Video Card

[Thorns]

Need some help with hardware for the new AHII.
 
My current system -
AOpen AK77 Pro(A)-133  266MHz FSB
AMD 1.0 Thunderbird CPU
512 mb 2700 DDR Memory
Hercules GeForce2 Pro Vid card
19 inch Flat screen Trinitron
W2k Pro

I want to upgrade to an AMD 2600+ CPU(2.1MHz) ($125.00).

Question:  I see Radeon 9500 Pro vid cards for around $160.00 on Pricewatch.com.  Would this be a good choice, and will this give good FPS in the new AHII with the new CPU?  Suggestions?

Thanks,
Thorns

[Skuzzy]

The 9500Pro will be fine.  More than enough.

[Monty405]

not sure on price cause im from canada, but 9500pro is great if you can get it. 9500 is being fazed out by the slightly worse preforming 9600.

[Defiance]

Hiya Bob,
If you can get a 9500 ................

Try n get the red pcb type with "L" shaped memory on it as opposed to the "inline" eg   - - - -

As the L shaped memory can "sometimes" be made to run as a 9700

Idea was this, Like cpu's when the 9500 was envisaged with the 9700 instead of making 2 pcb boards they made the one to supply the 9500/9700 (1 pcb less expense)

They knobbled the 9500 with pcb extras while still using the same pcb layout as the 9700

Now they soon realised that the 9500 none pro (important) was being modded into the more expensive 9700

So they revised the pcb on the 9500 to a inline - - - - mem layout n stopped the modding in it's tracks

Now with a mainly red 9500 none pro L shaped mem layout you have approx 70% chance of a simple driver or bios mod to make it a 9700

It's not hard to do btw

They soon also realised that with using the same gpu for 9500 none pro n 9700 that any gpu's that weren't exactly brilliant could then be easily utilised on the 9500

To be blunt, Go for the L shaped 9500 none pro if ya can find one pref with red pcb

If you want to mod it i can send ya info

Also to complicate matters a L shaped 9500 none pro on red pcb will soft mod to a 9500 pro anyways (very high chance anyways)

Hope this confused ya

Adios

[Nilsen]

will the 9600 non-pro be more than enough to skuzzy?

P.s.. ill be running at 1280*1024 (cause its LCD native res.)

Thank you.

[Skuzzy]

It should be Nielsen

[Octavius]

Skuzzy I remember you mentioning that Radeon cards shine at higher CPU speeds.  I own a 9500pro and for some reason I'm getting sluggishness in AH... frame rates range from as high as 200 fps (looking straight up into the blue) to the low 30s/high 20s in areas of large object concentration.  

I'm guessing my CPU/motherboard are a bottleneck.  The video settings may also be a culprit (running 6x anti aliasing at 1600x1200)  My system is similar to Thorns' :

1.2 ghz T-bird
ECS K7S5A
784mb PC-2700 ddram
9500pro

[Nilsen]

Thx Skuzzy, the new puter is comming along nicley, im still lacking most parts but a few mins ago my gf came in the door while i was surfing.... Just as she came in i was surfing a webstore and was looking at the  new 9600XP that they just got in and she said: "go ahead and order it, ill pay for it !!"

Conclusion.... If you treat your pregnant gf good she will suprise you

9600XP is running at 500mhz on the core and 600mhz on the mem *drool*

[Skuzzy]

That's the 9600XT.  Yes, it is quite nice.  The core will easily overclock to around 600Mhz.  It also runs cooler than the card it is replacing due to the low-k process used.
Definately a best bang for the buck product.

[Skuzzy]

Originally posted by Octavius
Skuzzy I remember you mentioning that Radeon cards shine at higher CPU speeds.  I own a 9500pro and for some reason I'm getting sluggishness in AH... frame rates range from as high as 200 fps (looking straight up into the blue) to the low 30s/high 20s in areas of large object concentration.  

I'm guessing my CPU/motherboard are a bottleneck.  The video settings may also be a culprit (running 6x anti aliasing at 1600x1200)  My system is similar to Thorns' :

1.2 ghz T-bird
ECS K7S5A
784mb PC-2700 ddram
9500pro

Yes Octavius, you are a bit CPU limited.  That card will easily handle a CPU twice as fast you are running and just perform better.

[Roscoroo]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Yes Octavius, you are a bit CPU limited.  That card will easily handle a CPU twice as fast you are running and just perform better.

1.2 ghz T-bird
ECS K7S5A
784mb PC-2700 ddram
9500pro

Remember Octavius that the Ecs k7s5a is limited in the Fsb speed
and it doesnt like to over clock  Along with being a 4x pci board.

But with the bios flash and update it can run very stable with a 2.0ghz or little faster cpu in it

I tossed that 2400+ amd     in mine for a bit just to try it and it ran just fine ... my Gf2 64mb card  didnt see much inprovement as in Frame rates .. I really need a updated G card soon...

I have to say if you want faster buss speeds though its about time for a better MB that supports 8x graphic cards ..

We are limited with the ECS mainboard ...(but hell mine runs Sooo  smooth )
  In november ECS has its 64 AMD cpu board with 8x pci grafic cards supported comming out ... I may have to replace my Soyo 3.0 ghz machine with one of these

[Octavius]

BIOS flash and update!?  I thought it wouldnt support anything over 1.2ghz!  In that case a new CPU wouldnt be a bad idea.  Although if I were to upgrade, I'd like to go in the range of 2.4-2.6 ghz.  That would give me an excuse to do the whole overhaul.

FSB = 266mhz.  New boards are up to what, 800ish FSB?  (intel anyway)


Guess I'll wait to check that new AMD 64bit out.  Have they (ECS) announced a price yet?

[Roscoroo]

I havent seen the price yet for the 64 amd ECS board ...

the k7s5a will run a 2.0 ok without the flash and  bios up grade  but they recommend it be done at the ECS site.. i do think it has to be done to go over 2.0 ghz ...

you might just go ahead and move up to the better athlon cpu

http://www.ecsusa.com/aboutUs/pr_093003.html

[Thorns]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Thorns