I was wondering if anyone could give me some input on what graphics card would best suite me. I have a ABIT AT7 MAX2, AMD 2800, 1.5GIGS PC 2700 DDR ram, 10000 RPM MAXTOR at the moment only component left to complete CPU is the video card. I play video games like EQ and will play EQ2 when it comes out. I would like to spend around 200 dollars on this and was woundering if anyone could give me some pros and what in there opinion would best suite me. Thanks for any input.
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Opinions on graphic cards
- Thread starter rindig
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- #3
If you can get a 9700 Pro in your budget, go for it.
As you can see at this point : the XT extension is generally a more expensive version of the same, at a slightly higher performance level.
If you really want performance, the Radeon 9800 XT is what you want now.
But that is no longer in the $200 range - at least for the moment.
Pascal.
As you can see at this point : the XT extension is generally a more expensive version of the same, at a slightly higher performance level.
If you really want performance, the Radeon 9800 XT is what you want now.
But that is no longer in the $200 range - at least for the moment.
Pascal.
I've got to say I'm having lots of negative reports from my customers about Radeon 9700PRO/9800PRO/9800XT cards, it seems one thing they all agree on is fantastic performance but all report anoying problems with screens resizing constantly and incompatibility with a large number of games.
I sold my friends Hercules 3D Phophet 256mb 9800XT yesterday on ebay, just 7 weeks old but he'd had enough of it! same anoying problems that I had with my 9800Pro, I sold mine as well, we have another friend who just had to get a Radeon 9800XT, he's had his a fortnight and his is on sale now as well (same problems)
I know what you're all going to say about isolated problems and individuals opinions but we all went out and bought Radeon's thinking they were the card to have and have since realised they are a pain! fast but anoying!
Michael my friend now has a Leadtek FX5950, I've got a budget but very fast FX5900XT and our other friend well he's going Nvidia when he can sell his RAD! want to buy it?
Nvidia FX5900 series of cards just plug, play and work, they just don't have the same sort of anoying issues as the big Rads and they just play everything you chuck at them.
The best $200 card is an Nvidia FX5900XT (as much as 50% quicker in some benchmarks compared to the FX5700ultra and Radeon 9600XT)
The Radeon 9700Pro is probably 5-10% quicker in truth but only if you are prepared to put up with it's little anoyances.
We also give similar advice to our shop customers and of course not many believe you but then when they try and return the card a week later. This happened recently, two friends both bought Radeon 9800Pro's, neither would play this particular game so brought them back! what could we say? sorry mate but we did tell you about the problems many are having with Radeons.
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
I sold my friends Hercules 3D Phophet 256mb 9800XT yesterday on ebay, just 7 weeks old but he'd had enough of it! same anoying problems that I had with my 9800Pro, I sold mine as well, we have another friend who just had to get a Radeon 9800XT, he's had his a fortnight and his is on sale now as well (same problems)
I know what you're all going to say about isolated problems and individuals opinions but we all went out and bought Radeon's thinking they were the card to have and have since realised they are a pain! fast but anoying!
Michael my friend now has a Leadtek FX5950, I've got a budget but very fast FX5900XT and our other friend well he's going Nvidia when he can sell his RAD! want to buy it?
Nvidia FX5900 series of cards just plug, play and work, they just don't have the same sort of anoying issues as the big Rads and they just play everything you chuck at them.
The best $200 card is an Nvidia FX5900XT (as much as 50% quicker in some benchmarks compared to the FX5700ultra and Radeon 9600XT)
The Radeon 9700Pro is probably 5-10% quicker in truth but only if you are prepared to put up with it's little anoyances.
We also give similar advice to our shop customers and of course not many believe you but then when they try and return the card a week later. This happened recently, two friends both bought Radeon 9800Pro's, neither would play this particular game so brought them back! what could we say? sorry mate but we did tell you about the problems many are having with Radeons.
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
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Martin :
Interesting issues. I have a R9800 Pro and am very happy with it. No screen resizing issues of any kind, and of course, it works fine. As for game incompatibility, I can list at least thirty games from the past three years that work fine - in my PC.
ringid :
The FX5900 is the best NVidia has to offer now, but not as good as a Radeon 9800. That is, if you find a Radeon that doesn't play tricks on you ;-).
