best bang per buck for gfx cards (in UK)

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TechSupport

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I'm after a good graphics card which doesnt cost too much money, but will make the games run better - UT2k3 in particular...

Havent got a set budget, but dont see the point in spending 300 quid on a card that I could get one nearly just as good for like 150 quid less...

As I'm in the UK, thats kinda what prices I'm looking at (UK £) and also the UK based stores preferably, but may look abroad if its worth me doing so..

thx in advance

edit:
which reminds me... it'll be going into this machine:
intel p3 733 skt370
512mb pc133 (2x 256)
ibm netvista mobo (sucks goats but it could be worse - 4x agp afaik)
gf2mx 32mb agp <-- existing card - looking to replace it

edit 2:
which also reminds me... it'll be running WinXP Pro SP1 :p
 
found this on ebuyer.com

Inno3D Tornado GeForce3 Ti200 128Mb DDR with TV-Out - Retail Box

£69.94 ex VAT
£82.18 inc VAT


While I realise it aint the greatest card out - is it any good? I'm guessing it will improve ut2k3 an awful lot over the gf2mx 32mb mainly cuz of the more memory, but also cuz its more advanced... any ideas?
 
Originally posted by TechSupport
found this on ebuyer.com

Inno3D Tornado GeForce3 Ti200 128Mb DDR with TV-Out - Retail Box

£69.94 ex VAT
£82.18 inc VAT


While I realise it aint the greatest card out - is it any good? I'm guessing it will improve ut2k3 an awful lot over the gf2mx 32mb mainly cuz of the more memory, but also cuz its more advanced... any ideas?

you might want to shop around for the 9500 PRO from ati... or for an nvidia gf4 ti4200... not so sure you would want to buy a gf3 at this point...

if you really MUST buy a gf3 or something like it... a radeon 8500/8500le will be a better bet since it has a lower price point and superior performance...
 
its not so much i MUST have a gf3... more that I want something better than a gf2mx that'll play ut2k3 better although its pretty playable as it is at 800x600 - 640x480 looks gash :/

i was actually looking at that gainward myself tbh... do u think that would be best to go for?

128mb memory is basically what i want cuz like I remember sazar saying on another thread, the more memory the better, because as you turn the details up, more memory is needed... less memory on card is what causes the slowdowns
 
Originally posted by TechSupport
its not so much i MUST have a gf3... more that I want something better than a gf2mx that'll play ut2k3 better although its pretty playable as it is at 800x600 - 640x480 looks gash :/

i was actually looking at that gainward myself tbh... do u think that would be best to go for?

128mb memory is basically what i want cuz like I remember sazar saying on another thread, the more memory the better, because as you turn the details up, more memory is needed... less memory on card is what causes the slowdowns

less memory doesn't really cause slow-downs per se though if thats a word you want to use... you are sorta accurate :)

the gfx card is able to put out fewer frames per second because the size of textures is more than it can handle say if it had more memory :)

IMO if you are seeing a small difference in price in a card with 64mb and 128mb than get the 128mb card :)
 
Have a look here Linkage a few cards to look at + if you live near leeds/bradford you can collect.
 
I've got a GF3 Ti200 64mb card at the moment, runs ut2003 very nicely indeed! Will run most games faster than a ti200 with 128mb ram because the memory is faster.

I play it at 1024x768

To be honest, i cant imagine that any map on ut2003 uses anywhere near 128mb of textures ON SCREEN at any one time.

If you want something a bit more 'future proof' then go with a ti4200/4400.

Look here:
http://web6.scan.co.uk/Products/Info.asp?WPID=39789

VERY overclockable and would run ut a treat!
 
Originally posted by Teddy
I've got a GF3 Ti200 64mb card at the moment, runs ut2003 very nicely indeed! Will run most games faster than a ti200 with 128mb ram because the memory is faster.

I play it at 1024x768

To be honest, i cant imagine that any map on ut2003 uses anywhere near 128mb of textures ON SCREEN at any one time.

If you want something a bit more 'future proof' then go with a ti4200/4400.

Look here:
http://web6.scan.co.uk/Products/Info.asp?WPID=39789

VERY overclockable and would run ut a treat!

um.. @ max settings the game is utilising in the neighborhood of 80mb of your memory :)

hence you need 128mb for optimum performance...

there is a higher ULTRA level that will utilise around 160 odd mb of gfx memory and therefore requires a 256mb card to operate @ peak performance...

if you want somethng more future proof go with the dx9 r300 core based radeon 9500pro which with all eye candy turned on AND aa and fsaa outperforms the gf4ti series :) price point is lower than the 4600 and 4400 :)

btw there are some custom maps for ut2k3 that utilise HUGE textures and may require 256mb gfx cards for optimum performance...

you WILL notice a hit @ high res with lesser memory cards... look @ any benchmark comparing 64mb and 128mb cards side by side... even with higher clocks the lesser memory cards are not quite as sharp @ high res with eye candy (which means texture size is more)
 
the graphics card is actually for my gf's comp - she plays ut2k3 but i dont really... i think its kinda cartoony tbh

i use a 32mb hercules 2mx agp and it runs ut2k3 perfect in 1024x768 with the default installed settings... im quite happy with my system as it is now... i play q3 more than anything else and i get 160fps in that at 1024x768 just fine so im good for now :)

so basically atm, im recommended to get a gainward ti4200 or a radeon 9700pro?

