Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Temporary Graphics Card Recommendations?

  1. #1
    Old Fool!
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Cambridgeshire
    Posts
    1,031
    Thanks
    11
    Thanked
    37 times in 31 posts
    • EtheAv8r's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASUS Maximus V Gene
      • CPU:
      • i5 3570K @ 4500 Mhz
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb
      • Storage:
      • 2 x Samsung EVO 850 SSD; 1 x Samsung 2TB HD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GeForce GTX 970
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S-12 650 Energy+
      • Case:
      • Corsair Carbide
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Home 64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell U2713H
      • Internet:
      • BT Infinity II

    Temporary Graphics Card Recommendations?

    I have most of the parts for my new PC on order. I need a temporary graphics card – I plan to buy an 8800GTX, but this will have to wait until next month, or even the month after.

    I therefore need a very low cost PCI-E graphics card to build the system with and get it going and bedded in for the next few weeks. The focus must be on low cost with no concern about performance – that will come with the new card.

    I guess it should be nVidia rather than ATi so that at least the drivers will be the same for both which will save later hassle. Will any low cost card do, or is there a minimum GPU I should get? I will stick to everyday Windows, Browsing, Word & Excel for the time being, Photo-editing will be a pain, and there will be no flight sims, but I can live with that for a few weeks!

    Should I get a new cheapie from SCAN, or buy second hand from eBay (or HEXUS Bargains might be more reliable)?

    Opinions please.
    Try to make each and every day the best it can be.

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    115
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    • philipbain's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Biostar Intel P45
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 @ 3.33GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Corsair DDR2-800
      • Storage:
      • 64GB Kingston SSD + 4.6TB of storage across 4 hard drives
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ATi Radeon HD4850
      • PSU:
      • X-Clio 485W
      • Case:
      • Akasa Zen (black)
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Acer P225HQ LCD 1920x1080
      • Internet:
      • BT ADSL Max Option 3 Unlimited
    The GeForce 8800GTX uses a specific driver set so it really won't matter as to what card you get to fill in until you can afford the 8800 as you'll have to install new drivers anyway. As for a fill in card i'd recommend a 256Mb Sapphire Radeon X1600Pro PCI-E card which costs £54.57 from Scan, it'll have enough performance to play games and suchlike in the mean time and doesnt exactly break the bank, and in the sub £60 bracket you won't find anything better, its certainly better than the GeForce 7300GT which is similarly priced.
    "There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates" - Chuck Peddle, father of the 6502 and the Commodore PET

  3. #3
    Not mad just max with a long beard Mad-Max's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    On my own island somewhere
    Posts
    849
    Thanks
    30
    Thanked
    20 times in 18 posts
    • Mad-Max's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus or Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • Intel
      • Memory:
      • Corsair
      • Storage:
      • Western Digital
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA all the way
      • PSU:
      • Corsair or Seasonic are good
      • Case:
      • Any that looks nice and has great cooling
      • Operating System:
      • XP/7 and any thing else
      • Monitor(s):
      • Big widescreen will do
      • Internet:
      • Some thing nice and fast with no cap
    If you just want a cheap temporary graphics card then may I suggest this one

    http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...m=null&tm=null

    It's only £30 and should last you a few weeks and ideal for fault finding too

  4. #4
    Getting older teachmech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Beacons National Park
    Posts
    677
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    • teachmech's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Foxconn P45A
      • CPU:
      • Core2 Quad Q6600 @ 3.2 Ghz
      • Memory:
      • 4 GB Corsair PC6400
      • Storage:
      • Samsung F1 500 Gb + 500 Gb Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ATI 4870
      • PSU:
      • 630 Watt Hiper
      • Case:
      • 36cm Side fan xcilo
      • Operating System:
      • Vista Home Permium
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 19 inch Widscreen
      • Internet:
      • Tiscali ADSL Max
    Cheapest on scan that I could see is £22.31

    http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=396319

    Should last a month or two for normal windows.

  5. #5
    Senior Member this_is_gav's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    4,854
    Thanks
    175
    Thanked
    255 times in 217 posts
    Get the cheapest ATi or nV which doesn't nick system RAM - the ATi TurboCaches do - I know nV have a system to do the same, but I'm buggered if I can remember what it's called.

    //edit: OK... I got that the wrong way around... nV uses TurboCache, and I don't remember what ATi's is...

