what is the best pci video card out there right now that i can buy? i was looking into buying one for backup.

I've been wondering this myself, and from the research I did, these were/are the best PCI video cards (in terms of 3D frame-rate):

NVidia FX5200
Nvidia FX5500
Nvidia FX6200
ATI Radeon 9250 (Marketed as the Diamond Stealth Radeon 9250)

People have recommended ATI cards over NVidia cards to me, so personally, I would go with the Diamond Stealth Radeon 9250.

Something like this--

http://www.compusa.com/applications...

A 9250 will save some money; FX5200 will too but will disappoint you.

Skip

"i was looking into buying one for backup"

Backup for what? Hopefully you're not confusing standard PCI & PCI-Express because they're 2 entirely different things.

Assuming you want standard PCI with semi-decent gaming performance, here's an FX5500/128-bit card for $65:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...

Here's an FX5200/128-bit card for $42:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name...

Or if you just want a cheapie that you can use in an emergency & gaming performance isn't important, here's a Radeon 9250/64-bit card for $25 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...

"If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions" - Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) in Pulp Fiction

Just buy a motherboard with integrated graphics and hold the integrated in reserve.

Radeon HD 2400 for $63.69. Best PCI card out there.

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...

The Quad-Pumped Super P3:
Pentium M Dothan @ 2.82GHz (166x17)
3GB PC6400 @ 667MHz
9600GT
Blu-Ray
Modified PowerMac G4 Quicksilver case
Homebuilt 1080p projector
Vista SP1

If you're willing to spend $100 & have room for the huge heatsink, how about this 8500GT w/128-bit memory?

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?in...

http://www.sparkle.com.tw/product_d...

"If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions" - Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) in Pulp Fiction

Holy crap.

The Quad-Pumped Super P3:
Pentium M Dothan @ 2.82GHz (166x17)
3GB PC6400 @ 667MHz
9600GT
Blu-Ray
Modified PowerMac G4 Quicksilver case
Homebuilt 1080p projector
Vista SP1