How do I know what video card to buy

[brawnypandora0]

Since watching I am unable to watch 360p youtube videos due to the choppy GPU, I'm thinking of buying a new video card. Will all new video cards on the market work with my computer, or are there compatibility issues?

[JasonLG]

Since watching I am unable to watch 360p youtube videos due to the choppy GPU, I'm thinking of buying a new video card. Will all new video cards on the market work with my computer, or are there compatibility issues?

You're going to have to be more specific, we would need at least the make and model of your computer to offer any recommendations.

[brawnypandora0]

Since watching I am unable to watch 360p youtube videos due to the choppy GPU, I'm thinking of buying a new video card. Will all new video cards on the market work with my computer, or are there compatibility issues?

You're going to have to be more specific, we would need at least the make and model of your computer to offer any recommendations.

How do I find out the make and the model of my computer? I'm on XP intending to upgrade to Mint after I buy it.

[Elisa]

Are u on XP now?
Or on Mint? If Mint, type in terminal

inxi -F
If windows there are many utils /(and freeware) to get the computer info...

[brawnypandora0]

Are u on XP now?
Or on Mint? If Mint, type in terminal

inxi -F
If windows there are many utils /(and freeware) to get the computer info...

I'm on XP right now. You mean I have to download something just to find out what my hardware is? I can't just type something in Run? What specifically do I need to tell you?

[Elisa]

I do not care, I don't use win any more.
But remember that SIW - System Information for Windows 2010 was good benchmark, freeware. Also when copied (the installed core) to USB it worked from it, like a portable....
http://www.gtopala.com

[willie42]

Right Click my computer then click

hardware tab

Device manager

click the plus next too display adapters

should tell you there.

[ezas]

Also are you sure that it's the GPU that is your bottleneck?

As Jason said we need more to go on to give you any good advice (but I made some general recommendations below)

What processor?
What current graphics card and how much memory on it?
How much system memory?

Compatibility is a moving target. Some have good results with Nvidia and others with ATI. As for Hardware you need to know what PCI slots you have available for a graphics card.

Choppiness might also be your broadband.

I have plenty of memory (4GB) and a fast processor (AMD Phenom II X3@3200) and a pretty good GPU (ATI 3300) and a fast DSL connection and I'm the only one on it, and 720 is sometimes choppy for me. Not often but sometimes. Sometimes the server just doesn't serve content up fast enough at higher resolutions.

This is a good midrange card for a Linux box for the money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814102874 and has ton of good reviews. $74.99 after rebate.

Or this one for a little bit more money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814150467 again with lots of good reviews

For a little less: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814150467 . . .and with lots of good reviews.

Spending more than this is moving into serious gaming power and not needed for typical 3d compositing.

I'm not very familiar with the Nvidia line-up so can't help you there.

[Elisa]

Right Click my computer then click
hardware tab
Device manager
click the plus next too display adapters
should tell you there.

Yep, I remembered, how easy (and how dumb*ss I am But really forget it the care of various tricks of win )

[brawnypandora0]

Also are you sure that it's the GPU that is your bottleneck?

As Jason said we need more to go on to give you any good advice (but I made some general recommendations below)

What processor?
What current graphics card and how much memory on it?
How much system memory?

Compatibility is a moving target. Some have good results with Nvidia and others with ATI. As for Hardware you need to know what PCI slots you have available for a graphics card.

Choppiness might also be your broadband.

I have plenty of memory (4GB) and a fast processor (AMD Phenom II X3@3200) and a pretty good GPU (ATI 3300) and a fast DSL connection and I'm the only one on it, and 720 is sometimes choppy for me. Not often but sometimes. Sometimes the server just doesn't serve content up fast enough at higher resolutions.

This is a good midrange card for a Linux box for the money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814102874 and has ton of good reviews. $74.99 after rebate.

Or this one for a little bit more money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814150467 again with lots of good reviews

For a little less: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814150467 . . .and with lots of good reviews.

Spending more than this is moving into serious gaming power and not needed for typical 3d compositing.

I'm not very familiar with the Nvidia line-up so can't help you there.

