Video Card Smelp~

[ClassicRed]

So school tacked on $900 for a PC for my graphic design degree (They are going to hear from me on this but I doubt very much I'll get far) ~ After 11 weeks of classes I finally got it yesterday ~ I ended up with this model ...(XP not Vista)

HP Compaq dx2400 Microtower PC (NV441UT) specifications - HP Small & Medium Business products

Only differences from mine to that display is the CPU ~ Mines 2.6GHz/800MhzFSB

What Im wanting is a video card to shove in there thats decent -- Doesnt need to be anything grand but that will work nicely with this setup -- Will be using PC as a 'mule' FFXI and Adobe Creative Suite 4~

After a talk with HP Tech earlier today I haveee: This unit has (1) full-height PCI 2.3 slot, (2) PCIe x1 slots, (1) PCIe x16 slot.

And these cards are tested to work:
Tested Graphics cards:

1. NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS 256MB SH PCIe x16 Graphics Card* GJ119AA
2. NVIDIA GeForce GT130 768MB PCIe x16 AR957AA
3. ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT 256MB DH PCIe x16 Graphics Card KD060AA
4. ATI Radeon 3470 256MB SH PCIe x16 FH972AA
5. ATI Radeon HD 3650 (512MB DH) PCIe x16 KS505AA
6. ATI Radeon HD 4550 Dual Head PCIe x16 Graphics Card AT042AA
7. ATI Radeon HD 4650 PCIe x16 Graphics Card AR956AA
8. HP DisplayPort To DVI-D Adapter FH973AA
9. HP ADD2 SDVO DVI-D Adapter DY674A

* 1GB of system memory required. Graphics cards use part of the total system memory to enhance graphics performance.

Im a ATI fan through and through but HP versions of all those cards are $150 plus and you gotta be kidding ~ HP's Small & Medium Business Online Store

I came up with these options but will gladly take other alternatives + a yay or nay on these working~

Amazon.com: Sapphire Radeon HD3650 512MB DDR2 Dual DVI / TVO PCI-Express Graphics Card: Electronics

Amazon.com: Diamond 4650PE1G ATI Radeon HD 4650 PCIE 1GB GDDR2 Dual DVI Video Card: Electronics

The second one is probably way over kill now that I think about it o.o;~

Thanks!

[Cephius]

I'd tell you to get a better card, but your computer comes with a shitty 300W power supply and I don't know if it'll even have the extra molex connector that some cards require for additional power.

I'd go with the second card that being the case. It's okay, not great, not even really good. It's quite outdated. But hopefully it will be good enough for you if you're just doing FFXI and CS4 work. I don't know if you do video editing in your classes, but if you do, you may want to consider a computer with a bit more juice to it.

[ClassicRed]

I have a great primary PC I built earlier this year ~ (not top notch but makes my heart flutter :3!)

Just want this one to be a decent secondary machine and able to play FFXI (doesnt need to be great) and run CS4 ~