up the RAM to 512 or even 1 gig.
Only problem is.. just about all of those PCI cards are not DirectX 9.0 / Shader 3.0 compliant.

Yeah, the game may/or may not play... but if it does, it will be at the lowest visual settings and possibly very laggy when there is alot of intense action on the screen (the "Powerpoint slideshow effect").

Hell... by todays standards even AGP is now "obsolete" (as far as video goes)... using PCI video is equivalent to taking a horse and buggy out onto the interstate. :eek: :D

[mcs328]

I got one that is Directx 9.0 just for WoW. Yeah the settings are not set to the best but at almost the lowest setting it's decent enough to me at least. It only lags a lot in Ironforge but that's true for everyone who goes in there.

[DarkFury]

I got one that is Directx 9.0 just for WoW. Yeah the settings are not set to the best but at almost the lowest setting it's decent enough to me at least. It only lags a lot in Ironforge but that's true for everyone who goes in there.
As long as you are happy.. that's all that matters.

But for me, I saw a MAJOR improvement in City of Heroes when I went from a GeForce 4800 AGP (at low settings) to a GeForce 6800 with almost everything turned on...

My framerates improved, the colors were more vivid, I could play at a slightly higher resolution (bumped it up from 1024 x 768 to 1280 x 1024) and when there were more than 10 people on the screen my gameplay was not affected... all related to just improving the video card.

I do understand that in a case when that is all the PC can handle, you deal with it... but honestly, if that wasn't the case, then a PCI video card just isn't optimal to play games released within the last year or so.

[mcs328]

I've been monitoring the Dell deals daily :D for an upgrade.