Pascal.
Interesting issues. I have a R9800 Pro and am very happy with it. No screen resizing issues of any kind, and of course, it works fine. As for game incompatibility, I can list at least thirty games from the past three years that work fine - in my PC.
ringid :
The FX5900 is the best NVidia has to offer now, but not as good as a Radeon 9800. That is, if you find a Radeon that doesn't play tricks on you ;-).
Pascal.
pmonett
Not quite true "The FX5900 is the best NVidia has to offer now, but not as good as a Radeon 9800" because of course Nvidia have now introduced the FX5950 Ultra, this card seems to have the edge or equal of ATI's Radeon 9800XT.
I'm pleased you don't have problems with your card and I wish mine had behaved like yours.
Trouble is owners of 9700/9800 series Radeons or any other expensive card for that matter aren't necessarily going to "come clean" about issues they are having (I don't include you in that statement pmonett) it's a question of pride especially when you've just spent £300+
I'm honest, I don't have any axe to grind either way, as I've said, I've owned the Radeon 9700Pro, 9800Pro and FX5900XT and these are my experiences but working in a custom build shop does give me more of an insight into other peoples experiences as well, these combined with my own issues have lead me to the above statements.
To rindig!
The XT version of the FX5900 uses the full GPU core (not cut down like the Radeon 9800SE) but utilises slower 2.8ns memory (normally 2.2ns) but because the cas latencey is faster on the 2.8 memory type the performance hit is minimal, there is also some minor differances in the amount of layers used in the PCB construction (fewer for the XT) obviously these are cost cutting measures that have enabled the manufactures to market this card SUB £150/$200 and make it "at the price" a much better buy than the either the FX5700ultra or Radeon 9600XT.
A straight FX5900 is a few percent quicker than an XT variant but obviously the straight FX5900 is $60/$80 more.
Not sure about that particular model you mentioned?
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
Not quite true "The FX5900 is the best NVidia has to offer now, but not as good as a Radeon 9800" because of course Nvidia have now introduced the FX5950 Ultra, this card seems to have the edge or equal of ATI's Radeon 9800XT.
I'm pleased you don't have problems with your card and I wish mine had behaved like yours.
Trouble is owners of 9700/9800 series Radeons or any other expensive card for that matter aren't necessarily going to "come clean" about issues they are having (I don't include you in that statement pmonett) it's a question of pride especially when you've just spent £300+
I'm honest, I don't have any axe to grind either way, as I've said, I've owned the Radeon 9700Pro, 9800Pro and FX5900XT and these are my experiences but working in a custom build shop does give me more of an insight into other peoples experiences as well, these combined with my own issues have lead me to the above statements.
To rindig!
The XT version of the FX5900 uses the full GPU core (not cut down like the Radeon 9800SE) but utilises slower 2.8ns memory (normally 2.2ns) but because the cas latencey is faster on the 2.8 memory type the performance hit is minimal, there is also some minor differances in the amount of layers used in the PCB construction (fewer for the XT) obviously these are cost cutting measures that have enabled the manufactures to market this card SUB £150/$200 and make it "at the price" a much better buy than the either the FX5700ultra or Radeon 9600XT.
A straight FX5900 is a few percent quicker than an XT variant but obviously the straight FX5900 is $60/$80 more.
Not sure about that particular model you mentioned?
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
Martin,
I used to be a 3dfx fan. The Voodoo 2 was one of the most marvelous pieces of hardware I have ever bought. When I upgraded, I took a TNT2 and I have been hooked on NVidia stuff for a long time. I have bought the TNT2, two GeForce 2 GTS cards, a GeForce 3 (vanilla) and a GF4 TI4400.
If I am recounting this hardware history, it is to be very clear on one point : I was a rabid (well, not to the point of biting anyone, via email or otherwise) NVidia fan until the Dustbuster came and shattered my expectations. I was really disappointed by the FX line, but I guess I had put too much hope there.
