<!--QuoteBegin-Skidzor+Aug 15 2004, 07:45 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Skidzor @ Aug 15 2004, 07:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Invader Scoot+Aug 15 2004, 08:42 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Invader Scoot @ Aug 15 2004, 08:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> NEVER WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A NVIDIA FX CARD. EVER. NEVER EVER.
NEVER EVER EVER. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I take it that you're an ATI fanboy. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Not necessarily. Even a person who favors NVidia like myself must admit that the FX line = crap. Don't buy an FX card. Get a 6800 or ATI x800 or if you're on a budget wait and see what the 6600 series and ati's answer to it will offer.
I've read and heard from many friends that the Radeon 9800 pro 256mb is a waste of money compared to the 128mb version. What about games such as DOOM3? Will the extra 128mb's really help that much?
Expect 40-50fps on medium. Mine is a little better all around but a better video card and I got 50-100fps on CS:Source. Soon it will be always 100fps when I get my new video card. (Get a ATI Radeon 9800 Pro. Very cheap now, and this was the card used in the making of HL2)
I can sell you an ati 9550 for 60$ <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I've read and heard from many friends that the Radeon 9800 pro 256mb is a waste of money compared to the 128mb version. What about games such as DOOM3? Will the extra 128mb's really help that much? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> In every benchmark I've seen pitting them head to head they always come out similar. Of course no game used as much texture memory as Doom 3 did back then, and I doubt any HW sites will ever lay a hand on a 9800Pro again since its not top of the line anymore.
Doom 3 relies more on your CPU and RAM though, I have a 5200fx, and if it wasn't for the constant swapping of large textures Doom 3 would run a very smooth 30fps.
For HL2 the same thing will probably apply, since it too uses very high resolution textures. But unlike Doom 3 it dosent rely as much on bump mapping to make models look good as much as it does on a higher polycount.
So pretty much, more system RAM is never a bad thing, more video card RAM however probably won't make as much of a difference.
If this dosen't make any sense, its because its 5am here.
I've read and heard from many friends that the Radeon 9800 pro 256mb is a waste of money compared to the 128mb version. What about games such as DOOM3? Will the extra 128mb's really help that much? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> On Doom 3? yes, on HL2? barely, on any older game? with the exception of farcry, no.
Unreal 3 engine maxes out at 1gig texture memory usable, and some of the more stunning games planned to hit the market like high texture memory too, but all of them will sill run fine on a 128, some just on one quality setting lower.
QuaunautThe longest seven days in history...Join Date: 2003-03-21Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
<!--QuoteBegin-Swiftspear+Aug 15 2004, 07:28 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Swiftspear @ Aug 15 2004, 07:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-cshank4+Aug 15 2004, 09:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (cshank4 @ Aug 15 2004, 09:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Crono5788+Aug 15 2004, 09:17 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Crono5788 @ Aug 15 2004, 09:17 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Crono5788+Aug 15 2004, 08:36 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Crono5788 @ Aug 15 2004, 08:36 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>HALF-LIFE 2 WILL RUN ON YOUR MACHINE JUST FINE</span>
It just won't look as pretty as possible. A videocard upgrade would help it look prettier, but just wait for a while until you can afford a good one. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Bang.
You don't need a new video card, however it would help the game look better. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Kay, one last question about video cards, every site about my computer (Dell Dimension DIM4550) says the video card slot is an AGP, yet in Device Manager it says my card is in PCI Slot 1, does that just mean it's running in PCI mode? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Probably not, its probably just a glitch.
Oh, and HL2 will run fine, but it will look alot better on a card with DX9 support (geforce FX series and ATI 9000 series) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!!
NO! IT IS NOT A AGP SLOT! I PROMISE YOU, IT ISN'T UNTIL YOU CHECK.
I myself had a Dell. I had one that either is yours, or is similar. They said I had AGP. I didn't.
Just recall, if you will: The Source engine is scaleable. Apparently the minimum specs are something ludicrously low like a tnt2 and a 700mhz processor.
While, like everyone else said, the video card is the main bottleneck, the res tof the system is fine. I'd say CWAG's guesstimate would be the closest to truth.
Comments
NEVER EVER EVER. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I take it that you're an ATI fanboy. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not necessarily. Even a person who favors NVidia like myself must admit that the FX line = crap. Don't buy an FX card. Get a 6800 or ATI x800 or if you're on a budget wait and see what the 6600 series and ati's answer to it will offer.
I've read and heard from many friends that the Radeon 9800 pro 256mb is a waste of money compared to the 128mb version. What about games such as DOOM3? Will the extra 128mb's really help that much?
I've read and heard from many friends that the Radeon 9800 pro 256mb is a waste of money compared to the 128mb version. What about games such as DOOM3? Will the extra 128mb's really help that much? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
In every benchmark I've seen pitting them head to head they always come out similar. Of course no game used as much texture memory as Doom 3 did back then, and I doubt any HW sites will ever lay a hand on a 9800Pro again since its not top of the line anymore.
Doom 3 relies more on your CPU and RAM though, I have a 5200fx, and if it wasn't for the constant swapping of large textures Doom 3 would run a very smooth 30fps.
For HL2 the same thing will probably apply, since it too uses very high resolution textures. But unlike Doom 3 it dosent rely as much on bump mapping to make models look good as much as it does on a higher polycount.
So pretty much, more system RAM is never a bad thing, more video card RAM however probably won't make as much of a difference.
If this dosen't make any sense, its because its 5am here.
I've read and heard from many friends that the Radeon 9800 pro 256mb is a waste of money compared to the 128mb version. What about games such as DOOM3? Will the extra 128mb's really help that much? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
On Doom 3? yes, on HL2? barely, on any older game? with the exception of farcry, no.
Unreal 3 engine maxes out at 1gig texture memory usable, and some of the more stunning games planned to hit the market like high texture memory too, but all of them will sill run fine on a 128, some just on one quality setting lower.
NM - Saw it in post above.. Did'nt notice before.
It just won't look as pretty as possible. A videocard upgrade would help it look prettier, but just wait for a while until you can afford a good one. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bang.
You don't need a new video card, however it would help the game look better. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Kay, one last question about video cards, every site about my computer (Dell Dimension DIM4550) says the video card slot is an AGP, yet in Device Manager it says my card is in PCI Slot 1, does that just mean it's running in PCI mode? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Probably not, its probably just a glitch.
Oh, and HL2 will run fine, but it will look alot better on a card with DX9 support (geforce FX series and ATI 9000 series) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!!
NO! IT IS NOT A AGP SLOT! I PROMISE YOU, IT ISN'T UNTIL YOU CHECK.
I myself had a Dell. I had one that either is yours, or is similar. They said I had AGP. I didn't.
Check first.
128DDRMB ATI Raedon 9600xt (best card my PSU will handle)
and 2 sticks of 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-2100, RAM. (not sure what speed my current stick is so I'm getting two.)
While, like everyone else said, the video card is the main bottleneck, the res tof the system is fine. I'd say CWAG's guesstimate would be the closest to truth.