EQ2: Video Card Question

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

I've running EQ2 on my current system moderately well, with features
turned down. I'm using an Athlon XP 2200+ with 1 Gig of RAM on a
Hercules Radeon 9700 128MB.

I have the resources to buy a high end card, £300 or so, but will it
drastically improve my EQ2 play, considering the other components are
ageing a little?

So the question is, should I go for something like a Radeon x800 Pro
256MB, for around £300, or keep a little back and go for something a
bit cheaper?

Taff

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Taff wrote:
> I've running EQ2 on my current system moderately well, with features
> turned down. I'm using an Athlon XP 2200+ with 1 Gig of RAM on a
> Hercules Radeon 9700 128MB.
>
> I have the resources to buy a high end card, lb300 or so, but will it
> drastically improve my EQ2 play, considering the other components are
> ageing a little?
>
> So the question is, should I go for something like a Radeon x800 Pro
> 256MB, for around lb300, or keep a little back and go for something a
> bit cheaper?
>

I am unsure what you are looking for in this game that your current card
can't give you. I am running a ATI Radeon 9700 Pro 128MB (DDR) on my
P4-3.06GHz HT, 1GB 1066RAMBUS and the game screams along. The graphics
are awesome with the "balanced" setting using the latest ATI Catalyst
drivers. Considering any real upgrade from this card will cost in
excess of $300 [I have had this card since May 2003], I don't see the
return as being that great.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1
Spammers please contact me at renegade@veldy.net.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Taff wrote in news:edobr0pn2lnbn2ptf842gdh2j34kbqahci@4ax.com:

> I've running EQ2 on my current system moderately well, with features
> turned down. I'm using an Athlon XP 2200+ with 1 Gig of RAM on a
> Hercules Radeon 9700 128MB.
>
> I have the resources to buy a high end card, £300 or so, but will it
> drastically improve my EQ2 play, considering the other components are
> ageing a little?
>
> So the question is, should I go for something like a Radeon x800 Pro
> 256MB, for around £300, or keep a little back and go for something a
> bit cheaper?

Is that a 9700 Pro or XT card? If so, and you still have to crank down the
settings, then the problem is not likely to be your video card, in which
case, there is little point in getting a new one now.

I run with an XP 3200+, 1GB of PC3200 Dual channel ram, and a 9800 Pro
128MB card, and use the default settings with little trouble at all.

--
On Erollisi Marr in <Sanctuary of Marr>
Ancient Graeme Faelban, Barbarian Prophet of 69 seasons

On Steamfont in <Bane of Evil>
Graeme, 17 Dwarven Shaman, 14 Scholar

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

<Taff> wrote in message news:edobr0pn2lnbn2ptf842gdh2j34kbqahci@4ax.com...
> I've running EQ2 on my current system moderately well, with features
> turned down. I'm using an Athlon XP 2200+ with 1 Gig of RAM on a
> Hercules Radeon 9700 128MB.
>
> I have the resources to buy a high end card, £300 or so, but will it
> drastically improve my EQ2 play, considering the other components are
> ageing a little?
>
> So the question is, should I go for something like a Radeon x800 Pro
> 256MB, for around £300, or keep a little back and go for something a
> bit cheaper?

Your computer isn't really aging much yet. Maybe your RAM...what kind do
you have?

Doing a little research on pricing, it's also around $250-300US...Is it
normal for dollars and pounds to equate that closely???

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

"Dan Harmon" <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:Q5ydndoCtMQY2yrcRVn-pw@giganews.com...
>
>
> <Taff> wrote in message news:edobr0pn2lnbn2ptf842gdh2j34kbqahci@4ax.com...
>> I've running EQ2 on my current system moderately well, with features
>> turned down. I'm using an Athlon XP 2200+ with 1 Gig of RAM on a
>> Hercules Radeon 9700 128MB.
>>
>> I have the resources to buy a high end card, £300 or so, but will it
>> drastically improve my EQ2 play, considering the other components are
>> ageing a little?
>>
>> So the question is, should I go for something like a Radeon x800 Pro
>> 256MB, for around £300, or keep a little back and go for something a
>> bit cheaper?
>
> Your computer isn't really aging much yet. Maybe your RAM...what kind do
> you have?
>
> Doing a little research on pricing, it's also around $250-300US...Is it
> normal for dollars and pounds to equate that closely???