Just wondering, is the full name, chip type, and total memory printed on the video card itself? I took me a while to realize that only DirectX tells me the complete information and not Device Manager. According to DirectX, I have a MSI MS-StarForce GeForce FX 5200 NVIDIA RAMDAC videocard with 128 MB memory with DirectDraw and Direct3D enabled, but no AGP Texture Acceleration. I have an AMD Athlon XP1800+ processor currently at 1.2 GHz (although originally it was 1.6 GHz but when I try to set it back to 1.6 my computer freezes). I have 512 MB DDR RAM.

It can't be a broadband problem because my laptop has mint with a faster video card.

I don't want to upgrade my processor, although I am trying to get it back to 1.6 GHz. I'm undecided about upgrading my RAM (if I do upgrade, it'll have to be DDR as well). So I still don't understand what video cards are suitable--do I have to get NVIDIA, or will any brand work?

What PCI slots are you talking about? You mean some video cards won't physically fit into my motherboard slot?

[Txnca]

Just wondering, is the full name, chip type, and total memory printed on the video card itself? I took me a while to realize that only DirectX tells me the complete information and not Device Manager. According to DirectX, I have a MSI MS-StarForce GeForce FX 5200 NVIDIA RAMDAC videocard with 128 MB memory with DirectDraw and Direct3D enabled, but no AGP Texture Acceleration. I have an AMD Athlon XP1800+ processor currently at 1.2 GHz (although originally it was 1.6 GHz but when I try to set it back to 1.6 my computer freezes). I have 512 MB DDR RAM.

It can't be a broadband problem because my laptop has mint with a faster video card.

I don't want to upgrade my processor, although I am trying to get it back to 1.6 GHz. I'm undecided about upgrading my RAM (if I do upgrade, it'll have to be DDR as well). So I still don't understand what video cards are suitable--do I have to get NVIDIA, or will any brand work?

What PCI slots are you talking about? You mean some video cards won't physically fit into my motherboard slot?

OK, more memory is one of the best things you can do. 512MB isn't enough to sneeze in. You need at least 1GB and 2GB would be better. Even for Mint, or any Linux product. You need a Video Card with at least 512MB, or you are wasting your time. Is your Video Card PCI, AGP, or PCI-e? You will need to know. If it is PCI, I doubt you will be able to find anything for it. If it is AGP, you need to find out if it is capable of running 8xAGP or only 4x. It will matter when you go looking for a card. PCI-e is a whole other ball game. Your CPU is fine. Unless you are gaming there is no need to upgrade that.

So it looks like memory and video card are the things you can upgrade.

As for brand of VC. Doesn't really matter unless you are into gaming. And yes, some video cards won't fit into your slots. That is why you need to know what kind of video card slot you have. In XP and up, you can run system information and get all the information about your computer. A lot more than device manager will tell you.

[brawnypandora0]

Just wondering, is the full name, chip type, and total memory printed on the video card itself? I took me a while to realize that only DirectX tells me the complete information and not Device Manager. According to DirectX, I have a MSI MS-StarForce GeForce FX 5200 NVIDIA RAMDAC videocard with 128 MB memory with DirectDraw and Direct3D enabled, but no AGP Texture Acceleration. I have an AMD Athlon XP1800+ processor currently at 1.2 GHz (although originally it was 1.6 GHz but when I try to set it back to 1.6 my computer freezes). I have 512 MB DDR RAM.

It can't be a broadband problem because my laptop has mint with a faster video card.

I don't want to upgrade my processor, although I am trying to get it back to 1.6 GHz. I'm undecided about upgrading my RAM (if I do upgrade, it'll have to be DDR as well). So I still don't understand what video cards are suitable--do I have to get NVIDIA, or will any brand work?

What PCI slots are you talking about? You mean some video cards won't physically fit into my motherboard slot?

OK, more memory is one of the best things you can do. 512MB isn't enough to sneeze in. You need at least 1GB and 2GB would be better. Even for Mint, or any Linux product. You need a Video Card with at least 512MB, or you are wasting your time. Is your Video Card PCI, AGP, or PCI-e? You will need to know. If it is PCI, I doubt you will be able to find anything for it. If it is AGP, you need to find out if it is capable of running 8xAGP or only 4x. It will matter when you go looking for a card. PCI-e is a whole other ball game. Your CPU is fine. Unless you are gaming there is no need to upgrade that.

