Vid Card

[I.Brattin]

I finally got some money to get a new vid card. One thing is I can't seem to find ANY 128 bit cards. All of the cards I am finding so far are 64 bit.

I've looked on Pricewatch, Ebay, and a few others. While I have some money now I still have a tight budget and only want to spend about $50 tops for a card (with shipping). Ebay has some currently in that range but as I said their all 64 bit.

I am wondering if I shouldn't just settle for the 64 bit card....

[diafero]

About what kind of "bits" are you speaking here? The width of the memory interface? That one is only a small part of all the factors that make up the performance of such a card, so if you want anyone to estimate if it was enough for Uru, better name the card model you are thinking about. For example, I am using a GeForce 8500, which cost 60-70€ two years ago, and that one is by far powerful enough for Uru.

[I.Brattin]

I did mean memory interface. For Uru a 64-bit card might be fine. For City of Heroes, Guild Wars, or any of my other graphic intense games I probably need a 128-bit card to play them.

Anyways I think I have found a 128-bit card though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NVIDIA-Geforce-9-PC ... 335589e72f

Before I click the buy it now button, I would like to get everyone's reactions to it first.

[Jojon]

I can't speak from a position of knowledge and experience, but just comparing fill rate and memory bandwidth values at nvidia.com, it appears you'd be a good bit better off with a higher end 8 series than a lowest end 9 series, as far as performance goes, possibly at similar price points...

Just bloody well don't take my word for it - I'm just looking at numbers that may well not mean what I think they do. :7

[I.Brattin]

That was my first thought actually. I would just swap an 8500, the one that blew, for another 8500. When I first posted this thread I couldn't find another 8 series card in my range. Though today after seeing your post Jojon I decided to take another look and ran across this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zogis-NVIDIA-GeForc ... 1c0f2c567d

I couldn't find an 8600, or 8800 in my price range. The cheapest 8600 was $65, and 8800 was $75, and there was NO 8400 listed at all on ebay.

Edit: I think I need to get a new vid card soon, I had hoped it would last while I shopped around. Looks like this lowbie card has about had it. Twice now it cut out on me forcing me to reboot my computer to get it back, once 10 minutes ago and another time last week.

[I.Brattin]

Dang vid card. All I am doing is surfing the internet, nothing that should have taxed the graphic card. But it cut out on me again about a minute ago. I went ahead and ordered the 8500 yesterday so by the end of the week I should have it installed and this one pulled.

I was going to save the 32mb for a backup but with the fact it cuts out now at least once a day now, I think it would be best just to get rid of it.

[I.Brattin]

For a while I wondered if I was going to be able to do anything. For some time the graphics card kept cutting out, most of the time without finishing loading of Windows.

For some peace of mind I decided to run a virus scan, it hadn't showed anything when the vid cut out before but I got to wondering if its not a virus. I expect it is the vid card, but I would rather be safe then sorry.

The new vid card should be in the mail today and is being sent priority mail so it should be here by Sat. at the latest. So I just have to hope the 32mb card will hold out till then. Otherwise the next time you will see me is from the public library, at least till the new card comes in.

Edit: Don't think this is related to the vid card, could be wrong, but I tried booting in safe mode a time or two it failed to boot giving me a BSOD.

I am running a virus scan right now, assuming the vid don't cut out on me, we'll see if it brings anything up.

[Charura]

Well, these posts got me thinking...My Father has an Nvidia FX5500 AGP on the computer I'm using and 'I' decided to upgrade to the GeForce 9500GT PCI...It was $52 American.....it shipped today...did I do a bad thing?

[I.Brattin]

It all depends on what your setup was, Charura.

Anyways this is my swan song till I get the new card. I am lucky if I get a couple minutes right now before the vid card cuts out. I won't be going to the library before Friday due to their calling for 2-4 inches of snow here, with visibility down to a few feet for Wed. and Thurs.

So likely next time you see me I will have the new vid card. Have a good week and I will see ya all later.

[I.Brattin]

This is interesting. Either yesterday was a fluke or I do have a virus. I created a third user account, I had two on my computer already one for me and one for my roommate. Anyways my computer has been on for an hour, using the new account, now and so far no hiccups of anykind.

So as I said either yesterday was a fluke or I have a virus that is not running running in the new account. Either that or there is something different between the graphics of the new account and the graphics of the two old ones.

Either way though I will have the card replaced by the end of the week.

Edit: 4 hours and the graphic card has yet to cut out. Also into the 4th hour of the virus scan, I know its taking a long time but thats what happens when you have a 1 Terabyte HD - a virus scan will take all day. Anyways so far no viruses have been found. Once its done I will run anti-spyware software also.

I have yet to switch to my normal account to see if the vid will cut out. I will likely hold out till after the virus scan completes.