Nvidia graphic card

**Tidus Cleave** · September 16th, 2008, 03:04 PM

Hello i have come to this forum for a bit of help, i was hoping you could tell me something or maybe suggest it.
i was wondering if i need the SAME make for a graphic card, i have a nvidia 5200 geforce fx (lol) and was hoping to play Battlefield 2 in better graphics and without lag, and could you suggest a better card?( not too expensive, im low in cash since im undertaking a training course )

**Atomic Rooster** · September 16th, 2008, 05:52 PM

You wont need to get the same make of video card. You can get any brand as long as it's compatible with the slot available on your motherboard.

We need to know what slots your motherboard has for a video card. I'm assuming it's either a PCI or AGP slot judging from the FX 5200 you already have.

What are you planning on spending for a new card?

**Tidus Cleave** · September 17th, 2008, 08:15 AM

I think i have an AGP slot and PCI slots, as you said yourself most probably an AGP, i was hoping to spend around £30-60 in GBP, or do i need to budge up a little for a more suitable card?

**ShyguyXPC** · September 17th, 2008, 09:18 AM

even many of todays budget gaming cards $50 USD range, give or take some, are going to be a fairly good leap over that old FX5200...

just need to make sure whether that current card is PCI or AGP (or at least whether you have an AGP slot in that system), need to know that before suggesting anything better, if its AGP, will be much easier as well as many more choices to choose from, if you only have PCI slots, then choices are going to be grim...

do you know for sure if you have an AGP slot?

**Tidus Cleave** · September 17th, 2008, 10:08 AM

I am not sure wether i have a AGP slot, i bought it in 2003 so i would imagine it does, but i was going to open it up and see before i bought anything, but i think i have gatherd all the information i need, thank you your help.

**Tidus Cleave** · September 17th, 2008, 10:43 AM

One last thing before i go, I have windows xp and if i install this new graphics card i am going to buy, will i need the windowz xp installation disc? i have lost it

**survivalhero** · September 17th, 2008, 11:46 AM

You won't need the windows disc. You WILL need to install new drivers for the card. Also just because you're gonna get a new video card, it most likely isn't gonna boost your system to the performance you might be thinking. A better card will help but I don't think that it will give you such a boost that you'll be able to play BF2 without lag. I don't know what your system specs are but if you post them someone will surely be able to tell if your system can handle it.

**ShyguyXPC** · September 17th, 2008, 12:32 PM

basically what CPU do you have & how much RAM... as well as which vid card are you looking at.

**Tidus Cleave** · September 17th, 2008, 12:44 PM

512 MB RAM
Intel pentium 4 CPU 3.06hz (2 CPUs)
microsoft windows xp home edition
Nvidia Geforce FX 5200
( im new to this kind of stuff im just studying it, if there any more i need to add just tell me )

**survivalhero** · September 17th, 2008, 05:39 PM

For how old your computer is, your processor is fine. I would however suggest getting at least 2 gigs of ram. Now, since you are on an old system that still supports AGP your ram will most likely be ddr1 so ram shouldn't be to expensive. Depending on what card you get you can probably squeeze in the ram too. That's just my suggestion. I would help you find a card and stuff but you're in Britain so that doesn't help

**ShyguyXPC** · September 17th, 2008, 09:02 PM

yeah I agree with above statement, try to upgrade to 2GB if you can, if due to cost issues of upgrading the card, at the very least bump that RAM to 1GB, but preferably 2 if you can.

yeah, CPU should be fine, the two biggest performance increases for BF2 will be a newer better card & bumping up the RAM on that system (the RAM increase will probably be almost 50% of the equation, with the rest left to the Video cards performance increase)

**Tidus Cleave** · September 18th, 2008, 05:53 AM

Thanks alot but i was really worried about removing my graph card then putting in the new 1, then needing the xp install disc that i dont have, will this be the case? and also i was wondering, how much a new 1-2gb ram would cost, would i need to spend alot? and would this also mean needing an XP installation disc? and i am not the only 1 using my computer so i dont want to delete any files or folder..

, and id rather not back them up, seems like a whole lot of bother

.

**Stevie Blaze** · September 18th, 2008, 07:45 AM

You will NOT need the xp install disk for changing your grapics card or adding more ram.

**Tidus Cleave** · September 18th, 2008, 08:14 AM

so i dont need get the disc just the card and stick, great news

do i need the SAME 512mb stick to fit in my other slot?

**Big_Daddy** · September 18th, 2008, 12:45 PM

BF2 likes a lot of memory.

**railfrog** · September 18th, 2008, 06:46 PM

Do you know, or can you find out what motherboard you have?
It will mean opening the case to find out unless you have the manual to hand.

**Tidus Cleave** · September 19th, 2008, 06:22 AM

i am currently studying this stuff, ill ask for advice, then ill open it up in a few days

**JPMiller** · September 25th, 2008, 12:19 PM

Theres no need to open up the case
Simply use either EverestHome,.... or PCWizard to view the specs and get the info you need

DDR1 (or simply DDR SDRam) is more expensive and harder to find than current DDR2
Youll most likely be limited by the board you have as well
Tell us the make and model of the motherboard, and we should be able to make better suggestions