About Video Cards.

So So · 06-10-2005, 05:06 PM

I was thinking about getting a new video card seeing as to how I am running on the video card that came standard with my computer. But I have two questions.

How do I know how powerful my video card is?... Is there some sort of way to check this?...

And I hear 32mb memory video card should be enough for most games. Is this true?...

Sorry to bother you folks about this but I am totally clueless when it comes to the whole video and sound card issue.

Eagle eye · 06-11-2005, 01:23 AM

I'm no scientist with this stuff, but shouldn't it tell you in properties?
Mine has an icon on the taskbar and it comes up with heaps of stuff in a 'hardout computer nerd' sort of language...

[ 06-11-2005, 01:25 AM: Message edited by: Eagle eye ]

Bungleau · 06-11-2005, 02:30 AM

Run dxdiag, and it will tell you all the properties of your video card.

For reference, 32MB today is pretty small... and I don't think it's enough for most games today. I think 64 is the smallest you can practically buy, and 128 is kind of the minimum. I have 256 on both my main computers.

If I were buying a new vid card, I'd get no less than 128MB, and probably 256MB. It's well worth it.

So So · 06-11-2005, 07:38 PM

Thanx all. I figured out that I have a 4 mb. graphics driver. God I feel antique.

How much does a new video card go for these days?... I'm thinking a new 128 seeing as I'm a new college student and poor. >.<

jsalsb · 06-11-2005, 07:59 PM

Hi So So,

I'd go with the 128mb card. How much ram do you have? if you have an older computer that only had a 4mb video adapter, chances are it doesn't have more than 256mb of ram, right? Once you have a video card with more than half the video memory as your ram (eg, 128 v-mem/256 ram) you start to get diminishing returns on what the vmem will do. 64mb is great for most games, 128 will play most anything - assuming you have enough ram, your processor is fast enough and you have a big enough cache (that actually makes a difference). There are other issues, but those are the main factors

And you can get a very decent 128 mb card for about $100 - or less!

Bungleau · 06-11-2005, 08:37 PM

Given that your card is that old, you'll also need to make sure you get the right kind of graphic card. Something that old is likely to be a PCI card, which you'll be able to tell by looking at the motherboard layout. If there are several slots of the same type, it's a PCI card. If it's in a slot that's unlike any other, it's probably an AGP card. An AGP card also has an L-shaped foot... when you take it out, you'll see that.

If it's a PCI card, no problem. Just get one of those. If it's an AGP card, then you need to make sure you get one with the right speed. They come in 1X, 2X, 4X, and 8X speeds, and you need to get one compatible with your motherboard. You can tell *THAT* by going into the BIOS setup and checking for the AGP settings.

If you're in the States (and I know where Hell is here... I've been there [img]smile.gif[/img] ), check the Sunday papers for the computer store ads. They go on sale fairly frequently.

Dr.Pick · 06-13-2005, 10:43 PM

OK, now if one were to get a new card, it would almost certainly be Direct X 9 compliant, or compatible, or... whatever. The question is, if W&W didn't work with DirX 8, will it work with 9?

I have Win XP with a radeon card and Dir X 9, and I know I may have issues with XP if I were to load W&W again(and I'd sure like to), but what about Dir X 9?

Does any one have it working with Dir X 9?

+Dr.Pick

Bungleau · 06-13-2005, 11:39 PM

I have it working with DX9... better with 9.0B than 9.0C, but it worked anyway.

BTW, it worked with DX8 too.

Good to see you back, Dr.Pick [img]graemlins/happywave.gif[/img] Pleasure to see you around again.

Dr.Pick · 06-14-2005, 08:29 AM

Thank you! I know it's been a long time. Life has so many distractions.

+Dr.Pick

kev · 06-14-2005, 08:39 AM

The latest games that my kids have bought have needed a minimum of 64 vid. I found that the 32 I had onboard was not enough to run many games well so I bought a 256 nvidia card & it plays anything that I ask it to. I think that the minimum for a new card would be 128.
I am thinking that having only a 4 meg video card that your pc is very dated and cant play the latest games because it wont meet the minimum requirements for cpu or ram. In which case you will probably be playing games like W&W or Baldurs Gate. These games will play ok with 16M video. Wizardry 8 requires 32M to play well.
Playing the older games on these forums will keep you occupied for years without having to have the latest & greatest computers.
BTW W&W will play with DX9.

06-10-2005, 05:06 PM	#1
So So Zhentarim Guard Join Date: June 3, 2002 Location: 9th level of Hell... Age: 37 Posts: 348	I was thinking about getting a new video card seeing as to how I am running on the video card that came standard with my computer. But I have two questions. How do I know how powerful my video card is?... Is there some sort of way to check this?... And I hear 32mb memory video card should be enough for most games. Is this true?... Sorry to bother you folks about this but I am totally clueless when it comes to the whole video and sound card issue. __________________ \"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.\"

06-11-2005, 02:30 AM	#3
Bungleau 40th Level Warrior Join Date: October 29, 2001 Location: Western Wilds of Michigan Posts: 11,752	Run dxdiag, and it will tell you all the properties of your video card. For reference, 32MB today is pretty small... and I don't think it's enough for most games today. I think 64 is the smallest you can practically buy, and 128 is kind of the minimum. I have 256 on both my main computers. If I were buying a new vid card, I'd get no less than 128MB, and probably 256MB. It's well worth it. __________________ B Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last.

