So i'm buying a graphics card for my computer... since the computer i bought basically doesn't have one.

On a tight budget and knowing i'd have to replace the card anyway I bought a computer from Office Max... since local computer stores are strangely impossible to find (went to 8 locations before office max... all closed.) and vs the other nearby places that sold computers it offered a better proccessor and Ram at the expense of the afore mentioned graphics card.

Which doesn't even seem to have shaders.  Since it won't fun Fallout... and runs even extremely old and undemanding games like KOTOR with graphics problems. 

I play mount and blade on it... and all the color aspects are off.  Everyone has green skin.  The ground is bright yellow sometimes... othertimes... etc.

Well anyway on to the topic.  Borderlands is coming up... and all it requires is the equivlent of a Geofroce 9 card.

So... any suggestions?  Keepin in mind i'm still on a budget and i mostly just want a videocard for Borderlands, Fallout and some cheap games for now... until I can afford a nice on better?

Also, how can i tell whether or not i can install said video card?  Is it like ram where there are multiple types?

Don't really have enough info on your computer. Do you have an exact model, as we'll need to know what motherboard it has and hence if it has a PCI-Express X16 slot for upgrading, as well as what power supply it has.

If you do have a PCI-E x16 slot (the default standard now), then it all depends on how much you want to spend, but for value for money (and performance) you can't go past the ATI 48XX series, notably the Radeon 4850, with the new 5850 being released manufacturers will be flushing whats left of the inventories out of the slightly older 48XX series cards.

There are different types of RAM, the two main ones for performance cards are GDDR3 and GDDR5, the main different is that GDDR5 works at twice the frequency of GDDR3 (more accurately it transfers twice as much data per clock than GDDR3). So GDDR5 is faster, however you also need to look at the width of the memory bus.

In a nutshell, you can't gain much from memory specs as it depends on the actual GPU, but assuming you are a yank then a HD4850 will set you back around $120 with a $20 mail-in rebate, so $99 all up.

If thats too much, the next bet will be HD4830, which is around $85 and around 10% slower, failing that a Radeon HD4670 which is around $70 and around 25% slower than a 4830, failing that, a 4650 which is around $45 and around 15% slower than a 4670. Failing that, get a HD4350 which I've seen sometimes for $25.

Even the 4350 will be many times faster than your current (suspected) onboard graphics. But without more details, I can't give you much help.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%204025&name=%2425%20-%20%2450

$25-$50. Have fun.

I'm gonna do a wild guess and say you would have been better off ordering your comp online than going to office max...

green skin... really :x

Would of been optimal... but my computer died right after moving to a new town where i had about zero internet access outside of it.

There were computers at my girlfriends college but... some of the stuff i've found on computers in libraries and schools makes me uneasy when it comes to purchasing stuff in college.

It's an Intel p6110f.

Which apparently gives it a Intel G33-based motherboard.

I does have a PCI X-16.

As for the power supply. Don't know. Can't find the info on it anywhere....

Like I said... not optimal... but I needed something right away.  Cheap dual core that will hopefully last until i get some real money together i can spend on stuff. 

Right now though, a videocard and Borderlands basically is the end of my plans of gaming expendetures to buy for the rest of the year... and that's from someone who usually buys 2-3 a month. (mostly used.)

Well, whats your budget? What CPU is your PC? How much did it cost (cost will give me an idea of it's general specs)? RAM?

An exact model number on the computer you bought would be even better, so I can look it up online.

Mainly need to know your exact budget though. If you can spend a hundred ATI 4850 sounds right up your alley. I'd just worry if you power supply can handle any of these cards.

Also, what is your monitors native resolution?

If you can afford 80-90, a 9600GT is a nice choice. Also will go easy on your power supply.

All these prices I'm mentioning are via newegg btw.

Right now there is a Asus 9600 GSO on newegg for 59.99, with a $20 rebate too boot. That would be by far your best cheap choice if your power supply can handle it. It's pretty fast.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%20106792522%201067939752&name=GeForce%209600%20GSO

Ok then, get a Radeon 4650 then, like this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121340 , its cheap, quiet, small, has HDMI and uses low power so you won't have to worry about your power supply not handling it. And it'll spank the living shite out of the G33 you currently use, plus will accelerate video, has built in HD audio for the HDMI (so no jumpers required). It'll do well.

Computer and full specs are here.

http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/hp-pavilion-p6110f/4507-3118_7-33705115.html?tag=mncol;psum

As for the monitors native resolution and such... I don't know really... it's from my old computer.

Don't care so much about it looking nice so much as playing nice. I'm the kind of guy that cranks down the graphics on everything to minimium just to get the best performance.

Not a bad machine, proc is pretty good as you said. Either mine or Sharky's suggestion will work, although the 4650 is more modern, higher performing and uses less power. But if you have a preference for nvidia, then it'll work, and both will cream what you have currently got, which is what matters here.