Should I do this or just wait?

[Paully's5.0]

I just bought an Envision en-710e monitor and will be using it with my PII system. Here are the specs: http://www-1.ibm.com/support/manager.wss?rs=0&rt=0&org=psg&doc=DETR-3X5HEE
I have upgraded the memory to 224, and I plan on adding another hard drive so I can run windows XP and windows 98 (So I can us resnet in the dorms if needed)

I do some online gaming, and play games like the simms and rollercoaster tycoon, I will be using AutoCad as well. The video gets choppy in some games and I want to take advantage of my new monitor so I was thinking I should get a new video card, in particular the nVidia TNT2 32MB PCI card because a local computer dealer has it for $50. I don't have more money to spend right know on a higher end card.

Well I am also gonna be building a new system in the summer, and if I get this card could I use it temporarily in cause I don't have the money for a geforce 3 AGP card right away?

Do you see any compatability problems or do you have any other suggestions? Or will my current system be fine until I get the new system built. Thanks for helping a newbie http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[bassman]

Hey Pually, welcome to the PC Guide.
Kinda hard to answer some of this one. You need to decide what works for you.
Performance wise, it depends on what you have for Vid now as to whether you will see any real increase. Sounds like your system will handle it fine, but will you get 50(hard to let go of) dollors worth of benefit out of it.

My recommendation: If money is tight, and you can live with it for a few more months, save your money now and go for the BIG BANG this summer.
If $50.00 is no biggy right now and you are sure it is an improvement over what you have, go for it. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/cool.gif

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Quotes from "Lifes Little Instruction Book" by H.Jackson Brown: 304)Judge your success by the degree that you're enjoying peace, health, and love.Frank's Place (http://www.members.aol.com/frankscompsrvice)

[Paully's5.0]

Thanks for responding. Right now I don't quite get all the video card mumbo-jumbo. My current system only has 4mb memory, and it is using the ATI Rage Pro Video chip, I was thinking if I upgraded to a 32mb card I should see improvement, or not? I just don't know if it will make a difference or not.

[Rick]

If you buy the pci video card now.
You will want to get the agp version when you build your new system to get the added speed advantage of agp.

The largest gain you will get with the pci now would be a higher resolution and color depth and a little more refresh speed.
your 4 meg card/chip combo is limited to 16M color depth at max res of 1280x1024

with a 17 inch monitor you will find that 1024 x 768 is just about the max you want to use.
So Unless you need the extra refresh speed of the new video card.
You may as well save the $50 toward the new apg 64 meg http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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To REALLY screw things UP, YOU NEED a COMPUTER !

[BigBlue66]

Hey,

The TNT2 brand is getting rather old. You might want to consider an Abit Siluro GeForce2 MX400 AGP4X 64mb SDRAM video card. You can get one for $68 plus $9 UPS ground shipping at www.accessmicro.com. (http://www.accessmicro.com.) So, if you can scrape up another $27, you'll have a much better card than the one you're considering.

The MX400 card would be a fine addition to that spiffy new monitor. With the TNT2 card, you'll have some fuzzy graphics. I know, because I have one on the wife's machine. She does a lot of desktop publishing, so she needs good graphics. I just ordered the Abit mentioned above for her today. It will be replacing a Jaton Video88 PCI 32+, TNT2 32mb card. There's bound to be a noticeable improvement.

If you're doing CAD work, you'll want the added benefit of the MX400 card. It's certainly not top of the line, but it will still handle a lot. Then, next year when you have the dough, spring for a GeForce4 card.

Cheers,

Big Blue 66


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This space reserved for highly intelligent observations and witty remarks.

[BigBlue66]

Oop, just noticed you don't have any AGP slots on that system, unless I'm missing something? Anyway, you should be able to find a very decent PCI card at access micro. Check em out.

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This space reserved for highly intelligent observations and witty remarks.

[Paully's5.0]

Thanks again guys! I know I can always count on Wisconsin boys! (or girls)
I am going to school in Platteville, originally from Oshkosh. But either way I think Rick answered my question, think I am just gonna leave the card out till I build my new system. You guys are great!

[Bossa]

Well lads.

I have to disagree with rick im afraid. I know im only new but i faced a very similar situation myself with a system of similar spec. I upgraded my pentium II 266 with 32 MB and an ATI RAGE PRO on board 4MB chip to 96Mb RAM with a 3dfx Voodoo 2 PCI card with 16 MB memory. My extra ram helped the speed of games slightly but only in loading new screens etc however when i put the video card in it totally removed any stuttering in my more demanding games and sped them up immesurably. The more powerful video adapter takes a lot of the strain off the CPU which is probably strugling to keep up. The new card would definately make a differance to speed, smoothness and general quality of the graphics in my view.
You just have to decide if its worth the money to get the improvement until the summer.

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Bill Gates: "If it aint broke, it doesnt have enough features"