Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: Graphics Card help
  • Subject: Graphics Card help
Subject: Graphics Card help
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Hey everyone, I'm looking into upgrading my current graphics card that came standard with my computer. It wont let me play Battlefield 2 so I'm in a rush to get a new one. Also due to the rampant cheating in Halo 2 I have decided to go back to my roots and play Halo CE. I would like a quality graphics card that will make Halo PC look nice and something that will enable me to play Battlefield 2. If anyone has andy recomendations for graphics cards that are in the $120 - 180 range please tell me so I can look into it. Your help would be greatly appreciated and I really need some advice from you guys. Thanks!

  • 07.07.2005 8:07 PM PDT
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Fisrt tell us your computer specifications. Second you will need more than a good Graphics card to play BF2. My sugjestions go to Sams club and buy a 256 for roughly 100 dollars. Then go to CompUSA and buy as much ram as possible., or go to new egg.com they got really great prices.

  • 07.07.2005 8:59 PM PDT
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Battlefield 2 is a RAM hog. You need 1024 to play flawlessly. I just upgraded from 512MB, no more random jumps or skips, no long load times and exit times...

You can go here to see a list of cards and their performance. My recommendation? If you have AGP, which I assume you have, a 6600GT would be sufficient for near-max quality while being on your budget. However, if you figure in the RAM...hmm, maybe a 9800 or, if you can find it in an online auction, a 9700 Pro [it's a retired card, but really good]. A 9500 Pro is really cheap and you get a crapload of performance out of it, but it's not really that great anymore. You won't be able to enabled all the eye candy in Halo.

BTW - usually the difference between a 128 and 256 card is little in performance, maybe a few frames per second. What's the big difference - price, they stamp on another $40 or more for 256...you decide, but just look at that chart. 128/256 versions are really close.

[Edited on 7/7/2005]

  • 07.07.2005 11:19 PM PDT
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Ok, thanks for your help guys.

  • 07.08.2005 6:20 AM PDT
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I would reccomend the Nvidia Geforce 7800GTX its very expensive but it can play any game out there with highest resolution flawlessly.

  • 07.08.2005 10:08 AM PDT
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So can the 6800 ultra, which costs less.

  • 07.08.2005 11:44 AM PDT
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Posted by: Chewy Gumball
So can the 6800 ultra, which costs less.


True, but when the xbox360 comes out the games for that will also be on PC and they will be very high quality and those of you who think you have good graphics cards like a Geforce 6600 are going to need to upgrade. You probably dont believe me but you can just wait and see. better to beef up your comp now than later

  • 07.08.2005 12:32 PM PDT
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I'd have to say that at the current moment there is no need for anything beyond the first-gen PCI-e cards. A 6800 Ultra or X850XT PE still blows apart any game you throw at it, I throw settings to the max on every game and have never experienced below 70fps, even with AA/AF.

Besides, it has just been released, ie the price is still through the roof. Best to wait a bit until the price drops so it's almost half the price. If you want to upgrade your 6600GT [which if you do, I feel a need to exorcise you], it's best to wait until March to April of next year. By then, it'd be perfect time for an upgrade: all of the new cards from ATi and nVidia will be out, so you'll know exactly what you want [who knows, by then maybe you'll want something else, an R520 which is reportedly 25% better, the 7800GT, what have you].

Thing is, you have always been able to survive on high to near-high settings on games for at least 2 years. Even when the original XBox hit, it was still another year and a half before I had to upgrade.

  • 07.09.2005 7:47 AM PDT
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When you buy ram make sure that your motherboard can handle it,if your mb is more than like 4 years old make sure you eather get a brand new mother board or buy the 330 mhz ram.

  • 07.09.2005 8:52 AM PDT