Buying a new graphics card

[Guest]

Does anyone know were I can find a good graphics card for under $150? I would like to have a GeForce, because from what I can tell from tom’s guides, they are the best.

 

[Guest]

and does it really matter who makes the card if the gpu is good? and whats more important the clock speed of the gpu or the amount of MB the card has? and is the geForce 200 really worth $100 more than the Geforce2 pro?? thanks BOB

 

[Guest]

You do want a good card. ELSA, ASUS, Creative, and Guillemont (sp) are good. Have you checked <A HREF="http://www.pricewatch.com" target="_new">http://www.pricewatch.com</A>? Also, you want a Geforce 2 ULTRA, though I would recommend a Geforce3.

Aklein

It's raining outside, and my lawn has grown a foot overnight!

 

[Pettytheft]

Check out <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com" target="_new">http://www.newegg.com</A>

They have some decent prices on video cards, and their service is about as good as it gets. Only thing I can reccomend is to stay away from the Leadtek GeForce2 Pro32 MB card. It's actually a GeForce2 GTS in disguise.

Blah, Blah Blahh, Blahh, blahh blah blahh, blah blah.

 

[Guest]

thanks thows web sites are lots of help i only got one more question... what would be better a GeForce MX 400 64MB or a GeForce GTX 32MB(ddr)?

 

[Guest]

does it really matter who make the graphics card?? it seems like the only thing that the graphics card people do is put all the gpu stuff on a card?? am i wrong????

 

[Unolocogringo]

The GTS will be much faster than the MX.

I aint signing nothing!!!

 

[baron]

Also, get a GF2 GTS or GF2 PRO... Pro is better if you can find one with fast ram. I recommend spending extra for the 64mb card. MEGs are very important when the newer games will demand more then 32 megs. Current games recommend 32mb cards... So you want the card to last you a good year or two. Only way is to stay a step ahead of the current games. (atleast pass the recommended standards)

IMacs for the blind

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all your help guys. I think I have found a good card but it is a “house brand” card. It’s a GeForce 2 pro 64MB DDR TV OUT for only $145 + shipping. But I guess that the web site ( http://store.yahoo.com/hoct12/video-cards.html ) makes it and im not sure if that is a bad thing… has anyone ever bought a no name graphics card? I don’t really card about support just drivers (and nvidia makes throws) and warranty. Has anyone every bought from house of computers that could tell me if they are good or not…. Thanks for all your help Bob.. Bob the Cat.. And no im not in a HAT! Im just a cat.

 

[noko]

What makes you think that the Geforce cards are the best? Maybe best for what you want to do, maybe not. If you go solely by FPS then maybe yes. If you take into account other considerations maybe no. I believe it really depends how you are going to use your video card that determines which one would be best suited for you.

 

[Guest]

The benchmarks say that they are the best. The geforce also has T&L which in the future will be need to play games.. I just want a card that will be good for at least 2 years but not much over $150.

It sounds like you don’t like the geforce much what would you suggest.. I will mostly be using it for games and ripping DVD’s and converting them to mpeg-4…

 

[noko]

I like what gives me what I want. I have a Radeon64 and soon be getting a MX400 for my other computer. Brand has nothing to do with it. Get something that will give you the most in what you want or need. Radeon 2 will play Mpeg4 using its hardware and rumor also has it that it will also encode mpeg4. My Radeon encodes mpeg2 from the ATI programs on board without a problem. 2d and DVD abililty has repeatedly been noted better on the Radeon than the Geforce2 cards. 3d image quality is also been noted better on the Radeon then the GF2 cards repeatedly on many reviews. Each chipset has its pluses and minuses. FPS doesn't tell the whole story. It is simple just to accept a FPS rating vice digging into the meat of things. Don't get me wrong, I was going to buy a GF2 card until I played with one and noticed the subpar 2d quality which wasn't up to my standards but then again that was only one I played with so maybe it doesn't represent the majority. Still many reviews have indicated the subpar 2d quality when in the higher resolutions. Now I just purchased a MX400 so as to dig into linux. In that respect the Radeon can't match the nVidia chipsets in that operating system, thus the reason why I bought a Nvidia chipset in that case. GF3 looks to have both good 2d and image quality like the Radeon so a GF3 would be interesting for me if I needed a performance card now in which I don't yet. I see over and over again when someone recommends a given card or cpu then they are labelled as bias and what not. My advise is to look at the biggest picture as possible and then choose. It should include 2d quaility and speed, 3d quality and speed, Video/DVD quality and ability (The Radeon beats the GF2 on everyone of those except for 3d speed). Also driver stability should be a good thing to look at in which I think the Radeon is very good but Nvidia is excellent. Operating system performance may also be a consideration as well where Nvidia has an edge in Windows2000 in DX7 stuff. If you have any questions please ask and I will tell you the truth the best that I can.

 

[noko]

Oh yes the Radeon does have a T&L engine too. It is supposenly more powerful then a GF2 in which I've havn't seen any real convincing agrument for either one being better than the other. Plus the Radeon does have more Directx8 features then the GF2 line but not as much as the GF3 card.

 

[noko]

You might want to check out the following review of the Kyro2, it maybe the card for you.

<A HREF="http://www.riva3d.com/4500/" target="_new">http://www.riva3d.com/4500/</A>

Most reviews of the Kyro2 is very favorable and looks like a decent card to get. I would have bought one if it wasn't for the lack of Linux drivers.

 

[baron]

Kryo2 is a card trying to get the people who buy GF2 MX, yet that kryo2 cost the same as a PRO. Funny when I read it.

I also found it strange that Tom's review used a GF2 GTS 32meg to compare kryo2 64meg. Any GF2 at very high res. needs more then 32 megs. I just like the GF2 Pro. Screenshots of the different games look pretty good to me.

IMacs for the blind

 

[noko]

Kyro2 $112. Where can you get a 64meg GF2 pro for that?

 

[baron]

MSI makes pretty inexpensive RETAIL GF2 Pro with DDR. Around 140.

112 price is OEM, and the RETAIL kyro II is about 140 too. I like to buy retail, OEM doesn't exsist in my universe.

IMacs for the blind

 

[noko]

Well MSI made a card called the pro but it wasn't really a pro, it still used 6ns ram, 333mhz DDR speed. Is that the one you are talking about?