ConGregation January 30, 2003 Share ConGregation Member January 30, 2003 I have done this before. Got advice and a possible pick but just couldnt justify the expense. But Im going to do it this time. My income tax refund was a little more than expected. My system setup is ok. Could us a little more ram but my processor and stuff is decent, not great, but good enough. So the one thing I need to upgrade is the video card. I do NOT want to spend a lot of money. 300 is out of the question. 150 would be ok. Might even creep toward 200. If that means I have to back a generation or two, thats ok. So what should I get? P.S. Homer, I know you have done this for me before (as well as Lep) but this time its for real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman January 30, 2003 Share Gunman Member January 30, 2003 Ok, here is what I think... GeForce 4 Ti4200-Ti4600 are around that price range. However if you can find a cheap Radeon 9700, DEFINATELY get it. Just look around a little and I am pretty sure you can find one for around $200, maybe... Otherwise find a nice GeForce 4 Ti4600 128MB card and spend the $150 on that, since that card is perfectly fine (if ya don't mind the "jaggies" as ZD would say). I have a GeForce 4 Ti4200 128MB card and I love it, I went from 30 fps to 100 ALL the time, and it works like a charm for me. Anyway, I will let Homer and ZD give you the details and specifications on each video card since I am a lazy bum. (Actually I am in class right now, so I don't have time ) Gunman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Kill3r January 30, 2003 Share All Kill3r Member January 30, 2003 RAEDON 9700 Pro = 220$ or you can get 9500 or like 170. I suggest going with RAEDON. **EDIT** Im also looking to get a new video card very soon, was thinking i should wait till the release of the new FX card to maybe lower the prices of the others by the most. Will prices still drop now since the new card isnt what its cracked up to be? Should i just upgrade now or wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gond January 30, 2003 Share Gond Member January 30, 2003 I got an ATI 9500 pro and love it. I paid a bit over 200 but I didn't shop around cause my patience for that is zero. I do think you can find one for less than 200. Batman has an 8500 and has no issues with that. I think he got it for under 100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman January 30, 2003 Share Batman Member January 30, 2003 I bought a Radeon 8500le 128meg card for $90.00 online.. IT ROCKS!!! I love it, best $90 ive spent in a long time... Im runnin bf1942 Full graphics, 1600x1200 with a rock steady 80fps!!! Dont get the Radeon 9000 it stinks... I heard the 9100 is really a revamped 8500, so that would be good... Now i want the 9500 pro, although i really dont need it. I just want it cause it looks pretty... I like red.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX January 30, 2003 Share NOFX Member January 30, 2003 check out some of these links and benchmarks 9500 pro overclocked Graphics card superguide All in theres two top brands ATI and NVIDIA the 9500 pro is supposed to compete with nvidia ti4200, but as you can see by overclocking it, its able to outperforms nvidias top of the line ti4600. The overclocked 9500 pro even outperformed the 9700 in one test! i would suggest this Video cards you can a regular 9500 pro for 182 there, suped up cost about 30 more, but it would cost you at least 30 bucks to add the grease and heatsink and fan. Whatever you go with, go with the Geforce4 Ti series, or raedon 9500-9700 series. BIf you go with a 100 dollar card, then it probably go obsolete faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Mmmm]Homer January 30, 2003 Share [Mmmm]Homer Member January 30, 2003 VGA Charts on Tom's Hardware As you can see they tested with 2 CPUs, Dark grey bars: Athlon 1000; colored bars: Athlon XP 2700+ . I myself would go with the 9500 Pro if buying today, for ~ $170, would be the most bang for the buck in your price range. Good info above all, nice posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZDamage January 30, 2003 Share Guest ZDamage Guests January 30, 2003 Wow. I just do not have it in me to repeat what I said earlier about the Radeon 9500 pro. things have changed a little. In February we will see the new GeForce-FX and it may cause the 9700 pro prices to drop. But since the FX really doesn't out perform the 9700 pro, it may not. Prices may not drop until March the the 9800 /9900 pro comes out (not sure what it will be called (9700 pro ultra?). Right now, if you have to buy a card for 200 or less, there is no question. The 9500 pro is the way to go. Only get a Gf4 if ATi and the Radeon 9500 pro ceases to exist due to a Nvidia empolyee going back in time and killing the founder. All of the info above is correct. The 9500pro is the bst for the money, even before an overclock it beats the 4600 ti in most tests. See my AA and AF thread that i pinned up. You can see what AA and AF does in a nutshell. I loose nearly 50% of my fps in cs with both turned on. The same would happen with a TI 4600 and it would not be too good for newer games with those effects turned on. Everyone can not afford a 9700 pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConGregation January 30, 2003 Author Share ConGregation Member January 30, 2003 Well the comparison thing is nice. I have a 1.1gz Athlon. But Im not going to upgrade that anytime soon. Even if it limits my vid card I will still get enough performance. ALthough I beat out the RAM for the lower system. Only 128 PC133 had to REALLY hurt that system, IMO. I have 256 1600DDR. OK, another question. Should I go cheaper on the vid card in order to afford to go to 512 RAM? Based on my limited knowledge I wouldnt think so but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Hurricane January 30, 2003 Share Guest The Hurricane Guests January 30, 2003 video card is probably the most important thing in your computer when it comes to game performance etc... do NOT slack off when buying a video card. I would tell you to stay away from ATI.. I would tell you to buy a geforce ti 4200 (or better) 64mb (or better) Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Hurricane January 30, 2003 Share Guest The Hurricane Guests January 30, 2003 BTW, I recently went from 256 ram to 512 ram and I honestly didn't notice that much of a difference. So I would definatley say go with the better