Is there a cheap video card that can run Civ 5?

[Revelations]

I just got Civ 5 for christmas, but I forgot to tell my mother that i needed a video card.

Luckily, I can buy that.

I also play FSX and RCT3, and i just got Medal of Honor: Airborne for my birthday (used to play spore but update broke it)

I found some video cards on best buy's site, that are cheap.

Will any of these that i list play Civ 5 and the games i listed above?

1 - PNY - Verto NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS 512MB GDDR2 PCI Graphics Card
2 - PNY Technologies - GeForce 6200 512MB DDR2 AGP Graphics Card
3 - MSI - NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card
4 - Asus - NVIDIA GeForce 840 512MB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card

Just list the numbers of which ones will run civ 5 and the games i listed above.
Thanks.

 

[Maniacal]

None of those cards will be able to run Civ5 (#2 anyways), and if they somehow do it won't run well.

A better choice would be to get something like an 8800GT or 9800GT or newer (like a 250 GTS or GTX 260) as these are already being phased out by the 4XX and 5XX series of NVIDIA cards and as such should be cheap, but were good cards at the time (I myself am using the GTX 260 and I see no need to upgrade it anytime soon). To sure what the equivalent ATI cards are, though the 5770 is good.

A better site to get parts from then a chain store like Best Buy would be Newegg (I assume you live in the USA), personally I use NCIX (its based in around the Vancouver area in BC, Canada).

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=48&name=Desktop-Graphics-Video-Cards

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...lt=True&SrchInDesc=GTX 260&Page=1&PageSize=20

Never heard of PNY as a brand but they have a GTX 260 on for $109 USD, which is less than I paid for my MSI dual-fan GTX 260.

There are a whole bunch of ATI 5770s for just a little bit more;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&PageSize=20

Maybe someone else can find one that is cheaper but still decent, sorry don't have much time atm. Merry christmas

 

[Revelations]

Hm; those were all GeForce; although i thought it had to be minimal 256 mb and 7900 geforce (whatever this shall mean)

Here is an ATI

1-VisionTek - ATI RADEON HD 4350 512MB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card
2-Sapphire - ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card
3-Sapphire - ATI Radeon HD 4550 512MB DDR3 PCI Express Graphics Card
4-XFX - ATI Radeon HD 4350 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card

Anyways, what about those? Not looking for recommended, but able to pass the minimum.

 

[Maniacal]

Recommended is much better and don't cost a lot more than minimum. Minimum is generally just enough for the game to get to the main menu but never guarantees the game will run well or look anything other than ugly. As well then you won't have to upgrade the card again the next time you want to get a game made within the last couple of years

No idea about those ATIs, I'm an NVIDIA (Geforce is just part of the label of the chips) person.

 

[The_J]

According to this chart they are all under the minimum specs.

I see you look at the price. To say it clearly: You'll not go with less than 60$. This one should be the cheapest card, which probably can run Civ5 without being hard at the bottom limit of the specs.

 

[Revelations]

Mhm. I plan on buying an ATI Radeon HD 5450 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card tommorow. It's 69.99 + sales tax is a few cents under 70.10. Eh- no more

Thanks, J.

 

[The_J]

Unless i'm not looking right, the chart tells me that this card is still under the minimum specs.
not quite sure about that. I'd suggest that you wait until one of the real hardware cracks can respond.

 

[Revelations]

I did a ctrl + f search and searched 'HD 5450'

Two of them came up;

But I thought it listed all the ones that would work; I didn't know that it listed if it didn't work.

I'm a dummy.

 

[Revelations]

Ahem, yes... i understand; you are correct. It won't. I figured it out. (darned, make it easier to read these titles)
-
Oh yes, i found a one above the minium

ATI RADEON HD 4650 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card

Eh; i don't care if i have to go to a lower setting.

