Author Topic: Graphics Cards - Best 128Mb (budget) (Read 345 times)

Replicant · « **on:** May 07, 2002, 05:23:50 AM »

Hi all

I haven't really kept up-to-date with graphics cards so I haven't a clue if any of the following are troublesome etc....? I'm currently using an Abit GeForce 2 GTS 64Mb.

128Mb ABIT Siluro GeForce 3 Ti-200 with DVi / TV-out (137.48)

128Mb MSI Ge Force 3 Ti-200 TV/out (129.25)

128Mb ABIT GeForce 4 Siluro Ti4400 TV Out/DVI/VIO 3.6ns (229.12 )

128Mb Creative Labs GeForce 4 Ti4400 TV Out/DVI (244.99)

128Mb MSI G4Ti4400-VTD GeForce 4 TV Out/Video In/DVI (230.30)

128Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE Dual Heat with DVI/TV Out (OEM) AGP (163.32)

The prices are in brackets in Pound Sterling. That's just an indication of price difference. Graphic cards are expensive in the UK! I haven't looked for cheaper prices yet, but at least I'll have a rough idea of what to look for!

Regards

gatt · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2002, 05:46:28 AM »

Buy a GeForce4-4400 (MSI is the supplier of Creative Labs and the quality is very good). The 4400 is a powerful card and can be safely overclocked (if you need to) from 550 up to 650Mhz (same clock of the 4600) with no problem at all (I did it with my Creative 4400).

When you try FSAA at 2X with no or minimum fps hit you cant go back

Lephturn · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2002, 08:55:05 AM »

Tell me about it gatt, that's why I'm still using a V5 5500.

Until the GeForce 4, there has been nothing that can hold a candle to the V5's image quality with FSAA. Even so, it takes 4x FSAA on the GeForce 4 to equal the quality of the 2x FSAA on the V5 IMO. But I digress...

I'm about to upgrade this spring/summer.... but I'm waiting on the GeForce 4 Ti 4200. It's starting to trickle in now. If you have time to wait a bit, this card will be the best bang for the buck on the market, hands down. If you want something right now and can afford it, the GeForce 4 Ti 4400 is a great card... only beaten by the stupidly expensive Ti 4600.

gatt · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2002, 09:30:14 AM »

Hi Lephturn,
performance wise the 4200 is, FSAA apart, like a Ti-500. However, under FSAA it performs better (quality/fps) thank to the new GeForce4 FSAA engine.

I've tried both the 4400 and the 4600 and your right: buy the 4400. As far as the price/performance is concerned I still find the 4400 the best buy. Of course I didnt try the 4200, it is just my opinion.

Just FYI, I run my P4-1900 (first P4 type), Win98SE, 512Mbyte RDRAM, GeForce4-4400, 28.32 drivers, DirectX8.1, 19" monitor, at 1280x1024@32bit (85Hz) and FSAA 2X. The graphic quality is *very* good, looks like a 1600x1200 or even more - no jagged lines at all. FPS are usually around monitor refresh rate.

Lephturn · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2002, 09:39:59 AM »

Great to know, thanks for the info gatt!

Sweet rig you have there.

Animal · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2002, 02:46:23 PM »

If you are on a budget, nothing can bit the Ti4200

It is much faster than the Ti500 by the way

Reschke · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2002, 03:10:39 PM »

I have been running the 128MB Abit Siluro GeForce 4 Ti-4400 for a while now on the 2832 drivers and the card is smooth and visual quality it really crisp. Also I run it on 4x FSAA and have no problems. In AH (when I had a joystick; still waiting on my new one) I will get fps in the 65-85 range depending on what is happening and how many bad guys there are in the area. no longer do I have to deal with frame rate slow downs like I had with my GF2 GTS card in base attacks.

System Specs:
1.4GHz T-Bird, ASUS A7v266, 13.3GB ATA66 IBM HD and 80GB Maxtor ATA133 HD, 128MB Abit Siluro GF4 Ti-4400 (2832 drivers) 4X FSAA, Diamond MX300, 3Com 905B NIC, 19" Monitor running at 1152x964 and 75Hz (I think that is the right size.

) and running WinXP Pro with the refresh rate patch and registry tweaked for my A3D based sound card.

Wanker · « **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2002, 03:23:23 PM »

Here's a little analysis on the Ti-4200 from Tom's Hardware:

http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic/02q2/020409/index.html