So it looks like memory and video card are the things you can upgrade.

As for brand of VC. Doesn't really matter unless you are into gaming. And yes, some video cards won't fit into your slots. That is why you need to know what kind of video card slot you have. In XP and up, you can run system information and get all the information about your computer. A lot more than device manager will tell you.

Ok, I have an AGP slot. So what do 8xAGP and 4x mean? I can buy any type of video card (at 512 MB or above) so long as it's AGP, and it'll be compatible, right?

[Txnca]

Ok, I have an AGP slot. So what do 8xAGP and 4x mean? I can buy any type of video card (at 512 MB or above) so long as it's AGP, and it'll be compatible, right?

When AGP first came out the speed of it was rated at 4x. Then they came out with the newer standard and it was 8x. If you know what kind of MoBo you have then you can check out the specs for it and it should tell you if it is 8x compatible. That is what you want! The difference between 4x and 8x is huge! You wouldn't think that would be the case, I know I didn't at the time, but when I finally got an 8x card I could tell a massive difference.

As for it working with Mint. It should work fine. What you can do is go over to the hardware section and check out AGP card and see which ones are compatible and see if you can get one of them. Here is the link to the hardware section; Community Hardware

[brawnypandora0]

Ok, I have an AGP slot. So what do 8xAGP and 4x mean? I can buy any type of video card (at 512 MB or above) so long as it's AGP, and it'll be compatible, right?

When AGP first came out the speed of it was rated at 4x. Then they came out with the newer standard and it was 8x. If you know what kind of MoBo you have then you can check out the specs for it and it should tell you if it is 8x compatible. That is what you want! The difference between 4x and 8x is huge! You wouldn't think that would be the case, I know I didn't at the time, but when I finally got an 8x card I could tell a massive difference.

As for it working with Mint. It should work fine. What you can do is go over to the hardware section and check out AGP card and see which ones are compatible and see if you can get one of them. Here is the link to the hardware section; Community Hardware

The manual doesn't say anything about 4x or 8x. According to TechPowerUp, the bus interface is AGP 4x @ 4x. That means only 4x is supported, and isn't compatible with 8x, right? So, do computer stores specify whether they're selling a 4x or an 8x?

[Txnca]

The manual doesn't say anything about 4x or 8x. According to TechPowerUp, the bus interface is AGP 4x @ 4x. That means only 4x is supported, and isn't compatible with 8x, right? So, do computer stores specify whether they're selling a 4x or an 8x?

Yes, they do or at least the Video Card will tell you if it is 4x/8x or if it is just one or the other. A lot of them will work on both. Some of them will not, but either way, they should say so on the box/specs of the card itself.

[mastablasta]

8x can work on 4x but will only work with 4x speed. os the mothebroard will be a bottle nect. but note that you are not actually loosing half of the cards speed. just some. it will still be fast.

[willie42]

Right Click my computer then click
hardware tab
Device manager
click the plus next too display adapters
should tell you there.

Yep, I remembered, how easy (and how dumb*ss I am But really forget it the care of various tricks of win )

Elisa you know you are smart. Just been away from Windows long enough to forget all the misery

[Elisa]

Elisa you know you are smart. Just been away from Windows long enough to forget all the misery

Ohohohoh, thaaaank yoooouuuu for the compliment, sir
My life on windows when something to solve: move my ass to a cool warez or cracks sites and see the right solutions
However, that freeware SIW is really cool, even ran as portable
As my sig says, nothing needed to add more...

[vardomescro]

I do not care, I don't use win any more.

OMG I fell outta my gd chair!!!
On... Off... topic... Where does one go to reinforce Linux friendly manufacturers?

[willie42]

Elisa you know you are smart. Just been away from Windows long enough to forget all the misery

Ohohohoh, thaaaank yoooouuuu for the compliment, sir
My life on windows when something to solve: move my ass to a cool warez or cracks sites and see the right solutions
However, that freeware SIW is really cool, even ran as portable
As my sig says, nothing needed to add more...

Some things are best forgotten Elissa