Graphics card recommendation

[Ovennamedheats]

Hello,

There are so many graphics cards to choose from. I would like to spend no more than $200. What are the factors I must consider when choosing one? I am quite a Noob so I will probably just stick with Nvidia as that's what this machine currently has in it. What information about the machine must I provide to get quality advice? I'm basically interested in playing Skyrim, Oblivion, Morrowind, Fallout 3 and NV as customised as possible. If I have issues running Oblivion due to modern technology will I experience even more issues trying to play Morrowind? I was having issues with Oblivion crashing on me during the tutorial and came to the conclusion that it was sound related. I ran DBAN to start fresh and I just set up a dual boot with Windows 7 and XP but it's my first time. I also installed a sound card where there wasn't one previously. Canyourunit.com recommends the only thing I need to run the games listed above is a better graphics card.

[Erik005]

What processor and graphics card do you have now?

[Relstin]

The main problem here is trying to find a GPU that will work on Windows XP since support for it has largely ceased to exist since 2014. I honestly would've installed it onto a VM from Win 7.

[Ovennamedheats]

Thanks for the responses. I currently have an Intel® Core2 Quad CPU Q 9400 @2.66 GHz 2.67 GHz and Nvidia quadro fx 580.

 

Couldn't I delete the partition and set up the v machine like you suggested? I don't mind fixing errors in order to get practice.

[Erik005]

If you want to stay with nvidia a gtx750ti would be a good choice.

 

I have one running with a c2d E8400 and it runs pretty good

 

FYI: the only real barrier I have hit playing around with this old system was the lack of AHCI on the motherboard which is not good for a ssd.

 

I don't know if you really want to invest in this PC, maybe a core i3 update kit would be a better option.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Erik005

[Relstin]

Thanks for the responses. I currently have an Intel® Core2 Quad CPU Q 9400 @2.66 GHz 2.67 GHz and Nvidia quadro fx 580.

 

Couldn't I delete the partition and set up the v machine like you suggested? I don't mind fixing errors in order to get practice.

Wow. A Core 2 Quad... There's a blast from the past. That unfortunately means more than your GPU may need to be updated. Also, a Quadro is more of a workstation GPU and is not designed for gaming. For the time being though, a GeForce GTX 960 might work. Thanks to the GTX 10 series, I've seen 960's go for under $200.

 

And yes, deleting the XP partition and putting it in a VM is probably best. Morrowind, Oblivion and FO3 would probably work better on XP than 7.

[FMod]

I thought you might be able to get a few bucks out of your Quadro 580 (it's no good for gaming, but someone might need a Quadro for its pro-specific features with no performance demands), but they go for $20 on ebay, so no luck there either.

 

XP is over (except in corporations with super valuable data... and plenty of those XP machines are internet connected AND run as admin!), but there's plenty of GPU that support it. Nvidia only dropped XP support with the 10 series - literally, you can run a GTX 980 Ti on Windows XP.

 

Officially, the GTX 960 is the highest supported card for XP. Unofficially, this is purely an artificial limitation and you just need to download the latest GTX 960 XP drivers - http://www.geforce.com/drivers/results/105040 - and add your card's deviceID: http://forum.hwbot.org/showthread.php?t=152922

 

So, for $200, you're looking at a choice between a new GTX 960 with official support and a used GTX 970 with a minor driver tweak to run it on XP.

 

Basically, you're only missing out on the R9 380X, which you say you don't want anyway. The latest NV GPU don't fit your budget, the latest Radeons do, but they're not that great anyway.

[Ovennamedheats]

Well, s#*!. This is a workstation PC. A loaner from my community college. Basically one of the same they have in all the CIS classrooms. I'm thinking it might be best if I try to build one from scratch even if it may cost a bit more, it will help me become more comfortable with the whole experience. Are there any simple, straightforward, and reliable resources that I can consult to tackle this project? I've heard of Tom's hardware but I'm not sure how user-friendly it is. I basically would probably just buy what is recommended on UESP and canyourunit. Like I said earlier, it's easy for me to become overwhelmed by too many choices due to perfectionism.

[Erik005]

Here you go.

 

https://us.hardware.info/pcbuyersguide

[Ovennamedheats]

Cool, I checked that out. So what kind of games do people play where they would need a top of the line gaming pc? Pardon my ignorance but I've always just been a solo console gamer. In fact I'm quite new to forums as well so feel free to help me with my etiquette.