Does the graphics card matter ALL that much?

Hey guys,
My parents hate me, and won't let me build a PC... they want me to get a Mac D: I don't know THAT much about computers, but i was wondering how much a graphics card matters (in comparison to CPU, RAM, HD and stuff) for game performance. The new iMacs sport a 256 mb ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro. I did some research on the card, and it doesn't seem to compare with the stronger cards of this generation. I know this is a lot of trouble, and hard to predict... but do any of you think a 2.4ghz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2x1GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM with a ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro would be able to run Unreal Tournament 3 (or Bioshock or any game of that sort of caliber) well? Again, I know this is a shot in the dark, but ANY help on whether this card is decent or whether strong specs in other departments can compensate for a weak graphics card would be really help. Thank you so much guys :)Does the graphics card matter ALL that much?
yep it should run the game at medium tops im guessing but don't get a mac ive heard that you can't really upgrade them get a windows computer Does the graphics card matter ALL that much?
[QUOTE=''mastershake575'']yep it should run the game at medium tops im guessing but don't get a mac ive heard that you can't really upgrade them get a windows computer [/QUOTE]
I wish I could! My dad just really doesn't want to let me get one - he's more familiar with the Mac OS, and if anything goes wrong, it's much easier to troubleshoot and repair for. I would get a PC if I could, but sadly, I can't :(
Dude,tell them you hate them back.Anyway,the HD 2600Pro should get at least medium settings,but like mastershake said get a Windows computer if at all possible.
Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?
Graphics cards are the most important component for gaming!!!!! FACT!!!!!!Graphics > CPU > RAMwell thats from what i know.
[QUOTE=''roulettethedog'']Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?[/QUOTE]
Well, it's also that his company doesn't want a kid (ignore the fact that I'm a junior in high school) with a PC inside their firewall.
If they want you to get a Mac, get a Mac Pro. Swap the 2.66Ghz Xeon's for the 2.0Ghz ones. Pair that with a X1900XT and you've got yourself a box full of win. If they won't concede to that, they'll probably let you get a Macbook Pro. Even though it'd likely be the same price.
[QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''roulettethedog'']Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?[/QUOTE]
Well, it's also that his company doesn't want a kid (ignore the fact that I'm a junior in high school) with a PC inside their firewall.[/QUOTE]So, it won't be a personal computer. That makes sense that your dad doesn't want you to have a window pc. As for getting a job on the weekends, is it worth it to you? You might be better off getting a wii, ps2, or xbox(first one) with your own money.EDIT: You could see if your parents will get you a console for a ''back to school'' gift. ;)
Macs arnt for gaming, there fasion acessories there you take to starbucks and blog about the crisis in darfur with.
[QUOTE=''markebici'']Macs arnt for gaming, there fasion acessories there you take to starbucks and blog about the crisis in darfur with.[/QUOTE]If they didn't want to be victims of genocide they shouldn't have been born African.

[QUOTE=''kodex1717''][QUOTE=''markebici'']Macs arnt for gaming, there fasion acessories there you take to starbucks and blog about the crisis in darfur with.[/QUOTE]If they didn't want to be victims of genocide they shouldn't have been born African.
[/QUOTE] WTF?
[QUOTE=''jed-at-war''][QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''roulettethedog'']Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?[/QUOTE]
Well, it's also that his company doesn't want a kid (ignore the fact that I'm a junior in high school) with a PC inside their firewall.[/QUOTE]So, it won't be a personal computer. That makes sense that your dad doesn't want you to have a window pc. As for getting a job on the weekends, is it worth it to you? You might be better off getting a wii, ps2, or xbox(first one) with your own money.EDIT: You could see if your parents will get you a console for a ''back to school'' gift. ;)[/QUOTE]
Ah! To go back to the ''My parents hate me..'' I've saved up 600$ for a console, and they refuse to let me buy one. 
[QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''jed-at-war''] [QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''roulettethedog'']Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?[/QUOTE]
Well, it's also that his company doesn't want a kid (ignore the fact that I'm a junior in high school) with a PC inside their firewall.[/QUOTE]So, it won't be a personal computer. That makes sense that your dad doesn't want you to have a window pc. As for getting a job on the weekends, is it worth it to you? You might be better off getting a wii, ps2, or xbox(first one) with your own money.EDIT: You could see if your parents will get you a console for a ''back to school'' gift. ;)[/QUOTE]
Ah! To go back to the ''My parents hate me..'' I've saved up 600$ for a console, and they refuse to let me buy one.[/QUOTE] ohhh, low blow!
[QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''jed-at-war''] [QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''roulettethedog'']Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?[/QUOTE]
Well, it's also that his company doesn't want a kid (ignore the fact that I'm a junior in high school) with a PC inside their firewall.[/QUOTE]So, it won't be a personal computer. That makes sense that your dad doesn't want you to have a window pc. As for getting a job on the weekends, is it worth it to you? You might be better off getting a wii, ps2, or xbox(first one) with your own money.EDIT: You could see if your parents will get you a console for a ''back to school'' gift. ;)[/QUOTE]
Ah! To go back to the ''My parents hate me..'' I've saved up 600$ for a console, and they refuse to let me buy one.[/QUOTE] Then they're just a bunch of IGNORANT MAC FANBOY'S!!!! you should forget gaming altogether then...
[QUOTE=''kodex1717''][QUOTE=''markebici'']Macs arnt for gaming, there fasion acessories there you take to starbucks and blog about the crisis in darfur with.[/QUOTE]If they didn't want to be victims of genocide they shouldn't have been born African.
[/QUOTE]LOL???
[QUOTE=''daytona_178''] [QUOTE=''kodex1717''][QUOTE=''markebici'']Macs arnt for gaming, there fasion acessories there you take to starbucks and blog about the crisis in darfur with.[/QUOTE]If they didn't want to be victims of genocide they shouldn't have been born African.
[/QUOTE] WTF?[/QUOTE]Hey, i was just makeing fun of people that use a tragedy to make themselves look intelectual
[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]
Ok, Its parents like your's that make me wonder why we have parents at all...I say tell them to f*** off and if you want to get a job and earn your OWN money, your mature enough to get one, and if you want to buy a computer with YOUR money, then who gives a f*** what they think.
[QUOTE=''AARONRULZ1''][QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''jed-at-war''] [QUOTE=''Verdance''][QUOTE=''roulettethedog'']Save your $$$ and build a rig. Any chance you could get a part-time job on the weekends?[/QUOTE]
Well, it's also that his company doesn't want a kid (ignore the fact that I'm a junior in high school) with a PC inside their firewall.[/QUOTE]So, it won't be a personal computer. That makes sense that your dad doesn't want you to have a window pc. As for getting a job on the weekends, is it worth it to you? You might be better off getting a wii, ps2, or xbox(first one) with your own money.EDIT: You could see if your parents will get you a console for a ''back to school'' gift. ;)[/QUOTE]
Ah! To go back to the ''My parents hate me..'' I've saved up 600$ for a console, and they refuse to let me buy one.[/QUOTE] Then they're just a bunch of IGNORANT MAC FANBOY'S!!!! you should forget gaming altogether then...[/QUOTE]
QFT. I don't know if any of you have this problem... I play 1-2 hour of games a day (in the Summer) and my parents are absolutely convinced that I'm addicted, that my life will amount to nothing if this keeps up, and that I'm irresponsible and can't be trusted with my own hobbies. All of this is horribly untrue and incredibly frustrating for me, especially when my dad  is watch 3-4 hours of TV a day and looking me in the eyes and telling me that I'm addicted and wasteing my time. In my opinion, games are much better for you than TV is; they force you to make decisions, keep your mind fairly active, and they're much more rewarding than television. Whatever though, it is what it is... butyeah, if this keeps up, I'll have to give up gaming, which I really don't want to do cause it's something I enjoy doing in my free time.