 

[Karnokki]

I don't know what "cheap" is, but if you don't mind spending a little over a buck-and-a-half, any of the cards listed on this page would run Civ V nicely with everything set to high.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709+600007323+600007780&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&IsNodeId=1&Subcategory=48&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

The cards you listed first might run it, but it would likely be a miserable experience.

That PNY GTX 260 for sale at Newegg that was listed by PrinceScamp would be a steal. It would run Civ V quite well. I have owned two or three cards by PNY; they are a decent brand. I've never had any issues with them. I do wonder why the card on NE is listed for such a low price, though.

 

[Revelations]

I don't know what "cheap" is, but if you don't mind spending a little over a buck-and-a-half, any of the cards listed on this page would run Civ V nicely with everything set to high.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709+600007323+600007780&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&IsNodeId=1&Subcategory=48&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

The cards you listed first might run it, but it would likely be a miserable experience.

That PNY GTX 260 for sale at Newegg that was listed by PrinceScamp would be a steal. It would run Civ V quite well. I have owned two or three cards by PNY; they are a decent brand. I've never had any issues with them. I do wonder why the card on NE is listed for such a low price, though.

Yea thanks; but my theme is cheap. I only have 150 bucks, and i'm trying under 100.

 

[Revelations]

Ok - this is final (or i hope)

All of these are bigger higher on the hierachy chart than the minimal

All i have to do is see which one my mom will let me buy

PNY - NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT 1GB GDDR3 PCI Express Graphics Card - Just over 100 bucks, and I believe this is the recommended on the cover... unless the fact that is says GDDR3 affects it... Oh yea, this is my first choice.

XFX - ATI RADEON HD 4650 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card - This is my backup; i'll have to go low settings to use Civ 5.

I'll check this thread later; if that GeForce 9800 isn't gonna be able to play my game; I'll have to do some more researching

 

[Revoran]

while a 460 will run the game flawlessly (im getting one myself) - i'd maybe go for a 450 or one of the higher end 200 series cards from nvidia. Normally i would recommend ati as well but there seems to be some compatibility issues with ati cards at the moment.

I dunno about the 9800, I have a 9800 currently that runs the game fine on medium dx10/11 mostly, but in the end it ended up overheating and frying the memory, now it's basically unusable for new games (hence why im getting a new card).

i still recommend using your entire budget and getting the 450 if you can, or maybe a 285 / 295 / 250 ? Anyway I don't recommend the 9800.

Also with the game's minimum requirements, don't pay attention to them, virtually every game's minimum requirements are the most exaggerated. Do not get anything near the minimum requirements - in fact, in the case of civ V, get OVER the maximum requirements or your game will look and run like crap (literally the graphics turn brown and mushy).

where do you live, america?

 

[The_J]

if that GeForce 9800 isn't gonna be able to play my game; I'll have to do some more researching

...then you'll have to send Firaxis a hate mail, because that card is mentioned in the official recommend specs .

 

[Maniacal]

Yea thanks; but my theme is cheap. I only have 150 bucks, and i'm trying under 100.

Then I'd still recommend that GTX 260, it will last you some years yet (and by the time you'll need to upgrade again you should have a job and money).

Ok - this is final (or i hope)

All of these are bigger higher on the hierachy chart than the minimal

All i have to do is see which one my mom will let me buy

PNY - NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT 1GB GDDR3 PCI Express Graphics Card - Just over 100 bucks, and I believe this is the recommended on the cover... unless the fact that is says GDDR3 affects it... Oh yea, this is my first choice.

XFX - ATI RADEON HD 4650 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card - This is my backup; i'll have to go low settings to use Civ 5.

I'll check this thread later; if that GeForce 9800 isn't gonna be able to play my game; I'll have to do some more researching

The 9800GT will play the game, it won't look amazing but it should run it. GDDR3 is just the RAM on the card, no relation to the RAM your motherboard uses (which is probably DDR2, which is fine). I still recommend the GTX 260 but it is your choice, in a year or so you'll be able to get a 460 for $100 anyways and hey maybe have a job/money for it.