06-11-2005, 07:38 PM	#4
So So Zhentarim Guard Join Date: June 3, 2002 Location: 9th level of Hell... Age: 37 Posts: 348	Thanx all. I figured out that I have a 4 mb. graphics driver. God I feel antique. How much does a new video card go for these days?... I'm thinking a new 128 seeing as I'm a new college student and poor. >.< __________________ \"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.\"

06-11-2005, 07:59 PM	#5
jsalsb Elminster Join Date: March 5, 2001 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Age: 58 Posts: 428	Hi So So, I'd go with the 128mb card. How much ram do you have? if you have an older computer that only had a 4mb video adapter, chances are it doesn't have more than 256mb of ram, right? Once you have a video card with more than half the video memory as your ram (eg, 128 v-mem/256 ram) you start to get diminishing returns on what the vmem will do. 64mb is great for most games, 128 will play most anything - assuming you have enough ram, your processor is fast enough and you have a big enough cache (that actually makes a difference). There are other issues, but those are the main factors And you can get a very decent 128 mb card for about $100 - or less! __________________ Jon<br />---<br /> [img]\"http://www.ksdpp.mcgill.ca/js/jon-avatar-me-iw-tr.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br />\"When the world is running down, you make the best of what\'s still around.\"

06-11-2005, 08:37 PM	#6
Bungleau 40th Level Warrior Join Date: October 29, 2001 Location: Western Wilds of Michigan Posts: 11,752	Given that your card is that old, you'll also need to make sure you get the right kind of graphic card. Something that old is likely to be a PCI card, which you'll be able to tell by looking at the motherboard layout. If there are several slots of the same type, it's a PCI card. If it's in a slot that's unlike any other, it's probably an AGP card. An AGP card also has an L-shaped foot... when you take it out, you'll see that. If it's a PCI card, no problem. Just get one of those. If it's an AGP card, then you need to make sure you get one with the right speed. They come in 1X, 2X, 4X, and 8X speeds, and you need to get one compatible with your motherboard. You can tell THAT by going into the BIOS setup and checking for the AGP settings. If you're in the States (and I know where Hell is here... I've been there [img]smile.gif[/img] ), check the Sunday papers for the computer store ads. They go on sale fairly frequently. __________________ B Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last.

06-11-2005, 01:23 AM	#2
Eagle eye Elminster Join Date: May 13, 2004 Location: New Zealand Age: 34 Posts: 409	I'm no scientist with this stuff, but shouldn't it tell you in properties? Mine has an icon on the taskbar and it comes up with heaps of stuff in a 'hardout computer nerd' sort of language... [ 06-11-2005, 01:25 AM: Message edited by: Eagle eye ]

06-13-2005, 10:43 PM	#7
Dr.Pick Zhentarim Guard Join Date: May 9, 2001 Location: Schenectady, New York Posts: 310	OK, now if one were to get a new card, it would almost certainly be Direct X 9 compliant, or compatible, or... whatever. The question is, if W&W didn't work with DirX 8, will it work with 9? I have Win XP with a radeon card and Dir X 9, and I know I may have issues with XP if I were to load W&W again(and I'd sure like to), but what about Dir X 9? Does any one have it working with Dir X 9? +Dr.Pick __________________ The LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.

06-13-2005, 11:39 PM	#8
Bungleau 40th Level Warrior Join Date: October 29, 2001 Location: Western Wilds of Michigan Posts: 11,752	I have it working with DX9... better with 9.0B than 9.0C, but it worked anyway. BTW, it worked with DX8 too. Good to see you back, Dr.Pick [img]graemlins/happywave.gif[/img] Pleasure to see you around again. __________________ B Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last.

06-14-2005, 08:29 AM	#9
Dr.Pick Zhentarim Guard Join Date: May 9, 2001 Location: Schenectady, New York Posts: 310	Thank you! I know it's been a long time. Life has so many distractions. +Dr.Pick __________________ The LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.

06-14-2005, 08:39 AM	#10
kev Drizzt Do'Urden Join Date: April 4, 2002 Location: North Western Australia Age: 60 Posts: 670	The latest games that my kids have bought have needed a minimum of 64 vid. I found that the 32 I had onboard was not enough to run many games well so I bought a 256 nvidia card & it plays anything that I ask it to. I think that the minimum for a new card would be 128. I am thinking that having only a 4 meg video card that your pc is very dated and cant play the latest games because it wont meet the minimum requirements for cpu or ram. In which case you will probably be playing games like W&W or Baldurs Gate. These games will play ok with 16M video. Wizardry 8 requires 32M to play well. Playing the older games on these forums will keep you occupied for years without having to have the latest & greatest computers. BTW W&W will play with DX9. __________________

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