Cheap video cards
Choosing a graphic (video) card is not as hard a thing to do as choosing other components like motherboards, but could be your most costly component.
When choosing a video card there are a few things to consider. What will you use your computer for, and if you motherboard supports the type of graphics card that you want. If you are building a computer from scratch than you can buy the graphic card that will be compatible with your motherboard.
Usually all motherboards that have come out in the last few years will be compatible with your graphic card, however if you are buying a new motherboard make sure that it is AGP 8X compatible at the very least, in order to get the most out of your 8X AGP graphic card. The newest motherboards will have support for PCI-Express video cards which are cutting edge technology.
The next question is if you will be using your computer only for the office work, or you will also play games. Latest games require fast graphic cards with 8X AGP and at least 64 meg of video card memory, preferably 128MB.
So how do I choose a good quality cheap graphic card?
Here are a quick guide lines for a good graphic card:
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AGP 8X
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128 meg of 128 bit memory (make sure you don't buy a graphic card with 64 bit memory).
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Make sure your graphic cards has a fan for cooling (like ATI Radeon 9600 - picture below), not only a heat sink like on this picture:
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this is a no no =>
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New generation graphic card with only a heat sink means that it has a slow memory that does not need additional cooling. DO NOT buy this graphic card! They are cheaper, but way too slow.
- If you will be using your computer as a media center, then make sure
it has the outputs you need. Most video cards include video outputs that
allow you to connect another monitor to have dual display or to connect
to a television.
- If you are going to be programming graphics, then be sure to get a
video card that provides hardware support for your graphics language.
- Buying an OEM graphics card will save you money if you can live without the extra games and software that usually comes with Retail graphics cards.
Below I have listed some of my favorite graphic cards with the best price/performance ratios.
GAMING PC
Gaming PC's require the latest and the fastest video card for the best gaming experience. The GeForce 7800 ultra and ATI Radeon X800, although available, is an expensive option. Wait for the prices to drop before buying it. For now, the good choice would be GeForce FX 6800 or ATI Radeon 9800 PRO.
I have Radeon 9800 PRO 128 MB, and it is really impressive performer. Half Life 2 , Doom 3 , Far Cry , etc. all work flawlessly with everything set on maximum in 1024x768. Just make sure you have at least Athlon 2700+ and at least 512 of RAM.
There is also a 256 MB version of Radeon 9800 PRO. It costs more money but its not worth it, because it does not improve performance in today's games . Future games will require 256 MB of video memory, but by then you will need faster card anyway.
If you are looking for the best graphics performance possible then you look into getting a Dual GeForce 6800GT. You will need a motherboard that supports the SLI interface and PCI-Express. Although a pricey investment, you'll be guaranteed to have the fastest system for a while.
HOME THEATER/BUSINESS/MULTIMEDIA PC
Definitely my choice as of right now would be ATI Radeon 9600 Pro . This card will give you excellent performances and still for a very affordable affordable price. The card features silent cooling so your computer will be extra quiet during movies and office hours. It also features a very nice video out feature that allows you to run dual displays or project your computer display onto a television. For a business PC you can also consider the FX 5200 (see below) or even integrated graphic card.
BUDGET PC
eVGA GFFX5200, 128MB/64bit DDR, AGP8, VGA+TV
If you don't feel like paying over $100 for a graphic card, still a good choice for a value graphic card would be GeForce FX 5200. This graphic card in conjunction with a fast processor (for example AMD 3000+), would still give you great performances in most of today's games. Then in the future when your graphic card cannot cope with the new games any more, you can buy a better one. By then, those Graphic Cards that now cost over $200, might cost less than a hundred. So FX 5200 should be a great choice if you are low on money. If you decide to go with FX 5200 make sure it has fast 128 bit memory. If there is no fan on the card it uses slow 64 bit memory. See picture on the top of this page.
If you are on an absolutely strict budget, then you can get by with onboard video. This will give you decent 2D performance, but will lack power if you try to run any sort of 3D games or programs.