Brain... swelling... WHICH VIDEO CARD?!?!?!

[Mathachew]

I currently have a GeForce 2 GTS in my computer (which, surprisingly, has been able to handle many of the games I've played, except Prince of Persia). My mb is a SOYO Fire Dragon, so it supports 4x AGP and PC2100 (DOH!). I know there are cards that are 4x/8x compatible, but being that I play occassionally, I'm wondering if I should fork out $200 for a card that I can't fully utilize. It's always the same with technology: a year or so (months or weeks in some cases) a better product is out with a price tag close to the weaker piece of hardware. I slowly collected my machine's hardware *kicks himself for buying the mb so early* and got, at the time, a great deal on the mb, which doesn't support any of the latest things, like SATA, 8x AGP, HT, next-generation Intel chips (like prescott is so great anyway) and faster DDR. So I know that I know within 2 or 3 years, I'll be building myself a new monster machine (as I foolishly told myself I was already doing with my current system).

So when that time comes, the GeForce 6 (7?) and Radeon 10k (11000?) series will be available (whatever they'll call them). I can simply fork out 60 bucks and get an FX5200, but I'd like to play Doom III when it inhabits us, and not suffer from a weak, pathetic fool, er, card, ya know? So..... what is a computer geek to do?!?! I've been debating on spending little and getting little, spending a lot, and getting a lot, and so on. My concern is that I don't want to get a card that is 256-bit, has 256MB memory, and runs @ 8x if I can't fully utilize it's sheer awesomeness. So I was pondering on getting, what was at one point in time, the creme of the crop; a GeForce 4 Ti 4600, since they were, till 8x came, 4x. Or would it be wiser to get an FX series card? Or a 9500 or 9600? PLEASE! My brain swells at the thoughts!!! Any help would be appreciated!!!

 

[Tuffgong4]

can you post the full specs of your system including power supply, hdds and everything...then more help would be able to be given

 

[Mathachew]

P4 2.4 400FSB
WD 80GB 8MB
GeForce2 GTS 32MB
512MB DDR PC2100
350W Power Supply
52x24x52 CD-RW

Should be adequate to give you an idea, right?
And the specs on the mb can be found here.

 

[Tuffgong4]

as of right now the Radeons are the best cards...if I were you, I would wait until the next gen cards come out to see the price points of all of the cards, meaning the ones that are out now might go down, or there might be a sleeper card in the next gens that give great performance for the price(ie the gf4 TI 4200) I think the next gen cards will be able to handle DX 9 better so DOOM III will look much better. Also with your system specs not being that bad if you get a really good card you can hang onto it so when you upgrade you can still use it and not worry about hanging onto it with a new rig. I am running some very old stuff...p4 1.6 with 768 DDR2100 with a gf4 4200 128MB and I have yet to have a problem running any game...not as good looking as most but runs fine. With high graphics intensive games the graphics card and memory in your system are what makes the difference so you should be fine...but with doom III a little while away wait to see what comes out and what you can afford and then check back here to see what you should get

 

[Sazar]

there is not much actual difference between agp 4x and 8x and all cards are agp4x compatible..

if you are looking for something reasonably decent... get a 9600pro or 9600XT or a 5700ultra or a 5900-non-ultra... they are all under $200 dollars and will give you decent headroom for games of today and the near future... the 5900 non-ultra might be the best bet as you can soft-mod it (if you have good memory) to a 5950...

the 5200 is a crap card... only get it if you really really have a thing for crap cards

its dx9 yes.. but can't process dx9 effects fast enough thereby rendering it effectively a dx8 part...

 

[LeeJend]

The price points have already been set for for the next generation. The 9800 PRO have dropped to the $200-230 range and 9700 PRO is now under $199 which is an unbelievable bargain for that much horsepower. Warning don't get duped by a 9800 SE card they are a POS. The 9800 XT card offers so little performance boost they aren't worth considering. The 9600 PRO just doesn't have the HP to deal with the next 2 years worth of DX9 games so for $150 it isn't worth it.

Your system will support a 9800 series card so I'd go for it (and am actually about to as soon as I finish my MB/CPU upgrade install) with the confidence I will be good for at least 2 years on performance.

newegg $215 shipping included sapphire 9800 PRO
local w/rebates ATI 9800 PROs as low as $200

PS the GE2 GTS were classics. Best chipset nvidia ever made!

 

[Mathachew]

Well, I'm not a person who desires detail-out-the-wazoo graphics or anything. Heck, I've seen what other things are capable of and I'm still quite content with my GeForce2 GTS card, ya know? Though it wouldn't hurt if I had something that were better, where I can set high resolutions and fog effects, details, shadows; all that good stuff. I do want DX 9.0 support, and Tom's hardware guide gives you the flat out specs, so I know what I need to choose from. Just when HL2 and DoomIII come out, I'd still like to have my card pumping some nice screens, not a low-detail setting. Ever since I got married, I've been on a budget, and since then I've really learned to save and have been quite reluctant to spend so much on a card. Let's say I'm willing to go up to 150, which would be a better investment? Radeon or Nvidia? I know that the 9600 is better than the 5600, so maybe that's the way I'll go. Any input would be nice. I'll fork out for a niiiiice card when I build a new system..... in many years... *sigh*

 

[Mathachew]

I just looked around and found a Gigabyte 5700 128mb for $148 and an AOpen 5700 256MB for $137, and then found a 9800SE for $141. Hmm, decisions! I'm willing to go up to say, 150, so would any of these be a good choice? I wish I knew more about the specs and such.

