Low-power Vista -Compatible Video Cards? Anyone???

[JeffAHayes]

I have a mild dilemma associated with the upcoming Vista rollout.

Vista Upgrade Advisor -- even the more sophisticated one at ATI -- says my system exceeds even OPTIMUM requirements for a Vista Premium experience except for ONE component -- the Radeon 9200 Video card, which has Pixel Shading 1.4, and Vista requires a minimum of 2.0, with 3.0 preferred.

I'm very happy with the card as things stand with XP. It has 128 MB, supports two monitors up to 2048 x 1536, and has never given me a day's trouble, BUT if I want to upgrade to Vista next February or so, I'll have to replace it.

Not a problem for me EXCEPT, this HP Media Center m376n came with a 200-watt power supply, and most of the new, super-duper cards are saying they need 350, 400 watts to run.

Swapping out an AGP card is one thing. Also swapping out the power supply puts me into a higher category, even though the extra dollars aren't that much, partly because I have to find one that will fit the enclosure AND not overheat in there.

I KNOW there MUST BE some cards out there that will both meet my Vista needs AND run on my current power supply, but the card manufacturer websites are VERY user-unfriendly when it comes to searching for wattage used (ATI lists it for SOME cards; nVidia doesn't appear to list it for ANY). I think it's listed on the BOX of most cards in stores, but most stores carry only a fraction of what's out there -- especially considered I'm kind of locked into AGP, as this computer doesn't have PCI-E. And since it's otherwise still close enough to "State-of-the-art" I see no reason to replace it at this point, if it comes down to it, I'll just hang with XP for another year or so and not upgrade to Vista until I HAVE to get a new system, rather than jump through TOO MANY hoops.

But if some of you know of a card of two that will suit my needs, that would be much better.

Thanks in advance for all your knowledge and advice!
Jeff

[Mrkazador]

I have a 9600xt on an old emachines with a 200watt off-brand powersupply. Ive had for about 4 years i think, still working fine. Im sure you could find a 9600pro for a good price.

[taz291819]

I believe the 9700Pro can handle 200W PS also.

To be honest though, Vista is going to be pretty 3D heavy (if you use Aero), so I'd seriously consider putting a bigger power supply in your rig and go with a newer card.

[najames]

....or just ignore Vista.

Something is seriously wrong when an OS upgrade is basically dictating that you need to buy a new computer. I'll bet hardware companies love Bill Gates.

[BigAl]

I've got a MB with an nvidia 6150 integrated chipset and it runs Vista just fine. So I'd say a 6200 nvidia or 7300 would be way plenty for Vista and neither of these should draw much power.

ATI's X300 should also do the trick. The latest gen nvidia cards are supposed to be a bit more efficient than the current gen ATI's so I don't know if I'd recommend the x1300.

[Zappcatt]

nVidia 6600GT should aldo work...maybe even the 7600GT

[JeffAHayes]

Well I actually did an online support chat with an HP rep on this, and they were about the least helpful anyone's ever been, lol. Their sole recommendation was to upgrade the power supply to 350 or 400 watts and then get one of the more compatible, newer cards (like the ones they carry, although they didn't actually put it that way, and had no PS upgrade to offer me, only the dimensions I needed to stick to to fit the same enclosure).

I get the feeling they don't recommend much they can't sell to you, but then who is going to, when they're giving free online support to a customer who's almost 2 years out of warranty?

This is why I'm posting about it on boards (this is my second board to post this question on)... because I KNOW there are other solutions, and you guys are proving it. Someone on the MCE forum who is certified as some sort of Microsoft expert, or something, said he was running a card that supposedly requires more power on a 220-watt system, and suggested I just try one and take it back if the system gets unstable.

I'm still more inclined to look at something actually RATED closer to 200 watts, though, which is why I'm posting here -- especially after I happened to take a look at the member list and realized there must be a Septillion members here ;) (and I feel proud to be one of them).

You folks have given me several new places to start looking, and I appreciate it. And of course if anyone else knows of some viable cards not yet mentioned, I'd be interested in looking at those, as well. By the way, I'd thought about the 9600 cards, also, but those were contemporaneous with the 9200 so I thought it possible it might also either not be compatible, or just be on the "fringes" of compatibility.

