Need help finding video card for older computer

[DartonCav]

     I'm wanting to upgrade my video card because the card I have will not be supported to play Spore when it is released.  I have a Nvidia Geforce FX 5200 video card with AGP and 128 MB DDR mempry card .  I just want to know what is one of the best cards I can get for my computer that is reasonably priced.  I have a HP Pavilion a265c desktop.  I don't know what kind of motherboard I have but I bought this computer in Fall of 2005.  So I know it is not most up to date motherboard.  I have not upgraded any hardware but always update drivers and software when needed.  I'm using Windows XP SE2 as my OS.  I have Pentium 4 running at 2.8 Ghz with hyperthreading technology.  512Mb DDR SDRAM memory.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[Zylstra]

Your video card might be able to play the game Spore. I would try it before you buy a new video card.

If you want to buy a new card anyways, your going to need to give us some more details.

For example:
What other slot types do you have in your computer?
Eg: AGP, PCI, PCI-E, and then if its PCI, we need to know if its X1 PCI, or X16.

Check with your computer manufacturer to help us determine this.
Also provide us your computer manufacturer name, and your computers model number.

[NOT ADMIN :P]

I would buy another stick of 512 or even 2x 1gb sticks if you are going to play spore.

I love the idea behind it all.

[Zylstra]

I would buy another stick of 512 or even 2x 1gb sticks if you are going to play spore.

I love the idea behind it all.

That could help, but, you would want to check the Computer Manufacturers support website to make sure that the computer can handle that much RAM. I've run across that problem a lot. Some cheaper computer manufacturers (Dell does this) will limit the amount of RAM your BIOS can handle to "convince" you to upgrade your computer over time. (This goes especially for laptops)

[DartonCav]

I wanna upgrade video card to something more up to date so i can play Spore.  I have a program called Belarc that helps me find what I have.  These are my specs so can someone help me pick a card that will work with my current hardware.  i also believe my motherboard uses AGP if that helps.


Operating System         System Model
Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600)         HP Pavilion 061 DF283A-ABA a265c 06f1211RE101STING10
System Serial Number: MXM3320H2Q NA200
Processor a         Main Circuit Board b
2.80 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache         Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. 'P4SD-LA' Rev 1.xx
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 3.10 06/27/2003
Drives         Memory Modules c,d
160.03 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
69.55 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

HP DVD Writer 300c [CD-ROM drive]
JLMS XJ-HD166S [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]

Generic USB CF Reader USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 2
Generic USB MS Reader USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 4
Generic USB SD Reader USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 1
Generic USB SM Reader USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 3
ST3160021A [Hard drive] (160.04 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 3JS0TH7J, rev 3.06, SMART Status: Healthy         512 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM0' has 256 MB
Slot 'DIMM1' is Empty
Slot 'DIMM2' has 256 MB
Slot 'DIMM3' is Empty
     Local Drive Volumes
     
      
c: (NTFS on drive 0)    160.03 GB    69.55 GB free
     Network Drives
     None detected
Users (mouse over user name for details)         Printers
local user accounts   last logon
 Owner    6/24/2008 3:42:56 AM    (admin)
local system accounts
 Administrator    never    (admin)
 ASPNET    never    
 Guest    never    
 HelpAssistant    never    
 SUPPORT_388945a0    never    
 SUPPORT_fddfa904    never    

DISABLED Marks a disabled account;   LOCKED OUT Marks a locked account
        
HP Photosmart 2600 series    on USB001
HP Photosmart 2600 series fax    on USB001
Microsoft Shared Fax Driver    on SHRFAX:
Controllers         Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Intel(R) 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller]         NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 [Display adapter]
hp f1703 [Monitor] (17.1"vis, s/n CNCHD0N520, July 2003)
Bus Adapters         Multimedia
Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D2
Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D4
Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D7
Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24DE
Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller         Realtek AC'97 Audio
Communications         Other Devices
Lucent Win Modem

      
1394 Net Adapter
Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
   Physical Address:    00:0C:6E:7C:57:42
Westell WireSpeed Dual Connect Modem
 primary     Auto IP Address:    192.168.1.97 / 24
   Gateway:    192.168.1.254
   Dhcp Server:    192.168.1.254
   Physical Address:    00:18:3A:46:BF:76
 
Networking Dns Server:    192.168.1.254
        Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
HID-compliant consumer control device
HID-compliant device (2x)
USB Human Interface Device (2x)
HID Keyboard Device
HID-compliant mouse
USB Composite Device
USB Mass Storage Device
USB Root Hub (5x)

[Zylstra]

I moved your post into this topic. Please click the "Reply" button in this post to give more information, or to reply.

[Calum]

That PC will actually run Spore - not great, but it will suffice.
More RAM will help though.  You could buy a new video card, but for a system like that I don't think it's worth it, save the money for a new system in the future.

Zylstra, I think you mean PCI-E X1, X16 etc, not PCI.

[Zylstra]

Zylstra, I think you mean PCI-E X1, X16 etc, not PCI.

I knew it was one of them, Ill have to remember that