General advice....

I made the mistake of telling my husband that I want to upgrade the
video card on my own (I'm a programmer, but the insides of computers
are nothing but foreign to me).

If someone could give me general advice and suggestions, I'd appriciate
it!
I want a video card under $150. My PC (an HP) can take AGP or PCI
cards. The HP website says to go with the AGP if possible. Does an
AGP card really give better results?

Looking at Radeon 9550 comments in this newsgroup, it looks like they
aren't highly regarded and the 9600 is usually recommended insted. If
I can get the 9550 with 256MB, but the 9600 comes with 128MB, how is
that superior? is the real differance in the clocking?

And finally, why would I want an ATI chipset over and NVidia (or would
I?) I did read on cnet that the NVidia is a pain to install the
drivers.

And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

So many thanks to anyone who answers any or all of my questions! (it's
amazing what my love for Sims2 will force me to do.)

Sophietje wrote:
....
And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?
....

ROFL

"Sophietje" wrote in message
ups.com...
I made the mistake of telling my husband that I want to upgrade the
video card on my own (I'm a programmer, but the insides of computers
are nothing but foreign to me).

If someone could give me general advice and suggestions, I'd appriciate
it!
I want a video card under $150. My PC (an HP) can take AGP or PCI
cards. The HP website says to go with the AGP if possible. Does an
AGP card really give better results?

Yes. AGP is streaking ahead of PCI. You really don't want a PCI card.


Looking at Radeon 9550 comments in this newsgroup, it looks like they
aren't highly regarded and the 9600 is usually recommended insted. If
I can get the 9550 with 256MB, but the 9600 comes with 128MB, how is
that superior?

By the time the 9550 uses its 256MB you would have fallen asleep waiting for
whatever you are doing to finish. The 9550 doesn't have enough horsepower
to use 256MB on the card. Think of it as a fuel tank. It's like putting a
1000L fuel tank in a lada. It anit going to make it any faster.


is the real differance in the clocking?

The real difference is in the clock speeds. It really depends on your area
and availabitily of cards but here (in NZ) the 9600XT or 9800pro are the
cards to get right now. The 9800pro is alot more expensive though.


And finally, why would I want an ATI chipset over and NVidia (or would
I?)

I have had Nvidia cards. No problems at all. I have an ATi card at the
moment. No problems at all. There will always be someone out there who
has a problem with some piece of hardware. Hell, sell 10000 knifes and
you'll get someone complaining that the knife is blunt as hell but the
handle cuts their hand every time they use it.

I did read on cnet that the NVidia is a pain to install the
drivers.

********. Read wrong or some quirky review. Ignore it. Both Nvidia and
Ati have a 1 click install. Only complicated by those who can't find the
left mouse button.


And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

Essential.


So many thanks to anyone who answers any or all of my questions! (it's
amazing what my love for Sims2 will force me to do.)

Now there is a game that sucks.

cowboyz:

amazing what my love for Sims2 will force me to do.)

Now there is a game that sucks.

I heard about girl on girl action in the game but ...
--
Mac Cool

Sophietje:
I want a video card under $150. My PC (an HP) can take AGP or PCI
cards. The HP website says to go with the AGP if possible. Does an
AGP card really give better results?

Sims 2 doesn't require much in the way of video cards. $150 is way
overkill if Sims 2 is the only game you play. Here are the recommended
cards:

Supported video cards (and the more video memory the better):

* ATI RadeonTM series (7000 or better)
o Radeon 7000/VE series (non-T&L; requires 2.0 GHz processor)
o 7200, 7500
o 8500, All-In-Wonder 8500
o 9000, 9200, 9500, 9600, 9700, 9800
o X300, X600, X800

* Nvidia® QuadroTM series
o Quadro, Quadro2, Quadro4

* Nvidia® Geforce series (GeForce2 and better)
o GeForce2
o GeForce3, 3 Ti
o GeForce4, 4Ti, MX 420, 440
o GeForce FX 5200, 5600, 5700, 5800, 5900, 5950
o GeForce 6600, 6800

* Intel® Extreme Graphics (non-T&L; requires 2.0 GHz processor)
o 82845, 82865, 82915

Here are a couple of suggestions for Sims 2:

Nvidia
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...ion=14-128-189
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...ion=14-122-177
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...ion=14-150-031

ATI
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...ion=14-102-320
--
Mac Cool

I use an ATI 64 DDR VIVO in a PIII and a TI4800SE in a P4 at 2.8Gz.

Of the two, I'd have to say that the ATI has (so far, haven't had TI4800
that long yet) had more problems updating drivers. This is scewed however by
the fact it has Video-In so it's not just the video drivers need to be
updated but also the video capture driver (separate driver yet "mated" to
video card driver) which almost always seems to mean also install some new
MS crap to make it all work ... argh!!!

You don't really say what's in the HP for a cpu, ram, hd etc.. Keep in mind
the system will only go as fast as the slowest performer so (for example)
there'd be no point in upgrading my old PIII at 733Mz with a 9800Pro or the
latest nVidia card.

I doubt you need any 256 meg card for the games you want to run. Depending
on what's in system now, increasing ram might be a better choice?

P.S. So as not to "diss" ATI too much, the old PIII, 98SE and ATI play every
game I've ever thrown at it except Final Fantasy VII. The P4-2.8, XP and
TI4800SE is having issues right now with at least a couple (besides FF7) on
a clean install, e.g. raw hd, clean XP+SP1 then install mb drivers etc., SP2
update and then latest ForceWare.