are there any decent benchmarks to distinguish the two at all? i need a good reason (with proof if poss) to justify the money id be likely to spend...

btw, im techsupport @ home :)
 
Originally posted by jonocainuk
the graphics card is actually for my gf's comp - she plays ut2k3 but i dont really... i think its kinda cartoony tbh

i use a 32mb hercules 2mx agp and it runs ut2k3 perfect in 1024x768 with the default installed settings... im quite happy with my system as it is now... i play q3 more than anything else and i get 160fps in that at 1024x768 just fine so im good for now :)

so basically atm, im recommended to get a gainward ti4200 or a radeon 9700pro?

are there any decent benchmarks to distinguish the two at all? i need a good reason (with proof if poss) to justify the money id be likely to spend...

btw, im techsupport @ home :)

eh um well the 9700pro is a bit ABOVE the price point for the 4200..

if I was you I would either get a 128mb 4200 or a radeon 9500pro... those are both very good solutions @ around the same price point..

check out some sites such as www.hardocp.com and www.anandtech.com for reviews on the radeon 9500pro and various 4200 reference cards (different packages come with different features... a nice solution)
 
lol sorry... was a typo when i said 9700pro - i read your original post wrong :/

what bout this?

128Mb GigaByte ATI Radeon 9000 Pro II Retail DVI/TV Out
£74.00 ex. VAT
£86.95 inc. VAT

any good? or sucky sucky 5 cents?

thats from scan.co.uk

also, is this really bad??

128Mb ATI Radeon 7500LE SDR AGP TV Out
£42.00 ex. VAT
£49.35 inc. VAT

cheap... but... hopefully cheerful, but probably nasty lol


also, what bout this? same as above but probably without TV Out etc??

128Mb ATI Radeon 9000 TV Out OEM
£59.75 ex. VAT
£70.21 inc. VAT


I realise the 9000 cards will be much better... but how much? there are too many gfx cards out atm - very confusing rofl
 
Originally posted by jonocainuk
lol sorry... was a typo when i said 9700pro - i read your original post wrong :/

what bout this?

128Mb GigaByte ATI Radeon 9000 Pro II Retail DVI/TV Out
£74.00 ex. VAT
£86.95 inc. VAT

any good? or sucky sucky 5 cents?

thats from scan.co.uk

also, is this really bad??

128Mb ATI Radeon 7500LE SDR AGP TV Out
£42.00 ex. VAT
£49.35 inc. VAT

cheap... but... hopefully cheerful, but probably nasty lol


also, what bout this? same as above but probably without TV Out etc??

128Mb ATI Radeon 9000 TV Out OEM
£59.75 ex. VAT
£70.21 inc. VAT


I realise the 9000 cards will be much better... but how much? there are too many gfx cards out atm - very confusing rofl

gf4 ti 4200 > than cards listed above...

if you DID have to pick one.. go with the 9000pro...

there is a nice roundup of mid-low end cards on the front page... have a quick read of that as well :) might help you a bit :)
 
thanks sazar, and everyone else who posted.

I think I'll go for:

128Mb ATI Radeon 9000 TV Out OEM
£59.75 ex. VAT
£70.21 inc. VAT

Anyone object?

I dont see the gigabyte being better than the manufacturer's own model because its just not good business... you dont give someone the rights to use your car just for them to copy it and make one which goes faster lol (ok, perhaps a bad example)... plus, if its gonna be a BIG improvement over the 2mx, then I'm happy :)
 
Go for it mate, it'll probably do the job you want it to nicely.

Besides, if it is ****e then return it! ;)
 
Originally posted by jonocainuk
thanks sazar, and everyone else who posted.

I think I'll go for:

128Mb ATI Radeon 9000 TV Out OEM
£59.75 ex. VAT
£70.21 inc. VAT

Anyone object?

I dont see the gigabyte being better than the manufacturer's own model because its just not good business... you dont give someone the rights to use your car just for them to copy it and make one which goes faster lol (ok, perhaps a bad example)... plus, if its gonna be a BIG improvement over the 2mx, then I'm happy :)

:)

I would HIGHLY recommend getting the 9000pro... the 9000 non-pro is only a little better than the gf4mx which is basically a gf2mx on steroids (I read that some place... sounded appropriate :) )

yah it will still do the job however... :) so no worries there...
 
lol - i didnt realise the ATi one wasnt the pro model... good job you mentioned it really :)

ok, the gigabyte it is :)

thx again for all help an advice :)
 
Sorry to wander off subject - but sazar - you mention an ULTRA mode in UT, how do you activate this?

Or is this something thats coming with the new Bonus pack?

Thanks
 
epic says they will release a patch around the time that 256mb versions of a particular card hit the market... i.e. since the game carries the logo . nvidia the way its meant to be played (mine is hacked to say ATI the way its meant to be played :) ) then once the 256mb gf FX is released we should see a patch around that time...
 
ummm, look at Radeon 8500 or 8500 LE they are usually cheap, and faster than the 9000 and 9000 Pro
 

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