Should i bother with a PCI card?

dingchavez65

Solid State Member
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I'm thinking about making my old computer into a decent gaming computer

Its an E-Machines
2.6ghz Celeron Processor
256mb(Will get more ram of couse)
Intel Extreme Graphics 2

I was told my computer has an PCI graphics card slot instead of AGP, so I guess my only choice is getting a good PCI graphics card. HEre are my questions
1) If I get A PCI card, can i override my crap intel graphics so the PCI card is default
2) Are PCI cards really that much worse then AGP?
3) Heres my gameplan
Celeron 2.6ghz
512 +ram
and my choice for a pci card:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Visi...sem/rpsm/oid/131928/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do
So Lets say I had those specs, and that card, could i play newer games like Counter strike source and Battlefield 2 with medium settings and a decent framerate?
 
1) I've actually heard problems with Emachines and you doing that, but there shouldn't be any problems...

2) Yes, they are slower, and so, that is why AGP was invented, and now PCI-E to take over that. You can still get an okay card though that'd play some new games, which is PCI

3) That card is a PCI-Express x16 bus and not standard PCI, so i'm afraid it wouldn't work :( PCI-E is the new format, and so has the capability of being faster than AGP.

I'd think it best to save a bit of money, and update the motherboard, but you'd have to update the entire system to do that...
 
dingchavez65 said:
I'm thinking about making my old computer into a decent gaming computer

Its an E-Machines
2.6ghz Celeron Processor
256mb(Will get more ram of couse)
Intel Extreme Graphics 2

I was told my computer has an PCI graphics card slot instead of AGP, so I guess my only choice is getting a good PCI graphics card. HEre are my questions
1) If I get A PCI card, can i override my crap intel graphics so the PCI card is default
2) Are PCI cards really that much worse then AGP?
3) Heres my gameplan
Celeron 2.6ghz
512 +ram
and my choice for a pci card:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Visi...sem/rpsm/oid/131928/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do
So Lets say I had those specs, and that card, could i play newer games like Counter strike source and Battlefield 2 with medium settings and a decent framerate?


You didn't need to make 2 seprate threads.
 
That card will be fine in your PCI slot, yes.

But I'm not too sure how well BF2 will perform with it, probably not too well I'm afraid. Having said that, I've got a GeForce FX5200 in my desktop, it can run BF2 at about 30fps with everything on low, 800x600, but you'll be wanting better graphics that that, I'm sure.

Can you afford to get a better motherboard? That way you can get the latest PCI-Express cards, they would definitely run BF2 with a good framerate on medium.
 
Final Gameplan =(

This would be my setup
2.6ghz Celeron
512(and probaly more)ram
BFG GeForce FX 5500 OC 256MB DDR PCI Graphics Card
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...=cat01151&type=product&tab=4&id=1099392683347

The games I would like to play
-Counter strike source
-Battlefield 2
-Guild wars
- Counter Strike 1.6
- Half life 2
-Battlefield 1942
- Call of Duty
-Call of Duty 2

SO please, can someone tell me if that setup can handle any of those games, medium quality 800x600 resolution with a decent Framerate
 
You can handle them all but BF@ but not on med setting you will need to run low on some but others like COD 1 and CS 1.6 you will be fine.
 
i don't know about HL2 and CS:S. they should be playable but i don't think you will get any higher than 50FPS max on low settings. the rest should be fine on medium settings.
 
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