Author Topic: VideoCard Comparison (Read 479 times)

FlameBoy · « **on:** June 10, 2003, 12:41:30 PM »

"Sapphire ATI Radeon 9700 128MB DDR DVI/TV" Vs "Leadtek Winfast A280 TD MyVIVO GeForce4 Ti4800 128MB DDR TV-Out DVI"

Which one would you guys choose? Your opinions may count towards my final decision, thx

VAQ · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2003, 04:10:12 PM »

Mind if I second your request for opinions? I, too, am looking for yet another card.

I have used both Radeon and GF4 cards recently. I was disappointed in the GF4 (see below) and I am becoming disenchanted with the Radeon

GeForce4 Ti4200- worked ok for awhile then crapped out after 3 months or so. It is never a good thing to open one's case and have bits fall out, neh?

ATi Radeon 9500 Pro- having problems with that as well. Modas posted the following in the Tech Support Forum (I am experiencing the same problems):

Quote

As soon as I start messing with AA, AF or the resolution, I start getting stuttering. However, I'm still running very hi FPS. The stutter is only apparent when I'm rolling or turning. And the stutter is very quick. It gets worse (more noticable) as I increase the resolution. The other things that I notice is that I have a little, gray vertical line next to my mouse and the text is "fuzzy" or blurry. (Its not my eyes either)

That little gray line to the right of my mouse cursor (only in Aces High it seems) is driving me nuts (cold comfort to know that others have the exact same problem). The fuzzy text, at some settings, is unreadable.

I thought it was just me (whew). I haven't been having very good luck with V cards. On my third card since January. The two below are both trash. Expensive trash. This sux.

Modas · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2003, 04:22:22 PM »

I never did solve the "stuttering" problem. I put my old GF1 card back in and everthing worked fine, except I can't play witn all the "bells and whistles" turned on.

The only thing that I didn't try is turning the 8x AGP down to 4X on the motherboard. I sent the card back before I thought of that one.

I'm debating now between the TI4200 and the TI4600 (both 128 MB versions).

VAQ - looks like you have a little burning going on in some of those pics... Yikes

I've been running my SB annhilator pro for almost 3 years now. I've gotten good use out of it.

214thCavalier · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2003, 04:29:02 PM »

A lot of peoiple are complaining of Radeon stuttering on the Rage boards,

http://www.rage3d.com/board/index.php?s=

I found mine were because it does not like Zone alarm Pro being installed.

Offline it was ok but as soon as i went online to play stuttering vid.

Disabling Zone alarm did not work same problem but after completely uninstalling it the stutter was gone and this is playing at 1600x1200 res with AA at 6x and AF on minimum.

Others have mentioned it seems to interfere with motherboard monitor as well, again you have to uninstall it just disabli9ng it does not work.

Somebody else claims changing his mouse stopped it, but either way the common factor seems to be owning the damn radeon.

The stutter thread http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33664557&perpage=20&pagenumber=1 is currently at 11 pages i believe, and yet some will tell you its you or your hardware at fault.

They seem to be in denial that the radeon appears to have "issues" with other software being installed.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2003, 04:45:51 PM »

A lot of the AGP8X issues have to do with motherboard chipset problems. VIA had a lot of problems with it, and acknowledged it. Intel fudged up the Granite Bay chipset and admitted it.

I have never suffered a stuttering video, but I know software that will introduce it. Drivers cannot really do much about it.

NVidia slides by on the 8X bus by introducing an additional wait state, which slows the bus down. Maybe ATI should do the same thing.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2003, 04:47:15 PM »

VAQ, you have some heat problems there. That is a power transistor that fried on the NVidia card.
Those buggers get hot and need cooling. The transitor got hot enough to melt the solder holding the capacitor in place. Not good at all.

As a matter of fact, the solder for all the points around that power transistor has been melted.

I would look into how air is being moved around in your case.

VAQ · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2003, 05:00:30 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Modas
VAQ - looks like you have a little burning going on in some of those pics... Yikes

Modas, Skuzzy, heat problems???? Ya think????

Just a little, yeah

I came home one day and the wife tells me "your computer was acting up, it smelled like buring plastic or something so I shut it off." It got hot enough to melt parts right off the card (solder let go).

Ok, so what do we do about this video card thing? Suggestion, anyone? Comments? I have this really neato empty case and I would like to stuff something into it eventually. I need a video card (the Ati 9500 Pro hasn't fried yet but confidence is low).

Hopefully heat problems will be less of a concern in the near future. 7 case fans, 2 in the power supply, 1 on the mobo (possibly more, there is always the North Bridge and RAM cooling to consider), 1 on the video card.

najdorf · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2003, 08:45:40 AM »

I'm trying to pick between the Gainward Ti4800 SE and the Radeon 9700 Pro. I am seeing a lot of problems with stuttering talked about with the Radeon. So, although it seems like the radeon has better performance, I'll go with the Nvidia chip to not have to deal with the headaches.

Modas · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2003, 08:51:20 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
A lot of the AGP8X issues have to do with motherboard chipset problems. VIA had a lot of problems with it, and acknowledged it. Intel fudged up the Granite Bay chipset and admitted it.

I have never suffered a stuttering video, but I know software that will introduce it. Drivers cannot really do much about it.

NVidia slides by on the 8X bus by introducing an additional wait state, which slows the bus down. Maybe ATI should do the same thing.

Skuzzy-

Would have changing the AGP from 8x to 4X helped the stuttering? As I mentioned, this is the ONE thing that I didn't think of trying before I gave up.

The 9500 card was giving me FANSTASTIC FPS so I was sorry to get rid of it. However, a constant stutter in the game makes all FPS in the world pretty much useless...

Eagler · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2003, 10:57:40 AM »

very happy with ti4400 and XP2000 AMD chip - haven't upgraded in 16 months which says something about the combo

Sox62 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2003, 11:33:23 AM »

I had a Ti4400 for about a year-no complaints.

I decided to upgrade a month ago though(built a new system)and in the process went to an ATI 9800 Pro.

To put it simply,this thing kicks my old 4400's butt.I run at 1600x1200 with AA and AF on and see little if any slowdown in framerate,even in furballs when bases are smoking.

I run zonealarm.I haven't observed any of this "stuttering" you mention.

If you buy a 4800 over a 9700,you are making a mistake imho.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2003, 01:07:14 PM »

It may have corrected it Modas. Hard to say without sitting at your computer and being able to look through how things are setup/installed.

Modas · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2003, 01:30:22 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
It may have corrected it Modas. Hard to say without sitting at your computer and being able to look through how things are setup/installed.

Well, then, come on up!!

, I'll throw a couple of beer boiled brats on the grill, crack out some good 'ol Wisconsin swill beers, load up on some cheese, and we'll get crackin'

Thanks for the help Skuzzy, I'll just chaulk this one up to "learnings"