 

[LeeJend]

Peoples hearing must be off.

The 9800 SE is a Peice of ****! Buy anything else! Or better yet keep the GE2 GTS and save the money before even looking at an SE. SE stands for Substandard Edition.

Sigh, where's the valium.

A friend shelled out $170 for a 9600 PRO a few months ago and was disappointed. It (and the 9600 XT) under perform the 9500 PRO from 2 years ago. So 2 weeks ago he spent $230 for a 9800 PRO.

The Nvidia 5700/5800 series have issues with DX9 that probably can't be fixed in the drivers so that's $150 at risk.

That leaves the 9800 PRO. If you are $50 short for the 9800 PRO put a buck a day into a jar and at the end of 2 months pay the $200 for a 9800 PRO. Otherwise stay with the GE3 GTS. All other options are a waste of money or grossly over priced at this point.

I funded my DSL upgrade by skipping coffee and cookies at work every morning (that's a buck a day, $30 a month).

If you're on a budget then don't spend moneey on a dead end upgrade. Save till you can get teh real thing.

 

[Sazar]

the 9800SE is not a POS.. its just no better than a 9600pro effectively due to its design... ergo it should perform better than a 5700 non-ultra... @ its price point it is worth it...

however it is worlds better than the FX 5200...

btw matt.. since hl2 and d3 are unlikely to be out for a few more months why not make do with your gf2 and see what various cards performance will be like when the games come out...

by that time you will also likely have a very nice deal in terms of lower prices with your video cards...

just another option...

 

[ToronadoXP]

I would suggest getting the GF 4 Ti4600. This is a great card (I had bought the wonderful Visiontek back when they were making Nvidia cards). It was a Ti4400 that would OC faster than the Ti4600. This was a great card. But I was able to sell my whole rdram setup and get a new system with a 2.6@3.2 ddr500 and a 9800 pro for what i sold it for. Don't get me wrong the 9800 pro is a GREAT card. So great i think it's price : performance ratio is better than that of the Ti4600. For 213 at newegg damn i paid 375 for mine (But mine is a All-In-Wonder ) I sold to my dad and I still play new games on it when i visit and forget to bring my computer with me.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-077&catalog=48&depa=0

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-122-135&catalog=48&depa=0

P.S. ONLY GET THE TI4600 DO NOT GET A TI4800 OR TI4200. THESE HAVE SMALLER CLOCKS ON THE CORE AND MEM.

 

[Sazar]

ti 4800 == ti 4600 with agp 8x support...

ti 4800SE == ti 4400 with agp 8x support...

 

[Mathachew]

Toronado, I considered getting the Ti 4600, but the thing is, I can get it for around $115, while I've found a Radeon 9600 256mb card for $100, and a VisionTek Radeon 9600 XT 128mb for around $125. Hm, I think I'll take Sazar's advice and wait for HL2 and Doom III... Well, I don't know if I'll wait that long, there's no telling how long it'll be before they show up... anways, I'll hold off for now so I can get a better deal. Thanks guys for your input. With a little luck, I'll get the info I want and pick the card fit for mwah.

 

[Sazar]

well you can just wait till march/april for the next gen cards from ati and nvidia to drop...

see which is faster and go from there...

 

[MUYA]

yeah wait at least till the new Cards from ATI/NV are launched. Within a few weeks of that 9800XT, 9800Pro and 5950 Ulra 5900Ultras will be even lower in price. That way you save a few bucks.

 

[MargaritaIce]

I am wondering if Im the only person old enough in here to have a job. I see people constantly contemplating a purchase and saying well, I only have $100 for a vid card, or what speakers can I get for $75.00, what case is good around $45.00 ....

Personally, if the budgets are that tight, should one be considering buying computer upgrades ?? I hope I am not the oldest one in here (32)..

 

[Sazar]

there are always other mitigating factors... ie no job and working on budget provided by parents or some luxury you are allowing yourself within a budgetary range...

there is nothing wrong with a user looking to buy a lower end system.. not everyone buys only high end and not everyone is capable of affording a case with a paintjob from an artist for metallica

 

[MargaritaIce]

Sazar - You cruel cruel man, I always appreciated your insights....until that last one !! lol

Seriously though, youre right, I sometimes forget that it is a small margin who feel they must have the best of everything, it is simply habit to only look at the best stuff, I forget there are other types... my bad, also my apologies to those I might have offended, I now realize not everyone suffers from the same neurosis as I, its called "gottahaveitall psychotica".

 

[Sazar]

lol... nah... I just been a bit off wrt metallica since st anger came out... am still overcoming that...

 

[Petros]

The price points have already been set for for the next generation. The 9800 PRO have dropped to the $200-230 range and 9700 PRO is now under $199 which is an unbelievable bargain for that much horsepower. Warning don't get duped by a 9800 SE card they are a POS. The 9800 XT card offers so little performance boost they aren't worth considering. The 9600 PRO just doesn't have the HP to deal with the next 2 years worth of DX9 games so for $150 it isn't worth it.

Your system will support a 9800 series card so I'd go for it (and am actually about to as soon as I finish my MB/CPU upgrade install) with the confidence I will be good for at least 2 years on performance.

newegg $215 shipping included sapphire 9800 PRO
local w/rebates ATI 9800 PROs as low as $200

PS the GE2 GTS were classics. Best chipset nvidia ever made!

Your line of thinking is dead-on. I second this post.