Windows 7: Your opinions please!

Dear friends,
I am not into games,but i decided to buy a replacement for the Nvidia GE Force 8400 GS card i have with a new Graphics card for my Desktop PC! I got one card (75.9 $)shipped to my address, an ATI HD Radeon 5450 and it would not install in the first place!Is the price too high or reasonable? I am asking this b'cause the prices in USA, Europe and South Asia differ a lot and wanted to know whether i am taken for a royal ride! Do you think the old graphics card is sufficient enough? As such, i have no probs. with it!

Then i lugged my Desktop CPU cabinet to a techiee and he pointed out that the date of manu.was March 2010 ( almost a year back)and asked me whether it came completely sealed or not. The Package was not sealed when it was shipped out to me! He said this is nothing new in our Country(INDIA), and he too could'nt install it! So, i returned it to the shop.

Now, i want your opinions, regarding a graphics card for a non-gamer! I sincerely appreciate any informed opinions and a thousand thanks for the answers!

with regards,
Sreedhav (non-plussed and confused)

I guess first off what''s avalible to you and how much do you want to spend would help. I know in India you are limited to what's avalible and it costs a bit more than here like at Newegg. Also is it the 1gb or the 512gb card?
Newegg prices http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...5450&x=17&y=56
and it would be a decent upgrade DX11 card and pending on which one the memory and streamng processors.
Thanks. Fabe

I can't comment on price because I'm in the US and I don't know what brand you bought and what they charge in different markets.
The 5450 is the very low end of the 5000 series.
It basically a non-gaming card, good for an HTPC.
If you can get the HD5670 for the same price, it's right in the middle in terms of performance,
and will allow for medium range gaming.

But yes, the HD5450 is OK for a non-gamer.
I'm not a gamer either, so I've basically went with a HD4670 and HD5670 for the past few years.

Dear thefabe,
You really hit the spot when you said 1)many models are'nt available and 2) my budget.

The ATI card was a One GB. YES, i can stretch upto $100, beyond that ,i'll break into two and the store fellow can have one piece, but the big question is which? The reason is i am planning to buy a LCD 24 inch high resolution 500000:1 monitor which presently costs $ 300 here (Samsung)!

India is getting richer, thanks to the very huge investors(mostly Americans) in our share market called "Nifty" ,an equivalent to the "Dow Jones" over in USA! The result is inflation and we poor Indians are in for another dose of the medicine, but in the form of taxes! Off-topic ,but One litre of cooking oil here is now more than $3! Thank you!
Regards,
Sreedhav

Dear p5bdkw,
The ATI HD Radeon 5450 costed me $76! Does that price compared to US of A high? Thanks for the reply and i really look forward to your reply to the query i posed to you in this post about the price? I have heard about "newegg" a lot, but do they post outside USA?
Warm Regards,
Sreedhav

Sreeshav
the following link should give you an idea of the cost of the card in the US.
If you see your brand/model number, then you can compare the price.
Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Video Cards & Video Devices,Desktop Graphics / Video Cards,Radeon HD 5000 series,Radeon HD 5450

Yes, the price is high for the card in the US.
No, Newegg doesn't ship internationally.

Dear p5bdkw,
Thanks for the reply! It was a XFX card and in NewEgg it is priced as 66.95$ with around 6$ for shipping! I think that pretty well evens out! You have been most heplful and a REP. is winging it's way!

Warm Regards,
Sreedhav

PS: "Shav" in Indian language means a "dead body"(True but i was only kidding)! Your Moniker too is just letters with a number! I have to tell you the expansion of FSB, the secret service in Russia--->Federal'naya Slushba Bezopasnasti Rossiskoy Fereratsii)

You're welcome!!

p5bdkw,

I agree with your reluctance to comment concerning the prices in another country. I live in Europe and many pc enthusiasts here complain of the limited selection and higher prices that we pay for pc's, their components and pc software in comparison to folks living in the U.S.. There are many variants they come into play when comparing prices.

Although its VERY tempting to buy items outside of Europe its not a good idea, in my opinion. If something goes wrong with something bought locally I can make easy contact with the seller; this, of course, is NOT so if I buy outside the country.

Sreedhav.

Let's see.. non-gamer, newer technology.. cheap! i'd suggest a GT430 or a HD5570, i myself have the same card as you right now (8400GS) it won't handle games at high details or high resolutions, but again. i'm not a gamer..

It's weird that the tech could not install the video card, usually that's done in 4 steps:

1) uninstalling the current drivers (by it's uninstaller, then cleaning the leftovers)
2) removing the card from its slot
3) installing the new card on the same slot the old one was
4) boot into windows and install the new drivers.

I'd say that tech is not a tech hehe...

For a non gamer that's what i'd suggest, really