I Need A New Video Card!

TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Have some cash to burn, what's best?</div> I just realized my vid card is crap and i want a new one.

Just curious what was a good buy. Right now I'm thinking of spending about $200. I might spend a little more if it's worth it, but i think $200 is about as far as I'm going to go.

I've checked out <a href='http://www.pricewatch.com' target='_blank'>PriceWatch.com</a> and I don't know what to pick.

Let me know what you guys think.
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  • p4Samwisep4Samwise Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10831Members
    If you're looking to spend about $200 go nVidia. Their biggest market right now is mid-range cards.
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  • FlatlineUTDFlatlineUTD Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7695Members
    If you've got $200, try a ATI 9500 from newegg: $205

    ATI RADEON 9500 PRO 128MB DDR DVI AGP RETAIL
    Specifications:
    Chipset:9500 PRO Visual Processing Unit
    Engine clock: 275 MHz
    Memory:128MB of double data rate SDRAM
    Memory speed: 540 MHz
    Eight parallel rendering pipelines
    Four parallel geometry engines
    128-bit DDR memory interface
    BUS: AGP 8X support
    OS Support: Windows® XP, Windows® 2000, Windows® Me
    Ports; VGA + DVI + S-Video
    Retail box (see pics for details) More... Model#: RADEON 9500 PRO 128M
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  • 343_guilty_spark343_guilty_spark Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17462Members
    1st you made 4 topics lol
    i go with a ATI RADEON 9800 if you got the cash.
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  • TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
    heh, I made 4 topics cuz it kept telling me it didn't work.

    Thanks for the advice, I'll keep looking.
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  • p4Samwisep4Samwise Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10831Members
    $199 also from Newegg:

    VGA PNY Verto GEFORCE FX 5600 256MB DDR AGP 8X VGA TV-OUT. RETAIL BOX
    Specifications:
    BUS: AGP 8X
    NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600
    256MB high speed DDR II RAM
    Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec): 6.4
    Fill Rate: 1.0 billion texels/sec.
    Maximum 3D/2D resolution of 2048 x 1536 @ 32bit color @85Hz


    mmmm... 256MB...
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  • TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
    Is there anything out there that is really good for really cheap?

    Something that might retail for 400 or something, but is on sale for 250?

    I might be interested in something like that.
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  • p4Samwisep4Samwise Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10831Members
    You mean stolen goods? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • xioutlawixxioutlawix Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7118Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--[p4]Samwise+Aug 18 2003, 04:49 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> ([p4]Samwise @ Aug 18 2003, 04:49 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> You mean stolen goods? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    We say they "fell out the back of a truck" <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
    haha, no I'm takling about some going out of business sale or something like that.
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  • OttoDestructOttoDestruct Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7790Members
    edited August 2003
    Check out <a href='http://tomshardware.com' target='_blank'>Tom's Hardware</a> before making any final decisions. Yes Radeon 9500 Pro's perform very well, but you also have to consider that they require extra power, so make sure you have a good power supply. Personally I wouldn't go nVidia, I've heard of way too many problems with drivers for their cards. If you want to spend a bit less go for this <a href='http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=14-136-104' target='_blank'>Tyan 9600 Pro</a>. VERY good cooling on it, has a onboard speaker that beeps when it gets too hot, variable speed fan, software to monitor temperature and control fan speed.

    *Edit*

    And don't buy specifically for 256 meg. There aren't any games out which support it, and frankly most developers aren't going to make games that require $350+ graphics cards.
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  • Soylent_greenSoylent_green Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11220Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    What's your other hardware(processor and memory please)? Getting a high-end card doesn't necesarilly equate to better performance on low end hardware. Especially not in NS which seems to gobble up CPU cycles like there's no tomorrow.
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  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    Get a geforce4Ti4600, its not brand new but its more than you'll need for today's games. Others would have you believe otherwise...then again, i dont have a moneytree :/
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  • OttoDestructOttoDestruct Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7790Members
    Is the 4600 DirectX9 optimized? I'm lazy to research it, but that will help increase its life if it does. BTW commy did you guys win that game I was comming? Had leave it cause dad needed to do some business stuff or whatever he does.
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  • TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
    Well, I'm also getting a new mobo, cpu, and ram. I have a friend helping me pick that out. I figured I'd ask you guys what a good "bang for buck" vid card was. Probably spend 200 on vid card, 200 or so on mobo/cpu, and another 100 on ram.
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  • OttoDestructOttoDestruct Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7790Members
    200 to spend total on mobo and cpu? Or on both?
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  • Soylent_greenSoylent_green Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11220Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited August 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->200 or so on mobo/cpu<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That better be an AMD, the alternative, celeron is quite unthinkable for games no matter how many "elite" megahurtz(it gets bandwidth limit when it runs out of cache memory, that is not fun because even if you go nuts and overclock it to 4GHz(can be done)you will not get any real performance increase on CPU bound maps in a game like ut2k3 for example)

    OMG no it translated 133 7 to "elite" <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
    From what I was told AMD was the only way to go. From what I've been looking at AMD seems to have the most power for the least price. I'm pretty sure I'll be going with AMD.
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  • p4Samwisep4Samwise Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10831Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--OttoDestruct+Aug 18 2003, 02:09 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (OttoDestruct @ Aug 18 2003, 02:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Personally I wouldn't go nVidia, I've heard of way too many problems with drivers for their cards. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->

