What is the best video card (mainly for gaming) to use on an eMachine that doesn't break the budget?

I came across a small problem when I tried to install the games Halo and SWAT4 on my computer; I couldn't play them! I'm guessing I need a new video card. Where do I start? I have tried contacting both Microsoft and eMachines, niether of them answered and I'm just running in circles with fourms %26amp; FAQs.

What is the best video card (mainly for gaming) to use on an eMachine that doesn't break the budget?
That depends on what kind of bus you have for grahics expansion (AGP or PCIe), I can point you in the right direction of a graphics card but only you know what kind of expansion card you have, if you aren't sure post back with the model number of your computer and I can probably tell you. At any rate you will want to look at something like a 256MB Radeon 9600XT or a Geforce 6600GT both are excellent mid-level cards and provide the best performance for their price range and it really depends on your budget as to which one you get. Personally I would go with the 128MB Geforce 6600GT, yes the 9600XT has 256MB of memory but the amount of memory (as far as graphics go) isn't the end all be all of existence. The Geforce 6600GT has a faster core and memory clock thus equaling better performance, even if it only has half the memory.





If you have an AGP slot you can get either the Radeon 9600XT or Geforce 6600GT, if you have a PCIe slot then you have to get the 6600GT as it comes in both AGP and PCIe versions. I guess what I'm trying to say is that regardless of which type of slot you have the 6600GT is the way to go.





AGP 6600GT - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...


($113 after rebate)


PCIe 6600GT - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as... ($114 after rebate)





AGP Radeon 9600XT - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as... ($83)





If you didn't have a dedicated graphics card before that is likely your problem, but did it give you a specific error when you tried to install them? (I'm just asking because it could be something else).





Yep, that sure does help. Okay, you're right, it is the graphics card, you are plagued with the S3 Unichrome Integrated Chipset which is far below the challenge of even attempting to play Halo or SWAT4, it's a terrible terrible graphics chip. And as far as expansion you have an AGP slot, so you can go with either the Radeon 9600XT or Geforce 6600GT but I would go with the AGP 6600GT but it is your choice and your budget so I leave it to you.





If you want to see what your computer has go here, http://www.davidphan.com/productDetail.a... though I'm sure you must know some of this.





It is up to you now. Good luck!
Reply:If i were you i'd get a nvidia,much cheaper and most of the time,it has better value.