Hello. I am on a dell dimension 2400 desktop with windows xpsp2, Intel pentium4 266ghz with 256 mb ram.
what i am wondering is with all the letter/number codes etc...associated with these video and audiio cards how do you know which one is right for you? I am looking for "better" or "higher" classed upgrades for these items...the question is which one "are" the better one and the right one for this model computer. There's no "suggested" or "recommended" list in the product purchase list so I'm stumped. Don't want to order a new sound and video card only to find out it isn't as good as the one I've got or some other problem. Can you help?
Thanks,
Mikepin

That is a very good question. I would start at Tom's Hardware to start my research. They have bee reviewing compontants for many year and are generally well respected.
The first thing I would do is jump my RAM to 512mb. 1gb of RAM if you can afford it. That is the cheapest and best way to enhance you preformance.
I have several Dells and when looking I would use the Nvidia chip set if possible.
What are you doing that requires a video card upgrade. Just curious.

Well, I am wanting to eventually be capable of about anything on a graphics agenda. I'd like to be able to create movies, screensavers, that type of thing. Drawing programs that would "more easily" create drawing (illustrations for written book's) than I ever could with windows paint. I write, mess around with windows movie maker, etc... so I trying to find out what all I may need to do to set up for almost strickly the aforementioned.
Anyway, thanks for the info (mental note: need to research Nvidia chip set & up my memory)
Thanks again,
Mikepin

Hello acklan...been awhile. Anyway this url is a download for a Nvidia graphics something or another. Is it what you were talking about as far as better than what I have and how do I proceed if so. Thanks.....

Did something wrong with URL anyway CNet downloads.com it's a free 78.01 Nvidia graphics driver. Thanks for the look.

No. I was referring to a video card upgrade. What is your CPU speed? With a P-4 you card support most cards out there. It's really down to how much you want to spend.
If you are going to game I think your first priorty would be a 1gb system RAM upgrade. IMHO.
There is a Which Video Card is Best question running on the forum right now.
I'll leave that to the Super Geek Gamers. I do not game very much.

Oh okay. Yeah I don't game much. Got a couple but just really interested in "creating" more than anything and that seem's as simple as program's that fit my interest. Create animation's and that type of thing so I am capable of running this type of Prog within my system requirements then I would assume?
Currently online and signed into messenger my CPU is bouncing from 0% to 4%, have no idea what that mean's but in answer to your question that's what I am showing now.
Thanks for your reply,
Mikepin

The little graph you see with CPU at 0-4% is Windows Task Manager showing you how "busy" your CPU is. Since web surfing doesn't suck up much processor power, you're not using very much CPU.

You can get away with a fairly low end video card for the types of things you're trying to do. Computer games are very resource intensive compared to almost any other computing task, particularly when it comes to video cards, so a lot of gamers can come up with one reason or another to spend $500 or so on a single video card.

You need to grab a couple of pieces of information about your current setup before starting to shop around for a new card.

First, find out what kind of video card you currently have installed. Go to Start > Settings > Display, which should list your monitor type and the video card that's driving it.

Second, find out what kind of slots you have available on your motherboard for a video card. Video cards over the last few years can be installed in a PCI, AGP or PCIx slot. I'm guessing you have an AGP slot, but to be sure, check your owner's manual or look for a copy at dell.com. If you have an AGP slot, you don't want to be shopping for a vid card that needs a PCIx slot, for example.

To be quite honest with you, however, it's quite likely that you can do exactly what you need without getting a new video card since your applications are particularly demanding.

Thanks alot there Saxif! That's the explanation I was needing
and I think with it in mind I'll just get me some programs now (drawing, and
illustration helper tools type of thing's and if I can run "as is" then that's great.
A hundred dollars alot to me so it's cool I can skip a vid card for now.

Thanks again for the input. I'll saving this for future reference.

Mikepin