    //edit2: HyperMemory! AVOID.
    Last edited by this_is_gav; 31-12-2006 at 12:46 PM.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Max Tractor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    1,248
    Thanks
    44
    Thanked
    41 times in 38 posts
    • Max Tractor's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Biostar TA890GXE
      • CPU:
      • 95w 1055T@x4-3.5Ghz-1.15v
      • Memory:
      • Samsung Green 30nm low voltage 2x4GB@1.26v
      • Storage:
      • Corsair 3 60GB-Sandisk Extreme 240GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 7850 2GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic SS-1050XM
      • Case:
      • Coolermaster elite 120(Modd)
      • Monitor(s):
      • BenQ EW2430
    Personally I think money thrown at low performing new cards is a waste, either try to pick up a good used card, a card that will do you in between upgrades, a card that can game at a decent fps/res or buy a new 7300gt 8 pipe 128 £58, 256 £68 or if you want to push the boat out a bit more pick up a 7600gt from the bargain section link £60+del

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    115
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    • philipbain's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Biostar Intel P45
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 @ 3.33GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Corsair DDR2-800
      • Storage:
      • 64GB Kingston SSD + 4.6TB of storage across 4 hard drives
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ATi Radeon HD4850
      • PSU:
      • X-Clio 485W
      • Case:
      • Akasa Zen (black)
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Acer P225HQ LCD 1920x1080
      • Internet:
      • BT ADSL Max Option 3 Unlimited
    The ATi cards that nick system RAM are called "Hyper Memory" the nVidia ones are referred to as "Turbo Cache", avoid both like the plague as they are just cheap rubbish that despite thier fast sounding names are slow and $hite.
    "There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates" - Chuck Peddle, father of the 6502 and the Commodore PET

  8. #8
    Old Fool!
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Cambridgeshire
    Posts
    1,031
    Thanks
    11
    Thanked
    37 times in 31 posts
    • EtheAv8r's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASUS Maximus V Gene
      • CPU:
      • i5 3570K @ 4500 Mhz
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb
      • Storage:
      • 2 x Samsung EVO 850 SSD; 1 x Samsung 2TB HD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GeForce GTX 970
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S-12 650 Energy+
      • Case:
      • Corsair Carbide
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Home 64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell U2713H
      • Internet:
      • BT Infinity II
    Thanks Guys, spending £60 on a reasonable card, for me, will be a bigger waste of money than spending £30 on a lesser perfoming card, once I get the 8800 it will just sit on a shelf as a 'trouble-shooter'.

    Or I could get a 'better' card, and then sell it on after.

    Or blag a PCI cheapie rather than a PCIE?

    But I am beginning to consider an x1950Pro to give me a really usable GPU for a few months, then get an 8800GTX when they should be a bit cheaper, and sell on the 1950Pro. The new ATi GPU looks a beast, and a hot power hungry one at that, co I don't thing it will figure, rather than maybe helping the 8800 price to come down a but.
    Last edited by EtheAv8r; 31-12-2006 at 06:32 PM. Reason: X1950 is an option
    Try to make each and every day the best it can be.

  9. #9
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    31,621
    Thanks
    3,757
    Thanked
    5,060 times in 3,912 posts
    • CAT-THE-FIFTH's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Less E-PEEN
      • CPU:
      • Massive E-PEEN
      • Memory:
      • RGB E-PEEN
      • Storage:
      • Not in any order
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVEN BIGGER E-PEEN
      • PSU:
      • OVERSIZED
      • Case:
      • UNDERSIZED
      • Operating System:
      • DOS 6.22
      • Monitor(s):
      • NOT USUALLY ON....WHEN I POST
      • Internet:
      • FUNCTIONAL
    A 7300GT DDR3 offers performance similiar to a 7600GS and would be a good choice for a temporaray graphics card!

    Alternatively you could pick up a second hand 7900GS for under 100 quid and this will play most games well.

  10. #10
    WEEEEEEEEEEEEE! MadduckUK's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Lytham St. Annes
    Posts
    17,297
    Thanks
    653
    Thanked
    1,580 times in 1,006 posts
    • MadduckUK's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI B450M Mortar
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 5 3600
      • Memory:
      • 32GB 3200 DDR4
      • Storage:
      • 1x480GB SSD, 1x 2TB Hybrid, 1x 3TB Rust Spinner
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Radeon 5700XT
      • PSU:
      • Corsair TX750w
      • Case:
      • Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung SJ55W, DELL S2409W
      • Internet:
      • Plusnet 80
    iiiiiiiintegrated graaaaaaaaaphics
    Quote Originally Posted by Ephesians
    Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit
    Vodka

  11. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    941
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    33 times in 33 posts
    • Marcvs's system
      • CPU:
      • Acer Aspire 5810T
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7/Mac OSX Lion
      • Monitor(s):
      • Viewsonic 22" (1920*1200)
    get a 128MB 6200 ish as they are very good for their price

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Cooling Graphics Card
    By mike_w in forum Graphics Cards
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 24-04-2006, 05:38 PM
  2. Faulty graphics card
    By BEANFro Elite in forum SCAN.care@HEXUS
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 05-04-2006, 12:36 PM
  3. [Desperate] New GRAPHICS CARD - Monitor
    By LTP in forum Retail Therapy and Bargains
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 27-02-2006, 02:22 AM
  4. Graphics Card Help
    By djerhan in forum Help! Quick Relief From Tech Headaches
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 25-09-2005, 01:14 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •