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"Graphics cards.."

Lately when i have been playing some of my new games on my pc, i have noticed that the graphics seem a bit smudged , and not very sharp. Also that with the more sophisticated games i have noticed more glitches and some places in a level , especially outside that the detail gets very messed up and sometimes there are bits of the backround missing.
So if i bought a graphics card for my computer would it help these problems and make the game look sharper etc ? Also if it is a graphics card i need is there any ones that you could recommend to me as a first time buyer?
Last thing is are they hard to fit , and is it best to let a special reserve technichan fit it for me.
Will be greatful for any advice on this topic, or some answers to my questions.
Dave :)

i'm new at this too, but I find taking stuff out is harder, don't know why, just me being crazy I guess, I think that cards cool, definatly worththe money, although I wouldn't know, but it sounds good + video ot is v good, just for the sake of having it, I talk too much, don't think I should be allowed here.

Uncle Albert wrote:
> Turbonutter wrote:
> B******s, Uncle Albert.

Not at all. It appears (and
> I'm supported by Reaper here) that disabling the graphics chip first is
> sometimes required.
Besides, I'd always disable the old stuff first, just to be
> sure.

Depends on how old it is etc.

So I take it back uncle :o)

Or you could surf along to www.dabs.com, and pick up a Geforce2 MX400 there, the same model as the one you are about to buy, for a good deal less, just made buy a different manufacturer, Abit. You could get the £64 card, or the £69 one, which comes with an additional Video Out. Both these cards come with 64mb of SDRAM, the same as the Sparkle version. I have a Geforce 2MX, which is the model just below the MX400, made by Abit, and it is absoutely fine, I recommend Abit to you.

Whichever one you choose, if you do, they are both cheaper at dabs than the one here at special reserve. You have to pay £2.95 postage and packaging (because the order is under £75) and you will have to install it yourself. I don't think this will be too hard though, I upgraded my PC in the summer, before then I had never even looked inside my old one but I managed to install a new motherboard, processor, graphics card(the one above) and RAM. But if you do have problems you could find someone else to do it for you.
It is definitley worth it to pay less but install it yourself.

P.S. I'm not sure, but I think the ATI Radeon 8500 is actually the most powerful Graphics Card at the moment.

Uncle Albert wrote:
> Because
> you're current graphics chip is built into the motherboard, you'll first have to
> disable that before even thinking of installing the new card. The basic
> procedure will go something like as follows:


Yes, but it's nowhere near as important or even necessary as you make out.

Cheers for all your help , will get the Geforce 2 64mb one , and try and install it my self. If i cant i'll pay special reserve to fit it for me.

Reaper[oV] wrote:
> I want a dirt cheap old PCI graphics card for a second monitor..anyone care to
> throw one my way..?

i've got a couple I could throw at you, although wether or not they'd stay in one piece when they hit you is another matter + but unless your thinking about having a dirt cheap pci gfx card that can just about handle 3d stuff, (emphasis on just) then i'll be more than happy to send it to you, by the way it's 4mb :D I've no idea what card it is, but i'll plug it into this pc and check it out, no doubt i've got the drivers somewhere.

THANKYOU Whooo Style! Oh and Reaper, I've got a 12mb Voodoo 2 PCI floating around if you want it. Trouble is...it's a 3d-only card (i.e. you need a 2d card aswell).

Leaving on board chips and stuff installed and enabled can often mess things up and use up your CPU and RAM. Its best to turn them off either with jumpers or in the BIOS, neither is particularly difficult.

I want a dirt cheap old PCI graphics card for a second monitor..anyone care to throw one my way..?

Meh, I currently have 2 graphics cards/chips, two sound cards/chips and 3 modems plugged in. All's hunky-dory.