GeForce Buying Help?

MattH · August 25, 2003, 20:28

Mr. Raedon 9000 pro has been a good friend- he works well with any computer I put in him. But sadly, he's OLD AND BUSTED and I'm looking for some NEW HOTNESS

. I've fixed my eye on the GeForce FX 256MB line- specifically the 5600 (I'm not that rich

).

I've got several questions. The first is wether the 256MB worth the cost (~$160)". Another is what manufacturer/brand to buy from- pricegrabber lists five or six!

.

Have you had any serious problems with the GeForce? What's your opinion?

mrmitchell · August 25, 2003, 20:32

You can also get an ATI Radeon 9800.

If you want to play Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, you'll need a Radeon 9800 (I think) or what you've mentioned, a GeForce FX 5600. The rumour is that Doom 3 plays better on ATI cards and HL2 plays better on nVidia cards. (I may have gotten that transposed, though.)

EDIT: I'm sorry, it appears I've transposed everything--the FX 5900 and Radeon 9800 Pro, I think. Better yet, just ****it and wait for some geek who's built a vidcard out of socks and pipe cleaners to tell you what to get.

The Mad Monk · August 25, 2003, 20:39

I think they always did well against the forces of Zoltar.

MattH · August 25, 2003, 20:51

Quote:

I think they always did well against the forces of Zoltar.

It seems that the GeForce 5600 is the equivalent of the Raedon 9600. The only Raedon in 256MB format (9800 pro) costs $435- the same as an equivalent GF. I don't need $400 worth of performance.

I looked at the 5600 because it was modern and had 256 MB for the same price as the 9600. The games I play include UT 2003, Rainbow 6 3, RON, Morrowind and Neverwinter Nights among others.

mrmitchell · August 25, 2003, 20:53

Maximum PC's current "Best Budget Videocard" is the Radeon 9600.

Honestly, I seem to have a gravitation towards ATI myself, but buy whatever suits your needs.

MattH · August 25, 2003, 20:57

I like ATI and I've always recomended them, but here the gap seemstoo large... Off to tomshardware.

MattH · August 25, 2003, 21:04

The GeForece 5600 Ultra beat the 9600 Pro in all but two UT 2003 benches.

MattH · August 25, 2003, 21:07

...But overall the reviewer says the R9600 is better.

AARGH!! It's tearing my mind in two...

mrmitchell · August 25, 2003, 21:08

Flip a coin. You can't go wrong.

Jon Shafer · August 25, 2003, 21:09

I've had hell with my ATi Radeon drivers... though that was a while ago.

MattH · August 25, 2003, 21:23

No problems with Raedon on XP pro...

faded glory · August 25, 2003, 23:49

Nvidia GFX

all the way

ATI go with your budget buster 9800. Really good card.

iamlod · August 26, 2003, 01:18

I have no advice to give after I shamed myself by buying 512MB or RAM that wasn't compatable with my computer. Anyone want 512 MB sdram for AMD Thunderbird/Duron newer motherboards?
Anyone have 512 MB of ram compatable with a Dell Dimension 8200? I'll trade you...

I've been looking at video cards too. I have a 64MB GeForce 2, and it's just time for an upgrade... GeForce 5200 for $99 might be just the one for me...

Ned · August 26, 2003, 01:49

I have a Radeon 9700 Pro. I can run every game fairly well. So, I would recommend buying the latest Radeon, the 9800, for best performance.

Atahualpa · August 26, 2003, 03:15

As some tests showed the extra price for 256MB Ram on Gfx cards wont do ANYTHING at all currently.
The 9800 Pro 128 and the 9800 Pro 256 perform EXACTLY the same!
You may need it for future but as it is currently there isnt really a benefit and probably by the time it is, you'll be upgrading again anyway.

As I have heard all ATI cards will have a successor about next month or so.
Btw, what game did came out that you want to upgrade your gfx?

ata

alva · August 26, 2003, 06:34

Stay away from the 9200 radeon series though, it has many eugh issues

.

I, myself, own a 9600 and am very pleased about it, no conflicts, runs like a charm (and it is DX9 ready ).

MattH · August 26, 2003, 14:00

There really isn't one game that I'm upgrading for... HL2, SC4K, and The Sims II (I know) are coming out, and I wanted better fps in UT 2003- and maybe be able to get Unreal.

I was surfing Googlegear one day and I hit the "graphics card" button. I was so suprised to see a decent 256MB card for the same price I paid for my current Raedon. T

RE: Atahualpa- the cash for a R9800, but that's what I really want. Maybe it will go down in price when the 10000 series or whatever is coming now gets on the shelves.

Sava · August 26, 2003, 15:03

bah, ever since I had two shitty ATI cards, I've stuck with the GeForce series... they've been reliable, fast, and very affordable...

Sirotnikov · August 26, 2003, 16:58

I have recently purchased GeForce FX 5600 128MB and i like it plenty

Vice City and Ron run perfectly

Provost Harrison · August 26, 2003, 17:22

Well if we were comparing a GF5900 with the 9800, the former is faster, the latter better image quality...so it is, basically, take your pick - they are within pissing distance of one another...

mrmitchell · August 26, 2003, 17:35

Quote:

I have no advice to give after I shamed myself by buying 512MB or RAM that wasn't compatable with my computer. Anyone want 512 MB sdram for AMD Thunderbird/Duron newer motherboards?

Most stores have a return policy that'll let you take it back if you goofed up on your own (though it's still recommended that you study up first, if just to save time.) ...But, finding out that they did have one would be doubly shaming wouldn't it?

Quote:

The 9800 Pro 128 and the 9800 Pro 256 perform EXACTLY the same!

The idea is that future games will use up all the 256mb and start begging for more before ye know it.

reds4ever · August 26, 2003, 17:53

Quote:

Originally posted by mrmitchell

The idea is that future games will use up all the 256mb and start begging for more before ye know it.

by that time either the chipset will be showing it's age and/or the price of the board will have come down

mrmitchell · August 26, 2003, 17:59

Quote:

Originally posted by reds4ever

by that time either the chipset will be showing it's age and/or the price of the board will have come down

Yeah. I'd wait until Doom3 and HL2 came out before buying a new board--just to see exactly what it is they require, and prices for what they require will have gone down by then, too.

MattH · August 26, 2003, 18:00

I'm NOT going to buy a Raedon 9800 of GeForce FX 5900.
The money just doesn't exist- that $400 is 1/2 the cost of my current new computer.

How long do you estimate the FX 5600 will last (before it becomes obsolete)?

chequita guevara · August 26, 2003, 18:03

I'm still using a TNT2.

reds4ever · August 26, 2003, 18:05

Depends what you mean by obsolete, unless the games you are playing NOW are suffering perfomance-wise, every month you can wait before you upgrade will save you money, no matter what board you choose

MattH · August 26, 2003, 18:05

Yeah, well how good does it play UT 2003?

chequita guevara · August 26, 2003, 18:29

Quote:

Originally posted by MattH
Yeah, well how good does it play UT 2003?

It doesn't, but I figure I won't be playing that game for about three years anyway.

Neutrino · August 26, 2003, 18:34

I've heard that the 256MB versions use slower RAM, so maybe the only performance gains will be in apps that are very graphics-intensive.

I'm in the process of building a new PC too and still deciding on which graphics card to get .. so far I have my eye on the Radeon 9600pro. However, next month ATI and nVidia plan to release new mainstream boards, so maybe that'll drive down the prices of the current mainstream ones.

MattH · August 26, 2003, 18:52

Alright. I can wait.