One thing I liked about the ATI Vista test that makes it better than Microsofts is they let you test for Minimum Vista compatibility, as well as Moderate and Optimum, showing a scale for all the others with a graph with a line through the minimum point and green bars showing where your system falls, if it meets or exceeds that, red if it doesn't... My system maxed out almost all the areas (like RAM, CPU speed, etc., on the Minimum configuration), and still exceeded the minimum reuirements and maxed or came close to maxing out some of the remaining ones even on the Optimum check... BUT on the Video card, it failed in JUST the pixel shading on the Minimum level, in TWO areas on the Moderate level and in THREE areas on the Optimum level.

Be nice if I can find a card that will meet at least the minimum requirements even on the optimum level, and still run on 200 watts (No, I'm not asking for MUCH, lol).

The NICE THING about this is I have MONTHS before this is a REAL issue, so there's LOTS of time to explore it, BUT my only fear is that there's just the "perfect card" to suit my needs out right now, just THIS close to being closed out FOREVER, and I won't figure out what it is until they all sell out, lol, and end up having to spend a $100 or so more than I oughta as a result (my money IS tight, lol).

I guess I need to start checking out those video cards like YESTERDAY, now that y'all have given me some recommendations to look at.

Thanks!
Jeff

[JeffAHayes]

OK, NOW I really AM cornfusled, lol.

I DID check around on some of the cards you folks recommended. In fact, I found a really good deal on the Radeon 9600XT from a link at ATI's website to CompUSA for a Visiontek 256 MB version at CompUSA for $69.99, but the CompUSA website said it was sold out online, and when I clicked on the link to check for availability in my local area and put in my Zip code, it just didn't do anything except churn for a while... probably, as I found out on the phone this afternoon (when I discovered almost ALL their phone stuff is ALSO done by computer, because it's ALSO not available in-store in this area), so it's NOT a deal for me.

But HERE'S the deal I DID find...

I was at a certain unnamed warehouse club this afternoon, browsing the computer section just to make sure I don't miss any deals as I always do when I'm there, when I found a single computer at the end of an aisle... Now I KNOW I've said I'm not of the mind to buy a new computer, and I'm STILL really NOT, but check out THIS deal.

I think it was the ONLY ONE, and I didn't see a box, so I'm guessing it's an open-box deal, but it even comes with a DVI cable and WOULD still be a NEW computer with the full ONE-YEAR warranty if I bought it, and this particular "warehouse club" has like a 6-month return policy, to boot... My sole concerns are:

1. Is it fully "Vista Compatible?" I think so, but the model debuted Dec. 1, 2005 and has been discontinued, so I can't be 100% sure (although considering MINE is 26 months older by the same manufacturer and the only thing in IT that ISN'T Vista Compatible is the video card, and I KNOW the video card in this one is Vista Compatible, I'm pretty sure it is;

2. IF I can hold off another 17 days (until Oct. 1), will that promise of "free Vista Upgrades for all 'new' computers sold after Oct. 1" still apply (assuming it will sit there for another 2.5 weeks without selling, lol) to THIS obviously discontinued model?

Now for the "good stuff"

It's THIS computer: HP Media Center m7367c (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=1831238&jumpid=re_r329_search/internal/cc_m7367c&lang=en&docname=c00583848)

With THIS monitor: HP f2105 21" LCD Monitor (http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=storefronts&category=displays&orderflow=1&a1=Display+type&v1=LCD&product_code=P8727AA%23ABA&catLevel=2)

Note that monitor, alone, goes for $549 AFTER $50 mail-in rebate (although I already HAVE that 21" Gateway rotating monitor sitting in the box down the hall awaiting final verdict, lol, and still prefer it -- if the HP monitor comes in a box, wonder how much I could get for it as new, never used? lol).

