Gamer question...

[Green_Lantern]

I have Intel video cards on my pc and it seems like no game I buy works with it.

Is it me or are Intel just not made for games?

Should I get an Nvidia card?

[canetoad]

1. Do you mean

That you have a motherboard with an inbuilt Intel graphics accelerator?

If so, for gaming you would be better with a dedicated video card and your choices begin with the chipset: Either Radeon or Nvidia.

Both have their good points, for me it boiled down to which was the most efficient at setting up and changing monitor configurations for graphic work so at the moment have Nvidia. Radeon cards are good for gaming but the control panel annoys me.

On edit: Make sure you have the required PCIe slot for your chosen card and importantly, ensure that it will physically fit into your case and you have spare a spare power connecter if you need it.

[hobbit709]

2. Intel graphics suck for gaming.

Upgraded a computer for a friend so her grandkids could play Call of Duty and Leggo Star Wars on it.
The onboard Intel G31 graphics chipset-which by the way said it did pixel shading, wouldn't play either game.
Turned out that the vertex pixel shading was software controlled instead of hardware. Got her a cheap NVidia GS8400 card and no problem with the games after that.

[Green_Lantern]

4. power supply

Do I really need 350W to use an nvidia 9400GT card?

[Betty88]

5. what kind of games are you trying to play?

also if we knew something about your current setup we might be able to help more. The suggested power requirements are usually set high. Depending on what is running in your computer you can often get away with a less powerful one. HOWEVER you really have to take into account what else is pulling power in your machine, and it should be close to what they suggest.

[Green_Lantern]

7. here's more info

The game is Warhammer DOW2.

I just have a HP a6412p desktop w/ basic setup...lcd monitor, mouse, printer.

It's not a high tech set up.

[Betty88]

8. Well....

I just put this link in another post a few min ago. Check out this card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130533 $40 after rebate

Your computer is never going to be a gaming machine so try out something like this. If the game installs and plays, put it on low settings first and see how it goes. good luck.

[Green_Lantern]

9. thanks for the suggestions

nt

[DainBramaged]

10. You have one PCI Express x16 slot to install a video card

your soft spot is the CPU, if it is this spec:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=vn&lang=en&docname=c01386826&product=3704514

You only have a Pentium E2180 2.0 GHz reviewed here

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116052


You have a LOT of choices available under $100 due to the power supply in the computer, which is usually less than 250 watts in these computers.


This is your motherboard



The long black slot is the video card slot. When you put the video card in, it disables the on board Intel weak-ass video,


My simple recommendation

I see A LOT of computers like yours for modifications. Where possible, I upgrade the CPU to a faster one (in your case a faster dual core only) more memory, usually 4 GB of PC2-6400 total, and this video card, which I have installed on the computer to my right (Warhammer On-line gaming system):

XFX GT240XZNFC GeForce GT 240 1GB



buy it from Newegg, if nothing more it will DRAMATICALLY improve your gaming and performance experience.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150451

84.99
($64.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate )
Free Shipping


That's what I have to say.

[hobbit709]

6. Unless I'm building a low power system

I wouldn't use LESS than 350 watts. It's better to have the extra power available and not use it than to come up short and screw something up. Hard drives for one don't like voltage fluctuations.

[DainBramaged]

11. No, not at all, read my post before and PS the 9400GT is OLD technology

they use it in the Mac Mini's because it is so cheap.

[TrogL]

3. I've been having good luck with ATI

Spending at least $300. My last card cost my $CAN450 and I've been really happy with it.