Oops, never mind. By X800 I thought you meant <whatever>800, and 9800 would
fit into that category. I hadn't heard of the X800 because I can't afford
it at $300-500US.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Graeme Faelban wrote:

>Is that a 9700 Pro or XT card? If so, and you still have to crank down the
>settings, then the problem is not likely to be your video card, in which
>case, there is little point in getting a new one now.
>
>I run with an XP 3200+, 1GB of PC3200 Dual channel ram, and a 9800 Pro
>128MB card, and use the default settings with little trouble at all.

Just a regular 9700. On the 'balanced' setting, I get choppy response
around more than a couple of characters. I see your point, though -
this may be an issue unconnected to the card.

I'll look into it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Taff wrote in news:nr9er0dd1ldmqpau34912cjkp0pmlt6ndo@4ax.com:

> Graeme Faelban wrote:
>
>>Is that a 9700 Pro or XT card? If so, and you still have to crank
>>down the settings, then the problem is not likely to be your video
>>card, in which case, there is little point in getting a new one now.
>>
>>I run with an XP 3200+, 1GB of PC3200 Dual channel ram, and a 9800 Pro
>>128MB card, and use the default settings with little trouble at all.
>
> Just a regular 9700. On the 'balanced' setting, I get choppy response
> around more than a couple of characters. I see your point, though -
> this may be an issue unconnected to the card.
>
> I'll look into it.
>

Given that it's a standard 9700, you may well see significant improvement
with your system. Things you'll need to be certain of are adequate
power, and airflow through your case for the latest video cards. They
are typically power hogs, and need a fair amount of airflow.

--
On Erollisi Marr in <Sanctuary of Marr>
Ancient Graeme Faelban, Barbarian Prophet of 69 seasons

On Steamfont in <Bane of Evil>
Graeme, 17 Dwarven Shaman, 14 Scholar

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Dan Harmon <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>
> Oops, never mind. By X800 I thought you meant <whatever>800, and 9800 would
> fit into that category. I hadn't heard of the X800 because I can't afford
> it at $300-500US.
>

Yeah ... why bother. In 6 months it will be $150-250US.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1
Spammers please contact me at renegade@veldy.net.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

"Thomas T. Veldhouse" <veldy71@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:41b7577a$0$196$8046368a@newsreader.iphouse.net...
> Dan Harmon <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>
>> Oops, never mind. By X800 I thought you meant <whatever>800, and 9800
>> would
>> fit into that category. I hadn't heard of the X800 because I can't
>> afford
>> it at $300-500US.
>>
>
> Yeah ... why bother. In 6 months it will be $150-250US.

Based on www.tomshardware.com, a site I decided to visit since I made that
blunder, it looks like when it does hit $150US I'll likely go out and buy it
or the GF6800...they both appear to kick serious ass.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Dan Harmon <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>
>> Yeah ... why bother. In 6 months it will be $150-250US.
>
> Based on www.tomshardware.com, a site I decided to visit since I made that
> blunder, it looks like when it does hit $150US I'll likely go out and buy it
> or the GF6800...they both appear to kick serious ass.
>

My experience, based upon the use of NVidia, ATI and 3Dfx cards are that
the ATI have been the most solid graphics cards ever made. I doubt I
will buy NVidia again unless they have changed their ways. Too many
vendors built cards prone to overheating, bad fans, just cheap in
general. Of course, when I indicate ATI, I mean cards actually made by
ATI.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1
Spammers please contact me at renegade@veldy.net.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

"Thomas T. Veldhouse" <veldy71@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:41b776fc$1$181$8046368a@newsreader.iphouse.net:

