Finially going to buy a new video card (Pea Sea Help)

[Razgovory]

I'm going to buy a new Video card to replace my old Radeon 850.  It's long past due.

The other specs of the PC are a pentium(R) D CPU 3.40 GHz and 2.00 GB of RAM.  I'm wondering if I should just get a newer Radeon card.  Any ideas?  Preferably something easy to install.

[Tamas]

I have a Geforce MX260, it is quite decent altough sliding to be only mid-range soon.

[Razgovory]

I have a Geforce MX260, it is quite decent altough sliding to be only mid-range soon.

My PC isn't top of the line anymore so I'll be going fairly low I think.

[Tamas]

I have a Geforce MX260, it is quite decent altough sliding to be only mid-range soon.

My PC isn't top of the line anymore so I'll be going fairly low I think.

Still, don't go below a 8600. It should be really cheap nowadays.

AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY TO YOU, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY AN ATI CARD.

[Monoriu]

AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY TO YOU, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY AN ATI CARD.

Hmmmm.  What are the consequences? 

[Grey Fox]

AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY TO YOU, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY AN ATI CARD.

Hmmmm.  What are the consequences? 

A non functionning computer. Glitchy drivers & glitchy games that are built by dev using Nvidia cards.

[Monoriu]

This...seems to explain a lot

[MadBurgerMaker]

Here Raz...Tom's Hardware regularly does a "best graphics card for the money" article.  This one is from June, and is oddly lacking in the "will brick your compter," and "OH GOD DON'T BUY THIS BRAND" department:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-price,2323.html

If you're still using AGP, ATi doesn't support that for their newer cards.  I think Sapphire and Colorsomething are the ones who put HD3000's together to use an AGP slot, but the drivers will have to come from those companies, etc.  In other words, if you're still using AGP, find whichever GeForce card is the best and still out there in that form (get a new computer).

[Tamas]

Don't buy an ATI card. If you are not a gamer you MIGHT avoid problems with them, but if you do play games, you can't have an ATI card.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Don't buy an ATI card. If you are not a gamer you MIGHT avoid problems with them, but if you do play games, you can't have an ATI card.

  Do you work for nVidia or something?

[Grey Fox]

Don't buy an ATI card. If you are not a gamer you MIGHT avoid problems with them, but if you do play games, you can't have an ATI card.

[grumbler]

Hmmmm.  What are the consequences? 

You will have all the noise drawbacks associated with living under an airport approach path, but not the convenience of being able to get to the airport quickly.

[grumbler]

  Do you work for nVidia or something?

It must either be that, or else he actually bought an ATI card at some point. 

I didn't find the ATI performance to be inferior at the price point, but the nnoise and heat issues for both my ATI cards were ginormous (yes, i actually bought a second ATI card even after buying one previously!  )

[MadBurgerMaker]

I didn't find the ATI performance to be inferior at the price point, but the nnoise and heat issues for both my ATI cards were ginormous (yes, i actually bought a second ATI card even after buying one previously!  )

I can't hear anything over the sounds of my case fans that are all starting to crap out. 

[Josquius]

Generally from what I've heard ATI are on paper the better but as said most developers seem to prefer nvidia.
I don't think the difference is too large though. I've got an ATI (2 year old now...) and its working fine. What you get should just depend on what bargains you can find.