    You'd go with ATI over nVidia because of the DRIVERS? I've never heard of a single problem with nVidia drivers; all I ever heard about them is how awesome they are (and they are). ATI, on the other hand... I've seen firsthand what madness THEIR drivers are capable of.
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  • Soylent_greenSoylent_green Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11220Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Yeah nvidia did have some problems with their drivers but not any stability issues AFAIK. They had some problems with image quality and some problems with "questionable optimizations" in 3dmark2003(questionable optimizations such as adding static clip planes of the track and swapping in their own shader program which is more optimized but has a slightly worse image quality etc. Some deem this cheating as these are not the type of optimizations you could make in a game unless you expect to run around in predifined patterns or if you accept worse image quality for performance improvements without being give a choice. And so on...).

    Ati hasn't made any recent screw ups for their drivers, but the 3.2 catalysts crashed when you went back to the menus in HL... luckily I didn't have an ATI card then.
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  • UnknownUnknown Join Date: 2002-06-12 Member: 759Members
    I just built a new computer, and I got a GeForceFX 5600 256mb for about 150$ from newegg. I get mainly 100 fps in HL sometimes a bit lower when my computer can't handle all the lag and models. I am guessing thats also b/c I only have 320mb of PC2100 ram <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> I plan on getting a stick of 512mb PC3200.

    I love its TV Out/In features too. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> I'm playing my new X-box on my computer right now cause my parent's kicked me off our big screen. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • TAATAA Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13922Members
    thanks for all the input. I'll definately look into your suggestions. Any more info is always welcome <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    edited August 2003
    DEFINATELY go ATi. nVidia cards just can't keep up. (Anyone who says "The new FX card is better than the 9800" is wrong. nVidia <a href='http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1086025,00.asp' target='_blank'>cheated on the benchmark</a>.) Gabe Newell himself supports the Radeon 9800. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • GreyPawsGreyPaws Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8659Members
    edited August 2003
    GeForce FX 5900 256 from Asus <a href='http://usa.asus.com/products/vga/v9950/overview.htm' target='_blank'>clicky</a> and if you really wanna make em drool get the <a href='http://usa.asus.com/products/vga/v9950u/overview.htm' target='_blank'>ULTRA! </a> ::echo, echo, echo::


    heheheh Asus cards own but the Ultra will run you $473 (lowest price as of August 18, 2003. Prices by Pricewatch)

    good luck with your purchase

    edit: woopsy didnt realize you only had $200 to spend you might want to consider the <a href='http://usa.asus.com/products/vga/v9480tvd/overview.htm' target='_blank'>clicky</a>

    PS: EVERYONE fluffs up their drivers/configs to score better on Benchmarks thats why benchmarks arent worth a jack. But if you want reliability you go with Nvida not ATI. (IMO just to make you feel better <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> )
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  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    If you want excellent graphics quality with a decent framerate, go ATi.

    If you want "eh" graphics quality with a high framerate (Useless), go nVidia.
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  • GreyPawsGreyPaws Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8659Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--CForrester+Aug 18 2003, 10:42 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CForrester @ Aug 18 2003, 10:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If you want excellent graphics quality with a decent framerate, go ATi.

    If you want "eh" graphics quality with a high framerate (Useless), go nVidia. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Dont you think if that was true ATI would be the only card on the market instead of being second rate?

    I'm not a big fan of Alienware but they use the Nvidia fx5900 in their primo rigs, not ATI
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Do not buy a video card yet!

    Supposedly big price drops are coming Sept. 23rd, so says HardOCP and nVidia...
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  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    Because everyone thinks that whatever gets the most FPS is the best card.
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  • JavertJavert Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15954Members
    Both Nvidia and ATI are excellent. It is a matter of choice. It's like bad politics, they shoot s#@t at each other (pardon my typing) and in the end, no one's the wiser. You can't go wrong with either card, your human eyes (punily capped at 40 fps) won't tell the difference! Apparently, neither will your wallet.
    All have similiar, if not identical features (of course, the opposing companies always find a way to bash the features). If it's games u like, both were made for games, so u can't foul up there.
    As for drivers, you come and try to make those things, don't expect perfection from either companies. They have both screwed up in the past (royally), so no one has a better record.
    So choose as you wish and have fun!. I prefer Nvidia.


    <i>It is our choices, Harry, that show what
    we truly are, far more than our abilities.</i>
    <b>~Albus Dumbledore</b>
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  • GreyPawsGreyPaws Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8659Members
    I'm ok with my GeForce 4 I'm not gunna buy a new card till I put together my other rig in december (3.2 800mhz fsb with fx5900 all asus of course (p4c800 delux blah blah blah)


    BTW the digital out on my Nvida card makes my new display (Viewsonic vx900 LCD (19" flatpannel digital) look too damn good for words... NS was like a totaly new game... I dont even have to use 3deep the colors and gamma are superb ::major drool::
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  • NecroticNecrotic Big Girl&#39;s Blouse Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 53Members, NS1 Playtester
    Get a Radeon 9200! They're more than capabale of running anything you can think to throw at it and they've dropped off the "bleeding edge" list so I got mine for £70 which is about $100~
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