# What video card should I get? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 6, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257 "2005-03-06T22:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257/1 "2005-03-06T22:53:34Z")
I bought a new computer a few months ago. Dell Dimension 3000 with 3 Ghz P4 processor, 512 mb RAM. Problem is, I forgot to pick out a video card though, so it came with an Intel Extreme 2, which isn’t very good. I play the Half-Life mod Day of Defeat a lot, and it handles the game about as well as my old P3 1Ghz did, which is dissappointing (occassional choppiness with smoke effects, etc). In fact, I downloaded the demo for half life 2 and it wouldnt run. I want to be able to run HL2 and a few other games like that (possibly Far Cry.) I had ordered a Radeon 9600 but it didn’t fit in my motherboard, so I think I’m limited to PCI Express cards, but I don’t really know much about this stuff. Also, I’m looking to keep my purchase below about 200 dollars. So, given that information what card would you guys recommend? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257/2 "2005-03-06T23:07:16Z")
I think I have the same computer as you AND the same card, only mine fit. I think they sell that card in PCI and whatever that other version is. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257/3 "2005-03-07T05:22:35Z")
I believe the geforce 6600 GT PCI-E is the best price/performance card (beats the pants off the radeon 9600 for sure) out there right now. For 160 + tax + shipping. I haven’t really looked at cards in a few months so I may be out of date. [http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041222/index.html](http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041222/index.html) Heres Tom hardware’s VGA charts. It’s a pretty standard reference nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257/4 "2005-03-07T05:25:52Z")
> **[AnandTech: Hardware News and Tech Reviews Since 1997](https://www.anandtech.com/)** > > News and reviews of PC components, smartphones, tablets, pre-built desktops, notebooks, Macs and enterprise/cloud computing technologies. heres some buying guides at anandtech. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257/5 "2005-03-07T08:03:12Z")
Get the GeForce 6600GT. The PCI-E versions get really inexpensive. The ATI counterpart is either the x600XT (which is just a last-generation 9600 with a PCI-Express bridge chip) and the x700 Pro (which is often more expensive and doesn’t really match performance). ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-video-card-should-i-get/293257/6 "2005-03-07T13:29:16Z")
Another vote for the Geforce 6600GT - best card for under $200. [Here is one for $180 with free shipping.](http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=321916)