Graphics Card Recommendations

[evolution83]

Does anyone have any good recommendations for a good card?

Since I posted in another thread that my fan died on my old card, I'm not sure if I should buy the same brand again.

My current card is an nVidia GeForce 8400GS with 512MB RAM. It was manufactured by BFG, and they offer lifetime 10 year warranty. I'd like to get my card RMAd, but they need a proof of purchase and I don't necessarily have that.

I'd like to stick with a good card under $60 since I'm on a budget at the moment.

Would nVidia or ATI be best? And just FYI, I do a lot of gaming, video and pic editing.

 

[A Guy]

BFG doesn't make video cards anymore. About the best you'll do for $60 is a deal. If you can wait for a rebate, then this is likely as good of a card as you'll be able to find for that price.

Newegg.com - MSI N240GT-MD1G/D5 GeForce GT 240 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

A Guy

 

[Petey7]

You don't need a receipt on a 8400GS if you have a ten year warranty. The card came out in late 2007. They should replace it without a proof of purchase. Talk about a rip off.

As for a new card, I'd go with anything you see on this page. And Newegg will probably be the cheapest place to find most of those cards.

 

[evolution83]

Jeez. I checked out some of the BFG cards to read reviews, and many of the cards seem to die fairly fast in just a few months, much like some of the ATI cards I was reading about.

This makes choosing a decent card difficult.

 

[Colonel Travis]

I got a crappy GT 220 1GB for that $39.99 price that's on the page Petey7 linked - Splinter Cell Conviction, Ps and PPro CS5 all run great. My max resolution is only 1600x900. Better cards are almost pointless in my case until I get a bigger monitor, but for what I have at the moment it is more than sufficient.

 

[evolution83]

I think I may just purchase this card, as it's basically the same as I have now, only from a different vendor. The card also has HDMI ports that were on my original card.

 

[Petey7]

Just remember to hang on to every proof of purchase you get. It might save you from having to buy another card latter on.

 

[evolution83]

I will, and I normally do, but I just don't know what I did with my old receipt. I'll be sure to put this one away in a safe place for when this problem happens again.

 

[thefabe]

Just out of curiosity I called BFG cause I used to buy a lot of BFG cards and never had a problem RMAing them. They didn't ask for proof of purchase. Phone number 1-866-234-3499. I just told them I had a 8400 gs fan that stopped working and the card went bad. They just asked for my name, email address and mailing address and said they would email me an RMA # within 20 minutes Now I don't know if it's because they have my name in the system or what but you might want to call them, when prompted press#1 for video cards. good luck. Fabe

 

[evolution83]

Just out of curiosity I called BFG cause I used to buy a lot of BFG cards and never had a problem RMAing them. They didn't ask for proof of purchase. Phone number 1-866-234-3499. I just told them I had a 8400 gs fan that stopped working and the card went bad. They just asked for my name, email address and mailing address and said they would email me an RMA # within 20 minutes Now I don't know if it's because they have my name in the system or what but you might want to call them, when prompted press#1 for video cards. good luck. Fabe

Just called again to inquire about an RMA. The guy I got this time was very helpful unlike the last idiot who just gave me short answers about any question I asked.

The rep told me I could go to Frys (where I bought my card) and get a copy of proof of purchase since I paid with a credit card. Then, all I'd have to do is register the product online, then create an RMA and they'll send out a new card.

Since I'm down the street from Frys, I'll just go after work.

 

[Petey7]

Good stuff, good stuff.

 

[thefabe]

Good to hear I still don't know why they didn't ask me for one wierd. Anyways they have always been a good company as far as support went for me. Best of luck. Fabe

 

[Petey7]

Did you register all you products from them Fabe?

 

[thefabe]

No I used to buy broken cards on ebay then RMA them. But that was a couple of years ago. This is a good reason for saving the boxes your parts come in, and I keep a folder with conputer parts purchases reciptes, besides when you go to resell them they are worth more if you have the original box and everything it came with not to mention the proof of purchase seal.
Now days as soon as I get a card or whatever that requires registration I do it as soon as I get them. Fabe

 

[Petey7]

I don't know if I should call you a a**hole or a genius.

 

[thefabe]

The thing was they offered a lifetime guarantee. If you read through the terms( at that time) it didn't require you to register the card or say you had to be the originall owner. The only requirement was that all the original stickers had to be on the back of the card and untampered with. So I wasn't violating any of their requirements. Fabe

 

[Petey7]

Fair enough.

 

[Warluck]

I had my voice to that, I RMA a 9600GT a couple of months ago without any proof of purchase, they sent me a RMA# along with the shipping address, 3 emails, 10 minutes. It took a week and got back a brand new card which I now have to sell to anyone since I bought a GTX260.

 

[evolution83]

Seeing as how I came into some extra money last night after having to swap my aunts old graphics card for a new one since it died as well, I don't feel like waiting on BFG for a new card and having to pay to ship my old one to them. I've read many complaints on BFG cards saying they don't last very long, so, I'm leaning towards another company.

The card I bought for my aunt last night was from Asus, the same manufacturer that my original card was from, as well as my aunts. The only thing I didn't like was that it had no fan, so I would assume it would overheat very easily and isn't good for doing lots of high end applications like video, photo, games, etc...

I can go into my local Frys to buy a new card as they have many manufacturers to choose from, I just need to know which card won't die out on me in a few months.

Thoughts?

 

[thefabe]

I try and stay with XFX cards or Evga as I take their warranties into consideration due to the fact it seems that graphics cards have some of the highest failure rates out of any other piece of hardware in your system..
That's just my opinion. Fabe