Video Card Advice

[Murraand]

Hey everyone.

Sorry if anyone has asked this already, but the search function was being mean to me and we are no longer on speaking terms.

I have recently gained access to a new computer. It's a pre-made (Cringe) one and its video card is, wait for it, a

VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP

I'm sure many of you are performing rituals of cleansing to purge yourself of reading that, but it is the unfortunate truth.

For any of you who don't know, VIA makes video cards that seem like they are decent, but in reality don't actually play games, per se. To make it worse, I just got Call of Duty and its expansion for Christmas from my brother, who tested the expansion. It, of course, won't run. The only thing I can get to run on it is UT2004, and that is only with all of the settings turned down and some of the textures still don't work.

Needless to say, I need a new video card. My funds are sadly tight, so I don't want to spend much more than 200 dollars on a new one.

What do you guys reccomend?

 

[trance565]

mmmmm 6600gt by MSI

 

[blah blah]

yes definately if u have agp - 6600gt agp or the pci-express if u are running pci-e

 

[Murraand]

mmmmm 6600gt by MSI

I newegged (Yes, it is a verb now) it and got

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-147&depa=0

and

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-150R&depa=0

Which one is the right one?

 

[ardy891]

well the refurbished one uses the right interface (agp 8x) but its refurbished, see if u can finda new one! wat are the specs for ur pc!! do u have pci-express?

 

[Murraand]

well the refurbished one uses the right interface (agp 8x) but its refurbished, see if u can finda new one! wat are the specs for ur pc!! do u have pci-express?

You have officially exceeded my technical knowledge. What exactly do you want to know and how do I find out?

 

[trance565]

how old is ur computer, and what brand?
also, serch for sis software sandra lite 2005, and some where it wil tell u if u have pci E or AGP 8X

 

[Murraand]

how old is ur computer, and what brand?
also, serch for sis software sandra lite 2005, and some where it wil tell u if u have pci E or AGP 8X

Okay, I downloaded it and here is an abreviated system summary:

Processor
Model : AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3000+
Speed : 2.10GHz
Model Number : 3000 (estimated)
Performance Rating : PR3045 (estimated)
Type : Standard
L2 On-board Cache : 512kB ECC Synchronous, Write-Back, 16-way set, 64 byte line size

Mainboard
Bus(es) : ISA AGP PCI IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
MP Support : 1 CPU(s)
MP APIC : Yes
System BIOS : Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.11
System : HP Pavilion 061 PL382AA-ABA A706N
Mainboard : ASUSTek Computer INC. Kelut
Total Memory : 448MB DDR-SDRAM

Chipset 1
Model : ASUSTeK Computer Inc KM400 CPU to PCI Bridge
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 200MHz (400MHz data rate)
Total Memory : 512MB DDR-SDRAM
Shared Memory : 64MB
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 200MHz (400MHz data rate)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : hp mx704 CRT monitor
Adapter : VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP

Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP/2002 Home (Win32 x86) 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 2)

Now, this is what I got when I looked into the AGP:

Device Information
Device Type : VGA Video Adapter
Device ID : bus 1, device 0, function 0
Windows Device Name : VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP
OEM Device Name : VIA Technologies Inc KM400 Graphics Adapter
OEM Hardware ID : FUN_0, VEN_1106, DEV_7205, REV_01
Device Name : ASUSTeK Computer Inc KM400 Graphics Adapter
Product ID : VEN_1043, DEV_8118
Revision : A / 2 (1)

Power Management Features
Version : 2.00
Supports Clock Slow-down : Yes
Supports D1 PM State : Yes
Supports D2 PM State : Yes
Supports PME# : No
Supports PME Clock : No

AGP Capabilities
Version : 2.00
Command Queue Length : 32
Fast-Writes Support : No
Over 4GB Addressing Support : No
Side Band Support : Yes
Data Transfer Modes Support : 1x 2x 4x

Device Capabilities
Latency Timer : 32 clk
I/O port resources : Yes
Memory resources : Yes
Bus Master Capable : Yes
Special Cycle Recognition : No
Memory Write & Invalidate : No
VGA Palette Snoop : No
Parity Error Response : No
Address/Data Stepping : No
System Error Line : No
Fast back-to-back Transactions : No
Detects Parity Errors : No
Supports System Error Line : No
Supports Parity Line : No
User Defined Format : No
66MHz Bus Support : Yes
New Capability List : Yes
Device Select Timing : Medium
Multi-Function Device : No
Header : 00
Interface : 00

Hardware Resources
Memory Range : E4000000
Memory Range : E8000000
Irq. No. : 16
INT Pin : A#
Dynamic Management : Yes

Here is the PCI(e)

Device Information
Device Type : Host Processor Bridge
Device ID : bus 0, device 0, function 0
OEM Device Name : VIA Technologies Inc KM400 CPU to PCI Bridge
OEM Hardware ID : FUN_0, VEN_1106, DEV_3205, REV_00
Device Name : ASUSTeK Computer Inc KM400 CPU to PCI Bridge
Product ID : VEN_1043, DEV_8118
Revision : A / 1 (0)

AGP Capabilities
Version : 3.05
Command Queue Length : 32
Fast-Writes Support : No
Over 4GB Addressing Support : No
Isochronous Mode Support : No
Addressing Support : 32-bit
Data Transfer Modes Support : 1x 2x 4x

Power Management Features
Version : 2.00
Supports Clock Slow-down : Yes
Supports D1 PM State : No
Supports D2 PM State : No
Supports PME# : No
Supports PME Clock : No

Device Capabilities
I/O port resources : No
Memory resources : Yes
Bus Master Capable : Yes
Special Cycle Recognition : No
Memory Write & Invalidate : No
VGA Palette Snoop : No
Parity Error Response : No
Address/Data Stepping : No
System Error Line : No
Fast back-to-back Transactions : No
Detects Parity Errors : Yes
Supports System Error Line : No
Supports Parity Line : No
User Defined Format : No
66MHz Bus Support : Yes
New Capability List : Yes
Device Select Timing : Medium
Multi-Function Device : No
Header : 00
Interface : 00

Hardware Resources
Memory Range : E0000000
Dynamic Management : Yes

Is that the stuff you wanted?

 

[DarkBlade1]

More then enough, LMAO! You only have AGP 4X support, so don't get a 6600GT, it will bottleneck you. Here, get this card:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-170-078&depa=1

BTW I know it is Albatron, but I did some looking into this card, and it has nothing but great reviews, so they did something right for once. Everyone says the cooling on it is great, and you can overclock it nicely.

 

[Murraand]

More then enough, LMAO! You only have AGP 4X support, so don't get a 6600GT, it will bottleneck you. Here, get this card:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-170-078&depa=1

BTW I know it is Albatron, but I did some looking into this card, and it has nothing but great reviews, so they did something right for once. Everyone says the cooling on it is great, and you can overclock it nicely.

Well, I figured it was better to post more than not enough.

I feel that I can trust you, seeing as you are a moderator. Thanks so much. I will be gaming in no time.