In any case, it was with a twinge of regret that I upgraded to an ATI product, after having been wary of their driver support for years.
Therefor, you can count on me when I say that, if the Radeon had the slightest issue, the least disfunctionality I could discern, I would (no doubt bitterly) say so. But such is not the case for me, it has performed flawlessly, churning through the texels whatever I throw at it.
It is with great surprise that I learn that ATI cards can still cause issues that were the very basis of my reluctance to choose them. I count myself lucky, then, and will place even greater hopes in the upcoming NV40, slated to return the crown of performance to NVidia. If that does happen, I shall return to the fold and be happy.
Pascal.
I used to be a 3dfx fan. The Voodoo 2 was one of the most marvelous pieces of hardware I have ever bought. When I upgraded, I took a TNT2 and I have been hooked on NVidia stuff for a long time. I have bought the TNT2, two GeForce 2 GTS cards, a GeForce 3 (vanilla) and a GF4 TI4400.
If I am recounting this hardware history, it is to be very clear on one point : I was a rabid (well, not to the point of biting anyone, via email or otherwise) NVidia fan until the Dustbuster came and shattered my expectations. I was really disappointed by the FX line, but I guess I had put too much hope there.
In any case, it was with a twinge of regret that I upgraded to an ATI product, after having been wary of their driver support for years.
Therefor, you can count on me when I say that, if the Radeon had the slightest issue, the least disfunctionality I could discern, I would (no doubt bitterly) say so. But such is not the case for me, it has performed flawlessly, churning through the texels whatever I throw at it.
It is with great surprise that I learn that ATI cards can still cause issues that were the very basis of my reluctance to choose them. I count myself lucky, then, and will place even greater hopes in the upcoming NV40, slated to return the crown of performance to NVidia. If that does happen, I shall return to the fold and be happy.
Pascal.
pmonett
You have a similar history to me, I still Have a Voodoo 3 3000, a Geforce 2 MX400 a Geforce 2 GTS and a GF3 500Ti and recently and reluctantly swopped my Leadtek A280 TD My ViVo(GF4 Ti4400) plus cash for a Sapphire Radeon 9700Pro.
My friend incidently cannot speak more highly of the Leadtek A380 ultra TDH My ViVo (Geforce FX 5950 ultra) that he chose to replace the Hercules 3D Prophet 9800XT.
He says that it has better image quality (brighter/sharper) and plays all his games without faultering and it's no noisier than the 9800XT.
I think the "Dustbuster" you refer to was the original and very noisey FX5800ultra?
Things have improved, there are many FX5900U/FX5950U's on the market now, that are no noisier than their ATI 9800Pro/9800XT counterparts (like anything else, cooling design is down to individual card manufactures and their own implementation of a solution for a given card)
If someone asked me today which was the more desirable card, an ATI Radeon 9800XT or an Nvidia Geforce FX 5950ultra, I would, hand on heart, go for the FX every time.
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
You have a similar history to me, I still Have a Voodoo 3 3000, a Geforce 2 MX400 a Geforce 2 GTS and a GF3 500Ti and recently and reluctantly swopped my Leadtek A280 TD My ViVo(GF4 Ti4400) plus cash for a Sapphire Radeon 9700Pro.
My friend incidently cannot speak more highly of the Leadtek A380 ultra TDH My ViVo (Geforce FX 5950 ultra) that he chose to replace the Hercules 3D Prophet 9800XT.
He says that it has better image quality (brighter/sharper) and plays all his games without faultering and it's no noisier than the 9800XT.
I think the "Dustbuster" you refer to was the original and very noisey FX5800ultra?
Things have improved, there are many FX5900U/FX5950U's on the market now, that are no noisier than their ATI 9800Pro/9800XT counterparts (like anything else, cooling design is down to individual card manufactures and their own implementation of a solution for a given card)
If someone asked me today which was the more desirable card, an ATI Radeon 9800XT or an Nvidia Geforce FX 5950ultra, I would, hand on heart, go for the FX every time.
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
jznightmare
Programmer
the best bang for the buck card is the 5900xt just like the ti4200 back then.
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