The computer comes with duo 3.0 Ghz Intel processors, although all the different processor architectures have me a bit flummoxed at present, so I can't tell you exactly WHICH one... 930, I think, 1.5 GB RAM and a 300 GB HD, plus the place for one of the "personal media drives" I really don't see myself ever using, as I think they're overpriced, and a front panel with lots of connections, rear panel with multi-speaker output (support for up to 7.1, I think).

Total price? $1020.11

What to do?
What to do?????
Jeff

[Hef]

I think if you wait just make sure you get a non-gaming card and one of the newer cards with pixel shader 3.0 and directx 10 (yet to come out I think) and that should be you're optimal fix. You might also not want to jump on Vista right away till all the bugs are worked out. So stop worrying you have some time to go.

[JeffAHayes]

Well, I decided to see what was out there at the local stores today, and picked up a VisionTek XGE 512 MB AGP 8X Radeon X1300 ATI card @ Best Buy for $172.99 (again to remain in box, with receipt, for now).

Card has a lifetime warranty and dual DVI outputs on it with a DVI-VGA adapter included so you can use one as a VGA output, plus an S-Video output, and I could have SWORN this one also came with a DVI cable, but now I don't see that on the side of the box... must have been the 256 MB version I was looking at that had that, lol.

Anyway, as I've just realized, the XGE spec is all about it being an EXTREME GAMER EDITION, and I don't do video games (and as I have enough distractions, already, don't plan on getting started, because I'm pretty sure I'd get REALLY waste time if I got into that stuff, lol).

Just got it for insurance, anyway, and especially since I just found out I could have gotten it for $23 less from Dell, it's going back.

Sweet card, though... here's a link: VisionTek XGE 512 MB X1300 (http://www.visiontek.com/products/cards/retail/x1300_512_XGE_agp.html)

Actually, I slightly think I'm losing my mind, lol.

I also went back to that warehouse club to check out that system again, talked to the person who works in that department... display model, no boxes, just dropped to that price Wednesday... System was originally about $1,700... Has everything in the ONE BOX they didn't throw out (the monitor box... all the manuals, cards, cables and CDs and peripherals they didn't need to hook it up... remote control and whatnot for the Media Center), but no box for the computer or monitor, although they would still count as sold NEW, with a NEW warranty.

VERY tempting.

Anybody wanna buy a BRAND NEW HP f2105 monitor I won't be needing??? ;)
Jeff

[JeffAHayes]

As I've said a couple places, I subscribe to the CNet and ZDNet daily emails of news, reviews and so forth, so it's almost creepy that the following link should come in an email today, almost like it was aimed at ME, lol, although the question was asked by someone named Bob.

It also shows me what a TRULY IDIOTIC purchase I made today... This one ain't gonna sit for two weeks; it's goin' back tomorrow, lol.

Here's the link, for anyone who wants some more info (one of the rare times I might actually be able to GIVE something), although I don't know that there's much in this article that hasn't been put forward already, except that all this graphic-intensive stuff really ISN'T necessary unless you're gaming: Nongamer needs recommendations for video cards (http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-10149-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=205947&messageID=2204292&tag=nl.e406)

Happy Reading!
Jeff

[JeffAHayes]

[SIZE=5][COLOR=Red]HELP!!![/COLOR][/SIZE][COLOR=Magenta]I'M OUTTA CONTROL!!!!![/COLOR]

You've probably guessed it by now... after three consecutive days of fretting and drooling over that system at the Warehouse Club I "took the leap" yesterday, figuring I can sell my current system, plus the monitor that came with that system, since I have that Gateway monitor, and recoup most, or all of the cost.

But since all that's still SPECULATIVE, I still feel kindasorta OUT-OF-CONTROL at the moment (of course I DID take back that Radeon card FIRST).

So am I REALLY out of control, or did I make a wise move, financially? Just some thoughts... That system sold for $17?? BEFORE HP discontinued that model, and the model was just released Dec. 1 2005, and I can TAKE IT BACK for up to like 6 months, although I'm looking at more like a couple weeks or so to make that kind of ultimate decision... just couldn't pass up the "concept" of that kind of deal.

Thoughts? Comments?? Donations of Cyanide??? :eek: :rolleyes: :D
Jeff