A few questions (crap comp + new card)

[KraidSaves]

Ok I run a 500 mhz Intel Celeron Compaq Presario 5822 with 94 mb Ram, intergrated Intel 810 chipset graphics. It runs Win98/SE. Ok I don't see myself getting a comp anytime in the foreseeable future so I have to make due with what I got. Now I don't play any real 3d intensive games, in fact the only real 3d game I play is Quake 3 Arena. With tweaked settings I get about 40-60 fps. THis was a huge improvement before I tweaked the game settings. At the highest graphic setting I was getting about 16-24 fps which is horrible. Although with my tweaked settings I get 40-60 fps I have to trade off all the eye candy of the game. I actually beat out most other people with my little 500 mhz intergrated graphics with tweaked q3 settings but what I'm missing is all those graphic goodies...
Since I don't see myself getting a computer anytime soon I thought I might get a graphic card to at least enhance the games which I currently play which are

1. Starcraft (don't need anything to enchance this)
2. Diablo (could use more fps in this game)
3. Quake 3 Arena (could use fps, eye candy)

and those are basically all the games I play. Maybe I can into some Half-Life or warcraft 3 later but... Really what I want to know is if my computer can run a PNY Geforce 128mb 5200 fx PCI card. Would I have to buy more ram or something? Maybe that card is a little over my computers head.

Well I just really need a suggestion for a video card. Maybe 64 mb is more realistic. Please help with suggestions

[muno]

If I were you, I'd get something like gf3.
The fx5200 is pretty new, and your computer is pretty old, the fx5200 wouldn't run even near it's full potential with that system.

You would first, of course have to know if your computer even has an agp slot.

//edit:
Actually, if I were you, I'd just save money for a clonepc.

[phil_monk]

i am seriously douting you have an AGP slot so i would say open the system and see if you can see a brownish slot above the pci slots...... if so i would advise a GF3 Ti or a low end GF4 TI these are cheap and will run good graphics with no problem.

[KraidSaves]

Ok you all I don't have an AGP slot for sure, only PCI. 500mhz with an intel celeron... try not to cringe. But as of now I get a pretty satisfactory frame per second (anywhere from 30-60) with the intergrated graphics (directdD) The thing is at the cost of those decent framerates I have to drop the graphics quality. SO I run Quake 3 Arena at 640x480 resolution and lower down the texture qualities and all that stuff. So I just really want a card that will allow me to play with all the high texture and graphics settings ON and will give me a decent fps rate at the same time. I'm not looking for 150 fps or anything just something that will give me smooth gaming with the high graphic settings on. Thx. Currently I'm looking into this card, PNY Verto MX 440-SE 64MB PCI. I found a good price for it (40$) and it seems to be just what I need. I'm not sure so I need more suggestions. THx.

[muno]

The mx series cards are crap for enthusiasts.
But looking at your computer, I'm sure it will give you the performance boost you're looking for.

However, it will NOT serve you in the long run.
Thus, the next time you're upgrading your whole computer, I'd go for a clone computer (assuming you have basic knowlege of computers and stuff).
The upgradebility of a clone computer is far superior to a brand computer. Though, clones may arise some compatibility problems.

My apologies if my text is somewhat incoherent, I'm a bit drunk. It's the first of may

[KraidSaves]

Ah I don't know what a clone pc is

[muno]

A clonepc is a regular nobrand computer. Compaq, hp, fujitsu/siemens etc are all brand computers. Most people have regular nobrand/mixed-components computers, which are clone pcs.

The brand computers often have limited upgradebility and cost more.

[Bullion]

the g4mx will be a massive upgrade in terms of perfromance. Now Understand that this is not a great guide but to within a few orders of magnitude You would look at a 3dmark score of about 3-4000 (conservative) with the g4mx and the integrated would struggle to put out 1000-2000 (optimistically).

The next gen intel integrated graphics is suppose to push out 4000 3dmarks!!! or there abouts

[KraidSaves]

Well I'm not sure I understand what you're saying but I ordered the pny Verto Geforce 4 MX 440-se Pci along with a 128 mb of Ram. I know what I really need is a new computer but this is gonna have to suffice until then.

[gbpec7]

To reiterate what muno said, you can find an mATX/CPU combo fairly cheap if you look around. Your biggest problem is that cellery 500 system is running at 66 MHz bus, you need to at least upgrade to 100/133 MHz bus system. If your box will accept a full ATX board you could have a decent mobo/cpu combo in the XP1800+ range for about 70 bux.