Video card help needed

[Mia]

I have an emachines computer with an Athlon 64 processor and the ATI Radeon Xpress 200 chipset. So I've been just using the integrated video from that.

I'm looking to replace it with something not necessarily marvelously better, but just something used off of craigslist or such if it comes around. Just something that would have the upper hand simply in that it is an actual dedicated video card.

This being said, I don't know anything about video really.

For starters, I have this card available to me for $25: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8968067&st=graphics+card&type=product&id=1217029964768

Worth it or not?

My main use for this is World of Warcraft. With my Radeon Xpress I get 18-25 fps on average with the video settings set mostly at minimum. It'd be nice to be able to up the settings just a tad and get above 25fps consistently.

Thanks. (and thank you to those who responded to my monitor thread too, I'm in the process of getting a replacement)

[Nekofrog]

What video card interface do you have? AGP? PCI-E?

[Majin GeoDooD]

The Xpress 200 chipset should be PCI-E. I had a board with that chipset a bit over a year ago and it was PCI-E.

Not sure how that 8400 GS stacks up honestly, but what is your budget?

[Dhsu]

For $25 I'd go with this. And also slap on an extra stick of RAM since I'm guessing you have 1GB at most at the moment.

[Mia]

What video card interface do you have? AGP? PCI-E?

I was under the impression I have both PCI-E and PCI, though maybe I misread.

http://emachines.com/support/product_support.html?cat=Desktops&subcat=T%20Series&model=T6410

http://www.computerpoweruser.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/c0501/09c01b/09c01b.asp

I definitely have PCI-E at least.

And yeah, Dhsu, I've got 1gb in there atm. Betwixt 2 cards, and it's got 2 slots, so I'd need to be replacing one of them.

Budget is whatever is good enough to be worth it for an amount small enough that I won't feel too guilty asking my girlfriend to pay for, lol. 25 is about right.

[Mia]

This one's being offered now for $20: http://www.cedarpc.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=1353

How's it compare with the one you recommended Dhsu?

Just from blindly comparing numbers, I'm thinking it's worth it, but I'd like an opinion before I buy it.

[prophetik music]

pci-e and pci are normal to have on one system. he was asking what your primary graphics card slot is, agp (dinosaur) or pci-e (new standard).

that card is much better than the one you mentioned initially, and will blow dhsu's atifanboy () card out of the water. it's got twice the memory at twice the bitrate, a better architecture, and better heat distribution than those mini-coolers that the short cards have. if you can get it for 25 dollars, do it. and get more ram while you're at it, if at all possible. one new 2gb stick of ram is about 25 dollars, as well, and will allow you to add another 2 at a later point.

[Dhsu]

Hey, my last card was an 8500GT and I had no problem with that. The 4350 was just the best card I found at that price. If you can get a better deal, go for it.