Author Topic: New Video Card? (Read 288 times)

Kevin14 · « **on:** August 12, 2004, 12:45:19 PM »

I'm looking to buy a new video card below 160 dollars preferably. I was thinking more along the lines of ATI because that's what I have now.

PC specs:

P3 processor ~1.0GHz
256MB RAM
Windows ME

Skuzzy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:52:35 PM »

That would be about the price of the 9600XT card. A little less maybe.

Kevin14 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:02:44 PM »

Will the 9600XT be able to run AHII decently? Also, my current card is a Rage Fury Pro/XPert 2000 Pro (

), so will a 9600XT work in the same slots and such?

Skuzzy · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:18:41 PM »

Quite frankly, your CPU will not be able to push the 9600XT to its limits. However, you could make the card an investment and move it to the next system, so in that light it is a good purchase.
The current card sounds like it is in an AGP slot, which is what you need for the 9600XT.

Windows ME is also going to hurt the performance as well due to its poor memory management scheme.

Your CPU is above the minimum required, but not far enough to allow you to run with all details enabled.

I am not trying to discourage you, but I also do not want to lead you down a primrose path. You can make the game playable with a new video card, just do not expect the best performance.

Kevin14 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:21:36 PM »

Why thank you Skuzzy, I'll start saving up now

bj229r · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2004, 08:30:09 AM »

Im probably gonna go same route with my system...(900 Duron)---currently have ATI 7200---which is only a 4xAGP w 64 meg----after reading what everyone had to say about ATI vs GeForce, have decided to get a GeForce...mebbe 5700...then get new mb and chip in month or 2...but problem is...there are like a MILLION manufacturers of geforce cards, and also a MILLION derivitives OF said cards....can anyone highlight most important features to look for in regard to AH?

zmeg · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2004, 08:36:37 AM »

Nvidia cards are much less CPU dependent than ATI cards, the 5700 is an good matchup for a 900 duron.

bj229r · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2004, 10:41:26 AM »

hopefully the duron will turn into a 754 series athlon soon--

GreenCloud · « **Reply #8 on:** August 13, 2004, 01:37:41 PM »

just put in a 150$ card yesterday..
xtasy 9600 ati 256mb agp..

its running bettr but i need more ram..

only have 300plus ram..im buying soem 512 stiks today

Skuzzy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 13, 2004, 02:20:27 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by zmeg
Nvidia cards are much less CPU dependent than ATI cards, the 5700 is an good matchup for a 900 duron.

This is not even close to correct. zmeg, I know you are partial to NVidia cards, and you need to state that when you make these types of statements.
CPU utilization is not even a factor between ATI and NVidia today. They both use the CPU in different manners at different times, for different things.

Fact is ATI cards run better in an Intel system due to extensive use of the SSE2 instructions, but the new AMD CPU's which support SSE2 have reversed that.
NVidia has better support for 3DNow, which allows them to run better in AMD versus Intel.

The above has little to do with CPU utilization. It has everything to do with optimizing drivers for any given CPU. Does it mean NVidia will run better than ATI in non-SSE2 AMD systems? If both cards are comparable, then it does not matter. Neither will run better than the other.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #10 on:** August 13, 2004, 08:58:29 PM »

do the GeForce series have an "S-video" output on them. I need that in a video card for other applications that I do. I was leaning towards a 9600 XT but I'm not sure still. I have an Athalon XP 1800 so I'm not sure if that really matters now.