card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX January 30, 2003 Share NOFX Member January 30, 2003 i would say go for vid card and leave the ram for later, 256 is OK. But you should get another 256 sometime down the road just for your systems sake. I doubt you would see any great video performance increase if you got 256 more system RAM. 256RAM + 9500 pro > 512RAM + 32 meg card. 128 ram is pretty much todays video card standard and if you only have 1/4th of that(32), then it should be obvious why your 3d mark score is so low Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman January 30, 2003 Share Gunman Member January 30, 2003 ^ | | | Listen to ZD and Homer...they smartz0r... Gunman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConGregation January 30, 2003 Author Share ConGregation Member January 30, 2003 video card is probably the most important thing in your computer when it comes to game performance etc... do NOT slack off when buying a video card. I would tell you to stay away from ATI.. I would tell you to buy a geforce ti 4200 (or better) 64mb (or better) Just my opinion. Any reason to stay away from ATI? I have never had a geforce. The card I have now is ATI and for the price I paid it has performed well. Come to think of it, I bought it when I joined Mmmm for 70 bucks. That was about two years ago... lemme check the email (saved it)... Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 22:02:12 -0500 I just let a guy go...and we're down to 5. You ready? You have a little homework to catch up on in the forums and one map's strats to study if you're ready to go. Let me know. The hand of Mmmm is extended. We're ready for some new blood. Fat [Mmmm]Fat_Bastard Yep two years ago. I think Im due for another one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Hurricane January 30, 2003 Share Guest The Hurricane Guests January 30, 2003 No reason inparticular. I have just had a bad past with ATI, and than I bought an Nvidia and it was like I was in heaven... LOTS of support for drivers, install help, etc... But to each his own, and if ati has been good to you for the past 2 years, then by all means stick with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Hurricane January 30, 2003 Share Guest The Hurricane Guests January 30, 2003 Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 22:02:12 -0500 I just let a guy go...and we're down to 5. You ready? You have a little homework to catch up on in the forums and one map's strats to study if you're ready to go. Let me know. The hand of Mmmm is extended. We're ready for some new blood. Fat [Mmmm]Fat_Bastard so, did you accept their invitation? hmm.. actually, it sounds a little like a re-invite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZDamage January 30, 2003 Share Guest ZDamage Guests January 30, 2003 Me thinks Cane is a Nvidia fanboy. I would have said Nvidia back last spring when the 4200 ti and the other GF4 cards came out. But now times have changed. You want the best for your money, Radeon 9500 pro is the best under 200 bucks. DX9 is out, and the 9500 pro is a DX9 videocard, so when the next 3dmark test comes out, 9500 pro will be able to perform the DX9 tests, GF4 will not. Just like with anyone who has a Gf2 card can not do many of the tests in 3dmark2001 tests. That alone kills your score. For under a 100 dollars, i would just avoid those unless you absolutely could only spend 100 bucks. The life span of those cards is currently short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZDamage January 30, 2003 Share Guest ZDamage Guests January 30, 2003 ATI driver support is a 1000% better than what it was a year ago. Times have change in regards to drivers with ATI. Nvidia is still great driver support, and they will need it to fix the bugs and what not with the new FX card. Their current drivers do not run DX9, so the benches done recently are more or less not accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConGregation January 30, 2003 Author Share ConGregation Member January 30, 2003 I accepted, Cane. Actually I asked a ton of questions which produced a very cool response. I have those emails too =). Man I can remember being soo jacked about being accepting into Mmmm. Good times. I just looked on newegg and the 9500 pro 128Ram OEM is 180. That is a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Hurricane January 30, 2003 Share Guest The Hurricane Guests January 30, 2003 btw... "3dmarks" and other benchmarks out there are pure bs. btw part II... cane is an nvidia fan boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZDamage January 30, 2003 Share Guest ZDamage Guests January 30, 2003 3dmark scores just give you an idea where things are with your over all system. think about it, the gf4 ti cards can not compare to a 9700 pro. Yet they are close in 3dmark scores. Real world performance is what matters. The Gf4 cards are now not worth the money. This changes all the time. Next month the GF FX may be the ones to buy as the new Radeon comes out. Depends on price and performance ratios. The best deal for the money is the 9500 pro right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman January 30, 2003 Share Batman Member January 30, 2003 Look Nvidia fanboy ATI Radeon 9500 DX9-build 8xAGP GForce4TI-anything DX8-build 4xAGP The Radeon 9500 is more of a card for Tomorrow than the GF4 TI line... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Kill3r January 30, 2003 Share All Kill3r Member January 30, 2003 i think im gonna wait till i get my tax $$$$$ then get 9700 Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman January 30, 2003 Share Batman Member January 30, 2003 After 3 years of paying im accually getting money back this year!!! And i already bought a 17" monitor... And the wife wanted a new sofa, so we got a $780 dollar monkey butt red one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gond January 30, 2003 Share Gond Member January 30, 2003 Rev, when I first got my 9500 I put it in a P3-600 with 512mb RAM running 133mhz bus. It took my fps from about 30 in CS to about 70. I would still see an occasional drop to 40 or 50 in heavy battles. Prior to the video card BF1942 was playable but the graphics had to be at the lowest settings. Playing Jedi Knight 2 was choppy when going outside buildings. With the new card I was able to run 1942 at higher graphic quality and JK2 all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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