"Sophietje" wrote in message
ups.com...
I made the mistake of telling my husband that I want to upgrade the
video card on my own (I'm a programmer, but the insides of computers
are nothing but foreign to me).

If someone could give me general advice and suggestions, I'd appriciate
it!
I want a video card under $150. My PC (an HP) can take AGP or PCI
cards. The HP website says to go with the AGP if possible. Does an
AGP card really give better results?

Looking at Radeon 9550 comments in this newsgroup, it looks like they
aren't highly regarded and the 9600 is usually recommended insted. If
I can get the 9550 with 256MB, but the 9600 comes with 128MB, how is
that superior? is the real differance in the clocking?

And finally, why would I want an ATI chipset over and NVidia (or would
I?) I did read on cnet that the NVidia is a pain to install the
drivers.

And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

So many thanks to anyone who answers any or all of my questions! (it's
amazing what my love for Sims2 will force me to do.)

"Sophietje" wrote in message
ups.com...
I made the mistake of telling my husband that I want to upgrade the
video card on my own (I'm a programmer, but the insides of computers
are nothing but foreign to me).

If someone could give me general advice and suggestions, I'd appriciate
it!
I want a video card under $150. My PC (an HP) can take AGP or PCI
cards. The HP website says to go with the AGP if possible. Does an
AGP card really give better results?


AGP

Looking at Radeon 9550 comments in this newsgroup, it looks like they
aren't highly regarded and the 9600 is usually recommended insted. If
I can get the 9550 with 256MB, but the 9600 comes with 128MB, how is
that superior? is the real differance in the clocking?


9600 is faster.

And finally, why would I want an ATI chipset over and NVidia (or would
I?) I did read on cnet that the NVidia is a pain to install the
drivers.


Both ATI & Nvidia are the same when it comes to installation.

And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

No & really not recommended if you are not doing a case mod. No one will
see it in your HP right?

So many thanks to anyone who answers any or all of my questions! (it's
amazing what my love for Sims2 will force me to do.)

What is your current video?

The ATI 9600 seems to be the best bet right now for a value upgrade card, in
my oh so humble opinion.

Bruin wrote:
And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

No & really not recommended if you are not doing a case mod. No one
will
see it in your HP right?

Yeah, no. I think I might skip that one then.


What is your current video?

The ATI 9600 seems to be the best bet right now for a value upgrade
card, in
my oh so humble opinion.

Right now, I have the NVidia TNT2 RIVA something. It came in the
computer, so it's a couple of years old. It's a 32MB thing.

Someone farther up said that this card is overkill for Sims2. I also
play (and this will be even more embarrassing to admit) Lemony Snicket
and every SimCity game I can get my hands on. It's probably overkill
for these, too, but I'd rather get a card that will last through the
next 2 years of games I'm likely to get.

Thanks everyone for the advice and explanations. Now I won't look like
a complete dolt (just partial) when I go to buy it.
I think I'll go with the ATI 9600se AGP, which is on sale right now for
$99US. Whoo hoo!

The 9600se is not a very good card. I recommend you get a 9600XT. Better
performance for the dollar and who knows, you may want to play Sims 3 or 4
down the road and the 9600se may not cut it.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...164-008&depa=1

DaveL


"Sophietje" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bruin wrote:
And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

No & really not recommended if you are not doing a case mod. No one
will
see it in your HP right?

Yeah, no. I think I might skip that one then.


What is your current video?

The ATI 9600 seems to be the best bet right now for a value upgrade
card, in
my oh so humble opinion.

Right now, I have the NVidia TNT2 RIVA something. It came in the
computer, so it's a couple of years old. It's a 32MB thing.

Someone farther up said that this card is overkill for Sims2. I also
play (and this will be even more embarrassing to admit) Lemony Snicket
and every SimCity game I can get my hands on. It's probably overkill
for these, too, but I'd rather get a card that will last through the
next 2 years of games I'm likely to get.

Thanks everyone for the advice and explanations. Now I won't look like
a complete dolt (just partial) when I go to buy it.
I think I'll go with the ATI 9600se AGP, which is on sale right now for
$99US. Whoo hoo!

Agreed - the SE in ATI cards stands for "****ty Edition".. It's
basically a butchered 9600. The XT can't be much more - I've seen it for
$200CDN.. so it's probably $130-140US or something. MUCH better performance
than the SE, for only a little more money.

"DaveL" wrote in message
...
The 9600se is not a very good card. I recommend you get a 9600XT. Better
performance for the dollar and who knows, you may want to play Sims 3 or 4
down the road and the 9600se may not cut it.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...164-008&depa=1

DaveL


"Sophietje" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bruin wrote:
And is it really important to gt a neon fan light with the card?

No & really not recommended if you are not doing a case mod. No one
will
see it in your HP right?

Yeah, no. I think I might skip that one then.


What is your current video?

The ATI 9600 seems to be the best bet right now for a value upgrade
card, in
my oh so humble opinion.

Right now, I have the NVidia TNT2 RIVA something. It came in the
computer, so it's a couple of years old. It's a 32MB thing.

Someone farther up said that this card is overkill for Sims2. I also
play (and this will be even more embarrassing to admit) Lemony Snicket
and every SimCity game I can get my hands on. It's probably overkill
for these, too, but I'd rather get a card that will last through the
next 2 years of games I'm likely to get.

Thanks everyone for the advice and explanations. Now I won't look like
a complete dolt (just partial) when I go to buy it.
I think I'll go with the ATI 9600se AGP, which is on sale right now for
$99US. Whoo hoo!