Building a new comfuser

[Deleted member 3023]

I'm Building a new comfuser & planning to buy an AMD Athlon3000+ 400MHz cpu, PC3200 512MB 400MHz memory stick, & a video card. First, does it matter what brand of memory I get nowadays? 2ndly, I may need a better heatsink/Fan, which works good with the AMD 3000+? And 3rdly, right now I have an Xstasy GeForce3 Ti200 vid card from my old comfuser, what would be the better card to buy: Radeon 9800Pro 256MB, Radeon X800Pro 256MB, or the GeForce 6600 256MB?

BTW; I'll mostly be working w/PhotoShop7, & I really want the card to be able to play DOOM3 & older Star Wars games.

 

[Clob]

What is a comfuser?

The X800Pro is the choise. You need 1gig of ram to run Doom and Photoshop at its best. Memory brand does not matter much, but you should check memory compatibilities with your motherboard. All of this also depends on your budget. If you are limited, then 1 gig and the 9800pro will sufice. Stock HSF will be fine so long as your case has 1 or 2 fans to circulate the air.

I run smoothly with my 9700pro at High 1024x768 No AA or AF. This is on a P4 2.8b with 1g of ram. There is a section some where in the graphics forum of Doom3 benchmarks on various systems. Check it out!

Have fun

"If youre paddling upstream in a canoe and a
wheel falls off, how many pancakes fit in a doghouse? None! Icecream doesn't have bones!!!"

"Battling Gimps and Dimbulbs HERE at THGC"
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Clob on 11/26/04 07:57 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Deleted member 3023]

Update.

I've sort-of narrowed it down, but are there any more suggestions concerning these cards:
RADEON 9800PRO 256MB
RADEON 9800XT 256MB
RADEON X800PRO 256MB

And could I get them below 200.00?

 

[KingLewie2152uk]

I'd go with the GeForce 6600.... Gainward actually do a more powerful card that is in the 6600 GT range which would be worth checking out:

Gainward Ultra 1960 "Goes Like Hell" (6626) GeForce 6600 GT 128MB

Although this card has 128mb of mem.... I read somewhere that the amount of mem is not half as important as the actual graphic processor on the card. This is why if u look at Dell ,or other major retailers, they always catch people out by highlighting "256mb Graphics" in their specs, instead of trying the honest approach!

 

[RichPLS]

PC=Personal Confuser

Brand name memory at stock speeds generally work fine.
Best deal is a X800Pro and flash it to the XT PE, good success rates I have read.

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And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[Deleted member 3023]

I've been getting some info for the video cards I'm looking at to buy (Radeon 9800Pro 256MB/Radeon X800Pro 256MB), but alot of ppl say to get the 6600GT 128MB. I'm a bit confused, wouldn't 256MB be better than 128MB? I'm mostly going to be playing older Star Wars games, DOOM3, & playing w/photoshop 6 as well as MP3's & games requiring less power. And I'm not overclocking.

 

[RichPLS]

Doom3 would benifit from 256mb, I would go with the X800 Pro for around $400, you might find it for a little less, and try flashing it the the XT PE version. They are having very good success rates, and if per chance yours doesn't do this, it is still a good card and can be overclocked.

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[jammydodger]

The radeon9800Pro's with 256Meg use DDR2(as opposed to the DDR1 used my the 128meg cards), DDR2 has slightly higher latencies than DDR1 and so can actually reduce performance unless very large textures are being used.

 

[Deleted member 3023]

I've been getting some good replies & just about decided on the video card I want. So, since my ceiling is <b>220.00</b>, & I need to get an <b>AGP</b> card (& I'm <b>NOT</b> overclocking); which would be best to play Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay & DOOM3 (both on high settings):
Radeon 9800Pro 256
-or-
GeForce 6600GT 128?