Dead Video Card
October 14th, 2008 by PotatoWell, I just got back from my vacation, and was all keen to get back to using my “real” computer, only to find that the video card was dead (it may also possibly be a problem with the power supply — I’ll check that out in the morning). I’m not quite sure how to take it: on the one hand, it’s a real bummer, and I don’t need the expense of a new video card now, especially since that one was just over a year old. On the other hand, that was an off-brand ATIx1650 (made by ASUS), and for some stupid reason the ATI drivers wouldn’t work with it, so I was stuck with the ASUS version of Catalyst 6.2 or something like that (and have run into problems with games that wouldn’t work with the old drivers).
I’m on the fence about what to do: my computer is now 5 years old, and might need to be upgraded in the next year or two (if it couldn’t handle StarCraft 2, my next anticipated must-have game, it would have been upgraded then). So, I could let this prompt me to upgrade early, but I really don’t have the cash for that right now. That means just replacing the video card (and possibly adding another gig of RAM as long as I’m at the store and tinkering), but then I’ll have a new AGP video card that I can’t use on a new system (which will almost certainly be PCI-e). Dilemma, dilemma.
Anyhow, I am completely behind the times on what a good video card is in the ~$100 range. Anyone know what I should look for?
October 14th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Sounds like a time for a new computer!!! :)
$100 is a little low on my price range for video card, what *I* would do in your shoes, is save up a bit (say $600) and get yourself a nice new dual-core system with 4 gigs of ram and a Sapphire or ATi Radeon HD4850 card. I love this card.
Intel Board (about $100)
e2200 Dualcore Intel
4 gigs ram
Sapphire Radeon HD4850
That’s the core of your system and my buddy just built that exact thing for close to $600.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Well, it’s the motherboard, video card, and I don’t trust the power supply, so it looks like that’s what I’m going to do. I’m off to figure out what to get; I think I’m going to come out pretty close to what your buddy got, though I think I’m going to go with an AMD Phenom this time around.