Desktop Computer Packages

Where can I get a cheap PC video card? Please help :)?

I just got the sims 3 and it doesnt work on my PC. It says I need a 128 mb video card with at least a 2.0 shader model. where can i get one of these thats not that expensive?

Public Comments

1. GeForce 8400 GS 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI HDCP Ready Video Card $30 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187042
2. woah woah woah don't buy anything yet. Unfortunately you're in a bit of a pickle here. Here i'm assuming that you don't know much about computers, or about your own computer (if this isnt the case then call me condescending and throw me in the river). Unfortunately you can't just buy a new graphics card and slap it in: since your current card is so bleeding old theres a real issue with PCI-E, PCI or AGP. These are the different types of slots that graphics cards can fit into. 99% of modern cards are PCI-E, but your computer is old enough to have come from the AGP days. Or, heaven for-fend, you might be on onboard graphics without a dedicated capability. At which point it all goes tits up (but this is unlikely tbh). Sooooo.... what to do what to do what to do? You want to download and run CPU-Z and click the 'Mainboard' tab. http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php (near the bottom it should say Graphic Interface and in here it'll say AGP, PCI or PCI-Express) Once you've found this you can now go shopping. I like to shop online, im in the UK and i use the sites: www.scan.co.uk www.dabs.com www.overclockers.co.uk/ and www.aria.co.uk if you're elsewhere in the world then it's prob not best to get it delivered from these places :P Once you're on the site of your choice there should be a tiny little section in the graphics cards bit for the old PCI cards, otherwise assume everything is PCI-E. If you are looking for a PCI or an AGP then googling for it might be better, not many places carry the old cards any more (ebay maybe)?. Where ever you buy from should list the video memory (thats the 128mb bit) and it should state what shaders it supports. GL and happy shopping :)