Best Sub-$50 Video Card for O/Cing & Modding

[icedogg9999]

I would like to get a VERY CHEAP video card, that I could overclock a lot. I would buy some heatsinks for the ram and but a new cooler on it.

So, I would like to spend $50 total, for the small heatsinks, cooler, and video card.

I'm not looking for the best card, and I will not use it for a lot of gaming, maybe some old games.

I would like to get a cheap video card to experiment with, so I could modd and overclock it without worrying about breaking a $150 card.

So what would you guys recommend, a radeon 7500? gf2, gf3, gf mx? Thanks.

 

[funnyperson1]

The Radeon 7500 is good, so is the Geforce4 MX440, but I dont know if it would be under 50$ with the cooling gear included. Otherwise any Geforce2 (non MX) should be fine for what you want.

 

[Damian]

Geforce 2 GTS. I think Pricewatch lists a nice 64mb Visiontek one for a good price.

As for ramsinks, just cut apart an old Pentium heatsink into fourths or eights.

 

[icedogg9999]

ok, ill try to get some geforce2 nonmx, and find some coolers. thanks

 

[PreservedSwine]

If you're buying used, R8500 or GF3, no contest....The others, even when overclocked enough to have a marshmellow roast, still will not compete with a stock R8500 or GF3....

 

[icedogg9999]

i know, the R8500 and GF3's are very good cheap cards, but I would like a very cheap around $25-$40, even $50, I don't want a great card, i want one that i can experiment with to learn about modding and overclocking.

I'll probably mod heatsinks and a new gpu fan on it, and overclock it to its limits, it will be a learning experience and I'll see how good of a card i can get out of it.

should I get a geforce 2 mx, or not. Or should i get a gts? thanks.

 

[PreservedSwine]

i know, the R8500 and GF3's are very good cheap cards, but I would like a very cheap around $25-$40, even $50, I don't want a great card, i want one that i can experiment with to learn about modding and overclocking.

I'll probably mod heatsinks and a new gpu fan on it, and overclock it to its limits, it will be a learning experience and I'll see how good of a card i can get out of it.

should I get a geforce 2 mx, or not. Or should i get a gts? thanks.

Cool- great idea! I hear the R7500 is a little overclocking monster. I don't think you can go wrong w/ a Geofrce4MX440 or R7500

EDIT- Be carefull when grabbing a GF2 to overclock- some have sdr some have ddr- not sure which has what??

 

[funnyperson1]

Ideally the only SDR Geforce2s are the MX200 and MX400, so do NOT get a Geforce2 MX. THe Geforce4 MX 440 is ddr (or should be). The MX420 is SDR.

THe only MX I would suggest is the MX440.

 

[Avatar28]

Hmm, what about the SiS 315. Not the fastest in the world, but does qualify for the cheap part at around $25-30 or so for a 64 MB DDR card.