new video card for mass effect pc

I'm looking for a good video card for mass effect pc version, according to bioware's web site they list the system specs for the pc version and they list my radion hd2400 as below minum specs:cry, which is the better video card for around $100.00 with a radeon or gefore chip with 512 ram?

 

never mind my last post i ordered a geforce 8500 gt.

 

I hate to say this, but I don't think the 8500 is much of step up from the HD2400. If you could have added $50 to your budget, you could gone to a 512mb 9600GT. It's a 256bit card (vs 128bit) and IMO one of the best cards available right now for the price. And it's a monumentally HUGE leap up from both the HD2400 and the 8500GT. (heck, even an 8600GT is a big leap up from the 8500GT depending on the exact model).

(sorry, I'm not trying to bring you down or instill buyer's remorse, but perhaps you should have waited a bit longer until you got some feedback).

 

i bought the 8500 gt because it was higher then the recommended video chip geforce 7900 gtx plus it was at a good price (my radeon hd2400 wasn't supported):cry
right now i'm using an old radeon x700 pro 256 meg because my hd2400 needs a 400 watt psu (which i've got) and it was maxing it out, my radeon x700 needs 300 watts and so far no problems (even though sins of a solar empire runs a little sluggish on it)

ps i'm being a motormouth:-D

 

You should have done some research on this.... the 8500GT is not a higher end card compared to the 7900GTX. The 7900 is a 256bit card and was considered the best card on the planet when it came it out. If you run a 7900 and a 8500 side-by-side, the 8500 will be absolutely destroyed by the 7900GTX. Just because the model number is higher, does NOT mean the card is better or faster. If a game/program has recommended a card like the 7900GTX, using something like the 8500GT will be disappointing and frustrating. Here's more info:
7900 series http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_7900.html
8500 series http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8500.html
If you look at the differences in Memory Bandwidth and in Fill Rate you'll see that the 7900 sinks the 8500. Big time. Here's a chart that compares the various clock speeds of the entire nVidia line of GPUs:
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/132
You'll notice the engine clocks are the same, but the 7900 has double the memory clock speed, it processes 24 pixels per clock vs 16 on the 8500, and the bus is 256bit vs 128bit meaning the 7900 accesses it's memory at twice the rate of the 8500, the memory bandwidth on the 7900 is approx FOUR TIMES that of the 8500. Again, I'm not trying to burst your bubble; buying a new video card is supposed to be a fun, exciting and rewarding experience, but in this case, I don't think the 8500 is going to perform as you expect. Maybe you can return the card.... If you can wait a few more days, and if you can raise your budget to at least $150.00, I'd personally recommend a 9600GT; they're 256bit, have 64 stream processors, 512mb on board, and basically kick-a** in the price/performance arena. Here's a link to the 9600s that are available from Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=9600gt&x=0&y=0
The prices range from +/- $130.00 to over $200.00 and some have rebates, and there are various different clock configurations available, with some cards being overclocked right from the factory. I really wish you had waited for some feedback before buying the card. I'll say it again: a higher model number on a video card does NOT necessarily mean that the higher numbered card is better or faster than a card with a lower model number. The 8500 is marketed as a value product and aimed at the casual home user who does a little bit of everything, nothing really heavy duty, maybe a video here, a game there, but nothing requiring any high end performance; the 7900 was marketed as an enthusiast/performance product and aimed at the high-end gamers who demanded more performance. I know the model numbering system can be confusing, and I understand your logic in thinking that the 8500 would be better than a 7900; it makes sense that a higher numbered card would be the better performer, unfortunately, that's not the way it is. Even the 6800GT would give the 8500 a run for it's money. IMHO, the Geforce 8500GT is not going to have the performance desired in a "mass effect pc".

:cry Sorry.