Onboard Graphics?

Currently running an XP2500+ with 1GB RAM and 9800 Pro graphics. Looking for an upgrade as the noise my computer makes is driving me insane!

Don't really game much at all anymore, all I really use my computer for is internet access and music/videos, so performance isn't a major factor, anything I buy now is gonna be better than my old machine so that doesn't worry me.

Looking at an Athlon64 X2 3800+ with 2GB RAM and considering Gigabyte AM2 motherboard with onboard GeForce6100, as then the only fan in the system would be the CPU fan... would this graphics run games at all reasonably or would it be hopeless? The motherboard has a PCI-e x16 slot anyway so I could always upgrade to a silent GPU at a later date, but initially due to financese I'm trying to keep costs down!

Any opinions would be appreciated :)

It'd be fine for the majority of games. Only recently released (last year or so) top titles will be a problem.

For what you want the onboard will not be a problem :mrgreen: but if you want to play games or such then you will need a card in, but if you keep looking around and wait you can pick up some bargains :mrgreen:

Ok thanks for the advice. Main issue at the moment is to get some sort of system together as I'm using my laptop most of the time at the moment and that's annoying me too!

Most of the games I play occasionally are 2/3 years old anyway so I'll give it a try and if it really sucks I'll just wait for a bargainous card to crop up :)

If you're gonna go for onboard gfx, get the nVidia 6150 chipset, i.e. this board by Asus, or this board by MSI.

The 6150 has superior gfx performance to the 6100, and can play most older games just fine at 800x600, or 1024x768. Obviously you'll have to forego some eye candy though.

Alternatively, invest in a passively cooled 7300GT, like this one. They are awesome value for money, and are silent too.

Hope this helps :)

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Originally Posted by machinist

Alternatively, invest in a passively cooled 7300GT, like this one.

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How would the 7300GT compare with my 9800 Pro?

Worse :p

You could stick with the 9800 Pro and stick a silent cooler on it :confused:

I used to run a 9800pro with a Zalman vf-7000cu on it.

Silent as you like, and played BF2 etc with no problem. That said, obviously you'll need an AGP motherboard if you want to go down that route.

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Originally Posted by imroberts

How would the 7300GT compare with my 9800 Pro?

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Its difficult to find a direct comparison. FYI not all 7300GT's are equal. The faster ones use GDDR3 like the Inno3d card http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...ey=11137,50010 review here http://www.ngohq.com/home.php?page=a...read&arc_id=86

This particular card substantially outperforms a 6600GT from the previous generation. The 6600GT was faster than the Radeon 9800 Pro therefore its a reasonable assumption that the Inno 7300GT card will be a fair bit more capable than the 9800 Pro. The "normal" GDDR2 7300GT's are not so impressive, trailing the Inno3d card by around 33%. Review & comparison here http://www.trustedreviews.com/graphi...-256MB-DDR2/p1 So for a normal 7300GT probably about the same as a 9800 Pro at a total guess!

Had a look at these reviews which do conclude the 7300GT GDDR3 is a great deal better than the 7300GT GDDR2, however I can't find a card with the faster RAM clock speed and passive cooling...

The passive cooling is fairly essential for me, so what would you guys recommend? I'm not looking for mega performance, just a budget solution that will beat my onboard Nvidia 6100 (not that it's hard to beat) and will also be noticably better than the 9800 Pro I've just got rid of out of my old system :)

Any advice appreciated

7600GS with passive cooling :)

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Originally Posted by Papa Lazarou

7600GS with passive cooling :)

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Is the 512mb worth it over the 256mb, or is it still the situation that higher memory models tend to have a slower clock speed resulting in little performance increase?

The 512mb is not worth the extra money

Unless you're running at quite a high resolution, 256MB should be perfectly adequate. The GS'es use GDDR2, not GDDR3 which may hurt performance a bit, but it's a good compromise if you need to keep the cost down. Passive 7600GS'es can be had for under £70. Passive 7600GTs run closer to the £100 mark.

Ive got a rig with a Sempron 3000, 1 gig corsair value mem, and old 80 GB maxtor in a silent drive and the Asus M2NPV-VM.

If you want quiet, defo go with something that has some sort of quiet fan support. Asus q-fan is realy cool, and it adjusts fan speed dynamically with CPU temps. Ive managed to get away with using a cheapo HSF that came with a A64 3200+ (copper base, alu fins) lapped to 2000 grit and the temps dont budge beyond low 40s under load. Under normal use (surfing, power poinr, word) the system is pretty much in audible with only CPU fan running at min speed and a silent PSU running prettu much silent too (i doubt the system uses more than a 90-100 watts all in).

As for onboard GFX, it plays Unreal Tournament (old school, but its all my sister plays) max settings at 1440x900 without any problems. UT2004 plays fine at 800x600 med details. Its not great, but more than enough for my sisters needs.

My opinion on what you should do? Stick with your current system and:
- get a thermaltake big typhoon or another socket A cooler
- get an after market cooler for the 9800 (Zalman ZM80C/D for passive cooling)
- replaces case fans with Sharkoon low noise golf ball fans
- replace PSU with a Seasonic 330

My current rig (see sig) is clocked at 1700mhz and 6800LE @ 16/5 and runs Need for speed carbon with med details at 1024x768 whilst running a torrent client, virus scanner, and a £D MMOPRG running in the background. Most of the time my system is just surfning the net or writing up reports in Word - like you I have very little time to game any more :(. PC would be running silently if it wasnt for the damned vibrations of the eheim pump I have which drive me crazy!