Quick Graphics Card Question

chalky_bertie

I need to know if I need to put a graphics card into PC. It says that it has a "SIS Mirage 2 Graphics - up to 128mb shared video memory" and have tried it with FS2002 and it seems OK but will be installing add-ons later today plus Train Sim. Website says that PC has an AGP (free) in unit.
The graphics card I have bought (not opened) yet is a "GeForce FX 5200 AGP 128mb DD" and says on box that I need an AGP 2.0 or higher expansion port but how will I find this out. Are they easy to fit? ( i have fitted an extra cd r/w in last pc).

PC is Compaq 1329.

Please don't post info about expensive graphics card as I only want it for FS and TS no other games, and secondly I cant afford it!

cheghead

By your description u have 'on-board' graphics. This is part of the motherboard. It uses up your main system memory up to 128mB. If you have plenty of RAM installed and are not planning to play the latest games then a seperate card is not really needed? Putting a new one in is simple. If you have a AGP slot (The brown one next to the 4 or 5 white PCI slots) just plug the new card in boot up and install the drivers. Then go to System Properties/Hardware/Device Manager and disable the on-board graphics. Hope this helps?

Joe_Bloggs

Put the card in. As far as I can tell the system you have is an Athlon 64. You will gain up to 128Mb of memory back from the integrated graphics with the AGP card. Things should be faster but you could benchmark your system before and after to quantify the diffrerence.
J_B.

chalky_bertie

Thanks for all the info -

will the graphics card make a huge difference in the games i have?

thanks again

blinky

The FX5200 isn't the best card out there but it's a huge improvement from on board gfx.

chalky_bertie

Installed it and now up and running thanks for all your help.