GeForce 7200?

I'm currently working on upgrading my Girlfriends computer so she can play the sims 3, and i wanted to ask a couple questions before i give her the "report".

Right now she has an Xpress 200 chipset which can just barley run the sims 3 (I know right, amazing), but it cuts up terribly when acutally playing the "real game". (Create a sim and the simple neighborhood view are fine.) So, I'm looking to get her something inexpensive that can run the sims 3. It doesn't even have to run it well. See, unlike a lot of us here (and myself :), it's not all about getting the best. If it starts up and runs, she's happy.

After some looking around, i've come across the 7200 GS (7100 isn't supported and neither is the 6100). I was also looking at the 8400 GLS, but that might be a bit much (she only plays the sims). Will the 7200 do the job, even just barley? She has only a PCIE x16 slot, so it has to fit there. Also, what is the Radeon Equivilant to that? I don't know my ATI cards as well as i should.

Thanks in advance

-Trueno07

a 7300 should be able to run it okay on the settings you gave

Ok, thanks for the help. But remember, i'm not looking to run the game on high or even medium settings. Low and at 680x800 resolution will be just fine. I'm going to have her update the drivers here pretty soon, but i just wanted to know if a 7200 or even 7300 could do it. I mean, i found them for 25 bucks.Geek12

The Xpress 200 is based on the ATI Radeon X300, which was bottom of the barrell back in the day. The GeForce 7300 was a competitor to the Radeon X1300, the successor to the X300, so the 7300 will probably perform better. However I would consider the Radeon HD 4550, it can be had for as little as $30 after a $10 mail in rebate, and it would absolutely crush a GeForce 7300. If you're willing to spend $15 more bucks and then get a $10 rebate, you could be playing it on max for only $5 more. The Radeon HD 4550 performs near the X1900, which was the top of the line when the X1300 was the bottom of the same generation.

Here is the link if you are interested: LINK

[QUOTE="Geek12"]Ok, thanks for the help. But remember, i'm not looking to run the game on high or even medium settings. Low and at 680x800 resolution will be just fine. I'm going to have her update the drivers here pretty soon, but i just wanted to know if a 7200 or even 7300 could do it. I mean, i found them for 25 bucks.Marfoo

The Xpress 200 is based on the ATI Radeon X300, which was bottom of the barrell back in the day. The GeForce 7300 was a competitor to the Radeon X1300, the successor to the X300, so the 7300 will probably perform better. However I would consider the Radeon HD 4550, it can be had for as little as $30 after a $10 mail in rebate, and it would absolutely crush a GeForce 7300. If you're willing to spend $15 more bucks and then get a $10 rebate, you could be playing it on max for only $5 more. The Radeon HD 4550 performs near the X1900, which was the top of the line when the X1300 was the bottom of the same generation.

Here is the link if you are interested: LINK

[QUOTE="Marfoo"][QUOTE="Geek12"]Ok, thanks for the help. But remember, i'm not looking to run the game on high or even medium settings. Low and at 680x800 resolution will be just fine. I'm going to have her update the drivers here pretty soon, but i just wanted to know if a 7200 or even 7300 could do it. I mean, i found them for 25 bucks.Geek12

The Xpress 200 is based on the ATI Radeon X300, which was bottom of the barrell back in the day. The GeForce 7300 was a competitor to the Radeon X1300, the successor to the X300, so the 7300 will probably perform better. However I would consider the Radeon HD 4550, it can be had for as little as $30 after a $10 mail in rebate, and it would absolutely crush a GeForce 7300. If you're willing to spend $15 more bucks and then get a $10 rebate, you could be playing it on max for only $5 more. The Radeon HD 4550 performs near the X1900, which was the top of the line when the X1300 was the bottom of the same generation.

Here is the link if you are interested: LINK

Ohhh really? Thats good to know. Here's the thing though, you guys are doing exactly what i would do. Go for the best you can get, no matter what. Spend a little more, get better performance. I know it makes sense to you or me but not to her, she just wants to play and not spend much money (i know, crazy right :P) So while i would love to see her buy a 4450, i can't see it really happening. Is there anything under the 4450 and in the same series? And, as i asked earlier, what about an 8400 gs?

ok, good to hear. I also found a 4350 from MSI (love them) for 30 bucks, i'm assuming it doesn't need a PCI power thing?

ok, good to hear. I also found a 4350 from MSI (love them) for 30 bucks, i'm assuming it doesn't need a PCI power thing?

Geek12

okay news flash hd 2400 pro hd 4350 and hd 3450 are all the same they simply reboxed it and gave it a new sticker. literally if you gave am all a generic fansink or w/e they would be indestinguishable all would work equally well and could handle it on low to medium.

okay news flash hd 2400 pro hd 4350 and hd 3450 are all the same they simply reboxed it and gave it a new sticker. literally if you gave am all a generic fansink or w/e they would be indestinguishable all would work equally well and could handle it on low to medium.

aura_enchanted

mm thx but still it was unfinished XD just wanted to point to howw far down the price tag he could go without sacraficing quality.

After playing the Sims 3 I can say that at the lowest settings anything better that a ATI 3450 will have no problem with the game.

The game just simply isn't that taxing on a system...it was built to be able to run on systems that could run the Sims on max settings and the Sims 2 on medium settings...so thus the Sims 3 on low settings is something that isn't difficult to do.

As I said, the 3450 aka HD2400 aka 4350 etc w/e etc w/e will have no problem with the game.

Avoid anything from Nvidia that is followed by a 200 or 400 eg. 7200 8400...they're simply just too slow.

[QUOTE="Geek12"]

ok, good to hear. I also found a 4350 from MSI (love them) for 30 bucks, i'm assuming it doesn't need a PCI power thing?

ferret-gamer

[QUOTE="ferret-gamer"][QUOTE="Geek12"]

ok, good to hear. I also found a 4350 from MSI (love them) for 30 bucks, i'm assuming it doesn't need a PCI power thing?

mouthforbathory

you see this would be true but then i say hd 4550 and this problem is more than fixed. and it will match a 9500gt stride for stride to while being competitively priced with both 9400 and 8400 nivida's.