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Non Gaming Discussions => Off-Topic => Topic started by: soundifound on November 20, 2003, 05:54:03 PM

Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: soundifound on November 20, 2003, 05:54:03 PM
I\'m presently running a GF4 MX420, which came with my PC.  I\'m thinking about a ATI RADEON 9600.  Good choice?  And whats the difference between all of the manufacturers of the cards(I.E. Sapphire and Info-Tek GeXCube)?  I\'ve been looking at newegg.com and noticed their prices are very low compared to retail stores.  Why is that?
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: §ôµÏG®ïñD on November 20, 2003, 06:17:15 PM
Either go ATI radeon 9600 or above, or get a Geforce 4 TI series card... Either way you can\'t go wrong.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: THX on November 20, 2003, 10:07:55 PM
Newegg\'s prices are lower because they don\'t have to pay for the same amount electricity, property, and sales staff it takes to keep a big retail brick and mortar store running.

Echoing Soully, I\'d go 9600+ or GF4 4600.

http://www.pricegrabber.com
http://www.pricewatch.com
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Samwise on November 20, 2003, 10:57:07 PM
I might wait for a GeForce FX 5700 Ultra if I were you. It\'s a bit more expensive than a 9600 Pro though.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: JP on November 21, 2003, 05:17:11 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Samwise
I might wait for a GeForce FX 5700 Ultra if I were you. It\'s a bit more expensive than a 9600 Pro though.


You really don\'t want to buy an Nvidia FX card unless you get it for around 10 bucks hehe. The FX-series is a tragedy.

I\'d listen to Soulgrind here.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: soundifound on November 21, 2003, 11:58:57 AM
I\'m looking at these 9600XT cards and wondering which one of the 9600XT\'s to get.  Whats the difference between these cards?  

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=ati%2Cradeon%2C9600xt
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: KillaX on November 21, 2003, 08:01:42 PM
I would go with a ATI Radeon 9600 and up.  I have the 9700 Pro and LOVE it (Payed top-dollar for it tho when it came out (400 bucks))

:hat:ScottyJ:hat:
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: THX on November 21, 2003, 11:02:14 PM
Killa don\'t kick yourseld too hard, your money was well spent.  My buddy has the 9700pro too and it has served him well through the months.  Still a top quality card.

As for the XT models I think they are more powerful versions of the originals.  I know the 9800 XT is the best card you can buy as of now.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Samwise on November 21, 2003, 11:27:53 PM
Quote
Originally posted by JP
You really don\'t want to buy an Nvidia FX card unless you get it for around 10 bucks hehe. The FX-series is a tragedy.

Well, I\'d say the same before I saw the 5700 Ultra. Seems to be a pretty nice card. :)
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: §ôµÏG®ïñD on November 22, 2003, 12:20:43 AM
i donno, my ti4400 card gets better benchmarks then the 5600 Ultra 256 meg card. That\'s proven and tested on my machine. (brother bought one) donno how well the 5700 would do
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Samwise on November 22, 2003, 12:26:22 AM
The 5700 is much better than the old 5600.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: JP on November 22, 2003, 06:53:48 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Samwise
The 5700 is much better than the old 5600.


That\'s not saying much though.

From Tom\'s Hardware:

"In most of the standard tests, the FX 5700 is on par with the Radeon 9600 XT. It too tends to take a performance nosedive when 4xFSAA and 8x anisotropic filtering come into play. "

Not bad but it\'s got lower IQ than the ATI cards.

I still wouldn\'t buy it over a 9600 XT or Pro, which should be cheaper at this point and offer the same or better performance.

"Looking at the benchmark results in available games, buyers now have the choice between the FX 5700 Ultra and the Radeon 9600 XT in the mainstream segment. In the standard tests, both cards offer virtually identical performance. With FSAA and anisotropic enabled, however, the ATi card shines.

IF prices do drop, the Radeon 9600 Pro could well become the insider\'s choice, taking the Radeon 9500 Pro\'s place, which remains a great value, if you can still find it. Thanks to its eight-pipe design, it offers solid performance in DirectX 9 games. "

There ya have it.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Lord Nicon on November 24, 2003, 02:13:12 PM
this one one of the many reasons i dislike pc gaming. A few months later your card isnt top notch and a little less than a year or so, its obsolete. All that money down the crapper. At least the games dont always progress with the vid cards or you would have to buy a new card every 8mo\'s. Sad
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Samwise on November 24, 2003, 11:35:17 PM
Quote
Originally posted by JP
There ya have it.

I don\'t think it\'s that black and white though. In most of the tests I\'ve seen, the 5700 pulls ahead of 9600 Pro. I guess it depends on your taste, but neither card would be a bad choice.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Paul on November 27, 2003, 10:09:51 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Lord Nicon
this one one of the many reasons i dislike pc gaming. A few months later your card isnt top notch and a little less than a year or so, its obsolete. All that money down the crapper. At least the games dont always progress with the vid cards or you would have to buy a new card every 8mo\'s. Sad


Well, I bought a console and after 1 year, the graphics looks so obsolete and crap compared to my PC...REALLY sad.

The beauty of PC is there is always option. You don\'t have to buy the top card there is. You can always buy the mainstream card and it should last about 2 years at least. But with consoles....you\'re stuck with low-res, jaggies and blurry texture for the next 5 years.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: JP on November 28, 2003, 12:02:17 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Samwise
I don\'t think it\'s that black and white though. In most of the tests I\'ve seen, the 5700 pulls ahead of 9600 Pro. I guess it depends on your taste, but neither card would be a bad choice.


It may be ahead in some dx8.x tests but not in dx9 games and not with AA/AF turned on either. So I don\'t see it as a better buy than the Radeon 9600 Pro which should also be cheaper at this point.

Anyway, I\'ve always bought Nvidia but the FX-series is a real let down, and I won\'t buy another FX-based card this generation at least. But that\'s just me, I\'m scared from buying the 5600
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Paul on November 28, 2003, 01:04:39 AM
Yes the FX series has sucks bad, but the 5700 Ultra looks like going to redeem their mainstream product, but I\'m not sure how much is it though, or whethe it is justifiable against the the 9600XT.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: soundifound on November 28, 2003, 12:32:35 PM
well i ended up getting the Radeon 9600XT w/ free Half-Life 2 game.  Got it in 2 days.  Works great, and a hell of a lot faster than my old card. :)
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Paul on November 28, 2003, 06:11:17 PM
Congrats and enjoy ur new toy!!!

Btw, i noticed that ome of u guys are talking about the 5700 and some 5700 Ultra. Is there 2 models or is everyone talking about the same 5700 Ultra???
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Samwise on November 29, 2003, 12:20:44 AM
I\'d guess there\'s a 5700 and a 5700 Ultra. I was talking about the Ultra.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Paul on December 01, 2003, 01:53:05 AM
Hmm...I think the Ultra is going to cost even more than the 9800XT. So I guess the 9800XT/Pro is still a better buy.
Title: Need a new GFX card
Post by: Samwise on December 01, 2003, 02:01:04 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Paul
Hmm...I think the Ultra is going to cost even more than the 9800XT. So I guess the 9800XT/Pro is still a better buy.

What?! No no no, the 5700 Ultra is not a high end nVidia card. It\'ll never cost more than - or just as much as - the 9800 XT/Pro.