> Dan Harmon <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Yeah ... why bother. In 6 months it will be $150-250US.
>>
>> Based on www.tomshardware.com, a site I decided to visit since I made
>> that blunder, it looks like when it does hit $150US I'll likely go
>> out and buy it or the GF6800...they both appear to kick serious ass.
>>
>>
>
> My experience, based upon the use of NVidia, ATI and 3Dfx cards are
> that the ATI have been the most solid graphics cards ever made. I
> doubt I will buy NVidia again unless they have changed their ways.
> Too many vendors built cards prone to overheating, bad fans, just
> cheap in general. Of course, when I indicate ATI, I mean cards
> actually made by ATI.
>

As with NVidia, the ATi cards vary depending on the manufacturer. You
just need to know which vendor(s) to look for in each case.

--
On Erollisi Marr in <Sanctuary of Marr>
Ancient Graeme Faelban, Barbarian Prophet of 69 seasons

On Steamfont in <Bane of Evil>
Graeme, 17 Dwarven Shaman, 14 Scholar

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Graeme Faelban wrote:
> "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <veldy71@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:41b776fc$1$181$8046368a@newsreader.iphouse.net:
>
>
>>Dan Harmon <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>Yeah ... why bother. In 6 months it will be $150-250US.
>>>
>>>Based on www.tomshardware.com, a site I decided to visit since I made
>>>that blunder, it looks like when it does hit $150US I'll likely go
>>>out and buy it or the GF6800...they both appear to kick serious ass.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>My experience, based upon the use of NVidia, ATI and 3Dfx cards are
>>that the ATI have been the most solid graphics cards ever made. I
>>doubt I will buy NVidia again unless they have changed their ways.
>>Too many vendors built cards prone to overheating, bad fans, just
>>cheap in general. Of course, when I indicate ATI, I mean cards
>>actually made by ATI.
>>
>
>
> As with NVidia, the ATi cards vary depending on the manufacturer. You
> just need to know which vendor(s) to look for in each case.
>
Sapphire I think is the only company I've had experience with that makes
decent third party cards. There was some little hole in the wall shop I
read about that builds reference cards with higher end ram and rigs them
up with full water cooling and stuff that sounds neat.
But those are like $1000. ><

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

Tyas <tyas_mt@hotplonkmail.commies> wrote in news:soCdnbkZfOg8PyrcRVn-
uA@vallnet.com:

> Graeme Faelban wrote:
>> "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <veldy71@yahoo.com> wrote in
>> news:41b776fc$1$181$8046368a@newsreader.iphouse.net:
>>
>>
>>>Dan Harmon <deharmon@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>>Yeah ... why bother. In 6 months it will be $150-250US.
>>>>
>>>>Based on www.tomshardware.com, a site I decided to visit since I made
>>>>that blunder, it looks like when it does hit $150US I'll likely go
out
>>>>and buy it or the GF6800...they both appear to kick serious ass.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>My experience, based upon the use of NVidia, ATI and 3Dfx cards are
>>>that the ATI have been the most solid graphics cards ever made. I
>>>doubt I will buy NVidia again unless they have changed their ways.
>>>Too many vendors built cards prone to overheating, bad fans, just
>>>cheap in general. Of course, when I indicate ATI, I mean cards
>>>actually made by ATI.
>>>
>>
>>
>> As with NVidia, the ATi cards vary depending on the manufacturer. You
>> just need to know which vendor(s) to look for in each case.
>>
> Sapphire I think is the only company I've had experience with that
makes
> decent third party cards. There was some little hole in the wall shop I
> read about that builds reference cards with higher end ram and rigs
them
> up with full water cooling and stuff that sounds neat.
> But those are like $1000. ><
>

Yeah, Sapphire is good, that's the ATi card I have, works like a champ.
9800 Pro in my case.

--
On Erollisi Marr in <Sanctuary of Marr>
Ancient Graeme Faelban, Barbarian Prophet of 69 seasons

On Steamfont in <Bane of Evil>
Graeme, 17 Dwarven Shaman, 14 Scholar