PCI Video Card

[Ti133700N]

My friend bought an HP computer last year but it doesn't have an AGP port on the mobo. I think he has an Athlon 1.2Ghz. The problem is that he has to play CS in Software mode so he wants to buy a PCI video card so he could play in OpenGL. He doesn't play alot of video games so he doesn't want to spend to much on a new video card (there are not many good PCI video cards anyway). So!

My question is: should he buy an Nvidia Geforce FX-5200 64Mo PCI Tv-out OR an Radeon 9200SE 128Mo PCI Tv-out/DVI? They are both the same price (125$, yea I know you can find it cheaper somewhere else... but I live in a small town in Canada). Or would you suggest another video card?

 

[bosox188]

I would suggest the Radeon 9200SE as it has 128mb memory. I have a geforce fx5200 pci card and I hate it, and it has 128mb memory. 64mb memory is horrible, trust me.

 

[NYHoustonman]

http://www.sudhian.com/showdocs.cfm?aid=445

A good review for your purposes (if a bit old, but PCI graphics technology hardly changes at this point).

IMO, the ATI Radeon 9100 128MB is the way to go.

 

[ewilson248]

he may also want to explore a CPU chip upgrade soon too, if the PC is 100% stock, and he is not a DIY guy, may want to try a call to HP. If he is more adventurous, find out the BIOS limitations of the mobo with regards to multiplier/bus speed.

My point is this: sooner or later the CPU will be the limiting factor in his rig and not the graphics card.

my $.02 - ED