I Need a New Video Card and Router

Near the start of the year my old computer died. It had been acting flaky, and finally the HD kicked it. While I could have replaced the HD, the PC itself was being flaky so I got a super cheap new computer. This one has an integrated video chip, which can be disabled to use a regular video card. The integrated chip is equal, or not just a hair better than the old video card so I decided against moving the card over.
However, just like the old card was showing its age, the integrated graphics solution from Intel isn’t exactly up to par and lots of games I play regularly show it. So I need a new video card. I will probably go with an HD 5670, which can be had for $89.99. Obviously there are much better cards out there, but I have a couple limitations beyond budget, namely having a cheap Gateway PC, and cheap, small power supply. So I need a card that can run from the PCI Express slot all on its own without external power. Sure I could upgrade the power supply too, but that is pushing the price envelope and frankly more than I want to invest in on this PC, if I start going that much detail I may as well build a whole new PC. Besides, my old CRT style monitor is doing 1280×1024, which is beyond its recommended setting of 1024×768. The HD 5670 would do more then well enough given the limitations. No need for a fancier card.
A possibility before the video card as this affects everyone in the home, a new router. There are 3 PCs and the PS3, plus more when guests are here. The router I have now, while it can handle it, doesn’t do so very well. I am leaning to a Netgear 3700. There are cheaper n spec routers, but I was looking for a couple key features: Dual band, Guest Mode and USB Storage to the router itself (extra bonus points if it had a print server, the 3700 does not, but I have yet to see one offer dual band, a guest mode, USB Storage access and a print server, beyond the fact we don’t have a printer anyhow).
Looking further down the line, a 22″ LCD monitor, such as this one from Dell (about $160). That would push that video card to the max though. It would save money as it uses a lot less electricity. I would miss some of the color accuracy of the CRT… and if need be I could always run the two at the same time. I have a dual monitor setup at work and I don’t know how I survived working on a single monitor setup… then again I am not doing the same kind of work here at home as at work, but having dual monitors is a great help.

About Brian A. Thomas

I am the father of Ari and Sidd. I am the owner and administrator of this site.
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