[Rob Babcock]

I've got an HP computer: 2.7 Gig Celeron, 768 MB DDR memory, DVD-rom, CD Burner.  I've got only PCI slots, so an AGP 'Uber-Card' is out.  My desire is to be able to handle mild action games (eg Diablo 2) with decent performance.  I'm realistic enough not to expect hi rez HALO 2 at 75 fps.

Would this likely be a step up from stock?: http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce2mx.html  I'm referring to the GeForce 2 MX-400.  

It's pretty cheap, like $60.  Again, I'm not aiming for the best performance since that's not possible with a PCI card (or so I assume), just something that'll hold up well to the occasional game.

If that one sucks, then what do you guys recommend?

Conversely, what's the absolute best PCI graphics card out there, price be damned?  I could see going that route if the performance warrants it.

Thanks for any feedback.

-R-

[EchiDna]

er... how did you manage to get a PC without an AGP slot in the first place? that is seriously weird...

not to mention you bought a HP
(just kidding!)

AFAIK, the GeForce MX400 is about as good as there is for PCI... I dont recall reading of any raedon PCI cards or any newer GeForce than the MX 400 being released in PCI form factor.

Are you sure your PC doesn't have an AGP slot for the current graphics card? or is it one of these integrated graphics mobo's?  

GL in your search, but if it is integrated graphics, you might be hosed.
Consider getting a local 15 year old to build your next pc, that way you can build in whatever flexibility you want down the track... much better than being stuck with a white box dinosaur with no upgradeability  

[Woodsea]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=319

[EchiDna]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=319

I was wrong!  

still the pci bus will be a potential bottleneck if you try playing anything more than diablo etc...

GL Rob...

[Rob Babcock]

Thanks, guys.  Yeah, I didn't buy a supercomputer, but I didn't want to spend the money for one.  Nor the bucks to have a 15 yr old assemble one from parts!   HP has never been a favorite brand, but for the money the one I bought is pretty nice.  Not to mention it's the absolute quietest  PC I've ever heard.

I was really surprised when I cracked the case to find no open AGP slot.  But I never do any gaming, just thought as an afterthought that I'd like to be able to add some very mild gaming to my menu of options.

Down the road I plan to get something stouter, then set the old one up as a burning PC:  I'll take everything off the computer not strictly needed to make it run, then unhook it from the internet.  But for now, Audio toys take up most of my money.

[Thump553]

As an aside, I (still) play hours of Diablo2.  No matter what videocard you get, unless you get a Voodoo card from some surplus place, your best video setting is in 2D.  The picture is only marginally different and the speed is much better.  I'm using a Radeon 9700 and am still running Diablo2 in 2D.

Are there any Radeons available in PCI?  I was very unimpressed with the one MX-400 card I saw-it may not be better than your stock video.

Hey, and quiet is GOOD in a PC.

[bubba966]

HP has never been a favorite brand, but for the money the one I bought is pretty nice.  Not to mention it's the absolute quietest  PC I've ever heard.

Of the off-the-shelf PC's I've pulled apart I've found the HP's to be much better than most of them. When you mentioned to me where you bought your 'puter I was hoping that it was at least an HP and not some POS that is usually carried by big retailers.

Can you figure out what graphics chipset you've got on board?

It might be as good as or better than any PCI card you can pickup. And then again it might not be...

[Rob Babcock]

Okay, I've been looking at an Invidia Asylum 256 MB PCI card; looks pretty badass for a PCI card.  It's about $150 and should handle about anything I'd need it for.

But it's probably a ways down the list, after a new printer and DVD burner...