Advise on buying a budget graphics card please?

Ok i have an SLI motherboard that fits 2 graphics cards (excuse me i'm not particularly knowledgeable about this SLI stuff, which is why i'm asking). It's got just one in it right now ... a budget GeForce 7300 LE (256mb i think)... which i believe is an SLI dedicated card.

It's a bit crappy, but it'll play most games on low graphics settings at reasonable framerates, but i want to replace it with a budget 1gb card. - Now someone told me that i can put a normal GPU in it, (ie. a card that isn't a dedicated SLI one) ... is this correct?

My computer has a 2.3 ghz core2 duo, an Asus SLI motherboard and 3 gb of ddr2 ram. I think graphics interface is PCI 2.0 and i'm running XP home sevice pack 2.

Anyway i've seen a couple just now online at Dabs.

the first is an XFX Geforce 9500 gt 1gb of ddr2 at 550 mhz

the second is a BFG Geforce GT 220, 1gb of ddr2 at 652 mhz

The XFX is about 45 pounds and the BFG is about 60 but i'd be happy with either, so does anyone have any thoughts on which is the better card?


Thanks in advance for any comments

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-33-208.html

Second sticky down. it's a read and a half, but you will know for next time.

As for those cards... Given youre not complaining about framerates now... either will do just fine.

 

Hey, many thanks for the link to that post/guide, ... makes things a bit clearer